Directions: The Giving Tree: Shel Silverstein 1. Read The Giving Tree to your students. Discuss: why students think the author chose this title how the boy treated the tree how the tree treated the boy how they think the tree felt how they think the boy felt at the end of the book 2. Give students the idea web. They should think of three people who are like the tree and are giving to them. They should write what that person does that is giving. Then students should think of three ways that they can be a more giving person to the people that they know. 3. Before students begin their first drafts, explain to them the grading rubric and how you will evaluate their work. 4. Before students begin their essays, explain to them that this will be a two paragraph essay. They should look at their idea web for what they will include in each paragraph, but they do not have to use all the examples in their idea web in each paragraph. They may just want to use one idea for each section that they thought was their best idea. 5. Students should edit their first drafts. This can be done with partners or during writing conferences with you. 6. For the final draft, you can choose to give your students the black and white template, or the color template. If you are displaying these on the bulletin board, they look nicer if you cut them out along the border, and this is why I have designed a thick border around these templates.
7. Students should evaluate their essay using the grading rubric by shading in the faces. Then, you can grade your student s papers. 8. If you want to make a booklet, or a front cover, I have designed a front cover template for you to use. 9. Give each student a leaf or leaves. Using their idea web, students should write a short sentence in their leaf. There are three different leaf patterns for you to choose from (facing both left and right) and two different writing responses. I have provided black and white copies of the leaf templates and color copies for you to choose from. 10. To make your bulletin board display, make a big tree with branches. Staple the leaves around the branches. To make your tree look 3-dimensional, make the branches and the leaves stick out a bit from the bulletin board by the way that you staple them on. Use the bulletin board banner for your title display and then arrange your student s writing assignments in the remaining area.
The Giving Tree: Idea Web Author: Shel Silverstein Name: _ Date: People Who Are Giving To Me: 1. 2. 3. How I Can Be More Giving: 1. 2. 3.
Name: Date:
Name: Date: Unique Teaching Resources Unique Teaching Resources
Name: Date: Unique Teaching Resources
Grading Rubric: Name: Date: Excellent Very Good Good Developing Paragraph 1: People Who Are Giving To Me I have written about people who are giving to me and I explained why I appreciate them. Paragraph 2: How I Can Be More Giving Organization and Sentence Structure Proofreading and Editing Final Presentation and Effort I have thought about ways that I can be a more giving person and not like the boy in the book. My paragraphs are easy to read and understand. I have used different types of sentences in my responses. I have proofread and edited my writing for grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation errors. I have used my neatest handwriting and my best effort to complete my Giving Tree essay. Student Shade in the face for each section for the score that you feel you have earned. Total Points: Comments: Teacher Circle the number in each section for the score that the student earned. Total Points: Comments:
The Giving Tree Author: Shel Silverstein Name: Unique Teaching Resources