Explore the Value of Trees with Your Child

Universal Pictures’ theatrical release of the 1971 Dr. Seuss classic, The Lorax, is an excellent opportunity for parents to get their children thinking about the importance of trees. As a parent and an educator, I know firsthand that books and visuals, especially those provided in a movie, are often a sure way to spark a child’s interest in a topic. Taking your child to see The Lorax could be a great way to introduce or elicit discussion about what a valuable resource trees are to the Earth, to people, and to animals. Or, even better, you could read the book along with a few others that focus on the importance of trees to your child. Following, you will find a summary of The Lorax as well as summaries of a few other books that focus on all of the amazing things that trees provide for us.

The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, is a very symbolic story about the once beautiful land of the Truffula Trees. The land was not only once filled with Truffula Trees but also with green grass, wet ponds, and animals such as brown Bar-ba-Loots, Humming Fish, Swomee Swans, and The Lorax who speaks for the trees. All is beautiful and harmonious in this land until the day that the Once-ler shows up and begins cutting down Truffula Trees to make something called Thneeds. The Lorax tries to warn the Once-ler that he must stop cutting down the trees, but the Once-ler does not listen, and eventually all of the trees are gone. Without any Truffula Trees, the land becomes desolate and polluted. However, a hint of hope is provided at the end.

What to discuss: Why did the land become barren and polluted as a result of the removal of the Truffula Trees? What valuable resources, stated or implied, were provided by the Truffula Trees?

Shel Silverstein’s, The Giving Tree , is about the relationship that a boy has with a tree from the time when he is young until he becomes a grown man. The tree loves the boy from beginning to end and gives him many gifts throughout his lifetime. As the boy grows older, he begins to want more and more from the tree, and the tree lovingly never stops giving.

What to discuss: What provisions did the the tree give to the boy throughout his lifetime?

In the story, The Great Kapok Tree , by Lynne Cherry , many different animals encounter a man with an ax who has entered their rainforest habitat with the intention of cutting down a magnificent tree. They all try to convince him not to cut down the great tree that they depend on for survival. As the man rests at the base of the tree, one by one the animals whisper into his ear reasons why the tree is so important. When the man awakens, he is surrounded by all of the rainforest animals and decides not to cut down the tree after all.

What to discuss: What was each animal’s personal reason as to why the tree is so important?

Once There Was a Tree , written by Natalia Romanova , tells the story of a tremendous old tree that is split in two by a lightning bolt. After a woodsman comes along and saws the broken tree down, many different animals take turns using the remaining stump. At the end, a man walking in the woods sits down on the stump to rest. The author then states, “The man thought he owned the forest-and the earth-so why not the tree stump?” She then goes on to explore the question, “Who really owns the tree stump?”

What to discuss: How was the tree stump used by the various characters?

If your child has a desire to learn more about trees after you share and discuss these stories, try one of the following as a way to further support your child’s interest.

Plant a tree on Earth Day or Arbor Day. Both of these nationally recognized days occur during the month of April which is a great time of the year for planting trees.

Ask your child to illustrate or make a list of things that he or she could do to help preserve trees. As a family, you could execute some of these ideas.

Visit any of the following websites for more more information, resources, and activities: The US Forest Service, The Arbor Day Foundation, TLC Family, and The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Sources:

Cherry, Lynne. The Great Kapok Tree. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 1990.

Romanova, Natalia. Once There Was a Tree. Dial Books. 1985.

Seuss, D. The Lorax . Random House. 1971.

Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. Harper & Row. 1964.


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