Trees and writing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LM0HUXVYipa0Yw6oQsQSOnIbBX8x4EaGgfQGo_2KL1g/edit?usp=sharing

True to my word, I am back to the theme of trees.

Trees, by their very existence, make me feel passionate, philosophical, inspired. As teachers we could bring forth our learners’ perception of trees by asking them to do some free writing. Free writing has enormous value for developing writing skills as it allows learners to pour out thoughts and emotions on a topic without the restraints of form, which often slow down the thinking process and curb creativity.

 After collecting all the different responses to the theme, learners could be asked to sort out the different strands and think of a heading for each one. Learners could then be assigned different forms of writing depending on their strengths and preferences.

For instance, all the descriptive items in their responses could be used to describe a tree that is or has been somehow part of their life or reality. It could be the tree in the garden or on the street in front of their house.

Storytellers could be invited to write a story in which a tree or trees had a central part. Those with an aptitude for sciences would focus on a particular aspect of trees: their roots, their medicinal properties, their importance for supporting life and so on.

If we want to teach language of comparison we could make the task more complex by combining it with one or more different themes: trees and traditions surrounding trees is an idea. Alternatively, we could encourage learners to research different kinds of trees native to different parts of the world. They could supplement their work with a collection of images supporting their discoveries.

Of course, the possibilities are endless and the project fosters an understanding of the natural environment and its diversity and promotes different methods of research which will come in useful later on in their studies without being overly prescriptive.

Here is my free writing on trees:


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LM0HUXVYipa0Yw6oQsQSOnIbBX8x4EaGgfQGo_2KL1g/edit?usp=sharing