Free English Teaching Resources
Dive into the world of Oz with our free Wicked-inspired English teaching resources for KS2, KS3, and KS4.
As part of programmes of study for English, Wicked offers a wealth of topics, relatable themes and characters,
and literary source material to inspire critical thinking, and literacy and oracy skills.
"No thief, however skilful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why knowledge
L. Frank Baum
is the best and safest treasure to acquire."
"The world of 'Oz', and the man who created it, L. Frank Baum, were to have a deep influence on the children's
Charlotte Runcie, The Daily Telegraph
and fantasy literature that followed, from C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien to J.K. Rowling and George R.R. Martin."
Wicked is inspired by one of the most influential children's stories of all time
(The Times),
L. Frank Baum's 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' (1900), and based on the acclaimed 1995 adult
novel 'Wicked - The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire.
Discover more about the literary inspirations behind the musical, other famous prequels and
sequels, the witches and wizards of myth and legend, the magical worlds of fantasy fiction,
the history of magic, and the enduring legacy of 'Oz', in each of our English teaching resources.
Download Free English Lesson Plans Now
Create an inspiring classroom environment with our free English lesson plans suitable for ages 7 to 16.
English Teacher Resource Pack
Our free English teacher resource pack will help you to understand Wicked, its background, characters,
themes, and history before you immerse your students in the land of Oz.
Learn more about our Wicked Writers: Be the Change persuasive writing competition in partnership
with the National Literacy Trust .
Did you know?
L. Frank Baum's inspiration for the name 'Oz' came from a filing cabinet in his study -
there were three drawers marked 'A-G', 'H-N', and "O-Z", and so 'Oz' was born.
In Wicked, the 'jewelled shoes' are silver, not ruby (as they were in the 1939 film).
This is because they were silver in Baum's original story and only became ruby
to make use of the Technicolor process in the MGM film.
The name 'Elphaba', the central character in Wicked, is derived from
L. Frank Baum's initials - 'L. F. B'.