UNLV/Department of Teaching & Learning

Elementary Lesson Plan

UNLV Student: Nicole Ouro PSMT Name: Dee O’Reilly

Lesson Plan What does it mean to Lesson Plan Topic: The Giving Tree
Title: be “giving”? analysis
Date: 10-11-2018 Estimated Time: 1 hour
Grade Level: 6th Class (Grade 6) School Site: Scoil Chroi Iosa
(Presentation Primary
School)

1.State Standard(s):
a. LITERACY.RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details[.]
b. LITERACY.WHST.6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
2.Teaching Model(s):
a. Direct Instruction
b. Role Play
c. Lemov Strategy
i. Technique #13 Stretch It: Reward “right” answers with harder
questions.
ii. Technique #23 Control The Game: Ask students to read aloud
frequently, but manage the process to ensure expressiveness,
accountability, and engagement.
3.Objective(s):
a. Students will be able to define what it means to be “giving” to them in a two
paragraph essay in which they discuss ways people have been giving to them
and how they can be more giving.
b. Students will be able to articulate their thoughts and feelings about The
Giving Tree by participating in a whole group discussion.
4. Materials and Technology Resources
a. 18 copies of The Giving Tree script
b. smartboard
c. projector
d. literature notebooks (or paper)
e. writing utensils
5.Instructional Procedures:
a. Motivation/Engagement (10 mins):
i. Lesson will begin with a brief introduction to The Giving Tree and its
 impact on American literature.
ii. Students will be assigned different parts of the story (the tree, the boy,
narrator) to read aloud while the rest of the class follows along (8
narrators, the boy, and the tree).
b. Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences (30 mins):
i. Story is read aloud.
ii. Students will share their initial thoughts and feelings about the story
with the class.
iii. Students will be given these questions to answer on separate
formatted paper provided by teacher in paragraph form.
1. Recall a time when someone was giving to you. Who is the
person? What did they do? How did their act of kindness make
you feel? Be descriptive. (5-7 sentences)
2. Write about three different ways you can be a more giving
person. What does it mean to be giving? Describe how being
more giving and helpful can improve your life and the lives of
others. (5-7 sentences)
c. Closure (15 mins):
i. Teacher will ask these questions for a group discussion:
1. Why do you think Shel Silverstein named the story “The Giving
Tree”?
2. Why do you think the tree felt sad when the boy would leave?
3. Do you think the boy was being selfish? Why or why not?
4. Does doing things to make others happy make you happy?
5. Do you view the relationship between the boy and the tree as
positive or negative? Why?
d. Extension:
i. If class wraps the lesson early we will discuss the different reasons as
to why people view the story as positive and why others view it as
negative.
ii. Narrated video of The Giving Tree (https://vimeo.com/109467807)
6.Accommodations, Modifications and Differentiations for Diverse Learners:
a. Students who do not speak/read english will be given copies of the story and
questions translated into their language.
b. While students are reading the story aloud, a presentation of the illustrations
will be projected onto the smartboard. If the smartboard is not accessible
there will be printed illustrations provided for each table to use.
7.Assessment and Evaluation of Learning:
a. Formative:
i. Throughout the lesson, students are always welcome to ask questions
and understanding is gauged by the teacher by walking around and
helping students who may struggle with articulating their thoughts
through writing.
 b. Summative:
i. Students will be graded on the completion of the two paragraphs and
whether or not every part of the question was answered with clear
explanations and details.
8.Homework Assignment:
a. If students do not finish the writing in class, they will be asked to bring back
their two complete paragraphs the next day.

Closure notes (points students may make about the story):

● Moral of the story is that the boy/man who took and took and took his entire life
was never satisfied, but the tree who gave everything she had was happy in the end.
● Giving, and making people that you love happy, can be more rewarding than
receiving any gift.
● The tree gives up a lot for the boy - her apples, branches and even her trunk. To
make people that you love happy you may need to give something up which is
important to you. For example, to make your friend or sibling happy you sometimes
 need to share your favorite things with them even when you don’t really want to.
● MY POINT: It’s really important to know that it is okay to say “no, I’m sorry, but I
can’t do that” if someone is asking too much of you. If you ever feel uncomfortable or
that you keep giving to someone but you do not receive the same respect from them,
it is absolutely okay to say no.