Language Arts Through ESOL
Literature Unit: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
FCAT Reading & Writing Focus:
FCAT Support Skills:
Language Focus:
Text:
English
alone
ate
boat
branches
build
busy
carry/carried away
children
climb
come/came back
crown
cut down
cut off
every day
forest
gather
get/got tired
go/went by
grow/grew up
have/had
hide-and-go-seek
leaves
long time
nothing left
often
king
quiet place
rest
sailed away
sell
shade
shake/shook with joy
sleep/slept
stayed away
stump
swing/swung
there was
took/take him far away
trunk
weak
Identifying Main Idea Stated or Implied
Sequencing; Drawing Conclusions, Author’s Purpose:
Compare/Contrast
Simple Past Tense
The Giving Tree (Harper & Row Publishers)
Spanish
solo
comió
bote
ramas
construir
ocupado
llevar/se lo llevó
niños
trepar
venir / vino, regresó
corona
cortar, talar, derrivar
cortar
cada día
foresta, bosque
juntar, reunir
cansarse/se cansó
ir / pasó por
crecer / creció
tener / tuvo, tenía
esconder y buscar
hojas
largo tiempo
no quedó nada
a menudo
rey
lugar tranquilo
descansar
se embarcó
vender
sombra
sacudió de alegría
dormir / durmió
estuvo alejado
cepa del árbol
columpiar / columpió
hubo
tomó / llevarlo lejos
tronco del árbol
débil
Haitian Creole
sèl, pou kont li
te manje
kannòt,bato
branch
konstwi
okipe
transpòte/anlve
timoun
grenpe
vini/retounen
kouwone
redui
koupe
chak jou
fore
ramase
fatige/te fatige
ale/te ale
grandi, pouse/ te grandi, te pouse
genyen/te genyen
lago kache
fèy
lontan
fini
souvan
wa
zòn trankil
repose
vwayaje
vann
lonbraj
Portuguese
sozinha
comia
barco
galhos
fazer, construir
ocupado
carregar/levado
filhos
subir
voltar, voltou
coroa
cortar
cortou
todos os dias
floresta
colher
cansar, cansava
ir, passou
crescer, cresceu
ter, tinha
esconde-esconde
folhas
longo tempo
mais nada
muitas vezes
rei
lugar sossegado
descansar
partiu para longe, de barco
vender
sombra
tranble/te tranble ak kè kontan
sacudir/se sacudiu de alegria
dòmi/te dòmi
te pran distans
po/chouk
balance/te balance
te genyen
te pran/mennen lwen
twon
fèb
dormir, dormia
ficou afastado
toco
balançar, balançava
era, havia
levou, levá-lo para longe
tronco
fraco
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 1
English Summary
Children’s Literature Unit: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy. Every day the
boy gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head. He played king of the forest.
The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches. He ate her apples and played
hide-and-go-seek. When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. The boy
loved the tree. The tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
Time went by and the boy grew up. The tree was often alone. One day the boy
came to visit. The tree wanted to play again. The boy was too big to climb and play. He
needed money. The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell. The boy took the
apples and carried them away. The tree was happy.
The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad. When he came back,
the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play. The boy was now a busy man. He
wanted a wife and children. He needed a house. He cut off her branches to build his
house. The tree was happy.
A long time passed again. The man was now old and sad. He told the tree he
wanted a boat to take him far away. The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make a
boat. He cut down her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away. The tree was happy.
After a long time, the boy returned. The tree wanted to play, but he was very old
and weak. The tree had nothing left to give the boy but an old stump. This time the old
man needed a quiet place to sit and rest. Then he sat and rested on the old stump. The
tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 2
Spanish Summary
Unidad de Literatura Infantil: El árbol generoso, por Shel Silverstein
Erase una vez un manzano que amaba a un pequeño niño. Cada día el niño
recogía sus hojas, hacía una corona para su cabeza y jugaba a ser el rey del bosque.
El niño se trepaba en su tronco, se columpiaba de sus ramas, comía sus manzanas y
jugaba al escondite. Cuando se cansaba dormía a la sombra del árbol. El niño amaba
este árbol; el árbol era feliz y también amaba mucho al niño.
El tiempo pasó y el niño creció. A menudo, el árbol estaba solo. Un día el niño
vino a visitarlo y el árbol quería volver a jugar con él, pero el niño ya estaba muy grande
para trepar y jugar. Lo que él necesitaba era dinero y el árbol no tenía; pero sí tenía
manzanas para que vendiera. El niño tomó las manzanas, se las llevó y el árbol se
alegró.
El niño estuvo ausente durante mucho tiempo y el árbol estaba triste. Cuando
regresó, el árbol se sacudió de alegría y quería jugar; pero el niño era ya un hombre
ocupado y deseaba una esposa e hijos. Necesitaba una casa, asi que cortó sus ramas
para construirla y el árbol se alegró.
Nuevamente mucho tiempo pasó. El hombre estaba viejo y triste y le dijo al
árbol que quería un bote que lo llevara muy lejos. El árbol le dijo que cortara su tronco
para hacer el bote. Cortó entonces su tronco, hizo el bote, se fue a navegar y el árbol
se alegró.
Después de mucho tiempo el que antes fuese un niño regresó. El árbol quería
jugar pero él ya estaba viejo y débil. Lo único que le quedaba al árbol para ofrecerle
era la cepa vieja. Esta vez el viejo necesitaba un lugar tranquilo para sentarse y
descansar; entonces se sentó y descansó sobre ella, y el árbol se alegró.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 3
Haitian Creole Summary
Children’s Literature Unit: Yon Pyepòm ki donan, pa Shel Silverstein
Yon fwa te genyen yon pye pòm. Pye pòm nan te renmen yon tigason. Chak jou
tigason an te konn ranmase fèy pòm nan pou li fè yon kouwòn mete nan tèt li. Li te fè
jwèt prezante tèt li kòm wa forè a. Tigason an te konn grenpe monte twon pye pòm nan
pou fè balansin nan branch yo. Li te konn manje pòm yo ak fè jwèt lago kache. Lè li
fatige, li kouche dòmi anba lonbraj pye pòm nan. Tigason an te renmen pye pòm nan.
Pye pòm nan te kontan wè sa, e li te renmen tigason an anpil pou sa.
Tan vin pase epi tigason an te grandi. Pye pòm nan te vin kanpe pou kont li
souvan. Gen yon jou, tigason an te vin vizite. Pye pòm nan te vle jwe ankò. Tigason an
te twò gran pou l kontinye grenpe sou li ak jwe. Kounye a, se lajan lit e bezwen. Pye
pòm nan pa t gen lajan, men li te gen pòm pou vann. Tigason an te keyi pòm yo ale
avèk yo. Pye pòm nan te kontan.
Tigason an te pase yon bon bout tan li pa t retounen, sa te fè pye pòm nan tris.
Lè li te retounen, pye pòm nan te kontan anpil, epi li te vle jwe. Kounye a tigason an vin
gen okipasyon. Li te vle gen madanm ak pitit. Li te bezwen gen kay. Li te koupe branch
pye pòm nan pou konstwi kay li. Pye pòm nan te kontan.
Anpil tan te vin pase ankò. Kounye a mesye te vin yon vye granmoun byen tris.
Li te di pye pòm nan li bezwen yon kannòt pou l vwayaje ale byen lwen. Pye pòm nan te
reponn pou di li: koupe twon li pou konstwi kannòt la. Li te koupe twon an, li fè yon
kannòt epi li pran lanmè. Pye pòm nan te kontan.
Aprè anpil tan, tigason an te retounen. Pye pòm nan te vle jwe, men li te fin
granmoun epi li te vin fèb. Pye pòm nan pa t genyen anyen rete pou l bay tigason an
sèlman yon vye chouk. Fwa sa a, vye granmoun nan te bezwen yon kote trankil pou
chita repoze li. Alòs, li te chita repoze li sou vye chouk pye pòm nan. Pye pòm nan te
kontan.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 4
Portuguese Summary
Unidade de Literatura Infantil: A Árvore Generosa, de Shel Silverstein
Era uma vez um pé de maçã. O pé de maçã amava o menininho. Todos os dias
o menino colhia as folhas da árvore e fazia uma coroa para sua cabeça e brincava de
rei da floresta. O menino subia pelo tronco e se balançava nos galhos da árvore. Ele
comia suas maçãs e brincava de esconde-esconde. Quando ele se cansava, dormia na
sombra do pé de maçã. O menino amava a árvore. A árvore era feliz e amava muito o
menino.
Passado o tempo, o menino cresceu. Muitas vezes a árvore ficava sozinha.
Certo dia o menino veio visitá-la. A árvore queria brincar novamente. O menino estava
muito grande para subir na árvore e brincar. Ele precisava de dinheiro. A árvore não
tinha dinheiro, mas tinha maçãs para vender. O menino pegou as maçãs e as levou
consigo. A árvore ficou feliz.
O menino ficou afastado por um longo tempo e a árvore estava triste. Quando
ele voltou a árvore se sacudiu de alegria e queria brincar. O menino era agora um
homem ocupado. Ele queria uma esposa e filhos, e por isso precisava de uma casa.
Ele cortou seus galhos para fazer uma casa. A árvore ficou feliz.
Passou-se um longo tempo novamente. O homem agora estava velho e triste.
Ele falou para a árvore que queria um barco para levá-lo para longe. A árvore lhe disse
para cortar seu tronco e construir um barco. Ele cortou o tronco, fez um barco e partiu
para longe. A árvore ficou feliz.
Após um longo tempo o menino retornou. A árvore queria brincar, mas ele
estava muito velho e fraco. A árvore não tinha mais nada para oferecer ao menino a
não ser um velho toco. Desta vez o velho homem precisava de um lugar sossegado
para sentar e descansar. Então ele se sentou e descansou no velho toco. A árvore
ficou feliz.
The Department of Multicultural Education Translation Team certifies that this is a true and faithful translation of the original document. August 2004 - (561) 434-8620 - SY 04-2808
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 5
Summary of Listening Activities
Beginning
Intermediate
Proficient
Minimal Pairs
Bingo
Clipped, Follow Directions, Team
Spelling, Dictation
Proficient Dictation
Beginning Listening Activities
Minimal Pairs
Objective: Auditory discrimination of confusing sounds in words
Procedure: Write a word pair on the board. (Example: there-dare) Write #1 above the first, #2
above the second. The teacher models by pronouncing one of the words without indicating
which. Teams guess which word they heard, #1, or #2. Pronounce both words in the pair.
Teams guess the order they heard (1-2, 2-1). Call out the numbers 1 or 2. Teams respond with
the word (Can be done with sentences). Use both words in the pair in otherwise identical
sentences. (Example: The Constitution is the heart of US government. The contribution is the
heart of US government.) Teams decide which sentence has meaning, and which is silly.
(Award points for correct responses.)
The Giving Tree: Minimal Pairs Activity:
tree/three
shook/took
stump/jump
boat/both
rest/west
once/ones
leave/leaf
crown/clown
sell/shell
sad/said
get/got
Bingo
Objective: Auditory comprehension of vocabulary from the lesson
Procedure: Choose vocabulary words or phrases from the lesson summary list or from
students' classroom texts. Give each team a blank Bingo card. Each team writes vocabulary
words/text phrases you provide on the board in the spaces of their choice. Randomly select
sentences from the text and read them aloud. Teams mark their Bingo spaces when they hear
the word or phrase.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 6
Intermediate Listening Activities
Team Spelling Test
Objective: Listen for lesson vocabulary words & collaborate with others to spell them correctly.
Procedure: Place ten vocabulary words (or fewer depending on time) in a pocket chart or on a
chalk tray. Teams get 3-5 minutes to study the words. Hide the words from view. Each team
uses one pencil and one sheet of paper. (Team name at top; numbers 1-10 down the left
margin) Read the spelling words as you would during a traditional spelling test. The first team
member writes word number one with the team's help, and then passes the paper and pencil to
the second team member who will write word number two, etc. Students on each team take
turns. Teams exchange papers. Place the 10 words back in view. Teams check each other's
tests. A team gets one point for each word spelled correctly.
Options: Ask for additional information. For example, you may ask teams to write a sentence
with the word in it. You might ask for a specific tense, plural form, opposite, etc.
An alternative technique is to have each team member complete all spelling items on his/her
own paper. Team members are allowed to help each other. On completion, collect the one
paper of your choice. The grade on that paper will count for each team member.
The Giving Tree Spelling Activity:
Use the following words for the test.
ate, branches, crown , forest, gather, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , quiet, stump, trunk
You may also use this list. The teacher gives the present form and teams write the past form.
eat, build, carry away, climb, come back, cut down, cut off, get tired, go by, grow up,
have, hide, seek, rest, sail away, sell, shake with joy, sleep, stay away, swing, there
was, took away
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 7
Intermediate Listening Activities
Follow Directions
Objective: Listen for the purpose of following spoken directions.
Procedure: With one piece of paper and one pencil, team members take turns writing on paper
what the teacher directs to complete a task.
1. For example, there might be a list of dates. The teacher might say the following: Draw a
circle around 1492. Make a star in front of 1546. Connect 1322 and 1673 with a line.
2. The teacher might direct teams to make changes to a sentence. Example: He sailed to the
Americas in 1492. The teacher says, “Circle the verb. Put a box around the preposition”.
3. Another example: Change the verb to the present tense. Add 505 years to the date. Change
the subject to the third person plural.
4. The teacher might also direct teams to complete a drawing, or draw the route of an explorer
on a map. Teams that complete the exercise correctly get a point.
The Giving Tree Follow Directions Activity: Provide teams with paper and pencil. Teams
listen and follow directions to create an organizer and identify details in the story. (Teams listen
to the teacher read the excerpt from the story below, or work from written text.
Directions:
a) Fold the paper lengthwise.
b) On one side of the paper, write, “What did the boy do?”
c) On the other side write, “What did the tree do?”
Reading:
a) “One day the boy came back.”
b) “The tree shook with joy.”
c) “I want a house to keep me warm. “Can you give me a house?” the boy asked.”
d) “You may cut off my branches and build a house,” said the tree.”
e) “The boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build a house.”
f) “The tree was happy.”
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 8
Intermediate Listening Activities
Dictation
Objective: Listen to discriminate words in sentences and reproduce them in writing.
Procedure: Dictate sentences from the lesson, saying each sentence only two times (once if
listening skills allow) Team members take turns writing the sentences, assisting each other.
(Teams can write sentences on the board to correct them in class, or collect as a quiz.)
Option: An alternative technique is to have each team member complete all dictation items on
his/her own paper. Team members are allowed to help each other. On completion, collect one
paper of your choice. The grade on that paper will count for each team member.
Option: Dictate a sentence with an important word left out. Offer four choices for teams to write.
Example: Columbus landed in… a) Boston b) Haiti c) Argentina d) England
Option for Dictating Dates or mathematical concepts/formulas: Can be written in number
form or in word form (fourteen hundred and ninety-two) (All sides are equal in an equilateral
triangle.) Dictate the question, so teams can write them down. Then each team answers the
question in the group. (What kind of polygon has two parallel sides?)
The Giving Tree Dictation Activity:
a) Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy.
b) Every day the boy gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head.
c) The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches.
d) He ate her apples and played hide-and-go-seek.
e) When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 9
Intermediate Listening Activities
Clipped (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Phonological Development --Determining number of words in a sentence
Procedure: This activity requires plastic paper clips of three colors. The following explanation
will use blue, red, and yellow, but any color combination will do. (Paper clips of 3 different sizes
can be used).
In class, a participant orally makes a sentence based on the reading text. All participants have
60 seconds to clip on an index card the same number of blue paper clips in a row as there are
words in the sentence. While the participants complete this task, the teacher writes the
participant’s sentence on a piece of paper hidden from the participants’ view. The teacher
begins counting down by seconds when 10 seconds remain. Any participant with a paper clip in
his/her hand when you reach 0 receives a red paper clip (a negative point). The participants
take turns stating the number of words in the sentence based on the number of clips on their
cards. Using the written sentence and with as little teacher help as possible, players determine
the correct number of words in the sentence. Participants with the correct number of paper clips
on their cards receive a yellow paper clip. Participants with the incorrect number of paper clips
receive a red paper clip. For each participant with a red paper clip, the participant who made the
sentence gets a yellow clip, as long as s/he had the correct number of words. The next
participant then orally makes a sentence.
