We have been reading ‘The tree’ this week by Neal Layton. This has been partly brought on by laying the context down for the topic of The Story of Everything (based on a book by Neal Layton – spot the fan!) where we will spend the best part of the term digesting and discussing the life of our universe with a focus on our very own planet.
With the current state of our planet, the fires consuming Australia, and David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg voicing their concerns about the changing climate, it seems like a good idea to jump on the bandwagon and start a discussion with the kids.
‘The tree’ is a gorgeously simple book about a tree which stands serenely whilst effortlessly providing a home for different animals. A couple want to move onto the land and plan to cut down the tree to make way for a grand home for themselves. However they soon realise the impact on the animals and so change their plans, and instead build a tree house.
The children loved the book. They all looked really concerned when the birds nest fell out of the tree when the couple initially tried to cut the tree down. At this point I asked what would they do. They all answered with the aim of conserving the tree; ‘I would find another place to build a house’. 'I would use bricks to build my house’ said another who thought that the tree was being cut down to provide wood to make the house. ‘I would live in a tent’. ‘I would go back to my old house’. Naturally the children were relieved and happy with the ending of sharing the tree.
I asked one of the children later, 'which is your favourite picture in the book?' The girl immediately turned to the last page; ‘this one because they are all living together. I like the tree house.’ So I asked ‘Would you like to live in a tree house like that?’ She was quick to reply, ‘No, because I don’t like big ladders.’
With the current state of our planet, the fires consuming Australia, and David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg voicing their concerns about the changing climate, it seems like a good idea to jump on the bandwagon and start a discussion with the kids.
‘The tree’ is a gorgeously simple book about a tree which stands serenely whilst effortlessly providing a home for different animals. A couple want to move onto the land and plan to cut down the tree to make way for a grand home for themselves. However they soon realise the impact on the animals and so change their plans, and instead build a tree house.
The children loved the book. They all looked really concerned when the birds nest fell out of the tree when the couple initially tried to cut the tree down. At this point I asked what would they do. They all answered with the aim of conserving the tree; ‘I would find another place to build a house’. 'I would use bricks to build my house’ said another who thought that the tree was being cut down to provide wood to make the house. ‘I would live in a tent’. ‘I would go back to my old house’. Naturally the children were relieved and happy with the ending of sharing the tree.
I asked one of the children later, 'which is your favourite picture in the book?' The girl immediately turned to the last page; ‘this one because they are all living together. I like the tree house.’ So I asked ‘Would you like to live in a tree house like that?’ She was quick to reply, ‘No, because I don’t like big ladders.’
