Catholic Education Week 2016: Opening Doors of Mercy
DAY 2: Mercy that Loves
BOOK TITLE:
The Giving Tree
AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR:
Shel Silverstein
ISBN-13
978-0060256654
BOOK DESCRIPTION: This classic tale of few words and simple line
drawings begins this way: “Once there was a tree… and she loved a
little boy”. When the boy is young and free, he comes to visit the tree
and she is delighted when she is able to make him happy by offering
him a place to play, apples to eat and shade for sleeping. As the boy
grows older, he visits less and less and making him happy becomes
more challenging for the generous tree. When he asks for money, she
gives him her apples to sell. When he asks for a house, she provides her
branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the
tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She offers her trunk so that he can use
it to craft a boat and he cuts her down to a stump. Finally, when it
seems as if the tree has nothing more to give, the boy returns again as
an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The tree is able to
provide one last gift: her stump as a resting place. The story then ends
this way: “And the tree was happy”.
CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:
OCSGE – An Effective Communicator, a Reflective and Creative Thinker
a Collaborative Contributor
Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Scripture Focus: Luke 10:25-37
R.E. Curriculum: Hope Expectations: Believing, Living a Moral Life,
Living in Communion, Living in Solidarity
Family Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in
Relationship
MINDS ON (Before)
Approximately 10-15 minutes
Learning Goals:
 Listen to the story “The Giving Tree”
 Identify examples of giving and generous behavior
 Recognize that just as the tree loved the boy in the story, God
calls us to act with love and kindness to others
Suggested Grade Level:
PRIMARY
MATERIALS:
Book
Overhead projection device (if
available)
Coloured pencils or makers
8 – 10 extra-large sheets of
paper (approximately ½
meter x 3 meters)
Device/CD player for playing
background music
Children’s Bible (consider
using online Bible gateway,
easy to read version)
Copies of “The Giving Tree”
template sheet
MINISTRY CURRICULUM
LINKS:
Language
Oral: 1.1, 1.2-1.4, 1.6, 2.3
Writing: 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4
PAUSE & PONDER
11
Success Criteria:
Students will…
 Discuss connections between the merciful love shown by the
Good Samaritan and the love shown by the tree in this story
 Be reminded of the merciful and unconditional love God has for
each one of them
 Describe an action they plan to take to follow God’s examples
of merciful love
You may consider designing
your own success criteria for
this lesson with students.
“How will we know we have
met our learning goals?”
Begin with the following prayer…
You may decide the format in
which to share the prayer.
Perhaps you might provide
copies that students may keep
in folders for reference or for
consolidation activities.
Dear God,
I’m thankful
for all you give;
for food,
for love,
a place to live.
I thank you
for my family too
and I want you to know
that I love you.
Amen +
Before Reading:
Graffiti Strategy:
Arrange students in small groups of four or five.
For each group, distribute coloured pencils or markers and a large piece
of paper (at least 2 x 6 feet long, or 60 x 280 cm) labelled at the top
with “Ways We Show Love”. Explain that students should use this time
to brainstorm any ideas they have about the different things people do
and say to show others that they love them.
Invite the students to draw/write “graffiti” on their paper for 3 – 5
minutes, all group members drawing/writing at once. At the end of the
3 – 5 minutes, ask the groups to stop drawing/writing and exchange
papers with one other group. Have the groups now draw/write on their
new graffiti papers for the next 3 – 5 minutes. Repeat the procedure
several times so that each group has had an opportunity to draw/write
on several different papers, including their own.
Decide before beginning the
lesson what might be the
most appropriate format for
students to brainstorm for the
graffiti strategy; draw, write
or give students the choice.
While students participate in
the graffiti strategy, consider
playing background music
that connects to the theme
(i.e. “All You Need is Love”,
The Beatles)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=EKigthx0GKw
Return original papers to groups and give time for members to read the
graffiti. Ask each group to share one idea from their paper with the
whole group. Display the pages around the room.
12
Pre-Reading:
Show students the title and cover of the book. Ask students to predict
what might take place in the story based on the title and cover. Invite
students to comment on why they think the boy is holding out his hand
and ask students to discuss the ways in which a tree could be giving.
Ask students to come up with other “describing words” (adjectives) for
the word “giving” (i.e. kind, generous, thoughtful, helpful, etc.). Invite
students to predict what kinds of things a giving tree might do.
Encourage students to see if any of their graffiti ideas on how to show
love appear in the story.
