Fun with Character: The Cowardly Lion
“It’s sad believe me, missy,
When you’re born to be a sissy
Without the vim and verve….”
The Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz” sang these words when he met Dorothy in the forest. In the end, we find that the Lion had courage all along, he just didn’t recognize it. Perhaps, being a “sissy” takes courage, if it means not following the crowd if they are doing something wrong.
For this activity, make copies of the Lion in the download below. Make it large enough to write in the Lion’s body if your students are older or large enough to draw in if your students are younger. Instruct the students to record a time when they felt courageous.
To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:
Did you like the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz?
Do you feel more like the Lion in the beginning, or the end?
Do you have to feel Courageous all the time?
Will this exercise help you to remember the Courage that you do have?
When they have finished ask if any want to share their experience. Ask the students to think back on what motivated them to be courageous. Perhaps they can make that work again for them in the future.