POWERFUL RESPONSE (BIG IDEA)

1/7/2020

Today, students completed their lesson on synthesizing and evaluating information to determine the big idea. We will be moving onto picture books, book clubs, powerful language, and powerful response writing. The learning that has become quite visible in the classroom has been amazing to see. Each and every student has become well-versed in comprehension/reading strategies that help them deepen their understanding.

IMPORTANT: Ski forms will go home tomorrow. Sorry for the delays.

1.) LA/WRITING:

Work on edits/revisions/feedback on your essays.
All students should have their drafts completed and are working towards finalizing your edits/revision.

2.) SKI FORMS: They will go home tomorrow. Sorry for the delays.

3.) WORD WORK:

Click here for a list of the words.
One synonym
Example sentence using the original word

4.) LA/NOVEL APPROACH:

Complete visible thinking and powerful responses (Big idea).

5.) POST A RESPONSE:

Today, you worked on your final reading strategy lesson with the poem, "The Giving Tree."
You completed your visible thinking and started your pre-assessment activity for your big ideas (powerful responses)
Write a paragraph explaining what you think the big idea of the poem is.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
1.) Paragraph format (intro, body, and conclusion)
2.) Givens (spelling, capitals, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation)
3.) States the big idea
4.) Provides evidence from the poem/story that supports the big idea
5.) Explains what the character has learned.
6.) Gives thoughts about the big idea.
7.) Explains why you have this thought as your big idea.
8.) Check your paragraph to make sure you have included everything listed in the above criteria
and post a message stating if you have met the criteria. If not, edit/revise your original post.

VIDEO LINKS:
Ski Safety Video

Maxヾ(≧▽≦*)o

1/7/2020 03:28:36 pm

FIRST!!!!

1/7/2020 03:29:26 pm

Second! :D

Mealea

1/7/2020 03:40:14 pm

Third!!!

Brieana

1/7/2020 03:48:42 pm

Fourth

Sara

1/7/2020 04:00:04 pm

Fifth!!

Brieana

1/7/2020 04:04:54 pm

What is the main idea of the giving tree? Here are my thoughts; some of it is love and compassion because the tree gave all that she/he had for the boy because she loved him. This story also reminds me of parents love for their child. If they love the child they would do anything for them. So I think it is about the love compassion that a parent gives to their child. I know that my parents would do anything for me.
(This paragraph has been changed a little due to self assessment)

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:09:58 am

@ Brieana
1.) Can you give specific examples of how the tree showed the boy love? For example.......

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:13:26 am

@ Brieana - What did the characters learn?

Catherine

1/8/2020 09:13:34 am

You forgot to add a supporting sentence from the story, and you didn't write what the character learned.

Brieana (edited)

1/8/2020 09:21:13 am

What is the main idea of the giving tree? Here are my thoughts; some of it is love and compassion because the tree gave all that she/he had for the boy because she loved him. For example “you can take my apples and sell them downtown. You can take my bThis story also reminds me of parents love for their child. If they love the child they would do anything for them. So I think it is about the love compassion that a parent gives to their child. I know that my parents would do anything for me.

Brieana (edited)

1/8/2020 09:27:13 am

P.S sorry about the other one. It submitted it when I wasn’t finished

What is the main idea of the giving tree? Here are my thoughts; some of it is love and compassion because the tree gave all that she/he had for the boy because she loved him. For example “Take my apples boy, and sell them in the city. You may cut off my branches and build a house. Cut down my trunk and make a boat. and This story also reminds me of parents love for their child. If they love the child they would do anything for them. So I think it is about the love compassion that a parent gives to their child. I know that my parents would do anything for me.

Mealea

1/7/2020 04:22:44 pm

Mealea (edited)

1/7/2020 04:27:11 pm

My opinion about the big idea for the giving tree is quite different. (Don’t judge me)
I think the main idea is that there are people in the world who really care about others and love them and they could love and care each other in the start but that can change and you can grow apart from that person. The only time they come back to you is when they need something from you. Once they get it, your all alone again. They will keep coming back for something not because they care but because they need something.
So I think the big idea is the cruel reality is that not everyone will care for you, like you care for them, they are not your true friend or family if they only want something from you and leaves. I feel this is the big idea because from reading the poem, it seems that whenever he returned to the tree he asks the tree from something, gets it and leaves. Then when he needs something he comes back again, I don’t feel like he’s coming back to be with the tree because he cares, I feel like it’s just because the tree will give him whatever he wants. I’m just basing the big idea on what I’ve read, background knowledge and lessons I learned about fake friends and stuff so I could just really relate to this. It was the first thing that popped in my brain after reading the poem.

Mealea

1/7/2020 04:29:53 pm

@Myself-“Care for” not “care each other”
“Asks the tree for something” not “from something”

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:17:32 am

@Mealea - Great post! I really enjoyed reading yours.
1.) Rewrite your second sentence so it flows more smoothly.
2.) Put commas after your transition words.