Ask students to consider why Shel Silverstein wrote this story as they
are listening.
ACTION! (During)
Approximately 20-25 minutes
During Reading:
1. Listening: As you read, invite students to notice the things that
the tree does to show the boy that she loves him.
Possible questions in sequence of the story:
 Why do you think the boy comes to visit the tree every day?
 Do the boy and the tree seem like friends to you? Why or why
not?
 Do you have a best friend that you share and play with like the
boy and the tree?
 What is changing about the boy? Why do you think he stops
coming to play as often as before?
 Do you think the boy will be happy once he gets money for the
apples? Why or why not? Why do you think the tree is happy?
 After the boy made the boat out of her trunk and sailed away…
Why do you think the tree wasn’t REALLY happy this time?
At the end, have students turn and talk to discuss:
 Did you like the book? Why or why not?
 What do you think was the message of this story?
Highlight or guide students to one of the messages of the story, which
is that perhaps Shel Silverstein is gently pointing out that although we
may often act like the boy, God continues to be merciful and to love us
just as the tree did.
2. Role Play: Divide the students into groups of 3: one narrator,
one boy and one tree. Have students act out the story in their
own words. Return to the whole group and invite students to
share briefly about how it felt to play their character.
Consider finding two
additional times later in the
week when half the class can
go for a gallery walk to see
the contributions of other
groups and ask questions and
then another time, when the
other half of the class can
have the same opportunity.
PAUSE & PONDER
It is hoped that the discussion
can yield observation on the
part of students with regard
to the generosity of the tree
and the lack of gratitude on
the part of the boy.
Turn and Talk is an excellent
cooperative learning strategy
to promote and support
higher level thinking. When
students are given the
opportunity to reflect on a
specific topic and then pair
with another student to
discuss before sharing with
the big group, they are
sometimes able to take their
sharing to a deeper level.
13
CONSOLIDATION (After)
Approximately 10-15 minutes
After Reading:
Discuss with students the fact that God loves each and every one of
them in the same way that the tree loves the boy. Ask for feelings and
reactions to this statement. Explain that God calls each one of us to
love as the tree loved… with kindness and generosity.
We are called to be generous with our time, talents, money and love.
Gospel Reading: Tell the students that the Parable of the Good
Samaritan is an excellent example of how we can be generous and
loving to others (Luke 10:25-37). Read a children’s version of the
parable. Discuss the actions of the Good Samaritan. Invite students to
compare the actions of those who did not stop to help the injured man
to the actions of the boy in the story.
Ask students to describe what God teaches us to do in the parable as
well as in “The Giving Tree” story. Distribute a tree template for each
student. Ask each student to finish the sentence, “I am like the Giving
Tree when I…” and write their words on the leafy section of the tree
and decorate their tree. Invite students to share their work with the
whole group and display tree templates on a board entitled, “God’s
Forest”.
PAUSE & PONDER
Ideas to highlight:
God says it is better to give
than to receive.
When we give to others with a
heart of love, it can bring us
great joy.
God teaches us how to love by
loving others.
God loves us, even when we
forget to thank him, even
when we sometimes act
selfishly.
NOTE: Primary students can
sometimes surprise us with
their wisdom and ability to go
deep with the text. Be
responsive to all types of
reactions to the story and to
different interpretations.
Additional related Scripture:
Matthew 5:7, Luke 10:27,
6:38
Consider showing any of these
videos to reinforce the gift of
God’s love:
Veggietales: “God Loves Me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
3ch239kCT3Q
“Jesus Loves Me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
owx3ao42kwl
“God is Love”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
bKK7W1CDYL0
14
I am like the giving tree when I…
15
Catholic Education Week 2016: Opening Doors of Mercy
DAY 2: Mercy that Loves
BOOK TITLE:
The Giving Tree
AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR:
Shel Silverstein
ISBN-13
978-0060256654
BOOK DESCRIPTION: This classic tale of few words and simple line
drawings begins this way: “Once there was a tree… and she loved a little
boy”. When the boy is young and free, he comes to visit the tree and she
is delighted when she is able to make him happy by offering him a place
to play, apples to eat and shade for sleeping. As the boy grows older, he
visits less and less and making him happy becomes more challenging for
the generous tree. When he asks for money, she gives him her apples to
sell. When he asks for a house, she provides her branches for lumber.
