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Most trees come from little seeds that fit in the palm of your hand and grow to be big and leafy with deep roots. What an incredible transformation! In “Telling the Story of a Tree,” you can tell or act out your own creative version of this enchanting story of the life of a tree.
This activity can be done wherever you’d like, either indoors or outdoors. You can tell the story to yourself, invite an audience or even put on a beautiful group performance. Begin your story as a little seed and then grow, grow, grow into a big tree. In your story, describe the tree’s life through the seasons and include its unique qualities. You can tell your story through speaking, acting, or even dancing. Your tree can live in the forest, the city, your backyard, or even the desert. It can be big or small, it can even have fruits or flowers. Ask yourself: How did it grow from a small seed? What do its leaves look like? Does your tree have a thick trunk or a thin one? Is the bark smooth or rough? Which kind of animals and birds like to visit and live in this tree? Is anyone nesting in it? However you chose to tell your story, being creative and having fun are the most important part!
While you tell your story, you might find yourself curious to learn or review more about trees and how they change throughout the year and interact with other living things. You may be wondering where this tree normally grows? What kind of animals like to live near this tree? Are there different names for this tree? How much water does this tree need? You could go on forever with fascinating questions about your tree. Research any of these questions at the library or online and you will discover the never-ending, wonderful world of trees!
In your story your tree can take many different forms and live in many different environments. Your tree can be surrounded by local animals, mushrooms, plants, birds, mountains, waterfalls or anything in nature! Once you have told your story as a tree, see if you can imagine yourself as other things in nature. You can be a squirrel, a flower, a bird or even a whole different planet. Just close your eyes, relax, and let your curiosity be your guide!
Written by Ashley Calderón and Julia Luna. Edited by Debra Nero