This lesson plan introduces young students to poetry and the life cycle of apples through the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Students will read and discuss the story, ask questions about it, examine different types of apples, and make apple prints. They will then learn about the life cycle of apple seeds by examining, counting, and discussing what will grow from the seeds. To assess learning, students will draw and label the stages of an apple's life cycle.

1. The Giving Tree Amy Sandy – Module 6 – Aug 24, 2010

2. Introduction Brief Description This lesson is a language arts activity that helps Pre- Kindergarten to grade two children, Special Ed students, and Bilingual (LEP) children learn about poetry and science. Objectives Young students, students with special needs, or limited English children are introduced to poetry and life cycles of an apple. Materials Needed book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein apples and apple seeds paint paper crayons pencils

3. California Teaching Standards Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They draw upon a variety of comprehension strategies as needed. The selections in Recommended Readings in Literature, K Through 8 illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition to their regular school reading, by grade four, students read one-half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text. In grade two, students continue to make progress toward this goal. Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text 2.2 State the purpose in reading (i.e., tell what information is sought). 2.3 Use knowledge of the author’s purpose(s) to comprehend informational text. 2.4 Ask clarifying questions about essential textual elements of exposition (e.g., why, what if, how). 2.7 Interpret information from diagrams, charts, and graphs. 2.8 Follow two-step written instructions.

4. Lesson Plan 2.0, 2.2 Read and discuss the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. 2.3, 2.4 Ask questions about the story. (For example, What type of tree was it? How did it grow? etc.) Get real apples. Discuss the names of types of apples and let students taste have different types of apples. 2.7, 2.8 Make a graph of favorite apples. Cut apples and make apple prints using paint paper.

5. Closure Take seeds from apples. Examine, count, and discuss what will come from the seeds. Have students illustrate different stages of "life" of these seeds. Extension: Plant seeds and watch them grow! Take a trip to an apple orchard. Use the activities to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day Review the story and discuss the Silverstein’s intent/moral of the story

6. Assessment Have students draw the life cycle of apples, match or cut and paste of life cycles of an apple, or prepare a quiz where students match a picture to a word about each stage of life cycle of an apple. Homework assignment is to pick a poem from home to bring to class to share with the class.