CassandraAerts

ChildrensLiteratureLessonPlan
1.NameofChildrensBook:
Silverstein,S.,Silverstein,S.,&Row,P.(1964).Thegivingtree.
NewYork:Harper&Row.
2.SummaryofChildrensBook(2paragraphs)
InthebookTheGivingTree,ayoungboybefriendsatree.
Thetreelovesthisboyandtheboylovesthetree.Oftenthelittleboy
willcometoplaywiththetreeandeattheapplesthetreegives.The
boygivesthetreecompanyandthetreegivestheboywhatithas.
Theboyandtreegrowinagetogether,buttheboytakesadifferentpath.Soontheboyistooold
forthetreeandforgetsallthatithasgivenhimandleaves.
Theboyslowlystopscomingtovisitthetreeandthetreeissadaboutthis.Soontheboy
movesawayanddoesnotvisitthetreeforalittlewhile.Thenhecomesbacktothetreeonafew
occasionsonlyaskingforthingsfromthetreelikemoney,ahouse,andaboat.Thetreegivesall
thatithastotheboy.Finally,whentheboyisoldandalone,hecomesbacktothetreeandthe
treeisashamedithasnothingelsetogivetheboy.However,theboyfinallyrealizesthetree
itselfisenoughfortheboy.Thetreehasgivenallithastotheboyandtheboycannotrepayit.
GradeLevel:2ndGrade
3.Questions
Prereading
Doyouhaveafavoritespottoplayoutside?Sharethiswithapartner.
Readthetitlewithme,Thegivingtree.Whatdoyoupredictthisbookisgoingtobe
about?
Whatdoyouthinkofwhenyouthinkofthewordgiving?Tellyourpartner.
Duringreading
Whatdoyounoticeabouttheboyonthispage?Whataboutthenextpagealso?(Page
thatsaysButtimewentby.Boybringsagirltothetreeandcarvestheirnamesinit.)
Whydoyouthinkthetreegavehimitsapplesandbranchesifitwouldhavenomorethen
togive?
Whydoyouthinkthetreesaiditwashappyafteritgaveawayitstrunksotheboycould
makeaboat(ifitreallywasnothappy)?
Postreading
Whatdidyounoticeabouttheboywhenitcametothetreethelasttime?
Whydoyouthinkthetreewasstilltryingtogivesomethingtotheboyeventhoughithad
nothingleft?
Canyouthinkofatimewhenyouwantedtogivesomethingtosomeone,butyoucould
not?
Whodoesthetreeremindyouof?Howabouttheboy?

4.ActivitiestofollowtheBook.DothisforEACHactivity.
ACTIVITYONErelatedtothebook:
a.ContentDiscipline:Geography,history,creativewritingorreading/language,drama,music,
expressivearts,science,math,science,OReconomics,etc.
b.WhatNCSSstrand(s)fitsthisactivity?Tellwhy(onesentence)
Strand4IndividualDevelopmentandIdentity
Ichosethisstrandbecausestudentsaregoingtodevelopanunderstandingforthebookona
personallevelandgetthechancetoexperienceandexpresshowitfeelstohavealltheypossess
takenforthemoutofanactofloveforanother.
c.Statethegoalorobjectiveofwhatyouplantoaccomplishinthisactivity?(Mayhavemore
thanone)
Secondgradestudentswillbeabletoreasonwhythetreegavetotheboyanddevelopmentan
understandingofhowthetreemusthavefeltthroughpersonalexperienceofactingoutonepart
inthebook.
d.Describetheactivity(Whatwouldyouhavekidsdo?)
Classwearefirstgoingtoreflectonthebook,andwhatitmeantpersonallytoeachof
us.Tomethetreeremindedmeofmymother.ShewasalwaysgivingmewhateverI
neededorwantedandIoftenforgottothankherforallshedid.So,Icouldrelatetothe
boyandsomeonealwaysaskingforsomething.NowIhavekidsandknowwhatitislike
tobethetree.(Idonotreallyhavekidsyet)
Pleasesharewithmewhatthebook,orcharacters,oreventsinthebookmadeyouthink
of.Anyfeelingsitmadeyouconnectwith?Writesomeoftheseontheboardthat
studentscouldconnectwith.
Nextexplaintothestudentstheywillhavetheoptiontobethetreeortheboy/girl.The
studentswillgetachancetoactoutthebookwithapartnerinpracticetime,theninfront
oftheclass.Thestudentsdonothavetofollowthebooklineforline,butthetreemust
giveawaythreethingstotheboy/girlandthetwocharactersmustcomebacktogetherat
theend.
Forexample,ifIwasthetreeIcoulduseourdressupclothesinthedramaticplayarea
andwhentheboy/girlasksIwillfirstgiveawaymyshoes,thenmyhat,thenmycoat.
WhenhecomesbackthelasttimeIhavenothingelsetogivebutmycompany,sowe
willsitonthefloorandconverse.
Informthestudentsthattheyarenotconfinedtothissingleidea.Theyareexpectedtobe
creative,andcantrybothrolesbeforethegroupperformsinfrontoftheclass(noone
willbeforcedtodothis).
Afterallgroupshaveperformed,askthestudents,Whatfeelingsdoyouhaveaboutthe
bookandcharactersinitnow?Whatchangedfromthefirsttimewereadit?Howdidyou
feelwhenyoupartnertookawayalltheitemsyouhad?Howdidyoufeeltakingthese