Grading: Red clips and yellow clips cancel out each other. For example, a person who finishes
the game with four yellow clips and two red clips really finishes with two yellow clips. (4 or more
yellow clips = A, 3 yellow clips = B, 2 yellow clips = C, 1 or fewer yellow clips = D)
The Giving Tree Clipped Activity:
Sample sentences:
a) . One day, the boy came to the tree.
b) The boy was now a young man.
c) The man was now interested in settling down.
d) He wanted to build a house.
e) Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend.
f) The man wanted to get away from it all.
g) Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it.
h) He was no longer able to play, make money or to sail away.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 10
Proficient Listening Activities
Proficient Dictation (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Purpose: Syntactic & Phonological Development --Transcribe oral statements
Procedure: The teacher prepares a minimum of 4 sentences and a maximum number of
sentences equal to the number of participants. Each sentence is written clearly on a separate
sentence strip. Sentences should come from the story, should reflect a specific syntactic focus
(i.e. adjectives or past tense), and should be readable by all participants.
The sentences are placed upside down in the center of the table. Participants write their names
at the top of a sheet of paper and number their papers down left margin to equal the number of
sentence strips. Participants take turns choosing sentence strips and reading them aloud one
time. The teacher repeats the sentence. The participant reads the sentence a second time, and
the teacher repeats the sentence a second time. Continue with all of the sentences.
To grade the papers, participants pass papers to the person on the right. The sentence strips
are placed face up in the center of the table in the order in which they were read. With the
teacher’s assistance, participants grade their neighbor’s sentences one by one using the
following criteria: Has every word been written? Are the words spelled correctly? Is correct
capitalization employed? Is correct punctuation employed?
Each sentence is worth 4 points. A point is taken off for each criterion not met for a given
sentence. Only one point is taken off for each kind of error, even if the same error appears more
than one time in the same sentence. FREE equals 4 points. Each time criterion 1 is met by all
participants for a given sentence, the reader of that sentence gets a 3-point bonus. The final
score equals the total of points for all sentences, including FREE and bonus points, divided by
the number of sentences. 4 points or higher = A, 3 points = B, 2 points = C, 1 or 0 points = D
Refer to the next page for the “Proficient Dictation” activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 11
The Giving Tree Proficient Dictation Activity: Use any of these sentences for the activity:
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy.
They spent hours and hours together.
The boy played in the tree's branches, slept at her roots and ate her apples.
The tree loved the boy.
One day, the boy came to the tree.
The tree was delighted and beckoned, "Come and play!"
The boy was now a young man.
The young man was interested in making a living, but he didn't know how.
"Here," the tree said. "Take my apples and sell them."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree was lonely without the young man.
One day, he returned, and the tree was delighted.
The man was now interested in settling down.
He wanted to build a house.
"Here," the tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend.
One day, the man returned, and the tree was again overjoyed.
The man was now older and tired of life.
The man wanted to get away from it all.
"Here," the tree offered, "Cut me down. Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it."
The man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely.
She missed her friend, and she often thought about the old days, when they had such fun.
Finally, she saw her friend coming over the hill, and she was delighted.
The man was now old and he was tired.
He was no longer able to play, make money or to sail away.
"Here, my friend," the tree said. “I still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?"
The old man did that, and the tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 12
Summary of Speaking Activities
Beginning
Intermediate
Proficient
Intentional Intonation
Backwards Build-Up
Dominoes, Guess My Rhyme,
Charades, Mixed-Up Sentence
Interview
Twenty Questions
Beginning Speaking Activities
Intentional Intonation
Objective: Auditory discrimination and oral production of intonation and stress patterns in
spoken English
Procedure: Write the sentence on the board and then say it, stressing one word. Teams take
turns explaining the special meaning the emphasis brings to the sentence. Repeat this process
several times with the same sentence, each time emphasizing a different word.
Example:
All for one and one for all! (not none) …..(not, “None for one and one for all!)
All for one and one for all! (not from) …..(not, All from one and one for all!)
All for one and one for all! (not three) …..(not, “All for three and one for all!)
All for one and one for all! (not or) …..(not, “All for one or one for all!”)
All for one and one for all! (not everyone) …..(not, “All for one and everyone for all!”)
All for one and one for all! (not to)….. (not, “All for one and one to all”!)
All for one and one for all! (not nobody) …..(not, “All for one and one for nobody!”)
The Giving Tree Intentional Intonation Activities:
The boy cut off her branches to build his house. (Not the people)
The boy cut off her branches to build his house. (Not looked at)
The boy cut off her branches to build his house. (Not her trunk)
The boy cut off her branches to build his house. (Not to cover)
The boy cut off her branches to build his house. (Not his boat)
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 13
Beginning Speaking Activities
Backwards Build-up
Objective: Auditory discrimination and oral reproduction of rhythmic patterns of spoken English
Procedure: Students practice the intonation, stress, and punctuation of sentences by repeating,
by teams, the increasingly larger fragments of a sentence modeled by you. Repeat each line (as
necessary) until teams can pronounce the segments well. Continue to build up to the complete
sentence. Teams completing the exercise correctly get a point. Example:
…in fourteen hundred and ninety-two …blue in fourteen hundred and ninety-two
…the ocean blue in fourteen hundred and ninety-two. …sailed the ocean blue in fourteen
hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred and ninety-two.
The Giving Tree Backward Build-up Activity:
a) Every day the boy gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head.
b) When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree.
c) The tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
d) When he came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play.
e) The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell.
Charades
Objective: Oral production to determine word meaning and context of new lesson vocabulary
Procedure: Team members guess who/what the teacher (or student) is silently role-playing.
(Ex: famous person, geometric shape, scientific theory) The team guessing correctly gets point).
The Giving Tree Charades Activity: Suggestions:
alone, ate, build, busy, climb, cut down, grow/grew up, hide-and-go-seek,
rest, shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, swing/swung, weak
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 14
Intermediate Speaking Activities
Dominoes (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Graphemic & phonological Development --Matching letters and words
Procedure: The teacher prepares for the activity by writing two vocabulary words or letters on
each card (old business cards are great), one on each side of a line that divides the card in half
to make it look like a domino. At a minimum, the number of cards should equal the number of
participants multiplied by 8. Deal each participant four cards and put the rest face down in the
center of the table. Ask a participant to take the top card from the pile and place it face up near
the pile.
Play begins at this point. Participants take turns in a clockwise rotation putting down a card
matching the words/letters on one side of a card, as in the traditional game. If the participant
cannot make a match, s/he must pick a card from the pile, and the next participant takes a turn.
If the participant does make a match, s/he receives a black (positive) point. The person to
his/her right then has the opportunity to say correctly the word/letter (as determined by the
teacher) for 1 black point. If s/he cannot say it, the person to his/her right tries, and so on until
all participants have had a chance.
Once a participant correctly says the word/letter and receives a black point, the turn is over and
the person to the right of the participant who placed the card takes a turn placing his/her own
card. If no one can say the word/letter, the teacher says it and all participants get a blue
(negative) point. The turn is over and the person to the right of the participant who placed the
card then takes a turn placing his/her own card.
The game is never ending, so a timer should be set for 10 to 15 minutes. At the conclusion of
the game, participants add their black points and subtract their blue points to get their score.
Grading: 5 points = A, 4 points = B, 3 points = C, 2 or fewer points = D
The Giving Tree Dominoes Activity:
Use the vocabulary list below or other words from the story to complete the domino templates.
Letters, punctuation marks, transition words, etc. may also be used for the domino activity.
Duplicate the domino templates below to cut out.
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came
back, crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by,
grow/grew up, have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king,
quiet place , rest, sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away,
stump, swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Refer to the next page for reproducible “Domino” cut-outs.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 15
The Giving Tree Dominoes Activity “Domino” cut-outs
:
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 16
Intermediate Speaking Activities
Guess My Rhyme (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Phonological Development --Finding words that rhyme
Procedure: Participants take turns choosing a picture from the story being read and choosing a
person in the group to say the name of the picture and a word that rhymes with that name. No
one except the respondent is to talk. If someone does speak, s/he gets 1 blue (negative) point.
During the first round, everyone must have a chance to respond once before a participant can
be called on to respond a second time. The questioner determines whether the respondent is
correct. If the respondent is correct, s/he gets 1 black (positive) point. If the respondent cannot
answer or does not answer correctly as determined by the questioner, s/he gets a blue point
and the questioner gets a black point, as long as the questioner can give an answer. If the
questioner cannot give an answer, the questioner gets 1 blue point and the respondent gets 1
black point. The same picture cannot be used twice.
When a respondent doesn't agree with the questioner’s answer, s/he can challenge the
questioner. The challenger must prove that s/he is also correct or that the questioner is
incorrect. S/he does not need to prove both. Everyone else in the group can join a challenge on
either side (the questioner's side or the respondent's side), but they must do so immediately
(many participants wait to see how many people are joining each side, which is unfair). Once
the players have taken sides on a challenge, the teacher decides who is correct. All those siding
with the correct answer get 2 black points. The losers get 2 blue points.
The game is never ending, so a timer should be set for 10 to 15 minutes. At the conclusion of
the game, participants add their black points and subtract their blue points to calculate their
score. Grading: 5 points = A, 4 points = B, 3 points = C, 2 or fewer points = D
The Giving Tree Guess My Rhyme Activity:
Picture or Photo suggestions from the story vocabulary and some rhyming words follow:
apple
boat
branches
child
climb
crown
cut
“Snapple”
float
ranches
wild
mime
down
but
king
leaf
place
sail
shade
shake
sleep
ring
reef
race
pail
made
take
keep
stump
tree
trunk
weak
wife
bump
free
bunk
speak
knife
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 17
Intermediate Speaking Activities
Mixed-up Sentence
Objective: Each team consults to give spoken directions to correct a “mixed-up” sentence.
Procedure: Write a sentence on the board that contains lesson vocabulary and grammar, but
scramble the order of the words and put a capital letter or two in the wrong places(s). Tell the
class the way the sentence should read. Example sentence: A dicot seed has two parts. You
might write on the board: “tWo a seed dicot hAs parts”. The person whose turn it is must
verbally give directions to make a correction after consulting with the team. The teacher follows
the exact directions given and, if correct, gives the team a point. Then s/he calls on next team.
Example: “Move the A to the front”. You might decide to erase letter “a” in “part” and put it at
the beginning of the sentence. Perhaps you erase an “a” and rewrite it on the wall somewhere in
front of the classroom. In both cases, you were not given the detailed instructions necessary to
complete the task, and you would move on to the next group without awarding a point. You are
looking for a response something like, “Remove the first capital A and replace it with a lower
case A.” Directions like these get teams points. Continue until the sentence is reorganized, with
a capital at the beginning and a period at the end.
Notes: This activity is very difficult and takes several weeks to master. Students will prefer to
show you what to do, but do not let them. The idea is to tell you, not show you. The first time
you use the activity do not spend more than five minutes. Stop and discuss the kinds of
directions they need to give in the future. Do not give up on this activity, no matter how
immature the students.
The Giving Tree Mixed-Up Sentence Activity:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Apple once tHere an trEe waS.
ThE tRee loveD a liTTle apPle boY.
king HE playeD of foRest THE.
dAy boy gAthered tHe her Every leaVes.
croWn The Made a for Boy hIs hEad.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 18
Proficient Speaking Activities
Interview
Objective: Role play a verbal interaction in the form of an interview
Procedure: You play the role of an informative person relative to the topic of the unit.
Choose a representative from each team and distribute the questions among them. These
students play the role of journalists. Provide students with these questions to interview you in
your new role. Teams must coach their representative, and take notes of the answers for
Writing Activity #1, Language Experience Story.
The Giving Tree Interview Activities:
You play the role of the tree. Choose several students to play the role of the boy. Provide these
students with the questions below. They take turns asking you questions. Students not asking
questions must take notes of the tree’s answers. Students should save notes for Writing Activity
#1, Language Experience Story.
a) What game do you want to play?
b) Do you want to climb my branches and swing?
c) Where are you going with my trunk?
d) Why did you stay away so long?
e) When are you coming back?
f) Do you want to play hide-and-go-seek?
g) Why are you so sad?
h) What are you going to do with my branches?
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 19
Proficient Speaking Activities
Twenty Questions
Objective: Ask oral questions about a photo or picture to determine meaning of vocabulary
words.
Procedure: A student from one team selects a photo or picture without showing it to members
of teams. Teams take turns asking YES/NO questions about the picture. The picture holder can
only answer yes or no. If a team guesses correctly, it receives 20 points minus the number of
questions that have been asked divided by two. Example: Is it from the fifteenth Century? Is it a
boat? (etc.)
The Giving Tree Twenty Questions Activity: Photo or picture suggestions:
Crown, branches, leaves, king, shade, forest, boat, sailed away, children stump, trunk
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 20
Summary of Reading Activities
Beginning
Pre Reading
Intermediate
Proficient
Junior Detective, Total Recall, Scan
Black and Blue, Cricket, You Be the Judge,
Hearts, True or False, True and False,
Judgment, Story Grammars
Beginning Reading Activities
FCAT FOCUS READING SKILL: Determining Main Idea, Stated or Implied
Teacher-Student Notes are provided as a teaching resource or student study notes.
What to do and what to watch for. The main idea tells what the whole passage is about. The
main idea is the main or most important point the writer wants to make.
Read the title of the passage (if there is one). The title is written in BOLD at the top of the
passage. Find the title before you read the passage. Read it and think about it by asking:
What is this reading all about?
What’s the main point?
Why did the writer write this?
What information will I get from this reading?
What is the BIG picture here?
Why would someone want to read this?
Read the introduction (if there is one). The introduction is right under the title. It is one or two
sentences written in ITALICS. Just like the title, the introduction gives important information
about what you are going to read. Sometimes, the introduction tells you the main idea before
you read. After you read the introduction, think about it by asking yourself the same questions.
STATED MAIN IDEA
Read the passage. Is there a topic sentence? The topic sentence is a sentence that explains
in a few words what the whole passage is all about. This sentence tells the main idea or topic of
the passage. Often, the topic sentence is the first sentence, but sometimes you will find it in the
middle or at the end. When you find a topic sentence, you have found the stated main idea.
TOPIC SENTENCE
+
DETAILS
=
STATED MAIN IDEA
With stated main idea, you can prove your answer by going directly to the passage to check it.
Your answer is clearly stated in the passage, and should be easy to find. Questions on stated
main idea are based on what is written exactly or stated in the passage itself. For these
questions, you go directly to the reading and look for the information. In other words, prove it!
Example
There are many different ways to make a friend. One way to make a friend is to
be a friend. If someone needs you, be there. Second, remember that everyone is a
different person. Respect the way other people are, and get to know them. They will
respect you, and want to get to know you too. Another thing you can do is always to be
kind to everyone. You’d be surprised how many great friends are waiting for you.
The first sentence is the topic sentence (“There are many different ways to make a friend).)
The other sentences tell the details to support the main idea, “ways to make a friend”. You can
test your answer because the topic sentence states this idea. In addition, all of the other
sentences (the details) are talking about the same main idea.
Use graphic organizers. You can visualize and organize the main idea and details in many
different ways.
Continued on the next page
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 21
Teacher-Student Notes for Determining Main Idea, Stated or Implied (Continued)
TOPIC SENTENCE
+
DETAILS
=
STATED MAIN IDEA
With stated main idea, you can prove your answer by going directly to the passage to check it.
Your answer is clearly stated in the passage, and should be easy to find. Questions on stated
main idea are based on what is written exactly or stated in the passage itself. For these
questions, you go directly to the reading and look for the information. In other words, prove it!
Example
There are many different ways to make a friend. One way to make a friend is to
be a friend. If someone needs you, be there. Second, remember that everyone is a
different person. Respect the way other people are, and get to know them. They will
respect you, and want to get to know you too. Another thing you can do is always to be
kind to everyone. You’d be surprised how many great friends are waiting for you.
The first sentence is the topic sentence (“There are many different ways to make a friend).)
The other sentences tell the details to support the main idea, “ways to make a friend”. You can
test your answer because the topic sentence states this idea. In addition, all of the other
sentences (the details) are talking about the same main idea.
Use graphic organizers. You can visualize and organize the main idea and details in many
different ways.
DETAIL:
Respect other people
MAIN IDEA
DETAIL:
Be a friend.
DETAIL:
DETAIL:
DETAIL:
Be a friend
Respect other people
Get to know them
Topic Sentence:
There are many
different ways to
make a friend.
DETAIL:
Be kind.
DETAIL:
Get to know them.
