WRITING & CRITICAL THINKING LESSON--PERFECT FOR EARTH DAY/ARBOR DAY

This 3-part ready-to-use handout/lesson begins with a song's lyrics, "If Everyone Lived Like the Tree," presenting the tree as a metaphorical role model for humans. Links to the actual music are provided if you wish to teach the song as a lead-in to the ensuing analysis of the verses. You need not be a musician to teach the song, which is easy to follow and lead (I speak from experience). Part 2 of the lesson focuses on the double-meanings of the descriptions of how trees live, and a critical analysis of these metaphors comprises the essay-style literary response portion of this lesson. This part also includes a new mnemonic for learning how to build a strong, theme-focused paragraph. Part 3 focuses on creative writing, via emulation of the Role Model from Nature metaphor in the original song. Directions and suggestions are included to prompt students and encourage them to let their creativity soar (like a bird), unfold (like a blooming rose), and break new ground (like a tulip shoot)--you get the idea!