itemsawayfromyourfriend?Whatwasyourclosingscene?Whydidyouchoosetodoit
thisway?
e.Howwouldyouassessthisactivity?INCLUDEtherubricorchecklistwithspecific
performanceexpectations.
Assessment:
Studentswillbeassessedontheirunderstandingofthelessononapersonallevel.Therefore,
everyanswertotheassessmentandreactiontothelessonwill,andshould,bedifferent.The
studentswillbeassessedontheirabilitytoexplainhowtheypersonallyreactedtothebook,and
thencomparedittowhentheywereactingouttheircharacters.Thisexitslipwillbeusedto
assessthestudentsunderstandingandconnectionwiththelesson.Theteacherwillalsokeepa
mentalrecord(orwritedownduringpracticeandperformancetime)thestudentsparticipation
andeffortputintotheskits.Thiscanbewrittenontheexitslip1,2,3,4,or5foreachstudent(5
high).
ExitSlip..StudentName:
Whatwasyouroriginalreactiontothetree?Boy?
Howdidthischangeafteryouwereintheirshoesandperformedtheskit?
Whatemotionscoulddescribetherelationshipbetweentheboyandtreeatthebeginningvs.
end?
Didtheboy,orthetree,remindyouofanyoneyouknowifyourlife?
Differentiation:
StrugglingLearners:Nostudentwillbeforcedtoparticipate,butencouragedtoinordertoput
themselvesintheshoesofthecharacters.Ifastudentcannotparticipateinanypartoftheacting
ormovingaround,theywillnotbepenalizedandadjustmentswillbemadesuchassittingdown
astheboy/girlortree.Sincethescript/playpartsoftheskitareleftuptotheimaginationofthe
childrentherearenostandardsanyonemustmeet.Theteacherwillberoamingaroundtheroom
toofferanyassistanceorskitstarterparts.
TAGStudents:Becausetheskitisleftuptotheimaginationofthechildren,TAGstudentswill
beexpectedtoapplythemselvesandtheirpersonalunderstandingandemotionstotheirskit
performance.Noextraworkintheskitorexitslipwillberequiredoffromthesestudents.Rather
theywillbeaskedtodisplaythisunderstandingandgiftednessthroughhis/herwork.