Pay attention to the details. Details are little pieces of information that tell more about the
main idea. Details support the main idea and are connected to the main idea. All of the details
will talk about the main idea and lead you to the main idea, like little clues. The main idea covers
all of the details.
DETAIL
DETAIL
DETAIL
DETAIL
DETAIL
MAIN IDEA
Continued on the next page
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 22
Teacher-Student Notes for Determining Main Idea, Stated or Implied (Continued)
Read actively. This means that while you are reading, you continue to ask yourself questions to
anticipate what is coming next.
What is the writer trying to say here?
What do the details have in common?
What can I infer from the information I have read so far?
What do these details add up to?
In other words, if the main idea is not stated, then it is implied. The implied main idea is not
stated it is only suggested. There is not a topic sentence, so you need to be a good detective.
Pay attention to the details, and put them together with your own knowledge to determine the
main idea. This is called drawing an inference. You draw an inference to find the implied main
idea:
DETAILS
+
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
=
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
Example: Miguel got an “F” on his history test. He only completed 30% of the classwork,
and 0% of his homework. When the teacher called Miguel’s father, Miguel was grounded
for a month. He had to bring his books home every night and sit at the kitchen table to
study.
DETAILS
• Miguel got an “F” on his
history test.
• He only completed 30% of the
class work.
• He completed 0% of his
homework.
• The teacher called home.
• He was grounded for a month.
• He brought his books home
every night to study.
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
IMPLIED
MAIN
IDEA
Miguel
failed
history
class!
• “F” on a test means you fail.
• You have to do homework to
pass a class.
• Finish your class work to
pass a class.
• You’re in trouble when the
teacher calls home.
• If you fail you get grounded.
• A failing grade means study
hard at home to bring up
your grade.
If you think while you are reading (read actively), then you know that all of these details +
what you know about school (your knowledge) add up to one thing (the main idea). Miguel
failed history class! The passage never stated directly the main idea, but you can figure it out
(infer) from the details PLUS what you yourself know.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 23
Beginning Reading Activities
Pre Reading
Objective: Listen to a short series of oral sentences in order to answer simple questions.
Procedure: Use the short summary paragraph below (5-10 sentences). Read the paragraph to
the class two times. Then read the paragraph a 3rd time, stopping at the end of each sentence to
ask questions. Ask several questions for each sentence, and ask a variety of types of questions
(i.e. yes/no, either/or, and “wh-“). Ask the questions at a quick pace, and if the group cannot
answer quickly enough, move on to the next group.
Example: Columbus sailed to America in 1492. Sample Questions: Did Columbus sail to
America? Did Columbus sail to Europe? Did Columbus sail to Europe or America? Where did
he sail? Did King Ferdinand sail to America? Did Columbus or King Ferdinand sail to America?
Who sailed to America? Did he sail in 1942? Did he sail in 1492 or 1942? When did he sail?
Option: Read the paragraph a 4th time. Ask questions again. End the activity by dictating the
paragraph to the teams. Allow collaboration within the team. Collect/grade one dictation from
each team. Each student on the team receives the same grade.
The Giving Tree Pre Reading Activity:
Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy. The
boy played with the tree and ate her apples. The boy loved the tree and the
tree loved the boy very much. Time went by and the boy grew up. When he
needed money, the boy took the apples and carried them away to sell.
When he came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play. Then
he cut off her branches to build his house. Later he wanted a boat, so he
cut down her trunk to make the boat. When he was an old man, he sat and
rested on the old stump.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 24
Intermediate Reading Activities
Junior Detective (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic & Phonological Development --Squence events, print to speech
Procedure: Students copy sentences from different parts of a story, each on a separate strip of
paper. They mix up the strips and place them in front of them, face up. The teacher reads the
story aloud.
As each sentence is read, the participants must find that sentence and give it to the teacher.
The teacher reads the paper to verify that it reflects what she/he has just read and collects it. If
the sentence is not correct, the participant must keep that piece of paper.
Grading: Participants are graded depending on the number of papers they have left in front of
them at the end of the reading (0 papers left = A, 1 paper left = B, 2 papers left = C, 3 or more
papers left = D)
The Giving Tree Junior Detective Activity: You may use sentences from the Story Summary
for intermediate students or sentences from the book for more Proficient practice:
Story Summary:
Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy. Every day the boy
gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head. He played king of the forest. The boy
climbed her trunk and swung from her branches. He ate her apples and played hide-and-goseek. When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. The boy loved the tree. The
tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
Time went by and the boy grew up. The tree was often alone. One day the boy came to
visit. The tree wanted to play again. The boy was too big to climb and play. He needed money.
The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell. The boy took the apples and carried them
away. The tree was happy.
The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad. When he came back, the tree
shook with joy, and she wanted to play. The boy was now a busy man. He wanted a wife and
children. He needed a house. He cut off her branches to build his house. The tree was happy.
A long time passed again. The man was now old and sad. He told the tree he wanted a
boat to take him far away. The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make a boat. He cut down
her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away. The tree was happy.
After a long time, the boy returned. The tree wanted to play, but he was very old and
weak. The tree had nothing left to give the boy but an old stump. This time the old man needed
a quiet place to sit and rest. Then he sat and rested on the old stump. The tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 25
Intermediate Reading Activities
Total Recall
Objective: Read a text in order to ask and answer short questions.
Procedure: Teams prepare 3 (or more) questions and their answers from the text. Teams are
allowed to write notes about the text. Teams take turns asking each other their questions, and
challenging incorrect responses. Responding teams are not allowed to raise hands. The team
asking the question chooses which team answers. The same question cannot be asked twice. If
a team does not answer correctly, it loses a point and the team asking the question gets a point.
When a team does not agree with the answer that the questioner deems correct, it can
challenge that team. The challenging team must prove that it is also correct or that the
questioning team is incorrect. It does not need to prove both. All teams can join a challenge on
either side (questioner's side or respondent's side), but they must do so immediately. (Teams
may wait to see how many teams are joining each side, which is unfair.). Once the teams have
taken sides on a challenge, they look up the answer in the book. All teams siding with the
correct answer get 2 points, and losers lose 2 points.
The Giving Tree Total Recall Activity:
Please refer to “Black and Blue” for more detailed rules for a small group interactive reading
activity. Refer to the story script and lists of “wh” questions for each section of the story text.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 26
Intermediate Reading Activities
Scan
Objective: Scan a text for the purpose of asking and answering simple questions.
Procedure:
1. Teams write 3 questions about an assigned text. Next to each question, they write page
number and paragraph number where the answer is located.
2. A representative from each team asks the team’s questions. The other teams get 60
seconds for each question to scan the text, find the answer, page and paragraph numbers,
and write them on a sheet of paper. Any team not getting the answer within that time loses a
point.
3. Any time a responding team loses a point, the questioning team gets a point. The responding
teams take turns reading out their page and paragraph numbers. Then the questioning team
reads its page and paragraph numbers.
4. Team respondents who have the same answer as the questioner get an automatic point.
Respondents who do not have the same answer as the questioner are not automatically
wrong. Both the questioner and respondent read aloud their chosen paragraph. The
questioner then decides if the respondent is also correct (Many times the answer to a
question can be found in more than one place in a text). If the respondent is also correct, the
respondent gets a point.
5. If the questioner says that the respondent is incorrect, the respondent may challenge (as in
Total Recall). The responding team must prove that it is also correct or that the questioner is
incorrect. It does not need to prove both. Other teams may join one side or the other. The
teacher then decides who wins. Winning teams get 2 points and losers lose 2 points.
The Giving Tree Scan Activity:
Refer to the next page for the “Scan” activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 27
The Giving Tree Scan Activity: Please refer to “Black and Blue” for the original story script and
lists of “wh” questions for each section of the story text. Refer to the original book for page and
paragraph numbers. The story summary may be used for less Proficient students by numbering
the lines.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
Once there was an apple tree.
The apple tree loved a little boy.
He played king of the forest.
Every day the boy gathered her leaves
The boy made a crown for his head.
The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches.
He ate her apples and played hide-and-go-seek.
When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree.
The boy loved the tree.
The tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
Time went by and the boy grew up.
The tree was often alone.
One day the boy came to visit.
The tree wanted to play again.
The boy was too big to climb and play.
He needed money.
The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell.
The boy took the apples and carried them away.
The tree was happy.
The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad.
When he came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play.
The boy was now a busy man.
He wanted a wife and children.
He needed a house.
He cut off her branches to build his house.
The tree was happy.
A long time passed again.
The man was now old and sad.
He told the tree he wanted a boat to take him far away.
The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make a boat.
He cut down her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away.
The tree was happy.
After a long time, the boy returned.
The tree wanted to play, but he was very old and weak.
The tree had nothing left to give the boy but an old stump.
This time the old man needed a quiet place to sit and rest.
Then he sat and rested on the old stump.
The tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 28
Proficient Reading Activities
Story Grammars
Objective: Identify a common organizational pattern or “grammar” of a reading text.
Procedure: Introduce story grammars by using the Language Experience Approach. The
second time, have each group prepare one. Once groups have mastered story grammars,
individuals can prepare their own, but include incentives for the group to help individual
members. For example, you might want to give a team a point for each member who receives a
grade of B or higher.
Example: Setting:___, Characters:___, ___,Problem:___, Goal:___, Events Leading to goal
(list in order):___, ___, ___,Resolution: ___(Three possibilities include: character solves
problem, character learns to live with problem, problem defeats character)
Note: Story grammars help students understand that most stories have a common organization,
and they help students to write reports, evaluate the quality of stories, and write their own
stories.
The Giving Tree Story Grammar Activity:
Refer to the next page for a “Story Grammar” organizer.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 29
The Giving Tree Story Grammar Activity:
Name ________________________
STORY GRAMMAR: LITERARY ELEMENTS: PLOT MAP
TITLE/TOPIC/TEXT ___________________________________________________
AUTHOR ____________________________________________________________
CHARACTERS
_____________________________
________________________________
_____________________________
________________________________
_____________________________
________________________________
SETTING: TIME _____________________________________________________
PLACE____________________________________________________
MAIN CONFLICT_____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EVENT #1____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EVENT #2____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EVENT #3____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EVENT #4____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EVENT #5____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 30
Proficient Reading Activities
Judgment
Objective: Read a text for the purpose of identifying facts and opinions.
Procedure: On five separate strips of paper, each team writes (or copies) 5 sentences from the
text that show facts and opinions. Teams write their team name on the backs of the 5 strips, and
swap their sentences. Teams read the sentence strips they have, and place them in either a fact
basket or opinion basket in front of the room. The teacher reads each sentence strip from the
two baskets. For each, the teams decide if the sentence was correctly placed. If correct, the
team with its name on the strip gets a point. If not correct, that team loses a point. (This
encourages effective writing.)
Option: This activity may be adapted to focus on cause/effect, reality/fantasy or inferred/explicit.
The Giving Tree Judgment Activity:
Refer to the “You Be the Judge” activity in this section of Proficient reading activities for
a list of examples of facts and opinions from the story.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 31
Proficient Reading Activities
You Be the Judge (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development--Distinguish between true and false statements, fact and
opinion, inferred and explicit statements, and reality versus fantasy
Procedure: For homework, each participant writes or copies five sentences s/he feels is a fact
or opinion from the story on five separate strips of paper. The next day participants swap their
sentences with a peer and put their own initials on the backs of the strips. Participants then read
their sentences silently and place them either in the “fact” basket or in the “opinion” basket. The
teacher then reads each sentence strip from the two baskets. For each, the group decides if the
sentence was correctly placed. If correct, the participant with the initials on it gets a black point.
If not correct, that participant gets a blue point. This game may be adapted to focus on
true/false, cause/effect, reality/fantasy and inferred/explicit.
Grading: For each participant, subtract any blue points from the black points accumulated and
compute the grade. (4 or more points = A, 3 points = B, 2 points = C, 1 or 0 points = D)
The Giving Tree You Be the Judge Activity:
Refer to the next page for a “You Be the Judge” activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 32
The Giving Tree: Use these sample facts and opinions as starters for both activities:
Judgment Activity
You Be the Judge Activity
Facts:
There was once an apple tree and a boy.
The boy spent hours and hours together with the tree.
The boy played in the tree's branches, slept at her roots and ate of her apples.
One day, the boy came to the tree.
The tree beckoned, "Come and play!"
The boy was no longer a boy. He was now a young man.
Years passed.
The young man cut off the tree’s branches and built a house.
The man cut down the tree and made a sailing boat.
Years passed, and the man was older.
Many years passed, and seasons came and went.
The old man could no longer able to play or make money or sail away.
The old man sat and rested on the tree stump.
The young man took the tree’s apples and sold them.
Opinions:
The apple tree was great.
The boy was little.
The tree loved the boy.
The tree was delighted to see the boy.
The tree was lonely without the young man.
When the man returned one day, the tree was overjoyed.
The tree was very lonely.
When the tree saw her friend coming over the hill, she was delighted.
The man thought the tree was happy.
The tree thought the man was tired of life.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 33
Proficient Reading Activities
True or False
Objective: Read a text passage for the purpose of making true and false statements about it.
Procedure: Teams make a “T” chart (2 columns with titles--one side is for true, the other side is
for false). Teams make three true or false statements about the text. A representative from the
first team reads one statement aloud. The other teams listen and place their token on the
appropriate side of their True/False chart. The questioning team decides which choices are
correct. Each correct answer earns a team a point. In a disagreement, follow the challenge rules
of Total Recall.
The Giving Tree True or False Activity:
Refer to the “True or False Small Group Interactive” activity in this section of Proficient reading
activities for a list of sentences from the story and story summary to use for writing true and
falste statements.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 34
Proficient Reading Activities
True or False (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic --Identify true false, inferred-explicit, fact /opinion stateents, reality-fantasy
Procedure: At home, students make true and false statements about the assigned story. To
play the game, the first participant reads a statement aloud. The other participants listen and
place their token on the appropriate side of their True/False mats. The reader decides which
choices are correct. Each correct answer earns a participant a black (positive) point. Each
incorrect answer earns a participant a blue (negative) point. For each negative point issued, the
reader gets a black point, except in the case of a challenge, as described below.
When a respondent doesn't agree with the reader’s answer, s/he can challenge the reader. The
challenger must prove that s/he is also correct or that the questioner is incorrect. S/he does not
need to prove both. Everyone else in the group can join a challenge on either side (the reader's
side or the respondent's side), but they must do so immediately (many participants wait to see
how many people are joining each side, which is unfair). Once the players have taken sides on
a challenge, all participants search for the correct answer in their texts with the assistance of the
teacher. All those siding with the correct answer get 2 black points. The losers get 2 blue points.
At the end of the game, count points. Black and blue points cancel each other out. For every
remaining 5 black points, the participant's grade goes up a point. For example, if the person
received a B grade for his/her questions, his/her grade goes up to an A for receiving five black
points. For every remaining five blue points, the grade goes down one letter. This game may be
adapted to focus on true/false, cause/effect, reality/fantasy and inferred/explicit statements.
Grading: Everyone starts with 4 points=A.. Questions must meet criteria: capital letters used
correctly, sentences written on the line, correct punctuation (emphasis on periods and question
marks), and questions answered in complete sentences. Take a point off for each rule not
followed (maximum, one point for each kind of error even if same error is repeated in an
assignment. (4 points = A, 3 pts = B, 2 pts = C, 1 or 0 points= D)
The Giving Tree True or False Activity: Refer to next page for “True and False” activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 35
The Giving Tree True or False Activity & True or False Small Group Interactive Activity
Use the lists of sentences below to get students started making their own true and false
statements. The lists can be used for both activities. The first set of sentences is from the story
summary. The second set of sentences is from the original story script. Students may use the
sentences below as they are for true statements, or change one word to make them false.
Example: True: The boy played king of the forest. False: The boy played king of the branches.
Sample sentences from the story summary:
Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy.
Every day the boy gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head.
The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches.
The boy ate her apples and played hide-and-go-seek.
When The boy got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. The boy loved the tree.
The tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
Time went by and the boy grew up. The tree was often alone.
One day the boy came to visit. The tree wanted to play again.
The boy was too big to climb and play. The boy was a man and he needed money.
The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell.
The man took the apples and carried them away. The tree was happy.
The man stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad.
When the man came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play.
The boy was now a busy man. The man wanted a wife and children.
The man needed a house. The man cut off her branches to build his house.
A long time passed again. The man was now old and sad.
The man told the tree he wanted a boat to take him far away.
The tree told the man to cut down her trunk to make a boat.