1/8/2020 09:20:03 am

@Mealea You don't have an intro paragraph and you also didn't type what the characters learned.

Mealea (Final edit)

1/8/2020 09:37:17 am

Have you ever read the poem "The Giving Tree' its a poem with great meaning and with a great moral.

My opinion about the big idea for the giving tree is quite different. (Don’t judge me)
I think the main idea is that there are people in the world who really care about others, and love them, they could love and care for the person they love in the start, but that can change and you can grow apart from that person. The only time they come back to you is when they need something from you. Once they get it, your all alone again. They will keep coming back for something not because they care but because they need something.
So, I think the big idea is the cruel reality is that not everyone will care for you, like you care for them, they aren't your true friend or family if they only want something from you and leaves. A true friend or family member would be there for you no matter what because they actually care for you, they don't take advantage of you. I feel, this is the big idea because from reading the poem, it seems that whenever he returned to the tree he asks the tree for something, gets it, and leaves. Then when he needs something he comes back again, I don’t feel like he’s coming back to be with the tree because he cares, I feel like it’s just because the tree will give him whatever he wants. I’m just basing the big idea on what I’ve read, background knowledge, and lessons I learned about fake friends and stuff so I could just really relate to this. It was the first thing that popped in my brain after reading the poem. I don't feel that the characters learned anything, in the end the boy sat on the trunk on the tree, but I don't feel like he is showing the love, care, and respect, that he showed the tree when he was a little boy. Nothing seems to have changed, the tree still cares about the boy, and that shows how much care, and love she holds in her heart for him. No matter where he goes, she loves him and misses him everyday. Those kind of people can sometimes be hard to find, so just remember, if you have a friend like that, don't ever let them go.

In conclusion, I didn't really focus about the love and care part of the story, it seems I focused on the negative aspects. We all have our own opinions, what do you think is the big idea for this poem?

（づ￣3￣）づ Max

1/7/2020 04:27:38 pm

Do you know any Shel Silverstein books? One of his most famous books that most people know is "The Giving Tree". This book has a very deep and meaningful big idea.

The giving tree is about a boy and a tree. They have a relationship with one another. When the boy is young, he swings and climbs the tree's branches. When he is tired, he eats the apples from the tree and take naps in the tree's shade. When the boy is happy, so is the tree. As time passes on, the boy doesn't play with the tree anymore. The tree became sad and lonely. When the boy comes back, he asks for money, a house, and a boat. The money comes from selling the apples, the house comes from the branches, and the boat comes from the trunk of the tree. Finally, the tree has nothing to give except a nice stump, so the boy sat on the stump, and the tree is once again happy.

The big idea for this story (according to me) is about the relationship of a mother and its child. The tree is the mother while the boy is the child. When the child is young, he/she depends on their mother a lot. Just like the boy playing with the tree a lot. Then, the child gets older and wants money, a house, and a boat (the boat is to sail away from himself/herself). In "The Giving Tree" the boy asks for the same things. The mother/tree tries her best to satisfy the child's needs. The story is saying that your mother loves her child, and when the child is happy so is the mother.

In conclusion, this is my version of the big idea. Everyone's big idea is different. What is your big idea for "The Giving Tree"?

Spencer

1/8/2020 09:20:34 am

@Max
great job! it was a well thought out paragraph, but you missed one thing:
1.make Shure to add what the character learned in the end.

Max?‍?

1/8/2020 09:23:48 am

Thank you Spencer for the feedback. I will fix it as soon as possible.

Max (Edited) ?‍?

1/8/2020 09:28:36 am

Do you know any Shel Silverstein books? One of his most famous books that most people know is "The Giving Tree". This book has a very deep and meaningful big idea.

The giving tree is about a boy and a tree. They have a relationship with one another. When the boy is young, he swings and climbs the tree's branches. When he is tired, he eats the apples from the tree and take naps in the tree's shade. When the boy is happy, so is the tree. As time passes on, the boy doesn't play with the tree anymore. The tree became sad and lonely. When the boy comes back, he asks for money, a house, and a boat. The money comes from selling the apples, the house comes from the branches, and the boat comes from the trunk of the tree. Finally, the tree has nothing to give except a nice stump, so the boy sat on the stump, and the tree is once again happy.

The big idea for this story (according to me) is about the relationship of a mother and its child. The tree is the mother while the boy is the child. When the child is young, he/she depends on their mother a lot. Just like the boy playing with the tree a lot. Then, the child gets older and wants money, a house, and a boat (the boat is to sail away from himself/herself). In "The Giving Tree" the boy asks for the same things. The mother/tree tries her best to satisfy the child's needs. The story is saying that your mother loves her child, and when the child is happy so is the mother. In the end the boy came back to the tree. I think the boy learned that no matter how old are you, you still need your mother, or in this case your nice tree/stump.

In conclusion, this is my version of the big idea. Everyone's big idea is different. What is your big idea for "The Giving Tree"?