When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree
for a boat. She offers her trunk so that he can use it to craft a boat and
he cuts her down to a stump. Finally, when it seems as if the tree has
nothing more to give, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a
quiet place to sit and rest. The tree is able to provide one last gift: her
stump as a resting place. The story then ends this way: “And the tree was
happy”.
CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:
OCSGE – An Effective Communicator, a Reflective and Creative Thinker, a
Collaborative Contributor, a Self-Directed, Responsible Lifelong Learner,
a Caring Family Member and a Discerning Believer
Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Scripture Focus: Luke 10:25-37
R.E. Curriculum: Hope Expectations – Believing, Living a Moral Life, Living
in Communion, Living in Solidarity, Praying
Family Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in Relationship
MINDS ON (Before)
Approximately 10 minutes
Learning Goals: Students will:
 Listen to the story “The Giving Tree”
 Examine the motivation and actions of characters and recognize
the impact these actions have on others
 Recognize that God calls us to follow the example of the tree to
act with love and kindness to others
Suggested Grade Level:
JUNIOR
MATERIALS:
Book
Overhead projection device
(i.e. Elmo, document
camera, etc.)
Bible
“Step on the Line”
statements page
MINISTRY CURRICULUM
LINKS:
Language
Oral: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6,
2.3
Writing: 1.2, 2.5
PAUSE & PONDER
16
Success Criteria: Students will:
 Discuss connections between the merciful love shown by the
Good Samaritan and the love shown by the tree in this story
 Be reminded of the merciful and unconditional love God has for
each one of them
 Respond to the story by choosing to make a Venn diagram,
create a timeline, write a letter to a character or re-write a
section of the story
You may consider designing
your own success criteria for
this lesson with students.
“How will we know we have
met our learning goals?”
Begin with the following prayer…
Another day is beginning and freshly new,
so here I come to ask you, God, if you’ll renew me too.
Forgive the many errors that I made yesterday.
Let me try again dear God to walk closer in Your way.
O God, I am well aware I can’t make it on my own.
Take my hand and hold it tight, for I can’t walk alone.
Thank you God, for mercy and for helping me to see,
Your love is unconditional and always there for me.
Amen +
Before Reading:
Step on the Line:
Ask students to line up (without talking) across the room according to
their birth dates, beginning with January. Then, have them stand in a line
across, facing you. Invite them to take part in the “Step on the Line”
activity. Identify an imaginary line on the floor. The teacher makes a
statement and students are to respond to the statement by taking one
step forward onto the “line” if they agree with the statement or one step
backward if they do not agree with the statement. If they are unsure,
they may remain in place. After responding to each statement, have
students return to their original position.
Turn and Talk:
At the end of the activity, while students are still in a line, have them
turn and talk to the person next to them about what they noticed in this
activity. Invite them to remember a particular statement that they found
surprising or interesting.
Come together as a whole group and ask students to share some of their
reflections.
See separate page for step
on the line statements.
Turn and Talk is an excellent
cooperative learning
strategy to promote and
support higher level
thinking. When students are
given the opportunity to
reflect on a specific
experience and then pair
with another student to
discuss before sharing with
the big group, they are
sometimes able to take their
sharing to a deeper level.
17
Pre-Reading:
Show students the title and cover of the book. Ask students to predict
what might take place in the story based on the title and the cover.
Explain that although the cover of this book may give the impression that
it is only a story for very young students, it is a book with many different
interpretations that has actually been used with high school and
university students as well as young children.
Setting a Purpose:
Invite students to think about how this book could appeal to so many
different ages as they listen to the story. Also invite students to reflect
on why they think Shel Silverstein wrote the story.
ACTION! (During)
Approximately 20-25 minutes
During Reading:
1. Listening: As you read, invite students to notice the things that
the tree does to show the boy that she loves him.
Possible questions in sequence of the story:
 Why do you think the boy comes to visit the tree every day?
 Do the boy and the tree seem like friends to you? Why or why
not?
 What is changing about the boy? Why do you think he stops
coming to play as often as before?
 Do you think the boy will be happy once he gets money for the
apples? Why or why not? Why do you think the tree is happy?
 After the boy made the boat out of her trunk and sailed away…
Why do you think the tree wasn’t REALLY happy this time?
At the end, ask students to reflect on the purpose questions above. Ask if
they liked the book and why or why not.
Highlight or guide students to one of the messages of the story, which is
that Shel Silverstein is gently pointing out that although we may often
act like the boy, God continues to be merciful and to love us just as the
tree did.