The man cut down her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away.
After a long time, the man returned. The tree wanted to play, but he was very old and weak.
The tree had nothing left to give the boy but an old stump.
This time the old man needed a quiet place to sit and rest.
Then the old man sat and rested on the old stump, and the tree was happy.
Sample sentences from the original story script:
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy. They would spend hours together.
The boy would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat of her apples.
One day, the boy came to the tree. The tree was delighted and beckoned, "Come and play!"
But the boy was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and he was interested in making
a living, but he didn't know how. "Here," the tree said. "Take my apples and sell them."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree was lonely without the young man. One day, he returned, and the
tree was delighted, but he was now interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house.
"Here," the tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend.
One day, the man returned, and the tree was again overjoyed.
But the man was now older and tired of life; he wanted to get away from it all.
"Here," the tree offered. "Cut me down”. Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it."
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely.
She missed her friend, and she often thought about the old days, when they had such fun.
Finally, she saw her friend coming over the hill, and she was delighted.
But the boy was now an old man, no longer able to play or make money or to sail away.
"Here, my friend," the tree said. “I still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?"
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 36
Proficient Reading Activities
Black and Blue Small Group Interactive Reading Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development --Recall the details of a text.
Procedure: Students read a story for homework and prepare 3 or more questions with answers. Students
may write notes about the story for class. In class, they take turns asking/answering each other’s
questions. Students do not raise hands. The questioner chooses whomever s/he wants to answer. No
one except the respondent talks while the question is asked, or s/he gets 1 blue (negative) point.
During the first round, everyone has a chance to answer one question before a student can be called on
nd
to answer a 2 question. When students make mistakes asking and answering questions, in English, the
teacher repeats the question/answer in correct English. The teacher should not make students repeat. If
the questioner agrees the answer is correct, the respondent gets black points (good points) depending on
the kind of question asked (see below). The same question cannot be asked twice. There are 3 levels of
questions: Level 1 = 2 points, Level 2 = 3 points, Level 3 = 4 points. If the respondent does not know the
answer, s/he gets a blue point (negative point) and the person asking the question gets the black points.
If the respondent does not answer correctly according to the questioner and the respondent does not
challenge the questioner’s own response, s/he gets a blue point (negative point) and the person asking
the question gets the appropriate number of black points. When respondent does not agree with
questioner’s answer, s/he can challenge. The challenger must prove s/he is correct or that the questioner
is incorrect. S/he does not need to prove both. Everyone in the group can join a challenge on either side
(questioner’s or respondent’s side), but they must do so immediately (participants cannot wait to see how
many challenges) Once the players have taken sides on a challenge, all participants look up the answer
in their books. The teacher looks at the supporting evidence and decides on the correct answer. All those
siding with the correct answer get double points. For example, if the question is worth three points, each
correct member gets six black points. The losers get double blue points.
At the end of the activity, black and blue points cancel each other out and go back to the central pot. For
every remaining 5 black points, the participant’s grade goes up a point. For example, if the person
received a B grade for his/her questions, his/her grade goes up to an A for having won 5 black points. For
every remaining 5 blue points, the grade goes down a letter.
Grading: Everyone starts with 4 points, which equals an A. Written questions and answers must meet the
following criteria: capital letters used correctly, sentences written on the line, correct punctuation used
(emphasis on periods/question marks), questions answered in complete sentences. A point is taken off
for every criterion not met. One point is taken off for each kind of error even if the same error appears
more than one time during an assignment. (4 points=A, 3 points=B, 2 points=C, 1 point=D, 0 points=F)
Black and Blue Point System: Level I Questions (2 points): Is, Are, Was, Were, Do, Does, Did, Who, Can,
Could Level 2 Ques. (3 points): How much, How, Where, Which, What, When Level 3 Ques. (4 points):
Why, What happened when, What would have happened if, How do you know, Why do you think, etc.
The Giving Tree Black and Blue Activity: Refer to next page for Black and Blue activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 37
The Giving Tree Black and Blue Activity(continued): Use the sample questions for each excerpt from
the story to guide students through the process of answering and asking questions.
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy. They would spend hours and hours together. The boy
would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat of her apples. And the tree loved the boy.
Who were the characters in the story?
What did the boy eat?
What kind of tree was in the story?
Why did the boy love the tree?
Where did the boy play?
Why did the tree love the boy?
Where did the boy sleep?
One day, the boy came to the tree. The tree was delighted and beckoned, "Come and play!" But the boy
was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and he was interested in making a living, but he didn't
know how.
Where did the boy go one day?
Why wasn’t the boy interested in playing?
Who was delighted to see the boy?
What was the young man interested in?
What did the tree beckon the boy to do?
What did the man want to know?
"Here," the tree said, "take my apples and sell them." The young man did just that, and the tree was
happy.
What did the tree want the young man to do?
What did the young man do?
Why did the tree want the young man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Years passed, and the tree was lonely without the young man. One day, he returned, and the tree was
delighted, but he was now interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house.
When did the young man return to see the tree How did the tree feel when the young man returned?
the second time?
What was the young man interested in doing on the
How did the tree feel when it did not see the
second return visit?
young man?
Why did the young man want to build a house?
"Here," the tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house." The young man did just that, and the
tree was happy.
What did the tree want the young man to do?
What did the young man do?
Why did the tree want the young man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend. One day, the man returned, and the tree was again
overjoyed. But the man was now older and tired of life; he wanted to get away from it all.
When did the man return to see the tree the third time?
How did the tree feel when she did not see the man?
How did the tree feel when the man returned the third time?
What was the man like on the third visit? How did the man feel?
What did the man want to do next?
Why did the man want to get away from it all?
"Here," the tree offered, "Cut me down. Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it." The man did just
that, and the tree was happy.
What did the tree want the man to do?
What did the man do?
Why did the tree want the man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely. She missed her friend, and
she often thought about the old days, when they had such fun. Finally, she saw her friend coming over
the hill, and she was delighted.
When did the man return to see the tree the fourth time?
How did the tree feel when she did not see the man?
What did the tree think about when she missed the man?
How did the tree feel when the man returned the fourth time?
But the boy was now an old man, no longer able to play or make money or to sail away. And he was tired.
"Here, my friend," the tree said. "I still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?" The old man
did that, and the tree was happy.
What was the old man like on the fourth visit?
Why did the tree want the old man to do this?
How did the old man feel?
What did the old man do?
Why was the old man tired?
How did the tree feel then?
What did the tree want the old man to do?
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 38
Proficient Reading Activities
Cricket (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development --Locate information in a text
Procedure: Students write 3 questions at home about an assigned text. Next to each question,
they write the page number and paragraph number telling where the answer is located.
In class, a participant asks one of his/her questions. The others scan the story for the answer,
writing the page and paragraph numbers on a sheet of paper (Cricket Paper). Participants get 3
minutes maximum to find the answer. Any respondent not getting the answer within that time
gets an automatic red cricket (negative point: a set of 2 checkers, one red and one black with
the red side up). Any time a respondent gets a red cricket, the questioner gets a black cricket
(positive point: a set of 2 checkers, one red and one black with the black side up). The
respondents take turns reading out page and paragraph numbers. When the questioner reads
his/her numbers respondents with the same answers as the questioner get a black cricket.
Respondents who don't have the same answer as the questioner are not automatically
incorrect. They take turns reading aloud their chosen paragraph. The questioner then decides
whether the respondent is correct or not (many times the answer to a question can be found in
more than one place in a text). If the questioner says the respondent is also correct, the
respondent gets a black cricket. If the questioner says that the respondent is incorrect and the
respondent does not challenge, the respondent gets a red cricket and the questioner gets a
black cricket. If the respondent does challenge, s/he must prove that s/he is correct or that the
questioner is incorrect. S/he does not need to prove both. Other participants may join one side
or the other. The teacher decides who wins. The winner(s) gets 2 black crickets, the loser(s) 2
red. Grading: Red crickets and black crickets cancel each other out. For example, a person
who finishes the game with 4 black crickets and 2 red crickets really finishes with 2 black
crickets. (4 or more black crickets=A, 3 black crickets=B, 2 black crickets=C., 1 or fewer =D)
The Giving Tree Cricket Activity: Refer to story script and sample questions in Black and
Blue Activity as a guide. Students must identify the page and paragraph.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 39
Proficient Reading Activities
Hearts: Small Group Interactive Activity
Objective: Semantic Development --Determine the main idea of a text
Procedure: Participants read the story at home and write the main idea for each page of the
story. Students must write as many sentences stating main idea as there are pages in the story.
In class, the teacher reads each page of the story out loud. The participants then take turns
telling the main idea, or heart, of the page. When all of the participants have read their answers,
the participant whose turn it is to be the Pacemaker decides who has the correct heart. If no one
challenges him/her then the Pacemaker gives a paper heart to each participant with the correct
main idea. If the Pacemaker has written the same main idea that s/he said was the main idea,
then s/he gets a heart and a half. The next page's heart is then determined by a new
Pacemaker. If a player challenges the Pacemaker, then all participants may choose to play and
declare which side they are on. The challenger must prove that s/he is also correct or that the
Pacemaker is incorrect. S/he does not need to prove both. The teacher then decides which side
is correct. The winning side gets a heart and a half and the losing side loses one-half heart.
Each whole paper heart or two halves is a worth a point. Each half heart is worth half a point.
Grading: 4 or more hearts = A , 3 hearts = B, 2 hearts = C, 1 or fewer hearts = D
The Giving Tree Hearts Activity:
Refer to next page for “Hearts” activity reproducible.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 40
The Giving Tree Hearts Activity Reproducible:
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Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 41
Summary of Writing Activities
Beginning
Flip Flop
Spiffy Speller
Language Experience
Indirect Speech
Intermediate
Language Experience
Framed Paragraphs
Opinion/Proof
Spool Writing
Florida Writes
Detective
RAFT
Beginning Writing Activities
Flip Flop (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development--Recall the details of a text
Procedure: The teacher assists participants as they make up questions about the story they
are reading. The questions are written on blank cards (index cards, construction paper, Ellison
cutouts, etc.). For homework, participants write the answers to the questions on another card
that contrasts in color or shape to the question cards. For example, if the questions were written
on blue cards, the answers might be written on yellow cards.
The following day, the teacher checks each answer to make sure it is correct. The question
cards and then the answer cards are shuffled and laid out face down as in Concentration.
Participants take turns turning over one question and one answer card and reading them aloud.
Once a match is turned over, participants can look in their books to check. If everyone agrees to
the match, the participant keeps the cards. If it is not a true match then the cards are flipped
back over and the next participant takes a turn. Grading: Participants are graded depending on
the number of matching cards they have at the end of the game. (4 or more matching pairs = A,
3 matching pairs = B, 2 matching pairs = C, 1 or fewer matching pairs = D)
The Giving Tree Flip-Flop Activity:
Refer to story script and sample questions in Black and Blue Activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 42
Beginning Writing Activities
Language Experience Story
Objective: Use student-created writing as a text as a model for individual student writings, for
rereading or other written activities, including Story Grammars, RAFT, and Spool Writing.
Procedure: Language Experience instruction involves asking students to talk about some item
of relevance to the class. You may use information from Listening Activity “Interview” or
information learned in other unit activities. Individual team members and teams take turns
offering sentences to be added to the text. You write individual contributions on the board,
including non-standard forms or word order. Then ask teams to correct or change the text to
standard English grammar and syntax and to decide on an organizational format. Assist teams
in making necessary adjustments. After the text is corrected, students copy it in their notebooks,
or you can type and distribute it.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 43
Beginning Writing Activities
Indirect Speech
Objective: Write a familiar dialog in paragraph form, using indirect or reported speech.
Procedure: Use the dialog in this lesson written for Presenting Activity “Dialog”. After teams
have completed presenting their dialogs (see Presenting Activities), have each group write the
dialog in a paragraph format using indirect speech. Example:
COLUMBUS: “I need money to buy ships to sail west.”
Columbus asked the queen for some money to sail to the west.
Teams use one piece of paper and one pencil only. Each member takes a turn writing a line of
the dialog. Other team members can offer help, but they cannot write it for the individual whose
turn it is to write. Collect and grade. Each member of the team gets the same grade.
The Giving Tree Indirect Speech Activity: Use the dialog in this lesson written for Presenting
Activity “Dialog” to create indirect speech statements.
Example:
Boy to the tree: I am too busy to climb trees. I want a house to keep me warm.
The Boy told the tree that he was too busy to climb trees and he wanted a house to keep him
warm.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 44
Beginning Writing Activities
Spiffy Speller (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Phonological Development --Practice spelling of vocabulary
Procedure: For homework, participants write 5 words from the story. In class, Participants take
turns saying one of the words and choosing a person in the group to spell a word. Note that the
teacher should repeat the word once. No one except the respondent and/or the respondent’s
assistant (explained below) is to talk. If someone does speak, s/he gets 1 blue (negative) point.
During the first round, everyone must have a chance to respond once before a participant can
be called on to respond a second time.
Points are awarded in the following manner: If the respondent asks the questioner to say the
word again, the respondent gets 1 blue point, and the questioner gets 1 black point. The
questioner then says the word again. The word is repeated by the teacher. If the respondent
can spell the word orally without having to write it out first, s/he receives 3 black points, and the
questioner receives nothing.
If the respondent correctly writes the word, s/he receives 2 black points, and the questioner
receives 1 black point. If the respondent correctly writes the word with the oral assistance of
another participant of the respondent’s choosing, s/he receives 1 black point, the assistant
receives 1 black point, and the questioner receives 1 black point. Note that the assistant may
not write the word for the respondent. If the respondent cannot spell the word correctly even
with the assistance of another participant, the respondent gets 1 blue point and the questioner
gets 2 black points.
The teacher should make notes of spelling patterns during the activity so that s/he can review
them with the students at its completion. Grading: Participants add their black points and
subtract their blue points to calculate their score. The participants with the most points or within
2 points of the most get A. The participants within 3 points of the most points, gets B. The
participants within 4 points of the most points, gets C. The participants within 5 points of the
most points gets D.
The Giving Tree Spiffy Speller Activity:
Lesson Vocabulary:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump, swing/swung,
there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 45
Intermediate Writing Activities
Language Experience Story
Objective: Create a collaborative writing text to use as a model for re-reading, individual
student writing or other written activities (including Story Grammars, RAFT, and Spool Writing)
Procedure: Language Experience Story instruction involves asking students to talk about some
item of relevance to the class. (You may use information from Listening Activity 6, the Interview,
or information learned in other unit activities.) Teams take turns, through individual members,
offering sentences to be added to the text. You write their contributions on the board, including
non-standard forms and word order. Ask groups to change the text to standard English
grammatical and lexical forms and to decide on an acceptable organizational format. Help the
groups when they cannot make all of the necessary adjustments. After the text is corrected,
students copy it in their notebooks, or you can type and distribute it.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 46
Intermediate Writing Activities
Detective (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development --Sequence events in a text
Procedure: The students read the story at home and write one major event that occurs on a
page of the story (up to five events/pages), each on an individual piece of paper. Students may
copy sentences from the book or write their own sentences. The actions should be written in the
sequence as they occurred in the story. Fan-fold computer paper cut into strips. This is
reinforces the sequence of events. Tell students not to number their papers.
In class, the participants separate the papers and shuffle them. Participants exchange papers
with each other. All five papers from one participant are given to another participant. When the
participants receive their papers, they are to put them in sequential order in front of them,
without the help of their texts. They then write a number on each paper to indicate their correct
order. This prevents cheating later on. Papers are not to be rearranged after the game begins.
The teacher reads the story out loud, slowly. When the participants hear the teacher read part of
the story that is written on one of the papers in front of them, they raise the paper in the air. The
teacher reads the paper to verify that it reflects what s/he has just read and that it comes from
the top of the participant's list. If it meets the criteria, the paper is placed in the center of the
table. If the paper is not at the top of the participant's list, the participant must keep that piece of
paper, putting it aside. As the papers are given to the teacher, they are placed in order of
events. If a participant misses giving a paper as the relevant passage is read, s/he may not
include it later. At the end of the reading, the papers in the center of the table are read as a
group to get a summary of the story.
Grading: Participants are graded based on number of papers they have left at the end of the
reading. (0 papers left=A, 1 paper left=B, 2 papers left=C, 3 or more papers left=D)
The Giving Tree Detective Activity:
Refer to next page for “Detective” activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 47
The Giving Tree Detective Activity:
Use the story script or the story summary to verify sequence of events.
