Have students copy the finished answers to the wrapping paper 'cards,' then share them with other members of the class. Students should begin the assignment by writing a 'sloppy copy' which they can revise until they have a finished version of their answer. You may want to emphasize that this is not an assignment with one right answer, and that gifts of all sorts can be important. If you want to prompt deeper thought, model by thinking aloud about some of the gifts you might like to give, being sure to include both concrete and abstract examples.

Note: Teachers should expect that some students will respond to this assignment in very concrete terms, while others will give more abstract responses. Have each student cut a piece of wrapping paper about seven inches square, folding it in half with the fold across the TOP, like a small greeting card.Īsk the students to think about the gift that they would most like to give and the person or people to whom they would like to give it.

Share the ideas with the whole class orally and/or on an interactive whiteboard.Īfter the discussion, explain to the students that they will be composing their own 'gifts' to hang on a giving tree in the classroom (or skip to ideas to share electronically below). If you prefer and have enough copies, have students read the story in small groups and create a graphic organizer as they brainstorm possible 'messages' of the story. After reading the story, discuss it with the class, making sure that as many students as possible have a chance to describe the meaning they find in the story. Ideally, these should be heavy wrapping paper with a white reverse side.īegin the lesson by reading the story The Giving Tree to the class or having older students read it aloud to younger ones. Ask students to bring in scraps of holiday wrapping paper to use as part of the lesson (non-electronic). Materials: You will need at least one copy of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Students will write a message about giving to be shared with classmates and others. Students will discuss the message of The Giving Tree. School counselors and emotional support teachers may find this activity helpful for small groups working on social skills, as well. This lesson is also well-suited to a multi-age activity with 'big buddies' and 'little buddies' from upper and lower grades working together. Subject/Grade level: This lesson can be adapted for use in language arts class with students of varying ability levels in grades 2 - 8. Synopsis: After reading and discussing the book The Giving Tree, students reflect and write about the gift they would most like to give. A TeachersFirst holiday lesson based on Shel Silverstein's book

The giving tree picture