ACTIVITYTWO(Chooseadifferentcontentdiscipline)
Geography,history,creativewritingorreading/language,drama,music,expressivearts,
science,math,science,OReconomics,etc.
b.WhatNCSSstrand(s)fitsthisactivity?Tellwhy(onesentence)
Strand3People,Places,andEnvironment
Withthisactivitystudentswilllearnthecycleofan
appletree,thepartsofanappletree,andhowthe
environmentreliesonthetreesandthetreesonthe
environment.
c.Statethegoalorobjectiveofwhatyouplanto
accomplishinthisactivity?(Mayhavemorethan
one)

d.Describetheactivity(Whatwouldyouhavekids
do?)
Firstwewillwatchthisvideoaboutthelifecycleofappletrees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chNwmpqSa78
ThetreeinTheGivingTreewasanappletree.Howcanyoutell?
Whatarethepartstotheappletree?Leavesbranches,trunk,etc
Whyareallthesepartsimportant?Whatdoeseachpartofthetreedofortheother?
WheredoyouthinkthatappletreesareintheUnitedStates?Writedownafewguesses
andwewilllookatamap
Arethereanyappletreefarmsnearus?
Canyoustillhaveappletreesevenifitdoesnot
sayhereonthismap?
Nextwearegoingtofilloutthisoutlineofan
appletree,writingdownthepartsithas.Wewill
talkaboutwhateachpartdoesforthetreeand
whatwouldreallyhappentothetreewhenitwas
givingeachparttotheboy.
Howdotreeseffecttheenvironment.Howisita
partnershipwiththetreesandmothernatureboth
ways?

e.Howwouldyouassessthisactivity?INCLUDEthe
rubricorchecklistwithspecificperformance
expectations.

Assessments:
Studentswillbeaskedtowriteaparagraphortwoonthefollowingquestion.
Whatreallyhappenedtothetreewhentheboytookitsleaves?Thenbranches?Thentrunk?
Whathappensintherealworldwhenpeopledothis?Dopeopledothis,andforwhatreasons?
(Ifweknowthatcuttingdowntreesisbadwhydowestilldoit?)
StudentNameChecklistforWriting:
Doesthestudentdisplayanunderstandingforthepartsoftheappletree?321
Doesthestudentreferencethebookatleast2or3times?321
Doesthestudentgiveanexplanationforwhypeoplecutdowntreestoday?321
Isthewritingadequatelengthtoanswertheessayquestions?321
Differentiation:
StrugglingLearners:Ifastudentishavingadifficulttimewritingtheessay,theteachercanpull
himorherasidetohavetheessayexplainedorallybythechild.Startersentencescanbegiven
also.Thepicturesandmapscanbeblownupsoeveryonecanseeandparticipateinthelesson.
Theteacherwillbeopenforanyquestionsandspendingextratimewithstrugglinglearners
duringessaytime.
TAGStudents:Insteadofwritingmore,theTAGstudentscanhaveaseparatesetofessay
questionsthataremorematureandgomoreindepth.Thesequestionsmayinclude:
Whentheboytooktheleaves,branches,andtrunkofthetreehowdoyouthinkthisaffectedthe
tree,andboy,emotionallyandphysically.Provideanexplanationforwhytheboy,andmany
peopleintheworld,keeptakingfromnatureanddonotgiveanythinginreturn.Howisoneway
wecouldhelpthiscycle?
ACTIVITYTHREE(Chooseadifferentcontentdiscipline)
a.Geography,history,creativewritingorreading/language,drama,music,expressivearts,
science,math,science,OReconomics,etc.