Story Script from text:
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy. They would spend hours and hours
together. The boy would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat of her apples.
And the tree loved the boy. One day, the boy came to the tree. The tree was delighted and
beckoned, "Come and play!" But the boy was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and
he was interested in making a living, but he didn't know how. "Here," the tree said, "take my
apples and sell them." The young man did just that, and the tree was happy. Years passed,
and the tree was lonely without the young man. One day, he returned, and the tree was
delighted, but he was now interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house. "Here," the
tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house." The young man did just that, and the
tree was happy. Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend. One day, the man
returned, and the tree was again overjoyed. But the man was now older and tired of life; he
wanted to get away from it all. "Here," the tree offered, "Cut me down. Make for yourself a
boat, and sail the world in it." The man did just that, and the tree was happy. Many years
passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely. She missed her friend, and
she often thought about the old days, when they had such fun. Finally, she saw her friend
coming over the hill, and she was delighted. But the boy was now an old man, no longer able
to play or make money or to sail away. And he was tired. "Here, my friend," the tree said. “I
still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?" The old man did that, and the tree
was happy.
Story Summary
Once there was an apple tree. The apple tree loved a little boy. Every day the boy
gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head. He played king of the forest. The boy
climbed her trunk and swung from her branches. He ate her apples and played hide-and-goseek. When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. The boy loved the tree. The
tree was happy and she loved the boy very much.
Time went by and the boy grew up. The tree was often alone. One day the boy came to
visit. The tree wanted to play again. The boy was too big to climb and play. He needed money.
The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell. The boy took the apples and carried them
away. The tree was happy.
The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad. When he came back, the tree
shook with joy, and she wanted to play. The boy was now a busy man. He wanted a wife and
children. He needed a house. He cut off her branches to build his house. The tree was happy.
A long time passed again. The man was now old and sad. He told the tree he wanted a
boat to take him far away. The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make a boat. He cut down
her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away. The tree was happy.
After a long time, the boy returned. The tree wanted to play, but he was very old and
weak. The tree had nothing left to give the boy but an old stump. This time the old man needed
a quiet place to sit and rest. Then he sat and rested on the old stump. The tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 48
Intermediate Writing Activities
Framed Paragraphs
Objective: Use a “frame” (outline or template) for writing a paragraph that contains a main idea
(topic sentence), supporting details, and a summary statement (conclusion).
Note: Framed paragraphs are most useful in preparing students for exam questions. In fact,
framed paragraphs make very good exam questions.
Procedure: Introduce framed paragraphs to the class by creating a story collectively using the
language experience approach. The second time you assign framed paragraphs, have each
group prepare one. Once the groups have mastered framed paragraphs, each student prepares
his/her own. Include incentives for the group to help individual team members. For example,
give a team one point for each member who receives a grade of B or higher. After constructing
a model paragraph with the class, groups, pairs, or individuals find examples in text.
Social Studies Example: There are many cultures of people living in Florida. First....
Second.... Third.... These groups and others....
Language Arts Example: ..., a character in the novel... by... is.... An example of this behavior
is... Another example is.... Finally.... Therefore, this character is...
Science Example: OBSERVATION: After observing... HYPOTHESIS: I think... MATERIALS:
1…2…3… PROCEDURE: 1…2…3… DATA: 1…2…3… ANALYSIS: The results of the
experiment show.... This was caused by.... Therefore, my hypothesis was/was not correct
because....
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activities:
Refer to next page for Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 49
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activity:
Sample #1: (Sequencing Events)
In the story The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, the boy comes back three times to see
his friend the tree. (Topic Sentence) The first time he returns he is a young man. The young
man ______. (Detail #1) The second time the man returns, _____ (Detail #2). The last time he
returns, he is an old man. The old man _____. (Detail #3) At the end of the story, _____.
(Conclusion)
Name ________________________________
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS: CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Chronological or time order is the order of events in time. Signal or transition words tell when
one event ends or the next event begins. Use the organizer to identify a sequence of events in
the reading.
At the end of the story,__________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
The last time he returns he is an old man. The old man___
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
The second time the man returns, he ______________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
The first time the boy returns he is a young man. The
young man ___________________________________
____________________________________________
In the story _____________________, by __________
___________________, the boy comes back three
times to see his friend the apple tree.
TITLE/TOPIC/TEXT_______________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 50
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activity:
Sample #1: (Sequencing Events)
Name______________________
In the story ______________________________, by
__________________________________, the boy comes
back three times to see his friend the apple tree. The first
time he returns, he is a young man. The young man _____
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
____________. The second time the man returns, ______
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
___________. The last time he returns, he is an old man.
The old man ____________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
At the end of the story, ____________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 51
___________________________________________________________
In conclusion, giving to others is a good thing because________________
_____________________________________
Finally, _______________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
A second reason is _____________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
First, giving is good because ______________
There are several reasons why giving to others is important.
Giving to Others is Important
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activity:
Sample #2: (Drawing Conclusions): Suggestion: Giving to others is important.
There are several reasons why giving to others is important. (Topic Sentence) First,
giving is good because _____ (Detail #1). A second reason is _____ (Detail #2). Finally, _____
(Detail #3) In conclusion, giving to others is a good thing because______ (Conclusion).
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 52
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activity:
Sample #2: (Drawing Conclusions)
Name______________________
The story ______________________________, by
__________________________________, shows that
giving to others is important. There are several reasons
why giving to others is good. First, giving is good because
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
A second reason is ______________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Finally, ________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
In conclusion, giving to others is a good thing because___
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 53
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activities:
Sample #3: (Main idea)
A main idea in The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, is that you always have something
to give to others One example in the story is _____. Another example is _____. A third example
is _____. What I learned from the story about giving is that _____.
Name: ______________________________
Title: ______________________________
Author: __________________________
DETAIL:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
DETAIL:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
DETAIL:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 54
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activity:
Sample #3: (Main Idea)
Name______________________
A main idea in ____________________________, by
____________________________, is that you always
have something to give to others. One example in the
story is ____________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Another example is ______________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
A third example is _______________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
What I learned from the story about giving is that _______
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 55
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activities:
Sample #4: (Author’s Purpose)
The reason Shel Silverstein wrote The Giving Tree is to teach us that giving is better
than receiving. We know this because the Giving Tree is always happy but the Boy is not
always happy. We know this because_____. (Detail #1) Another example is _____. (Detail #2)
A third example is _____. (Detail #3) In the end of the story, the lesson we learn is_____.
(Conclusion)
Name: ______________________________
Title: ______________________________
Author: __________________________
MAIN IDEA
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
DETAIL__________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
DETAIL__________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
DETAIL__________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 56
The Giving Tree Framed Paragraphs Activities:
Sample #4: (Author’s Purpose)
Shel Silverstein wrote The Giving Tree to show that giving is better than receiving since
the Giving Tree is always happy, but the man is not. One example of this is_______ (Detail #1)
Another example is _____. (Detail #2) A third example is _____. (Detail #3) In the end of the
story, the lesson we learn is_____. (Conclusion)
Name______________________
____________________________ wrote _________
____________________________ to show that giving is
better than receiving since the Giving Tree is always
happy, but the man is not. One example of this is_______
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Another example is ______________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
A third example is _______________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
In the end of the story, the lesson we learn is__________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Refer to next page for more Framed Paragraphs Activities.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 57
Intermediate Writing Activities
Opinion/Proof
Objective: Organize ideas/information to find supporting evidence for an opinion. (pre-writing)
Procedure: Introduce the concept by having students read a selection from which opinions can
be formed. Draw a “T” chart on the board. On the left side of the “T”, write OPINION and on the
right, PROOF. Under OPINION, write the students’ opinion(s) of the selection. For each opinion,
students must find factual statements from the text that support the opinion.
Example: OPINION: Napoleon was a great leader. PROOF: He ended the revolution. He drew
up a new constitution. He made taxation fair. He chose government workers for their ability.
Option: Opinion/Proof may be used for several written activities described in this document,
including Story Grammars, RAFT, and Spool Writing. It can also be used by students as a
format for note taking from books, videos, and lectures.
Option: Teams can write their opinions and support with proof. (think/pair/share activity).
The Giving Tree Opinion/Proof Activity: Opinion/Proof may be used for several written
activities described in this document, including Story Grammars, RAFT, and Spool Writing.
Students can also use it as a format for note taking from books, videos, and lectures. Allow
teams to write their own opinion to support with proof if they are at a proficient level. This can be
used as a think/pair/share activity. Use the following as a starter for less proficient students:
Opinion
The Boy gives a lot to the tree. He is not selfish.
Proof
The Tree gives the Boy everything she has because she wants to.
The Giving Tree loves the Boy very much.
The Boy always comes back to see his friend.
The Boy loves the tree.
At the end of the story, the boy spends a lot of time with the tree.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 58
Intermediate Writing Activities
Spool Writing
Objective: Write a “spool” (5-paragraph essay with an introduction, 3-paragraph body of
supporting arguments with evidence, and a concluding paragraph.
Procedure: Use graphic organizers, the summary, modeled writing, and guided writing to plan
prewriting activities for developing a “spool”. A spool is a five-paragraph essay in which the first
paragraph is an introduction (controlling idea, or thesis). The next three paragraphs make up the
body of the essay. Each of these paragraphs begins with an argument sentence to support the
thesis and has three supporting sentences for the argument sentence. The weakest argument
should be presented in the first paragraph of the body, and the strongest argument in the last
paragraph of the body. The final (5th) paragraph is the concluding paragraph, which begins with
a restatement of the thesis sentence, and is followed by a restatement of the three argument
statements of the body. Introduce the spool essay by creating a story collectively using the
Language Experience Approach. The second time you use spool writing, each group prepares
one. Once the groups have mastered the spool essay, each student prepares his/her own, but
include incentives for the team to help individual members. For example, you might want to give
a team one point for each member who receives a grade of B or higher.
The Giving Tree Spool Writing Activity:
Refer to next pages for Spool Writing activities and reproducible pages.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 59
The Giving Tree Spool Writing Activities for Main Idea, Stated or Implied:
Stated Main Idea: Suggested topic(s): Refer to story script from text for supporting details.
1. Good friends give to each other
2. A boy and an apple tree can be good friends.
3. Friends miss each other when they are not together.
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy. They would spend hours and hours together.
The boy would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat of her apples.
And the tree loved the boy. One day, the boy came to the tree. The tree was delighted and
beckoned, "Come and play!" But the boy was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and he
was interested in making a living, but he didn't know how. "Here," the tree said, "take my apples
and sell them." The young man did just that, and the tree was happy. Years passed, and the tree
was lonely without the young man. One day, he returned, and the tree was delighted, but he was
now interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house. "Here," the tree said. "Cut off my
branches and build your house." The young man did just that, and the tree was happy. Years
passed, and the tree still missed her friend. One day, the man returned, and the tree was again
overjoyed. But the man was now older and tired of life; he wanted to get away from it all. "Here,"
the tree offered, "Cut me down. Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it." The man did
just that, and the tree was happy. Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was
very lonely. She missed her friend, and she often thought about the old days, when they had such
fun. Finally, she saw her friend coming over the hill, and she was delighted. But the boy was now
an old man, no longer able to play or make money or to sail away. And he was tired. "Here, my
friend," the tree said. “I still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?" The old man
did that, and the tree was happy.
Implied Main Idea: Suggested topic(s): I learned some lessons from the story The Giving
Tree, by Shel Silverstein. (Students select 3 lessons to develop into an essay. This is a good
starter for modeled writing with the class. Then, students may use any one of the lessons to
develop a separate 5-paragraph essay on implied main idea.
1. giving makes you happy
2. giving is better than receiving
3. giving is a good thing to do
4. true friends love you in good times or bad times
5. true friends will give you whatever they have to give
Sample Format:
I learned three lessons from the story The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein. The three
lessons are _____, _____, and _____.
The first lesson I learned is _____. One example in the story is _____. In addition, I think
_____. Finally, I learned this lesson because _____.
Another lesson I learned is _____. One example in the story is _____. In addition, I think
_____. Finally, I learned this lesson because _____.
The last lesson I learned from the story is _____. One example in the story is _____. In
addition, I think _____. Finally, I learned this lesson because _____.
The three important lessons I learned from the story The Giving Tree are _____, _____
and _____. I think the story is_____ because the story made me feel _____.
Refer to next pages for Spool Writing Sample formats for identifying Stated Main Idea,
and Implied Main Idea, and some reproducible organizers.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 60
The Giving Tree Spool Writing Activity: See next pages for Spool Writing reproducible pages.
SPOOL WRITING SAMPLE FORMAT FOR IDENTIFYING STATED MAIN IDEA
In the chapter/passage/story/piece/poem __, by __, the main idea is _____. It is stated in
the topic sentence (introduction, first stanza, first page, etc.). The main idea is supported by
details in the reading like information about ___ and __ (information in the reading).
First, in the topic sentence the author clearly states the main idea that_____ (information
in the reading-Argument #1 Topic Sentence). The topic sentence is _____ (identify it). The topic
sentence is stated in _____ (tell location: first sentence, middle, last sentence, etc.) This is the
topic sentence because it covers all of the details in the reading.
The details in the passage can all be tested to support the main idea _____ (Argument
#2 topic sentence). One example is _____ (Supporting Detail #1 information). Another detail
that supports the main idea is ____ (Supporting Detail #2 information). Furthermore, ___ and
____ (Supporting Details #3, #4 information) also discuss the topic of the reading.
In conclusion, all of the details in the reading lead us back to the same main idea that is
stated in the topic sentence. The main idea is _____ (restate main idea). The details include
_____, _______, and _____ (briefly summarize some details). All of these details are talking
about the same point that was stated in the topic sentence or main idea.
SPOOL WRITING SAMPLE FORMAT FOR IDENTIFYING IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
In the chapter/passage/story/piece/poem __, by __, the main idea is _____. The main
idea is not stated in a topic sentence. Therefore, the main idea is implied or suggested. There
are details in the reading like information about ___ and __ (information in the reading). These
details can be put together with personal knowledge from experience to figure out that the main
idea of this reading is_____ (briefly state main idea or topic). This main idea covers all of the
details in the reading.
First, the author writes details about_____ (information in the reading-Argument #1
Topic Sentence). Some of these details include _____ (Supporting Detail #1 information) and
_____ (Supporting Detail #2 information). In addition, there are references to (information about)
_____ (Supporting Detail #3 information). Based on what I know on the subject, I can figure out
that the author is talking about_____. Based on my prior knowledge of this subject,
____________ (what I know about the subject), I also know that _____ (what I know). I have
also heard (read, seen) that____ (topic). The author’s details plus my knowledge lead back to
the same main idea, _____.
The details in the passage can all be tested to support the main idea _____ (Argument
#2 topic sentence). One example is _____ (Supporting Detail #1 information). Another detail
that supports the main idea is ____ (Supporting Detail #2 information). Furthermore, ___ and
____ (Supporting Details #3, #4 information) also discuss the topic of the reading.
In conclusion, all of the details in the reading lead us back to the same main idea that is
implied or suggested in the reading. The main idea is _____ (restate main idea). The significant
details include _____, _______, and _____ (briefly summarize some key details). Putting this
together with personal knowledge of the subject, including ___ and ___ (restate key points from
general knowledge) the main idea is clear_____.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 61
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
Main Idea & Details SPIDER
The spider’s body is the main idea. Each leg is a different detail.
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 62
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
Follow the clues that lead you to the main idea.
CLUE #1 tells…. …
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
What I know about it personally is…
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
CLUE #2 tells…. …
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
What I know about it personally is…
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
CLUE #3 tells…. …
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
What I know about it personally is…
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
CLUE #4 tells…. …
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
What I know about it personally is…
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
What’s it all about? Did you figure it out?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 63
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA What’s it all about?
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
Details:
Your knowledge:
1.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
2.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
3.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
4.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
1.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
2.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
3.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
4.__________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
+
+
+
+
=
Implied Main
Idea:
=
=
What’s it all about?
Did you figure it out?