PAUSE & PONDER
It is hoped that the
discussion can yield
observations on the part of
students with regard to the
generosity of the tree and
the lack of gratitude on the
part of the boy.
Ideas to highlight:
God says it is better to give
than to receive.
When we give to others with
a heart of love, it can bring
us great joy.
God teaches us to love by
loving others.
God loves us, even when we
forget to thank Him, even
when we sometimes act
selfishly.
Additional related Scripture:
Matthew 5:7, Luke 10:27,
Luke 6:38
18
2. Hot Seat Activity: Invite a student to come to the front of the
room and to sit in the “hot seat”. This student pretends to be the
tree. Students ask interesting questions of the tree and the
student in the hot seat must answer these questions in character
as if he/she really were the tree (i.e. “Why didn’t you ever get
angry at the boy?”).
Note: For the “Hot Seat
Activity” it is essential that
students answer questions
as the character. This may
mean that students need a
moment or two to reflect
before responding or to
Next, select a different student to sit in the “hot seat” as the boy. consult the text. When
Encourage students to ask higher level questions that go beyond students are invited to
the facts of the book and that help us to understand the
approach this activity with
motivation of the boy in the story (i.e. “As you sat on the stump
diligence, the questions and
at the end of the story and looked back on your life, was there
answers provide the teacher
anything you wished you had done differently? What thing?”).
with a clear sense of the
level of comprehension of
students.
19
BLM: Jr. Day 2 CEW 2016
Step on the Line Statements
 Loving someone includes being kind to them.
 Doing kind things for people you love can bring you joy.
 You should only do nice things for people if you’re sure they
will appreciate it.
 It can be hard to forgive someone who has hurt you.
 Giving is a true act of love.
 Selfish people are annoying.
 God’s love for us is greater than any bad thing we could ever
do.
 Friends should not be different from each other.
 God loves us even when we feel we don’t deserve it.
 God is very patient.
 Being generous to people can make you feel really happy.
 When someone does something for me, I feel like I owe them
something in return.
 For some people, giving seems to come more easily.
 When you love someone, you should never be angry at them.
 Everyone messes up sometimes.
 If you love someone and they do kind things for you, you don’t
need to say thank you because they just know that you
appreciate it.
 Parents don’t mind if you never thank them.
20
Catholic Education Week 2016: Opening Doors of Mercy
DAY 2: Mercy that Loves
BOOK TITLE:
The Giving Tree
AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR:
Shel Silverstein
ISBN-13
978-0060256654
BOOK DESCRIPTION: This classic tale of few words and simple line
drawings begins this way: “Once there was a tree… and she loved a little
boy”. When the boy is young and free, he comes to visit the tree and she
is delighted when she is able to make him happy by offering him a place
to play, apples to eat and shade for sleeping. As the boy grows older, he
visits less and less and making him happy becomes more challenging for
the generous tree. When he asks for money, she gives him her apples to
sell. When he asks for a house, she provides her branches for lumber.
When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree
for a boat. She offers her trunk so that he can use it to craft a boat and
he cuts her down to a stump. Finally, when it seems as if the tree has
nothing more to give, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a
quiet place to sit and rest. The tree is able to provide one last gift: her
stump as a resting place. The story then ends this way: “And the tree was
happy”.
CATHOLIC CONNECTIONS:
OCSGE – An Effective Communicator, a Reflective and Creative Thinker, a
Collaborative Contributor, a Self-Directed, Responsible Lifelong Learner,
a Caring Family Member and a Discerning Believer
Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person, Call to
Family, Community and Participation
Scripture Focus: Luke 10:25-37
R.E. Curriculum: Hope Expectations – Believing, Living a Moral Life, Living
in Communion, Living in Solidarity, Praying
Family Life Curriculum: Created and Loved by God, Living in Relationship
MINDS ON (Before)
Approximately 10-15 minutes
Learning Goals: Students will:
 Listen to the story “The Giving Tree”
 Develop a deeper understanding of the words mercy, patience,
compassion and generosity
 Recognize that God calls us to follow the example of the tree to
act with love and kindness to others
Suggested Grade Level:
INTERMEDIATE
MATERIALS:
Book
Overhead projection device
(i.e. Elmo, document
camera, etc.)