b.WhatNCSSstrand(s)fitsthisactivity?Tellwhy(onesentence)
Strand10CivicIdealsandPractices
Throughthisactivitystudentswillbeabletorecognizewhygivingtoothersisvitaltoasociety
andhowtheycandothisevenin2ndgrade.
c.Statethegoalorobjectiveofwhatyouplantoaccomplishinthisactivity?(Mayhavemore
thanone)
Secondgradestudentswillbeabletostateatleast3waysastohowtheycangivetoothers,
withoutmoney,bycreatingapersonalbookletaboutTheGiving(StudentName).
d.Describetheactivity(Whatwouldyouhavekidsdo?)
Theclasswilldiscusshowthetreewasgivingandhowtheboychangedfrom
givingtotakingwithage.Cananyonerelatetothis?
Writeontheboardsomeofthepointsthatwerediscussed.Suchasthetreegave
itsshade,apples,leaves,truck,branches,company,love.Theboygavehis
company,playtimeandlovewhenhewasyoung.But,tookthetreesbranches,
apples,andtrunkashegotolder.
Askthestudentswhatdoyouthinkofthis?Howwouldyoufeelifyourbest
friendcametothemonedayandaskedfortheirshoes,thentoys,andeverything
theyhavejustsohe/shecanbehappy.Wouldyoudoit?Wouldyougiveyour
bestfriendeverythingyouhave?
TalkabouthowTodaywecannot(couldbutshouldnot)giveeverythingwehave
awaytopeopleorwewouldbeleftwithnothingtoliveoffof.Andeventhougha
treecandothishumanscannot.Itisstillveryimportanttogivetoothersthough.
Askthestudents,howcanwegivetootherswithoutgivingthingsweneed.How
canwegivewithoutgivingthingssuchasmoney?
Generatealistofanswersfromthestudentsofwaystogivetoothers.Thismay
includegivingtoclassmates,brothersorsisters,cousins,eventeachers.Write
theseontheboardalsosostudentscanrefertothem.
Telthestudents,YouaregoingtobeShelSilversteintodayandwriteabook
aboutgiving.ItisgoingtobetitledTheGiving(StudentName).Inthebookyou
canbetheboycharacterortreecharacter.Youcannotusespecificallythetreeas
thecharacterinthebook,butyoucanusetheideaofitsgivingnature.(The
studentisthegiver,soinplaceofthetree.)
Youaregoingtocreateastoryusingthewayswecameupwithontheboardto
givetoothers.Thiscanbeaslongasyouwant,butmustbealengthinwhichyou
useatleastthreedifferentwaysofgiving.
Pleasedrawpicturesalongwithyoustory!EvenShelSilversteinwasnotthe
bestartistandstilldrewpictures!
e.Howwouldyouassessthisactivity?INCLUDEtherubricorchecklistwithspecific
performanceexpectations.

Assessment:
Studentswillbeassessedontheirfinalbooklettheymakeinclass.
Thefollowingrubricwillbeusedtoassessthestudentsontheirpieces.

StudentName:

#ofWaystoGive

Charactersofthe
Story

Effort

3
Thereareatleast
threewaysofgiving
inthebookcreatedby
thestudent.(Doesnot
havetobeonthe
board,butdoesmake
sense)
2ormorecharacters
arepresentinthe
story.Oneofwhichis
thestudent
him/herself.

2
Therearetwowaysof
givinginthebook
createdbythestudent.

1
Thestudentdoesnot
listanywaystogive
inhis/herbooklet.

2ormorecharacters
arepresentinthe
story,butnoneofthe
charactersarethe
studenthim/herself.

Asubstantialamount
ofeffortwasputinto
themakingofthis
bookanditisclearin
thefinalproject
handedin.

Afairamountof
effortwasputintothe
makingofthisbook.
Thestudentdidnot
showthiswiththe
finishedproject.

Thestudentdoesnot
haveanycharactersin
thebook,orneitherof
thecharactersreflecta
givingandtaking
character.
Littleornotimewas
putintothemakingof
thisbook.Thestudent
didnotputinthe
efforthe/shewas
capableof.

Differentiation:
StrugglingLearners:
Anoutlineofthebookwillbeprovidedforstudentwithanyneedsorstrugglinglearners.With
thisoutline,thestudentswillhavetofillincharactersandthepersonalitiesoftheseandtheways
togivewhenappropriatethroughouttheoutlinebooklet.Thiswaythestoryisstillthestudents
ownpersonalstory,butitisstartedandthemainconceptofthelessonisstillmet.
TAGStudents:
TAGstudentswillbeaskedtocomeupwithatleast5waystogiveandwillalsobeaskedto
createaninanimateobjectincomparisontothetree(whatisgivingtosomeoneorsomething
else).Howcanthisobjectalsogivetosomeoneelse,butthetreeideaisnotcopied.(Itcannotbe

anothertree.)Arationalewillbeaskedverballyforwhythestudentchosethegivingitemhe/she
did.