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
______________
=
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 64
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
STATED MAIN IDEA
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
TOPIC SENTENCE
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
+
DETAILS
1.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________
=
STATED MAIN IDEA
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 65
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
DETAILS
1.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
+
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
=
IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 66
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEA & SUPPORTING DETAILS
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
TOPIC FOCUS # 1:
Support
Support
Support
TOPIC FOCUS # 2:
Support
Support
Support
TOPIC FOCUS # 3:
Support
Support
Support
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 67
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
THINKING/WRITING ORGANIZER
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
TOPIC (Introduction)
Main Idea
Supporting Detail
Main Idea
Main Idea
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Supporting Detail
Concluding Statement
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 68
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
THINKING/WRITING ORGANIZER
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
Introduction:
Introductory Sentence (State 3 Main Ideas):
Main Idea 1:
Main Idea 2:
Main Idea 3:
Transition Sentence:
Body Paragraph 1:
Main Idea:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Closing/Transition Sentence:
Body Paragraph 2:
Main Idea:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Closing/Transition Sentence:
Body Paragraph 3:
Main Idea:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Detail/Example:
Closing/Transition Sentence:
Conclusion:
Topic Sentence (Restate 3 Main Ideas):
Prediction:
Closing Sentence:
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 69
Spool Writing organizer for identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details.
IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEA and DETAILS
Title/Topic/Text: _______________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 70
Intermediate Writing Activities
FCAT Writing
FCAT Writing: Lesson Topic: (Persuasive or Expository Prompt) Distribute the planning sheets
and writing folders containing the prompts to the students. Provide students with the writing
situation and directions for writing. Remind the students to budget their time: approximately ten
minutes on brainstorming and prewriting, twenty-five minutes on drafting, ten minutes on editing.
Record the time and give students the command to begin. After 45 minutes, ask the students to
stop writing and place their planning sheets inside their folders.
The Giving Tree FCAT Writing Activity (Narrative Prompt):
Writing Situation:
Everyone can think of a time he/she gave something special to another person.
Directions for Writing
Before you write, think about a time when you gave something special to another
person. Maybe you gave a special gift that you made or bought. Maybe you gave
something that didn’t cost you any money. What did you give that was special? Why did
you give it? Did the person like your special gift? How did you feel? How did the person
feel? What did you learn about giving?
Now, write to tell about a time you gave a special gift to someone
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 71
Intermediate Writing Activities
RAFT
Objective: Write on a topic in a specific format, understanding role as a writer and audience.
R-A-F-T is a system for making sure students understand their role as a writer (R), their audience (A), the
format of their work (F), and the topic of the content (T). Examples: persuade a soldier to spare your life,
demand equal pay for equal work, or plead for a halt to coal mining in our valley.
(R): For role (R), of the writer, the writer considers who s/he is (Examples-a soldier, Abraham Lincoln, a
slave, a blood cell, or a mathematical operation).
(A): For audience (A), the writer considers to whom s/he is writing (a mother, to Congress, a child)
(F): Format (F) determines what form the communication will take. (Examples-letter, speech, obituary,
conversation, memo, recipe or journal)
(T): The topic (T) consists of a strong verb as well as the focus.
Procedure: Introduce RAFT by creating a story collectively using the Language Experience Approach.
The second time you assign RAFT, have each group prepare one. Model for students, explaining that all
writers must consider their role as a writer, their audience, the format, and the topic These four
components are critical in every written assignment. Assist teams to brainstorm ideas about a topic. Work
with teams to list possible roles, audiences, formats, and strong verbs that are appropriate for each topic.
Once the groups have mastered RAFT, have each student prepare his/her own, but include incentives for
the group to help individual members. For example, you might want to give a team a point for each
member who receives a grade of B or higher.
The Giving Tree RAFT Activity: Students write according to role, audience, format, & topic.
R-Your role as a writer is the Boy after he became a man.
A-Your audience is your children.
F-The format of your writing is a conversation.
T-Your topic is to explain why giving is important in their lives.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 72
Summary of Presenting Activities
Beginning: Dialog
Intermediate: Show and Tell
Proficient: Making the News
Beginning Presenting Activities
Dialog
Objective: Write a short dialog of 4-6 lines between two familiar characters.
Procedure: A dialog can be between 2 historical characters, 2 fictional characters in a story,
novel, play, etc. or between 2 imaginary characters such as a germ and a white blood cell. The
topic of the dialog should be related to the subject being studied, and the grammar and
vocabulary used in the dialog should reflect the grammar and vocabulary focus of the unit.
Model each line of the dialog, having the entire class repeat after you. Then, say each line and
call on whole teams to repeat the line. Then say each line and call on individual students to
repeat the line. Practice dialog lines using the whole class, a whole team, and individuals until
students can know the lines of the dialog. Example:
Character A: These items are expensive. We are not selling very many.
Character B: We need to sell more of them.
Character A: But, then the price will decrease!
Character B: But, we will still get more money because the volume will increase.
Character A: We do not have enough money to make more than we do now.
Character B: Then we will borrow some money by issuing bonds.
Dialog Activity continued on next page.
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 73
The Giving Tree Dialog Activity (continued).
Option 1: You take the part of A and the class takes the part of B. Then you take part B and the class
takes A. Then work with whole teams and you, then individuals and you, then groups and groups, then
individuals and individuals. Move back and forth among these combinations until you think the majority
have adequate intonation, stress, and pronunciation. Option 2: Erase two words at random from each
line during repetition. Then erase two more, two more, and so on until there are no words left on the
board. Option 3: Each group chooses a member to represent them by presenting the dialog with a
member from another group in front of the class. If the representative can say his/her lines correctly then
the group gets a point. Option 4: Have each group rewrite the dialog from memory. Groups are to use
one piece of paper and one pencil or pen only. Each member takes a turn writing a line of the dialog.
Other team members can offer help but they cannot write it for the individual whose turn it is to write.
Collect the paper and grade it. Each member of the team gets the same grade.
The Giving Tree Dialog Activity:
Tree: Come, Boy, climb up my trunk, swing from my branches, and be happy.
Boy: I am too busy to climb trees. I want a house to keep me warm.
Tree: I have no house.
Boy: I want a wife and I want children, so I need a house.
Tree: The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house.
Intermediate Presenting Activities
Show and Tell
Objective: Present orally on a familiar topic and respond to questions on the topic.
Procedure: A student brings something to class related to the subject at hand and, within 3 minutes,
makes an oral presentation about it. Teams take turns asking the student questions about it. For each
question the presenter can answer, his/her team gets a point. For each question he/she cannot answer,
the team loses a point.
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 74
Proficient Presenting Activities
Making the News
Objective: Present orally to a group on a familiar academic topic in a news format.
Procedure: Teams take turns developing a 3-4 four-minute news broadcast about the subject
being studied. There may be several related stories. There must be one story (no matter how
short) for each member of the group. The reporting group may refer to notes but not to the text.
Other teams can refer to their texts, and have the opportunity to each ask two questions of the
reporting team. The reporting team members take turns answering questions, but other team
members may help them. The questioning group gets two points for each question the reporting
group cannot answer. The reporting group gets a point for each question it can answer. Follow
the rules for Total Recall when there is a challenge. Examples: Columbus gets the jewels from
the Queen of Spain, the long voyage, Hispaniola landing
The Giving Tree Making the News Activities:
My Friend the Giving Tree
Tree Trunk Sailboat
House Made of Branches
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 75
Summary of Viewing Activities
Intermediate
Proficient
Total Recall, True or False, Judgment
Intermediate-Proficient Viewing Activities
Total Recall, True or False, Judgment
Objective: View a video or speech for the purpose of asking and answering simple questions,
making true and false statements, and distinguish facts from opinions.
Procedure: Modify reading activities, such as Total Recall, True or False, and Judgment to use
when viewing a video or speech. The effectiveness of a challenge is not as high as with a
written text.
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 76
Summary of Vocabulary Activities
Beginning
Big Bang
Fishing for Phonics
Line of Fortune
Concentration
Intermediate
Big W
Little W
Son of Bang
Wrong Word
Jeopardy
Jeopardy Blues
Classification
Beginning Vocabulary Activities
Line of Fortune
Objective: Identify and recreate words and word parts from spelling clues.
Procedure: (This activity is very similar to Hangman, but involves more complex team decisionmaking.) Choose a word from the lesson’s vocabulary and write the appropriate number of
dashes to represent the letters of the word. For example, for the word dicot you would draw five
dashes. A team member guesses a letter. If the letter is not found in the word, write the letter
under the dashes and move on to the next team. If their letter is found in the word, then write
the letter on the appropriate dash. When a team guesses correctly, they have the option to
guess the word. If they choose not to guess the word, call on the next team. If they choose to
guess and successfully guess the word, then they receive ten points minus the number of letters
written under the dashes from incorrect previous guesses, and the game is over. If they choose
to guess and do not guess the word, then they lose points equal to the number of letters written
under the dashes, and you call on the next team. If no team can guess the word before ten
incorrect letters are written under the dashes then all teams lose points equal to the number of
teams in the class.
The Giving Tree Line of Fortune Activity: Use lesson vocabulary:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump,
swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 77
Beginning Vocabulary Activities
Concentration
Objective: Identify vocabulary words and their meanings.
Preparation: On twenty 8” x 5” index cards, write the numbers 1-20, one number per card.
Place these cards in order, 3 per line in a pocket chart. On another 20 index cards, write, one
word per card, 10 vocabulary items from the lesson 2 times each. Shuffle these cards and place
them behind the numbered cards.
Procedure: Teams will match the vocabulary words with their meanings. Choose one team to
go first. A member of that team picks two numbers. Remove those cards from the chart, leaving
the words behind them visible to the class. The student reads the words, with the team’s
assistance if needed. If the words match, leave them showing and give the team a point. If they
do not match, replace the numbers and call on the next team.
Option: Instead of writing each noun 2 times, write it once in the singular and once in the plural.
When working with verbs, write one in the present tense and one in the past. Matching
variations such as these helps the students understand that, despite certain differences in the
visible spelling of two words, they are still semantically related at a deeper level.
The Giving Tree Concentration Activity: Matching:
grow up
become an adult
build
make, construct
forest
large area where trees grow
hide-and-go-seek
children’s game of hiding and finding
trunk
main body or middle of a tree
climb
go up by using your hands and feet
weak
not strong
alone
away from people or things
busy
occupied
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 78
Beginning Vocabulary Activities
Fishing for Phonics (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Phonological Development --Finding sound-symbol relationships
Procedure: The teacher writes each of the vocabulary words from the story and a word that
rhymes with each word on four index cards. The teacher then shuffles and deals the cards,
giving each participant an equal number of cards. The remaining cards are placed in the middle
of the table. The game follows the same rules as Go Fish. One participant asks another
participant if s/he has a card that rhymes with a specific word in the participant’s hand.
The game can also be played for beginning consonants, blends, digraphs, final consonants, etc.
The game is never ending, so a timer should be set for 10 to 15 minutes.
Grading: 0 cards left = A, 1 card left = B, 2 cards left = C, 3 or more cards left = D
The Giving Tree Fishing for Phonics Activity: Use lesson vocabulary:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump,
swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 79
Beginning Vocabulary Activities
BIG BANG (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development --Recognizing the meaning of vocabulary words
Procedure: The teacher writes the vocabulary words on two sets of little pieces of paper and
prepares two additional cards that say Free, two cards that say Little Bang, and two cards that
say Big Bang.
The teacher reviews the words with the participants and then puts them all in a container.
(Oatmeal containers are perfect.)
The container is passed around the table. Participants take turns selecting a card. If the
participant reads the word and says it in a sentence or gives its meaning in any language, and
all other participants agree that s/he is correct, s/he gets to keep it. If the participant cannot read
it or explain its meaning, s/he must put it back in the container and the container moves on to
the next participant.
If the participant pulls the word Free from the container, s/he gets two turns. If the participant
pulls the word Little Bang from the container, then s/he must put one of his/her cards into the
container. If the participant pulls the word Big Bang from the container, then s/he must put half
of his/her cards into the container.
The game is never ending, so a timer should be set for 10 to 15 minutes.
Grading: Each card is worth one point. Each pair of identical cards is worth an additional point.
The participant with the most points or within two points of the most gets an A. The participant
within three points of the most points gets a B. The participant within four points of the most
points gets a C. The participant within five points of the most points gets a D.
The Giving Tree Big Bang Activity: Use lesson vocabulary:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump,
swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 80
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Son of Bang (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Phonological Development --Determining number of syllables in a word
Procedure: Using the pictures of the text, participants take turns saying words for the teacher to
write on individual cards. There must be a minimum of four word cards for each participant.
The participants review the words and then put them all in a container. (Oatmeal containers are
perfect.) The teacher includes two cards that say Free, two cards that say Little Bang, and two
cards that say Big Bang.
The container is passed around the table. Participants take turns selecting a card and handing it
to the teacher. The teacher reads the card and says it in a sentence. If the participant can find
the picture in the book and correctly give the number of syllables in the word and all other
participants agree that s/he is correct, s/he gets to keep it. If the participant cannot find the
picture or give the correct number of syllables in the word, s/he puts it back in the container and
the container goes to the next participant. Participants clap or use chips to count the syllables
If a participant pulls the word Free from the container, s/he gets 2 turns. If a participant pulls the
word Little Bang from the container, then s/he must put one of his/her cards into the container. If
a participant pulls the word Big Bang from the container, then s/he must put half of his/her cards
into the container. The game is never ending, so a timer should be set for 10 to 15 minutes.
Grading: The number of cards each participant has is counted (4 or more cards = A, 3 cards =
B, 2 cards = C, 1 or 0 cards = D)
The Giving Tree Son of Bang Activity: Use lesson vocabulary:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump,
swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 81
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Small Group Interactive Reading Activity: Little W
Objective: Semantic & Syntactic Development –Ask and answer “wh-“questions
Procedure: Day One: Prior to class, the teacher prepares a word/phrase list related to the
story. During class, the teacher gives each student a copy of the list. Students find each word or
phrase in the book or act it out. Participants read the lists and highlight words and phrases that
can be related to a specific wh question (who, what, where, when, how, or why) in red. Choose
only one question word per book. Students write five wh questions from the story for homework.
Day Two: Participants take turns asking appropriate wh questions. The other participants find
the page where the answer is found. Finding picture clues is acceptable. Participants are
awarded W's for finding the answer. The questioner also gets a W for correctly reading the
question. At the end of the game, participants are given a grade based on the number of W's
they have. (4 or more W's = A, 3 W's = B, 2 W's = C, 1 or fewer W's = D)
The Giving Tree Little W Activity: Use Vocabulary List:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump,
swing/swung, there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 82
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Small Group Interactive Reading Activity: BIG W
Objective: Syntactic & Semantic Development --Ask & answer “wh-“ questions
Procedure: Day One: This activity takes seven days to play per book. Prior to class, the
teacher prepares a word/phrase list related to the story. During class, the teacher gives each
student a copy of the list. Students find each word or phrase in the book or act it out. Students
read their lists and highlight words and phrases that can be related to who questions in red.
Students write five who questions from the story for homework.
Day Two: Participants take turns asking who questions. The other participants find the page
where the answer is found. Finding picture clues is acceptable. Participants are awarded W's for
finding the answer. The questioner also gets a W for correctly reading the question. At the end
of the game, participants are given a grade based on the number of W's they have. 4 or more
W's = A, 3 W's = B, 2 W's = C, 1 or fewer W's = D. Students read their lists and highlight words
and phrases that can be related to what questions in yellow. Students write five what questions
from story for homework.
Day Three: Participants take turns asking what questions following the procedure described in
Day Two. Students read their lists and highlight words and phrases that can be related to where
questions in green. Students write five where questions from story for homework.
BIG W procedures continued on next page.
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The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 83
BIG W procedures (continued)
Day Four: Participants take turns asking where questions following the procedure described in
Day Two. Students read their lists and highlight words and phrases that can be related to when
questions in blue. Students write five where questions from story for homework.
Day Five: Participants take turns asking when questions following the procedure described in
Day Two. Students read their lists and highlight words and phrases that can be related to why
questions in green. Students write five wh questions from story, one who, one what, one when,
one where, and one why for homework.
Day Six: Participants take turns asking wh questions following the procedure described in Day
Two. Students prepare for day seven by cutting up one new list, without color highlights, of
words and phrases from the story.
Day Seven: The teacher divides the words and phrases equally among the members of the
group. Students place the words and phrases under the correct wh heading: who, what, when,
when or why. Group members should help each other.
