The Great Kapok Tree
A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
by Lynne Cherry
A cyberlesson by Cynthia Violette
Grade 6
Reading 589
book cover at amazon.com
Introduction
Did you know that rainforests are
important to the survival of all of the
people on earth? Have you ever wondered
what is so special about rainforests?
What kinds of plants and animals live in
the rainforest? How do they affect our
lives? In this cyberlesson we will be
reading a book to help us answer some of
these important questions.
Materials
• copies of the book The Great Kapok Tree for each
student
• blank rainforest writing journal for each student
• pens or pencils for each student
• colored pencils, markers, or crayons
• access to the Internet
• Rainforest Scavenger Hunt
• Persuasive Writing Guidelines
• Persuasive Writing Words List
Before Reading
In class, you will soon be reading
the book The Great Kapok Tree by
Lynne Cherry. Before you begin to read,
look closely at the book’s illustrations and
its cover. Read the introduction on the
inside cover of the book. In your new
rainforest writing journal please write a
paragraph in which you predict what this
story will be about. Which pictures helped
you make your predictions? Be sure to
write in complete sentences.
Before Reading
What is a tropical rain forest?
Where are they located?
Before you begin to read, let’s learn a little more about
tropical rain forests.... Click on the frogs above to visit
two websites that will teach you some important
background information for reading The Great Kapok
Tree. Visit the frog on the right first!
As you explore these websites, fill in this Rainforest
Scavenger Hunt to help organize your thoughts.
During Reading: Section 1
Begin reading The Great Kapok Tree and read
until the rainforest child speaks to the man.
The animals in the book give the sleeping man
many reasons for not chopping down the Kapok
tree. In your writing journal make a list of all of
the reasons that the animals give the man.
After Reading: Section1
Review your list of reasons that the animals give the
man for not chopping down the Kapok tree. Then go
back and look at your answers to your scavenger
hunt questions for the rainforest websites that you
visited earlier. Using what you have learned from
these sources, write a persuasive letter to the man
telling him what you think he should do when he
wakes up.
Click on the pencil to the left to see some hints
for writing a good persuasive letter. Click on
the dictionary and thesaurus to the right to see
a list of words that will help you write your letter.
During Reading Section 2
Read the ending of The
Great Kapok Tree. What did
the sleeping man decide to
do when he woke up? How
does this compare to the
predictions that you made in
your journal before reading?
After Reading Section 2
ROLE PLAY ACTIVITY - Look back
over the story. Why do you think that
the man was going to chop down the
tree in the first place? Do you think
that he will get in trouble for not doing
what he was supposed to do? In
groups of two get together and plan
a short skit of what might happen
when the large man returns to find
the Kapok tree still standing. If you
were the smaller man how would
you defend your decision to let the
Kapok tree live? Be ready to
perform your skit for the class.
After Reading Book
Now that you have finished reading The Great Kapok
Tree look back at the inside front cover of the book. This
map shows the locations of both the tropical rainforests
that exist today and the original extent of the rainforests.
What is happening to the size of the tropical rainforests?
In your writer’s journal discuss what is happening to the
size of the tropical rain forests of the world? Write a
short paragraph on how this makes you feel. After you
write your paragraph, sketch or draw a picture to go with
your paragraph that expresses your feelings.
Beyond Reading
Do you want to help save the tropical
rainforests? Me too!
In groups of three of four students, brainstorm
some ideas of what you, as a student, might be
able to do to help save the tropical rainforests.
You can visit http://www.rainforestheroes.com/
for some great ideas on how to get started from
kids just like you! Pick one of these ideas and
carry through on it. It will make you feel great!
Great Kapok Tree Rubric
Advanced
Adequate
Needs
Improvement
Before Reading
Writing Journal
Activities
(predictions and
Scavenger Hunt)
Student wrote in
complete sentences.
Answered all questions
completely and
thoughtfully. Journal is
neat and organized.
Student answered most
of the questions, but
not completely or in
detail. Journal is not
necessarily neat and is
not always written in
complete sentences.
Student did not answer
all of the questions.
Little or no detail is
provided. Student’s
journal is not neat or
written in complete
sentences.
During Reading
Activity
(Persuasive Letter)
Student’s position is
clearly stated. Letter
includes at least three
supporting reasons for
their position with
relevant details.
Student made use of
persuasive writing
vocabulary.
The student takes a
position but it is
supported with fewer
than three reasons and
not enough detail is
provided. Student does
not make use of any
persuasive writing
vocabulary
Student’s letter is
missing or drastically
insufficient. Student
does not give adequate
reasons for their
position. Proper
persuasive writing
guidelines are not
followed.
After Reading
Activities
(Role Play Activity
and journal entry)
The student
demonstrates
enthusiasm during the
role play activity. After
reading journal entry
demonstrates reflective
thought.
The student’s main
focus during the role
play activity seems to
be task completion .
The activity is carried
out with little or no
enthusiasm. Journal
entry is technically
correct but lacks
The student does not
participate in the role
play activity. Journal
entry is missing or does
not demonstrate that
the student has given
the topic any thought.