Lesson Plan
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Selfless Service and The Giving Tree - Building Ethical Conscience

For Teachers 5th
Upper elementary schoolers investigate philanthropy and selflessness by reading a children's book. In this ethics lesson, they read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and research Mahatma Gandhi's troublesome, yet inspiring, life....
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The Giving Tree

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore wants and needs. In this ecology and economics lesson, students listen to the story The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and compile a class list of what the boy got from the tree. Students categorize these items as...
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Giving Tree Lesson

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars read and respond the book, The Giving Tree. In this literary unit, students listen to the story and discuss the story using Bloom's Taxonomy. Young scholars write a letter of empathy to the tree and observe the changes the...
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Taking From the Giving Tree

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the ways in which various American cities negotiate the protection of their "green infrastructure," gaining a broader understanding of proposed and enacted legislation as it relates to preserving and planting trees in...
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Meet the Trees!

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students investigate their school forest and make their own miniature forest. In this forest investigation lesson, students read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and make alist of reasons to have trees. Students investigate trees by...
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The Gifts of Trees

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners examine the various things trees give us. They read the book, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, cook a food using a tree fruit, create notepads using unused paper, construct a picture frame with twigs, and write a poem.
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Tree Talk

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students discuss trees, leaves, and the growth process In this 1st - 3rd grade lesson plan, students identify various types of leaves, recognizing the differences in size and shape. Students create tracings of various leaves to...
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Talking Trees

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the ecosystem. In this environmental lesson, students read the book The Tree by Dana Lyons and list ways to save the trees. Students create a poster about saving the trees.
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My Giving Tree

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers identify native and invasive trees. In this ecology lesson, students survey trees in their schoolyard and identify the species. Middle schoolers adopt a native tree sprout and record the growth in a journal.
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Forests

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the impact forests have on our lives. They listen to the book "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, and brainstorm about how forests are important to us. In small groups they create a poster illustrating how the...
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A Shredding We Will Go

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students take charge of a recycling project . In this environmental issues lesson, students manage a paper recycling project and use compost made from the recycled paper to beautify trees.
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Talking Trees: Earth Day

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students complete a tree poster activity to learn about Earth Day, stewardship, and the environment. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students read The Story of the Tree and discuss stewardship with trees. Students act out tree...
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Friends

For Teachers 1st
First graders use the software Inspiration to create a web describing characteristics of a good friend. With the use of a digital camera and PowerPoint, 1st graders create "Friends Found" posters after reading the book, "Don't Need...
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An Apple a Day

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the Johnny Appleseed story. For this service learning lesson, students sequence the life cycle of apple trees and recognize how Johnny Appleseed worked as a philanthropist.
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This Land is Your Land: Volunteering in the Community

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students discover what a Relief Office does. In this volunteer instructional activity, students investigate what a Relief Office does, and who helps run it. Students discuss ways he/she could become a volunteer.
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"I" On Philanthropy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read children's literature and listen to song lyrics to identify acts of philanthropy. They discuss how one's identity can be shaped by helping others. They also focus on the non-profit sector.
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Spreading Kindness All Around

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners donate items to organization to demonstrate kindness. In this kindness lesson plan, students read many books and discuss how the characters in each one demonstrate kindness, and then they themselves donate to charities.
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Seasons

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate the four seasons of the year. In this seasons lesson, 1st graders identify the correct order of seasons, discover different climates, and examine how to dress appropriately for each season. 
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Giving an Outdoor Plan

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Young scholars utilize their acting skills to put on an impromptu play based on a book.  In this performance art lesson, students read Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina and discuss how the story could be told through human action....
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Hands on Biome-Building: Build a Forest

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore Earth science by identifying environmental factors. In this biome instructional activity, students discuss the importance of a functioning ecology and design a biome diorama. Students utilize images of trees and plants...
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Syber-Silverstein: Poetry in Motion

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the writing of Shel Silverstein. They listen to the story, The Giving Tree, explore the Shel Silverstein website, read poems, and create and write a humorous poem.
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Feudalism

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners have tournaments in teams after learning information about The Middle Ages. In this Middle Ages lesson plan, students learn that tournaments are mock battles, but that they will have these battles by answering questions in teams...
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Giving

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students analyze the true meaning of giving in this three part lesson plan. First, the students make a fanciful wish for a loved one. Second, they students make hand-made presents such as stepping-stones for the school garden, ...
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Be the Change You Wish to See

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars review the lessons from the whole unit before devising a plan of action for a volunteer effort. They work in teams using a worksheet to determine a social cause that they develop an effective idea to promote. They design...