The Giving Tree Big W Activity: Vocabulary List:
alone, ate, boat, branches, build, busy, carry/carried away, children, climb, come/came back,
crown , cut down, cut off, every day, forest, gather , get/got tired, go/went by, grow/grew up,
have/had, hide-and-go-seek, leaves , long time, nothing left , often , king, quiet place , rest,
sailed away, sell, shade , shake/shook with joy, sleep/slept, stayed away, stump, swing/swung,
there was, took/take him far away, trunk, weak, wife
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Jeopardy Blues (Small Group Interactive Reading Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development -- Recall the details of a text
Procedure: Prior to activity, the teacher will need to make a game board with pockets, set up
like the Jeopardy Show. The board should have five columns and three or more rows,
depending on number of participants in group. (1 2
3
4
5; 100, 200, 300)
For homework, each student writes five questions about the story on uniform cards (index cards
work well) and writes the answer on the back. One question must be a who question, one a
what, one a where, one a when and one a why. The next day, the teacher first checks for the
accuracy of the answers and then places 15 of the cards in the pockets of the game board
according to the difficulty of the question. Participants take turns asking for questions (i.e. # 2 for
300). The teacher lifts out the card and lets the participant read the question. The participant
cannot see the answer. If the participant gives the correct answer, s/he gets the appropriate
point(s) (100 = 1 point, 200 = 2 points, etc.), and the next participant chooses. If the participant
does not get the correct answer, the teacher replaces the card without giving the answer, and
the next participant chooses. Grading: 4 or more pts.=A, 3 pts.=B, 2 pts.= C, 1 or no pts.=D
The Giving Tree Jeopardy Blues Activity: See Jeopardy Activity for similar format.
See next page for story script and “WH-“ sample questions.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 84
The Giving Tree Jeopardy Blues Activity (continued): Use the sample questions for each excerpt from
the story to guide students through the process of answering and asking questions.
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy. They would spend hours and hours together. The boy
would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat of her apples. And the tree loved the boy.
Who were the characters in the story?
What did the boy eat?
What kind of tree was in the story?
Why did the boy love the tree?
Where did the boy play?
Why did the tree love the boy?
Where did the boy sleep?
One day, the boy came to the tree. The tree was delighted and beckoned, "Come and play!" But the boy
was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and he was interested in making a living, but he didn't
know how.
Where did the boy go one day?
Why wasn’t the boy interested in playing?
Who was delighted to see the boy?
What was the young man interested in?
What did the tree beckon the boy to do?
What did the man want to know?
"Here," the tree said, "take my apples and sell them." The young man did just that, and the tree was
happy.
What did the tree want the young man to do?
What did the young man do?
Why did the tree want the young man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Years passed, and the tree was lonely without the young man. One day, he returned, and the tree was
delighted, but he was now interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house.
When did the young man return to see the tree How did the tree feel when the young man returned?
the second time?
What was the young man interested in doing on the
How did the tree feel when it did not see the
second return visit?
young man?
Why did the young man want to build a house?
"Here," the tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house." The young man did just that, and the
tree was happy.
What did the tree want the young man to do?
What did the young man do?
Why did the tree want the young man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend. One day, the man returned, and the tree was again
overjoyed. But the man was now older and tired of life; he wanted to get away from it all.
When did the man return to see the tree the third time?
How did the tree feel when she did not see the man?
How did the tree feel when the man returned the third time?
What was the man like on the third visit? How did the man feel?
What did the man want to do next?
Why did the man want to get away from it all?
"Here," the tree offered, "Cut me down. Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it." The man did just
that, and the tree was happy.
What did the tree want the man to do?
What did the man do?
Why did the tree want the man to do this?
How did the tree feel then?
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely. She missed her friend, and
she often thought about the old days, when they had such fun. Finally, she saw her friend coming over
the hill, and she was delighted.
When did the man return to see the tree the fourth time?
How did the tree feel when she did not see the man?
What did the tree think about when she missed the man?
How did the tree feel when the man returned the fourth time?
But the boy was now an old man, no longer able to play or make money or to sail away. And he was tired.
"Here, my friend," the tree said. "I still have a pretty good stump left. Won't you sit and rest?" The old man
did that, and the tree was happy.
What was the old man like on the fourth visit?
Why did the tree want the old man to do this?
How did the old man feel?
What did the old man do?
Why was the old man tired?
How did the tree feel then?
What did the tree want the old man to do?
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 85
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Jeopardy
Objective: Use clues to identify vocabulary words, characters’ names, places, etc. in the story.
Preparation: Place 3 cards across the top of a pocket chart, the first with the letter A printed on
it, the second with B, and the third with C. Down the left side of the chart (one per line), place
three cards with the numbers 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Place three easier vocabulary items (not
visible to the class) next to the number 1 card, and below each of the letter cards, place 3 more
difficult words on line 2 in the same manner, place three of the most difficult words on line three.
Procedure: Choose one team to go first. A member of that team picks the word s/he wants to
guess (“2-C” for example). Give the student a definition of clue for the word (This animal barks.)
The student, with the help of his team, responds with the word presented in question format
(What is a dog?). If the answer is correct, that team gets 2, 3, or 4 points, depending on the
word’s level of difficulty. If the answer is incorrect, the next team tries for the same word but for
one point less than the previous team. For example, if the first team guessed incorrectly for a
word worth 3 points, the next team to try would get 2 points if it answered correctly. If it too is
guessed incorrectly, the next team would get one point if it answered correctly. If no team can
answer correctly before the points are reduced to zero, then all teams lose 1 point.
The Giving Tree Jeopardy Activity: Matching:
Question
Answer
a) What is a stump?
a) What is shade?
a) What did the Boy do?
b) What game did the boy like?
b) Why did the Boy return?
b) How did the Boy build a house?
c) What did the boy wear on his head?
c) How did the Boy make money?
c) How did the tree feel at the end?
lower part of trunk that is cut off
protection from sun
cut down the tree trunk
Hide-and-go-seek
he needed a quiet place
with the tree’s branches
crown
sold the tree’s apples
happy
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 86
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Wrong Word
Objective: Identify, analyze, and correct errors in vocabulary usage.
Procedure: Teams find the word that is “wrong” and correct it. Teams get a point for each
correction. Read a sentence with a wrong word in it. Examples: The contribution tells us how
the government will operate. (should be Constitution) Many people have moved to Florida for
the arctic climate. (should be tropical)
When teams get good at this activity, embed an
incorrect sentence among other correct sentences. Teams can make sentences with incorrect
words for other teams to correct.
The Giving Tree Wrong Word Activity:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
When the boy got tried, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. (tired)
The man wanted a wife and children, and he needed a horse. (house)
He cute off her branches to build his house.(cut)
A long time past before the man returned. (passed)
The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was said. (sad)
Time went buy and the boy grew up. (by)
The tree wanted to play, but he was very old and week. (weak)
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 87
Intermediate Vocabulary Activities
Classification
Objective: Classify vocabulary into two or three groups.
Procedure: Model the activity, beginning with several words for teams to classify into groups.
Ask students to identify an appropriate label for the groups they create. Discuss other words
that could go into each group. Each team gets out one pencil and one sheet of paper. The
captain writes team name and divides the paper into the appropriate number of columns
(groups). The captain labels columns for classifications and sets timer for 5 minutes. Team
members take turns writing words in appropriate columns (as in the Team Spelling Test). Note
that words do not have to come from the lesson vocabulary. When the timer rings, collect
papers. Teams get one point for each word they place correctly. Spelling should not count.
The Giving Tree Classification Activity:
a) Characters
b) Time words
c) Feelings
d) Actions the boy/man took
e) Things the tree gave
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 88
Summary of Grammar Activities
Beginning
Word Order
Mixed-Up Sentence
Look It Up
Wrong Word Writing
Intermediate
Proficient
Flesh It Out
“Who, What, Where, When, How, Why “
Single Slot Substitution
Multiple Slot Substitution
Sentence Builders
Sentence Stretchers
Transformation
Formation/Transformation
Rewrite the Paragraph
Beginning Grammar Activities
Teacher-Student Grammar Notes are provided as a teaching resource or student study notes.
SIMPLE PAST TENSE
The simple past tense expresses simple action in the past. It tells action that began and ended at a
particular time in the past. The action is specific and completed. Helpful words: yesterday, last night,
last week, last month, last year, in 1999, two weeks ago, a year ago, etc.
Formation of Simple Past Tense
Structures
Examples:
The car stopped at the red light.
Most verbs add –ed
We listened to the answer.
ate, went, did, had, took, etc.
Irregular forms
Joshua did his best on the test.
Irregular forms of “to be”
I, he, she it was; you, we, they were
Negatives: didn’t + (verb)
He didn’t work. (He did not work.)
did not + (verb)
The kids didn’t go to the park. (The kids did not go to the park.)
He worked. Did he work? Yes, he did. No, he didn’t
Questions/Short answers: The car stopped at the red light. Did it stop? Yes, it did.
Did + (subject) + (verb)?
We listened carefully to the answer. Did we listen? Yes, we did.
Yes, (subject) + did.
The kids didn’t go to the park. Did the kids go? No, they didn’t.
No, (subject) + didn’t.
Joshua did his best on the test. Did he do his best? Yes, he did.
ALPHABETICAL REFERENCE/STUDY SHEET:
Verb
Past
Verb
Past
Verb
be
was/were
find
found
let
beat
beat
flee
fled
lie
begin
began
fly
flew
light
bite
bit
forget forgot
lose
bring
brought
forgive forgave
make
build
built
freeze froze
mean
buy
bought
get
got
meet
catch
caught
give
gave
mistake
choose chose
go
went
pay
come
came
grow
grew
put
cost
cost
hang
hung
read
creep
crept
have
had
ride
cut
cut
hear
heard
ring
dig
dug
hide
hid
rise
do
did
hold
held
run
draw
drew
keep
kept
say
eat
ate
know
knew
see
fall
fell
lay
laid
sell
feel
felt
lead
led
send
fight
fought
leave
left
shoot
IRREGULAR PAST TENSE FORMS
Past
Verb
Past
let
sing
sang
lay
sit
sat
lit/lighted
sleep
slept
lost
speak
spoke
made
spend
spent
meant
stand
stood
met
steal
stole
mistook
swear
swore
paid
swim
swam
put
take
took
read
teach
taught
rode
tell
told
rang
think
thought
rose
throw
threw
ran
understand understood
said
wake
woke/waked
saw
weep
wept
sold
win
won
sent
withdraw
withdrew
shot
write
wrote
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 89
Beginning Grammar Activities
Word Order Cards
Objective: Identify and use appropriate word order in sentences.
Procedure: Choose some of the more complex sentences of the summary to cut up for this
exercise. After writing a sentence on a sentence strip, cut up the sentence into individual words.
Shuffle the words. With the team's support, one member rearranges the words to reform the
sentence. The team gets a point if the cards are rearranged correctly.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 90
Beginning Grammar Activities
Mixed Up Sentence (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Syntactic Development --Make meaningful sentences
Procedure: Prior to class, the teacher copies sentences from the text on separate sentence
strips. The teacher copies a minimum of four sentences or the number of sentences equal to the
number of participants in the group (if greater than four). The teacher cuts up each sentence
strip by words and punctuation.
Play begins when the teacher hands one sentence to each participant in the group. Participants
have 60 seconds to rearrange the words into the original sentence. The teacher gives
participants a few seconds to look at each other’s sentences. They may not speak. Anyone who
speaks or communicates non-verbally is tossed a blue (negative) point. Without reading the
sentences aloud, the teacher quickly determines which sentences are correct and, after all
participants have mixed up their sentences and passed them to the participant on their right,
tosses each participant with a correct sentence a black (positive) point. The process continues
until all participants have had the opportunity to work with all sentences.
For the last sentence, participants do not mix up their sentences. Instead, the teacher places a
black point on each correct sentence and a blue point on each incorrect sentence. Each
participant with a blue point has one chance either to exchange the blue point for a black point,
or to lose the blue point without getting a black point in its place. To exchange the blue point for
a black point, the participant must fix the sentence within 30 seconds with no assistance.
Anyone who speaks at this time receives one blue point. If the participant corrects all mistakes,
s/he exchanges his blue point for a black point. If not, s/he keeps the blue point.
To lose the blue point without getting a black point, the participant asks another participant of
his/her choosing for verbal assistance. Only the participant providing assistance may speak.
Any other participant who speaks is given a blue point. The participant requesting assistance
listens. Only when the participant who is providing verbal assistance is finished may the
participant who is requesting assistance make changes to the sentence strip. If the changes
make the sentence correct, the teacher takes back the blue point and gives a black point to the
participant who provided assistance. Participants add their black points and subtract their blue
points to calculate their score. Grading: 4 or more points=A, 5 pts=B, 3 pts=C, 2 or fewer pts=D
The Giving Tree Mixed-Up Sentence Activity:
See next page for list of sentences to reproduce for Mixed-Up Sentence Activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 91
The Giving Tree Mixed-Up Sentence Activity: Sentences from the story:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
There was once a great apple tree and a little boy.
They would spend hours and hours together.
The boy would play in the tree's branches, sleep at her roots and eat
of her apples.
The tree loved the boy.
One day, the boy came to the tree.
The tree was delighted and beckoned, "Come and play!"
The boy was no longer a boy; he was now a young man, and he was
interested in making a living, but he didn't know how.
"Here," the tree said, "Take my apples and sell them."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree was lonely without the young man.
One day, he returned, and the tree was delighted, but he was now
interested in settling down. He wanted to build a house.
"Here," the tree said. "Cut off my branches and build your house."
The young man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Years passed, and the tree still missed her friend.
One day, the man returned, and the tree was again overjoyed.
The man was now older and tired of life; he wanted to get away from it
all.
"Here," the tree offered, "Cut me down.
Make for yourself a boat, and sail the world in it."
The man did just that, and the tree was happy.
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very
lonely.
She missed her friend, and she often thought about the old days,
when they had such fun.
Finally, she saw her friend coming over the hill, and she was
delighted.
The boy was now an old man, no longer able to play or make money
or to sail away.
"Here, my friend," the tree said. “I still have a pretty good stump left.
Won't you sit and rest?"
The old man did that, and the tree was happy.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 92
Beginning Grammar Activities
Look it Up
Objective: Identify specific grammatical structures and change them according to the situation.
Procedure: Teams look up sentences in their text that have a specific grammatical structure.
As an oral practice, teams get a point for a correct answer. As a written exercise, it can be
graded. Version One: Discuss the grammar point with the students then have them find
example sentences in their texts. You might want to limit the pages they are to search.
Version Two: Write sample sentences on the board in a tense not usually used in the text. Ask
students to find similar sentences in the text and to determine the difference between the text
sentences and the sentences on the board. In history books, for example, most sentences are
in the past tense, so the sentences you write on the board would be in the present tense. During
a discussion of the difference between the text sentences and your sentences, you would help
the class discover why the text uses past tense sentences so often.
Version Three - Students locate sentences in the text with a specific grammatical structure and
then restate or rewrite the sentence in a new form specified by you. Example: change
statements into questions, affirmative to negative, past to present, or passive voice to active.
The Giving Tree Look it Up Activity: Teams locate examples of simple past tense in the text
and in the summary.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 93
Beginning Grammar Activities
Wrong Word Writing (Small Group Interactive Activity)
Objective: Semantic Development --Determine suitability of words
Procedure: For homework, students copy three sentences from the reading text two times, the
first time exactly as they appear in the text, and the second time replacing three words with
incorrect words in each sentence.
In class, participants take turns reading one of their sentences with the three incorrect words.
The other participants rewrite the sentence, making corrections to the best of their ability.
Participants get three minutes maximum to write the corrected sentence. Any respondent not
completing a sentence within that time frame gets an automatic blue (negative) point. Any time
a respondent gets a blue point, the questioner gets a black (positive) point. The Respondents
take turns reading out their corrected sentences. Then the questioner reads and shows his/her
correct sentence.
Respondents who have the exact same answer as the questioner get three black points.
Respondents who have two corrected words receive two black points. For each respondent with
two black points, the questioner gets one black point. Respondents who have one corrected
word receive one black point. For each respondent with one black point, the questioner gets two
black points. Respondents who have no corrected words receive no black points. For each
respondent with no black points, the questioner gets three black points.
Grading: Participants determine their final scores by subtracting any blue points they have from
their black points. The participants with the most points or within two points of the most points
get an A. A participant within three points of the most points gets a B. A participant within four
points of the most points gets a C. A participant within five points of the most points gets a D.
The Giving Tree Wrong Word Activity:
Use list of sentences from the story in the Mixed-Up Sentence Activity.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 94
Intermediate Grammar Activities
Modified Single Slot Substitution Drill
Objective: Substitute alternative vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical forms in a familiar
sentence in a single slot.
