29: The Giving Tree

“Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy.”

-The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein

They say that trees — specifically the forests they are in — are the lungs of the earth since they are responsible for producing the oxygen we breathe. Apart from their important role in our survival, trees have also provided humans with materials that we can use for everyday life. Mahogany and walnut trees are popular for furniture, while bamboos can be used to make shelters, bridges, and even clothes. In fact, coconut trees are called the tree of life because of the numerous ways that we can use its parts to help us live better.

Trees truly are gifts from nature that keep on giving, which was depicted beautifully in a book that we read in class by Shel Silvertein called The Giving Tree.

This week, we learned about the different gifts that we get from plants and trees, and their importance in our life. We used the story of The Giving Tree to help us understand how essential plants and trees are for all of us.

Plants and trees give us flowers and leaves for decoration. 

Can you imagine what the world will look like without plants? 

My imagination paints a barren, monochromatic picture. 

Spring is the perfect season to help the children discover the beauty that plants bring, as nature is in full bloom and is abundant in colors and textures. 

A few weeks ago, the children had the chance to visit the tulip field that they helped plant, as well as pick flowers from the shop to use as decoration in our classroom. 

They all agreed that flowers make the environment more beautiful. 

This week, we had an abundance of leaves after as the hedges on the school perimeter were trimmed. The children asked if they could collect some of the leaves, as they were eager to include them in their play and use them for their creative projects. We used the leaves to decorate our classroom and we "grew" a new tree from it. 

Apart from that, just like in the story of The Giving Tree, we made leaf crowns that are similar to the one that the main character made. It definitely made us feel mighty and proud -- like kings and queens of the jungle!

Plants and trees give us wood for our homes and furniture. Plants and trees also help us make paper. 

Last school year, the children learned that our world is made up of different materials. Two of the materials that stood out from that unit of inquiry are wood and paper, as they are ever present in our daily lives. 

Where do they come from? Plants and trees, of course.

The kindergarteners imagined what their life will be like without wood. They all agreed that it will look different.

"Our chairs will be made of plastic!"

"We can use metal for our school."

Yes, we can do that. But are those really the best and most comfortable materials to use?

We repurposed one of our shelves in the classroom and converted it into a dollhouse. The children then created their own version of their home/school by using small pieces of wood to create furniture. We discovered, through the process, that wood is an integral part of our life.

The children also discovered that paper is made from plants. We only briefly talked about it in class, as I would like to have a separate lesson on the impact of how much paper we use on plants and trees. After all, one is never too young to make a difference, even in small ways. 

Plants and trees give us food.

One of the most life-giving contributions of plants to human beings is its provision of healthy food for us to consume. We discovered, through our class discussion, that plants give us vegetables and fruits, as well as nuts and grains. To help us appreciate the importance of plants on our diet, we went on a quick trip to Toho to shop for some vegetables and fruits that we can prepare for a picnic in class. The children got very excited at the idea of buying food from the grocery, so we came up with a shopping list of the fruits and vegetables that we will get.

On a side note, some of them wanted to buy chocolates on our grocery run. Technically, chocolates come from plants, but I thought it was best if they buy those delectable-plant-treats with the permission of their parents. Maybe for next time. 😅

When we got back to school, they happily prepared the food that they bought --- with very clean hands, if I may say. 😀

The children also shared photos of their favorite food that come from plants, which we shared in class during our Morning Circle.

(Thank you, parents, for sharing the pictures!)

It's wonderful to see how much they enjoy the bountiful harvest that we get from our beloved plants -- and to know that they are all eating healthy, too!

 

Plants and trees give us fresh air to breathe.

Out of all the important ways that plants and trees help us, I think this is the most essential as our survival depends on it. It was interesting to see the surprised faces of the children when they found out that plants and trees give us fresh air to breathe.

"They clean the air, Ms. Pam?"

"Yes, they do."

(One of these days, when we're ready, we can talk about the process of photosynthesis. 😆)

We went outside to do some breathing and yoga exercises to enjoy and appreciate the fresh air that plants give us. 

Aren't we lucky to be gifted with something that gives us life?

To end the week, I asked the children for our Story Workshop,

"What is your 'plant' or 'tree' story? How do plants help you?"

Haruto

This is a house. It's my house. The one in the middle is me. There is a big tree outside. It's a cherry tree. It gives cherries and apples and all rainbow fruits. 

Eisuke

This is my house. This is me and my big tree. It gives apples. They are yummy! I like looking at the apples. 

Yui

This my mansion. It has wood. I'm playing with my dog. Her name is Mei. Her color is light brown and she likes playing with toys. Rui and mom are out shopping. I'm with my grandma and grandpa.

Emma C.

There is a tree in my house. My family likes to eat some of the cherries from the tree. We also cook chicken under the tree when we go camping. We sit around the tree and eat the food we cooked. We also play around it. 

Yorinobu

In our house, my Mommy makes food from plants, like pasta. She makes good food. I love eating them. 

Clara

This is my house. It's made of wood. I am staying inside my house because outside it is raining. I have a lot of toys in my house. I love my house. 

Emma I.

This is my family. We have a garden that grows flowers, vegetables and fruits. When the grow, I pick them with my sister. We eat the vegetables and we use the flowers for decoration. I love our garden. 

Tamaki

In my grandma's house, there are strawberry plants. They are growing so much. My grandma grew it herself. I love it. It's my favorite food. I can eat strawberries all day.

Koh

My home is made of wood. I play in my home. It is fun playing at home. I love it very much. I also sleep and eat in my home. I also take a bath there.

Kanato

This is a forest. There is a forest near my house. I see trees in the forest. I like playing there. I bring my toy cars. It is so much fun. 

The Giving Tree may be a work of fiction but behind the story lies a beautiful and essential truth: that we are alive partly because of the gifts that plants and trees give us. 

"And the tree was happy."

I wonder, how can we give back?

Your Kindergarten teacher, 

Pam