Student journals
Pencils/pens
4-8 ½ x 11 sheets of
cardstock for “Four Corners”
activity
Markers of various colours
MINISTRY CURRICULUM
LINKS:
Language
Oral: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 2.2,
2.3
Writing: 1.2
PAUSE & PONDER
21
Success Criteria: Students will:
 Discuss connections between the merciful love shown by the
Good Samaritan and the love shown by the tree in this story
 Be reminded of the merciful and unconditional love God has for
each one of them
 Respond to the story by choosing to write a poem or rap, write a
monologue, create a chart contrasting modern media messages
and the story’s message or to connect Mother Teresa’s
“Anyway” prayer to the story.
You may consider designing
your own success criteria for
this lesson with students.
“How will we know we have
met our learning goals?”
Begin with the following prayer…
You may decide the format
in which to share the prayer.
Perhaps you might provide
copies that students may
keep in folders for reference
or for consolidation.
A Jubilee Prayer for Mercy
Loving God,
Help us live out in our daily lives,
the mercy which you constantly extend to all of us.
As you cast open the doors of your heart to us,
may we respond with urgency
to proclaim your mercy to others.
May we always be credible witnesses to mercy,
professing it and living it
as the core of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
May we never tire of extending mercy
and be every patient in offering compassion and comfort.
Amen +
(Adapted from Misericordiae Vultus, papal bull of induction proclaiming
the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy)
http://catholicsmobilizing.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/jubileeprayer-for-mercy.pdf
Before Reading:
Free Writing:
The prayer above asks that we never tire of extending mercy and be ever
patient in offering compassion and comfort. Ask students to think of a
time when someone showed them mercy, compassion, patience or
generosity and write freely in their journals for three minutes without
stopping. If they are unable to think of a time in their own life, ask them
to make a connection to a book they’ve read or movie they’ve seen
when they witnessed mercy, compassion, patience or generosity.
22
Four Corners Activity:
Designate four corners of the classroom to correspond with the words
mercy, patience, compassion and generosity. Assign students to one of
each of the four corners by randomly passing out cards with numbers 1
thru 4 on them. Each number will correspond to the corner and the
word. Once students have moved to their corner, they are asked to
discuss their word and to arrive at a common understanding of their
word.
Next, they work together to select or create an image that could
represent the word. Ask each group to share their image with the whole
group. Display the images at the front of the room.
When given the choice of
where to work, intermediate
students often select based
on what their friends are
selecting. This card
distribution strategy offers a
random selection process
that may provide a welcome
opportunity for students not
to feel compelled to act to
please their peers.
Pre-reading:
Show students the title and cover of the book. Ask students to predict
what might take place in the story based on the title and the cover.
Explain that although the cover of this book may give the impression that
it is only a story for very young students, it is a book with many different
interpretations that has actually been used with high school and
university students as well as young children.
Setting a Purpose:
Invite students to reflect on how this book could appeal to so many
different ages as they listen to the story.
ACTION! (During)
Approximately 20-25 minutes
During Reading:
1. Listening: As you read, invite students to look for examples of
mercy, compassion, patience and generosity.
At the end, discuss the messages of the story.
Gospel reading: Tell the students that the Parable of the Good Samaritan
provides another example of the “four corner words” in action. Call on a
student to explain what they remember about this parable (Luke 10:2537). Read the parable to the students. Discuss.
2. Sharing: Have students return to their original 4 corner groups to
discuss how their word related to both “The Giving Tree” story
and the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Come together as a
whole group and invite representatives from each group to share
highlights from their discussions.
PAUSE & PONDER
Ideas to highlight: The tree
continues to demonstrate
generosity toward the boy
despite his lack of gratitude.
It is love that motivates the
tree to give herself over and
over again for the sake of
the boy. This is similar to the
love that God has for us. God
loves us, even when we
sometimes act selfishly.
Additional related Scripture:
Matthew 5:7, Luke 10:27,
6:38
23
CONSOLIDATION (After)
After Reading:
Students select from the following options…
Approximately 10 minutes
PAUSE & PONDER
Option 1:
Write a poem/song/rap that uses the word from your four corners group
as the central theme
Option 2:
Select one of the characters, either the boy or the tree and write a
monologue explaining why you acted as you did in the story
Option 3:
Often the message we receive in the media is “Look out for number
one!” and “Get all you can; they owe you”. How is this message different
from the one in “The Giving Tree”? Make a chart in which you list at least
3 ideas related to the modern message we receive and at least 3 ideas
that relate to the message of “The Giving Tree”.
Option 4:
Search up Mother Teresa’s “Anyway” prayer. Share the prayer and
explain in your own words how this prayer connects to “The Giving
Tree”.
24