Children's Books in High School Classrooms

Using children's books in high school classrooms...

... as mentor/inspirational texts.

... to consider audience.

... for creative writing.

... for language acquisition.

Inspiration from Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree to explore themes.

Background: A tree and a boy form a lifelong friendship, but as the boy grows older he takes more and more of what the tree has to offer until the tree is reduced to a stump. Even as a stump the tree finds a way to support his friend, now an old man. The book addresses issues of friendship, sacrifice, and happiness.

Suggestions for Use: Each of the issues presented in the book offers contradictory interpretations. For example, is the tree giving or self-sacrificing? Is the boy greedy or appreciative? Is this a healthy relationship? Students may not be intimdated by the simple nature of the book and its illustrations in discussing the complexity of its themes.

Buy It: Amazon, Powell's, Overstock

 

 

The cover art for Shel Silverstein's children's book "The Giving Tree." Cover art for Maurice Sendick's The cover art of the non-fiction children's book "Owen and Mzee: The cover art of Dr. Seuss's children's book "The Lorax." The cover art of Antoine Saint Exupery's children's book "The Little Prince" in French.

 

Please feel free to submit any ideas, suggestions, or propsals for the use of children's books in high school classrooms!

Created by Stephanie Anderson. Updated July 22, 2010.