A Planning Sequence for House Held Up By Trees

Outcomes:

Descriptive non-fiction, life-cycles, instructions for seed packets

Main Outcome:

News report

Length:

10 sessions, 2 weeks

Overview and Outcomes:

This is a two-week planning sequence for The House Held up by Trees by Ted Kooser illustrated by Jon Klassen, in which children explore the themes of the narrative, and produce descriptive non-fiction writing in different forms, such as writing the life-cycle of seeds, seed packets, estate agents and newspaper reports. Appropriate terminology is written in bold.

Synopsis of Text:

When the house was new, not a single tree remained on its perfect lawn to give shade from the sun. The children in the house trailed the scent of wild trees to neighbouring lots, where thick bushes offered secret places to play. When the children grew up and moved away, their father, alone in the house, continued his battle against blowing seeds, plucking out sprouting trees – until one day he, too, moved away. Then, as the empty house began its decline, the trees began to take over. At once wistful and exhilarating, this lovely, lyrical story evokes the inexorable passage of time – and the awe-inspiring power of nature to lift us up.

Links:

Seeds, trees, environment