Procedure: The teacher writes a sentence on the board and underlines one word. Teams take
turns replacing the underlined word with a new word. When students can no longer think of
substitutes, the teacher underlines a different word, and the activity continues.
Example:
The soldiers who surrendered were killed.
Possible substitutions for killed:
butchered, kissed, hugged, spared
The soldiers who surrendered were butchered.
Possible substitutions for surrendered: spared, killed, ran, slept
The soldiers who surrendered were spared.
Possible substitutions for soldiers: people, police, robbers, children
Notes:
• Sometimes, changing one word necessitates changing another word as well.
The queen was dancing when the soldiers arrived. (Substitute
king and queen)
The king and queen were dancing when the soldiers arrived.
• It is not necessary for the sentences to be historically correct, sensible, or even possible. It is
important for the correct part of speech to be used.
The Giving Tree Modified Single Slot Substitution:
After a long time, the boy returned.
(a) After a long time, (b) the boy (c) returned.
Possibilities: (a) After a short time, Later, Then
(b) the tree, he, they
(c) came back, left, said goodbye
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 95
Intermediate Grammar Activities
Sentence Builders
Objective: Expand sentences by adding new words in the appropriate order in a sentence.
Procedure: The teacher says a sentence, and, after a pause, an additional word or words.
Teams must make a new sentence that adds the new word(s) in the correct place in the
teacher's original sentence. Give a point for each correct answer. Example:
Teacher:
Fish is a food. (healthy)
Team Response:
Fish is a healthy food.
Teacher:
Fish is a healthy food. (fresh)
Team Response:
Fresh fish is a healthy food.
The Giving Tree Sentence Builders Activity:
a) There was an apple tree. (Once)
Once there was an apple tree. (that loved)
Once there was an apple tree that loved. (a little boy)
Once there was an apple tree that loved a little boy.
Continue with the following:
b) The boy gathered leaves. (Every day, her, and made a crown, for his head)
c) The tree was happy. (and she loved the boy, very much)
d) The tree shook with joy. (and she wanted to play, When the Boy came back)
e) The tree had nothing. (left to give, the boy, but an old stump
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 96
Intermediate Grammar Activities
Multiple Slot Substitution Drills
Objective: Substitute alternative vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical forms in a familiar
sentence in a multiple slots.
Procedure: This drill is often taught together with or right after the single slot substitution drill.
Its organization is similar to single slot substitution, but more that one part of the sentence
changes. Give a point for each correct answer. Example:
Columbus sailed in 1492. (Pizarro)
Pizarro sailed in 1492. (1524)
Pizarro sailed in 1524. (arrived)
Pizarro arrived 1n 1524.
The Giving Tree Multiple Slot Substitution Activities:
This time the old man needed a quiet place to sit and rest.
Possibilities: Now, Later, after that, the boy, her friend, wanted, looked for, a good place,
a stump, to wait, to relax, to think, to stay, to talk
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 97
Intermediate Grammar Activities
Flesh it Out
Objective: Use key words in the appropriate order in a grammatically correct sentence.
Procedure: The teacher gives the key words of a sentence and teams puts them into a
grammatically correct sentence. Give points for correct answers in the oral format. Give grades
in the written format.
Key words:
he/sail/america/1492.
Answer: He sailed to America in 1492.
Key words:
he/sail/america/? (past)(yes/no)
Answer: Did he sail to America?
The Giving Tree Flesh it Out Activities:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
the forest/played/ He/ of/ king
he/her/cut off/ house/to/branches/build/his
he/and/on/the/old/rested/stump/then/ sat
long/a/time/the /returned/after/boy.
apples/the/them/boy/the/and/away/took/carried.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 98
Intermediate Grammar Activities
Who What, When, Where, How, Why
Objective: Listen to a sentence and respond to “Wh" questions in writing.
Procedure: Read a sentence and then ask the “wh" questions about it. Teams write a short
answer on a numbered sheet of paper. Example: Teacher: The heart constantly pumps blood to
the body 24 hours a day to keep the body alive. What…? (Teams write heart.) Where…?
(Teams write to the body) How...? (Teams write constantly) Why…? (Teams write to keep the
body alive) When…? (Teams write 24 hours a day).
Team members take turns writing answers on the board (for class discussion) or on a
team/individual paper (for a grade). An alternative technique is to have each team member
complete all items on his/her own paper. Team members are allowed to help each other. On
completion of the activity, collect the one paper of your choice. The grade on that paper will
count for each team member.
The Giving Tree Who, What, When, Where, How, Why Activities:
a) The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches. (Who, What, Why)
b) He told the tree he wanted a boat to take him far away. (Who, What, Where, Why)
c) The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make a boat. (Who, What, How, Why)
d) He cut down her trunk, made a boat, and sailed away. (Who, What, Where, How, Why)
e) When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree. (Who, What, When, Where, Why)
f) One day the boy came to visit. (Who, What, When)
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 99
Proficient Grammar Activities
Sentence Stretchers
Objective: Expand grammatically correct sentences by adding new words in appropriate order
Procedure: One team begins by making a sentence orally that contains the language or
content focus of the lesson. (Make the starter sentence as short as possible.) For example, in a
lesson focusing on weather and on adjectives, the first team might say, The cloud is floating.
The first team gets a point. Other teams take turns expanding the sentence, getting a point each
time something is added successfully or until teams run out of expansions.
The white cloud is floating.
The fluffy white cloud is floating in the sky.
The fluffy white cloud that looks like a boat is floating in the sky. Etc.
The Giving Tree Sentence Stretcher Activities:
1. Begin with the sentence: The tree was lonely.
The tree was very lonely.
Years passed, and the tree was very lonely
Many years passed, and the tree was very lonely
Many years passed, seasons came, and the tree was very lonely
Many years passed, seasons came and went, and the tree was very lonely
2. Begin with the sentence: The tree was happy.
The tree was happy because the boy returned.
The Giving Tree was happy because the boy returned.
The Giving Tree was happy because the boy returned to sit in the shade.
The Giving Tree was happy because the boy returned to sit in the shade and rest.
The Giving Tree was happy because the boy returned to sit in the shade and rest quietly.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 100
Proficient Grammar Activities
Formation/Transformation (Small Group Interactive Reading Activity)
Objective: Syntactic Development --Transform syntactic structure of sentences
Procedure: For homework, students write sets of sentences about the reading. Each set must
employ the grammatical structures chosen by the teacher.
Example 1: Write 3 sentences about the text using the present tense & rewrite each in the past.
FORMATION: Many people die from disease.
TRANSFORMATION: Many people died from disease.
Example 2: Write 3 sentences and then a why question about each sentence.
FORMATION: The boy fished for flounder.
TRANSFORMATION: Why did the boy fish for flounder?
Example 3: Write 3 pairs of related sentences & rewrite each pair as a compound sentence.
FORMATION: Many people died from disease. Many people died from starvation.
TRANSFORMATION: Many people died from disease and starvation.
The teacher first reviews the syntactic point in question. Then, participants take turns reading the
sentence(s) either of formation or of transformation from one of their sets and choosing a person in the
group to say the sentence in formation if transformation was read or in transformation if formation was
read. No one except the respondent is to talk. If someone does speak, s/he gets 1 blue (negative) point.
During the first round, everyone must have a chance to respond once before a participant can be called
on to respond a second time. The questioner determines whether the respondent is correct. If the
respondent is correct, s/he gets 1 black (positive) point. If the respondent cannot answer or does not
answer correctly as determined by the questioner, s/he gets a blue point and the questioner gets a black
point, as long as the questioner can give an answer. If the questioner cannot give an answer, the
questioner gets 1 blue point and the respondent gets 1 black point.
When a respondent doesn't agree with the questioner’s answer, s/he can challenge the questioner. The
challenger must prove that s/he is also correct or that the questioner is incorrect. S/he does not need to
prove both. Everyone else in the group can join a challenge on either side (the questioner's side or the
respondent's side), but they must do so immediately (many participants wait to see how many people are
joining each side, which is unfair). Once the players have taken sides on a challenge, the teacher decides
who is correct. All those siding with the correct answer get 2 black points. The losers get 2 blue points.
At the conclusion of the game, participants add their black points and subtract their blue points to
calculate their score. Grading: 5 points = A, 4 points = B, 3 points = C, 2 or fewer points = D
The Giving Tree Formation/Transformation Activity:
Grammar focus of lesson is the simple past, including negatives and question forms.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 101
Proficient Grammar Activities
Transformation Exercises
Objective: Change the form or format of a sentence according to the situation.
Procedure: Students change the format of a sentence based on teacher directions or prompts.
Give points for correct answers in the oral format. Give grades in the written format. Examples:
1. Is it raining? (Answer the question, yes.) Yes, it is raining.
2. It is raining. (Ask a yes/no question.)
Is it raining?
3. Many Indians died from disease. Many Indians died from starvation. (Combine 2 sentences
into one sentence.) Many Indians died from disease and starvation.
The Giving Tree Transformation Exercises:
Teams change the present tense to the simple past tense.
a) Every day the boy gathers her leaves and makes a crown for his head.
b) The tree had no money, but she has apples to sell.
c) The boy stays away a long time, and the tree is sad.
d) He wants a wife and children, and he needs a house.
e) Time goes by and the boy grows up.
f) The tree wants to play, but he is very old and weak.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 102
Proficient Grammar Activities
Rewrite the Paragraph
Objective: Identify specific grammatical structures and change them according to the situation.
Procedure: Use a paragraph based on the text, and language focus structures of the lesson.
Teams read and discuss necessary changes. Members work together to rewrite a grammatically
correct paragraph with the changes. Collect one paper from each team for a grade. (Examples:
Change one verb tense to another, nouns to pronouns, adverbs to adjectives, etc.)
See next page for reproducible Rewrite the Paragraph Activity:
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 103
Name _____________
The Giving Tree Rewrite the Paragraph Activity:
Teams rewrite the paragraph in the past.
Once there is an apple tree. The tree loves a little boy. The boy plays
with the tree and eats her apples. The boy loves the tree and the tree loves
the boy very much. Time goes by and the boy grows up. When he needs
money, the boy takes the apples and carries them away to sell. When he
comes back, the tree shakes with joy, and she wants to play. Then he cuts
off her branches to build his house. Later he wants a boat, so he cuts down
her trunk to make the boat. When he is an old man, he sits and rests on the
old stump.
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Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 104
Name _____________________________________ Date _____________
Children’s Literature Unit The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the correct word.
branches
apple
stump
loved
grew up
shook
trunk
carried
Once there was a (an) __________ tree that loved a little boy. The
boy played with the tree and ate her apples. The boy loved the tree and the
tree __________ the boy very much. Time went by and the boy
__________. When he needed money, the boy took the apples and
__________ them away to sell. When he came back, the tree __________
with joy, and she wanted to play. Then he cut off her __________ to build
his house. Later he wanted a boat, so he cut down her __________ to
make the boat. When he was an old man, he sat and rested on the old
__________.
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 105
Name _____________________________________ Date _____________
Children’s Literature Unit: The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Exercise 2
Read each sentence and decide if it is true or false. If it is true, write the
word “true” on the line. If the sentence is false, rewrite the sentence to
make it a true.
1. The tree made a crown of leaves and she wore it.
_________________________________________________________
2. The boy shook with joy when he came back.
_________________________________________________________
3. The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches.
_________________________________________________________
4. The boy slept in the tree’s branches.
_________________________________________________________
5. When the boy needed money, he gathered apples and sold them.
_________________________________________________________
6. The tree always wanted to play with the boy.
_________________________________________________________
7. The tree gave the boy everything she had to give.
_________________________________________________________
8. The tree was old, sad and weak.
_________________________________________________________
9. The tree wanted the boy to make a boat from her trunk.
_________________________________________________________
10. The boy loved the tree and the tree loved the boy.
_________________________________________________________
Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 106
Name ____________________________ Date __________
Children’s Literature Unit: Exercise 3 (FCAT Practice/Reading Comprehension)
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Read the following passage. Identify the stated main idea, the topic sentence and the
details. Then fill in the chart below.
The Giving Tree was a good friend for many reasons. First, the tree was a good
listener. She didn’t talk or ask too many questions, she just listened and cared. Second,
the tree always gave what she had to give. For example, she didn’t have money, but
she had apples the boy could sell to get money. Finally, the tree never asked anything
in return. She didn’t expect the boy to pay her back. Now that’s a friend.
DETAIL
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___________________________________________________________________________
DETAIL
___________________
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DETAIL
___________________
MAIN IDEA:
_____________________
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___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
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Topic Sentence:
_____________________
___________________
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___________________
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DETAIL
__________________________________________________________________________
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Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 107
Name ____________________________ Date __________
Children’s Literature Unit: Exercise 4 (FCAT Practice/Reading Comprehension)
The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Once there was an apple tree that loved a little boy. The boy played with the tree and
ate her apples. The boy loved the tree and the tree loved the boy very much. Time went
by and the boy grew up. When he needed money, the boy went to the tree. She told him
to take the apples to sell. When he came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted
to play. He was a man now, and didn’t want to play. Instead, he wanted a house to keep
him warm. The tree said the only house she had was the forest. However, she told him
to cut her branches to build a house. A long time passed, and the man returned. He
wanted a boat. The tree told him to cut down her trunk to make the boat. When the old
man returned, he was weak and sad. The tree had nothing left to give, but the man was
happy with a quiet place to sit and rest. He sat and rested on the stump of the tree.
The main idea of the paragraph is:
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Identify the details that support the main idea.
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Is the main idea stated or implied?
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Is there a topic sentence? (If yes, write it here.)
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Write below any personal knowledge you have on the topic.
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Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 108
Name ____________________________ Date __________
Children’s Literature Unit: Exercise 4 The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
Suggested Writing Topic(s):
1. Giving is better than receiving for three important reasons.
2. If money grew on trees, I would give to others.
3. If I had a million dollars, I would give to others.
4. I want three things from my giving tree.
The Giving Tree
Topic (Introduction): ____________________________________________________
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In conclusion, __________________________________________________________
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Language Arts Through ESOL: Literature:
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein) Page 109
Name ____________________________ Date __________
Children’s Literature Unit The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein: Exercise 5
Fill in the blanks.
Once there was a (an) __________ tree that loved a __________
boy. Every day the __________ gathered her leaves and __________ a
crown for his __________. He played king of __________ forest. The boy
climbed __________ trunk and swung from __________ branches. He ate
her __________ and played hide-and-go-seek. When __________ got
tired, he slept __________ the shade of the __________ tree. The boy
loved __________ tree. The tree was __________ and she loved the
__________ very much.
Time went __________ and the boy grew __________. The tree was
often __________. One day the boy __________ to visit. The tree
__________to play again. The __________ was too big to __________
and play. He needed __________. The tree had no __________, but she
had apples __________ sell. The boy took __________ apples and carried
them __________. The tree was happy.
__________ boy stayed away a __________ time, and the tree
__________ sad. When he came __________, the tree shook with
__________ and she wanted to __________. The boy was now
__________ busy man. He wanted __________ wife and children. He
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__________a house. He cut __________ her branches to build
__________ house. The tree was __________.
A long time passed __________. The man was now __________ and
sad. He told __________ tree he wanted a __________ to take him far
__________. The tree told him __________ cut down her trunk
__________ make a boat. He __________ down her trunk, made
__________ boat, and sailed away. __________ tree was happy.
After __________ long time the boy __________. The tree wanted to
__________, but he was very __________ and weak. The tree
__________ nothing left to give __________ boy but an old __________.
This time the old __________ needed a quiet place __________ sit and
rest. Then __________ sat and rested on __________ old stump. The tree
__________ happy.
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Name ____________________________ Date __________
Children’s Literature Unit The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein: Exercise 6
Rewrite the following sentences changing the verbs to the correct past tense form.
1. Every day the boy gathered her leaves and made a crown for his head.
______________________________________________________________________
2. The boy climbed her trunk and swung from her branches.
______________________________________________________________________
3. He ate her apples and played hide-and-go-seek.
______________________________________________________________________
4. The tree had no money, but she had apples to sell.
______________________________________________________________________
5. The boy stayed away a long time, and the tree was sad.
______________________________________________________________________
6. When he came back, the tree shook with joy, and she wanted to play.
______________________________________________________________________
7. When he got tired, he slept in the shade of the apple tree.
______________________________________________________________________
8. The boy took the apples and carried them away.
______________________________________________________________________
9. Then he sat and rested on the old stump.
______________________________________________________________________
10. Time went by and the boy grew up.
______________________________________________________________________
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