The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree

Silverstein, S., Silverstein, S., & Row, P. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row.

The Giving Tree is a touching story about  about a relationship between a boy and a tree. When the boy is young he comes to the tree to play and eat apples and swing from its branches. As the boy grows older, he finds different uses for the tree, and sees the tree much less often. When the boy needs money, the tree tells the boy to sell her apples. When the boy needs a warm place to put his family, the tree tells the boy to use his branches to build a house. When the boy wants to just leave and go somewhere far away, the tree tells the boy to use its trunk and build a boat. Now the tree was just a small stump with nothing to offer, or so the tree thought. The boy was an old man now, and all he wanted was a place to rest. So in the end, the old man sits on the stump, and the tree was happy.

How could you not love this book? It pairs a sentimental story with important moral lessons. I am a HUGE fan of Shel Silverstein, so in my eyes he can do no wrong. This book is a must read for any age. 

This story should be paired with some wort of volunteer work. This book would be a great start to a service learning project. It can also be used a metaphor for the environment. It could be used to start teaching about environmental health. Most obvious, it can be used in a Shel Silverstein author study, as I am using it currently. The themes in this book are transcendent for all ages. I think this book could be useful for all grades. 

Here are some potential activities!