Book Bag Activities for
The Giving Tree
By: Stefanie Howard

• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Rationale:

• This book would be great to use with students to express the importance of caring, giving, friendship and love.

Information about the author:

• Shel was a cartoonist during his time in the military and then became a cartoonist for Playboy. He wrote poems for the magazine and dialogue for the Late Late Show. He wrote the story "The Giving Tree" in 1964 and in 1974 "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and "The Missing Piece" in 1976. He also wrote "A Light In the Attic" and a sequel to "The Missing Piece Meets the Big O," in 1981. A collection of his poems and drawings were printed in "Falling Up: Poems and Drawings" in 1996.
• He also was a composer writing the lyrics for and composing "A Boy Named Sue" a number one song in 1969 for Johnny Cash. He co-wrote the soundtrack to the 1990 movie "Postcards from the Edge," which was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award for best song in 1991.

Questions to use with the story:

• Before the story: Ask students if they have ever done something nice for someone else for no particular reason. Have them share their stories.
• During the story: Ask the students to predict what they think might happen to the boy and the tree by the end of the story.
• After reading: Ask students to write in a journal what emotions they felt for the tree at the beginning, middle and end of the story. Do the same for the boy character. Ask them if their feelings towards the characters changed as the story progressed and why.

Activities to use with the story:

• Ask students to share with the class or write in a journal about an experience they had when they were given something as well as when they gave something to someone. Express what emotions were felt.
• Hold a "random acts of kindness" week inside the classroom and outside as well. Have students record the nice things they did in a journal along with the results.
• Students can write or draw a story about giving.
• Create a compliment tree for each of the students. Every student must fill out a compliment about everyone on a leaf and stick it on the students' trees.
• Have students describe a relationship that they have had with someone who is like the tree (mom, grandma, friend) also have them describe if they have been the tree for someone else.
• Students can draw, write or paint the perfect place they like to go to when they need to get away.
• Construct your own "giving tree" on a wall in the classroom. The leaves will have stories written by the students about someone doing something nice for them.
• Plant a tree by the school and give back to the community.
• Have students interview someone and have them tell you about a time that they did something nice for someone else and a time when someone did something nice for them.
• Visit a local nursing home and have students read their favorite book to the elders, explain to the students that they are giving their time and attention which is a great way to show they care.

Props:

• Include other Shel Silverstein books to read.
• Also have leaves cut up and a tree trunk so that the students can construct their own giving tree.
• Have a book with blank pages for students to write their own giving story and illustrate it.

Bibliography of other related books by Shel Silverstein:

• The Best of Shel Silverstein
• A Light In the Attic
• Where the Sidewalk Ends

Assessment Plan:

• Ask students the following questions to check for comprehension and use for assessment:
  • Who are the main characters of the book?
  • Are they both living things?
  • What did the tree provide for the boy at first?
  • Using the theme of the book think of a time when someone has given up something for you and why.
  • What thoughts were going through the boy's head throughout the book? What was his main focus?
  • Imagine yourself as the boy. What would you have done differently? Is it in one part of the story or the entire thing?
  • Which character are you most able to relate to and why?