The Great Kapok Tree

Author:

Lynne Cherry

Publisher:

Harcourt Brace

& Co.

2nd grade TEKS

SOCAIL STUDIES 113.4 6) C, 7) B & 8) A

LA & READING 110.4 3) C & D, 17) B & 20) B

ART & THEATER 117.8 1) A, 3) A, 2) A & 4) B

Lynn Cherry’s story, The Great Kapok Tree lets us experience the rainforest from the point of view of the things that live there. The story helps us to understand the importance of the world’s rainforests and of the useful products that are found there. It is a story of home, community, and of the dependence that all living things have on one another.

In the art center color and

put together the Layers of the

Rainforest stand up display.

Include at least two animals

or insects in each layer.

Choose your animals or

insects from the Rainforest

Animal pages or draw your

own, color them, and paste

them in the layers that they

live in. Put your name on the

display and put it in the social

studies center.

Choose your favorite animal from the

rainforest. In the writing center write a

paragraph telling how that animal’s life

would be changed if the animal’s

rainforest home was destroyed. Write

at least five well formed sentences with

correct punctuation. Use our classroom

resources (story books, text books,

word wall, and dictionary) for spelling.

Include a picture of your animal. You

can draw a picture, use a magazine

picture, or a picture from the computer.

Websites to visit for great animal

pictures! www.rainforesteducation.com/

www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/

In the story a bee tells the sleeping man

that “ all living things depend on one

another.” In the science center on a

rainforest note paper list at least three

products you and your family depend on

that come from the rainforest. Use our

rainforest product board. Stick your list on

our rainforest map in the social studies

center. Be sure your name is on the list.

With your rainforest community work up a short 5 minute play

about what the man with the ax might have said to the animals and

boy when he left the rainforest. All the students in each community

must have a part in the plays. Your plays will be presented to the

class Friday afternoon. See Mrs. Craig for rehearsal schedules.

In the computer center record a

message telling what you think

the most important resource is

that the world would loose if the

rainforests are destroyed. Include

in your message an idea about

how the world can use the

resources of the rainforests

without destroying them. Be sure

to include your name and the date

of your message. Here’s a super

rainforest resources website to

explore! www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources

Write a short story including at least three paragraphs about two things you would most

like to see and to touch if you could visit a rainforest. Tell why you would want to see

and to touch these things. Be sure your story has an opening paragraph, and one

paragraph about each thing you want to see and touch. Each paragraph should include at

least three well formed sentences with correct punctuation. Use our classroom resources

for spelling. The stories will be due for editing Thursday afternoon. We choose book

jackets on Monday, and will work on publication all week. Friday we will share our

books with the class.

Cherry, Lynn. The Great Kapok Tree. New York

Harcourt brace & Co., 1990.

<http://www.enchantedleaning.com/subjects/rain

forest/

<http//www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources

<http//www.rainforesteducation.com/