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:36:29 am

@ Max
1.) Use more transition words and vary your sentence structure. Many of them start with 'The'.
2.) Use transitions like 'For example' or 'To illustrate' to provide specific examples to support your big idea and what the characters have learned.
3.) Explain what the characters have learned and support it with details from the story.

Max (Edited x2)

1/8/2020 09:45:23 am

Do you know any Shel Silverstein books? One of his most famous books that most people know is "The Giving Tree". This book has a very deep and meaningful big idea.

The giving tree is about a boy and a tree. They have a relationship with one another. When the boy is young, he swings and climbs the tree's branches. When he is tired, he eats the apples from the tree and take naps in the tree's shade. When the boy is happy, so is the tree. As time passes on, the boy doesn't play with the tree anymore. The tree became sad and lonely. When the boy comes back, he asks for money, a house, and a boat. The money comes from selling the apples, the house comes from the branches, and the boat comes from the trunk of the tree. Finally, the tree has nothing to give except a nice stump, so the boy sat on the stump, and the tree is once again happy.

The big idea for this story (according to me) is about the relationship of a mother and its child. The tree is the mother while the boy is the child. When the child is young, he/she depends on their mother a lot. Just like the boy playing with the tree a lot. Then, the child gets older and wants money, a house, and a boat (the boat is to sail away from himself/herself). In "The Giving Tree" the boy asks for the same things. The mother/tree tries her best to satisfy the child's needs. The story is saying that your mother loves her child, and when the child is happy so is the mother. In the end the boy came back to the tree. I think the boy learned that no matter how old are you, you still need your mother, or in this case your nice tree/stump. To illustrate, the story shows this by making the boy come back to the tree, and appreciate it.

In conclusion, this is my version of the big idea. Everyone's big idea is different. What is your big idea for "The Giving Tree"?

1/7/2020 04:40:42 pm

Today we did visible thinking on the poem called the giving tree! We did some big idea writing and here is mine! I came up with multiple big ideas but I'm only going to do the one.

One of my big ideas is that you can't run away from your problems. This is because of many reasons. Firstly the boy says that he is too old and sad to play. But why is he sad? I think he's sad because he has some problems in life. The reason why I think this is because he always wants more and more and instead of appreciating what he has. After that the boy says he wants a boat to go far away. Then he comes back for some reason. Maybe because he realizes that he can't run away from his problems. This is why I think it is a big idea.

In conclusion, every story has a big idea, you just need to look a bit longer. Some of my other thoughts on the big idea is giving is better than receiving, and about the relationship between a parent and their child. I chose this big idea because I though is would be a fun and interesting idea to write about!

1/8/2020 08:17:45 am

I think I meet the criteria?

Emma

1/8/2020 09:27:47 am

Instead of saying "One of my big ideas" you should put "My big idea is" since you are only talking about one big idea. In the 3rd paragraph you could brainstorm ideas of what you think some problems in his life could be. Maybe in the intro you could use les exclamation marks. Overall I really liked your paragraph

1/8/2020 09:35:36 am

Thanks for the feedback! :D

1/8/2020 09:53:55 am

Today we did visible thinking on the poem called the giving tree. We did some big idea writing and here is mine! I came up with multiple big ideas but I'm only going to do the one.

My big idea is that you can't run away from your problems. This is because of many reasons. Firstly the boy says that he is too old and sad to play. But why is he sad? I think he's sad because he has some problems in life. Some problems might be about his wife and children, if he has them. He says to the tree that he wants a wife and children. I think this because if you had a wife and children would you leave them? You most likely wouldn't. Or maybe he's sad because he doesn't have them The reason why I think this is because he always wants more and more and instead of appreciating what he has. After that the boy says he wants a boat to go far away. Then he comes back for some reason. Maybe because he realizes that he can't run away from his problems. This is why I think it is a big idea.

In conclusion every story has a big idea, you just need to look a bit longer. Some of my other thoughts on the big idea is giving is better than receiving, and about the relationship between a parent and their child. I chose this big idea because I though is would be a fun and interesting idea to write about!

Ethel

1/7/2020 04:51:09 pm

The Giving Tree is a great poem, and I think the big idea of this poem is about love.
The poem is all about a tree and a boy, as days pass by the boy began to grow and came to visit the tree less. The one thing I think is why The Giving Tree is a bout love is because every time the boy came back, he always wanted something form the tree. Now, everyone else would probably be a little angry that he disappeared and immediately wanted something from you. But the tree didn't care, she gave him everything he needed like apples for money, branches for a home, wood for a boat and even a stump for him to sit on. She loved the boy so much that she scarified everything she had just to be with him, she never felt angry when he came she was just glad he was back.
In the end the tree got everything she wanted, I can't really say the same for the boy since he was pretty much sad all the time but never mind that. This poem is pretty sad, but I think it's still great and I'm excited to read more of Shel Silversteins poems.

Amy

1/8/2020 09:11:55 am

@Ethel, good job! However, you forgot to explain what the characters learned.

Ethel

1/8/2020 09:21:07 am

The Giving Tree is a great poem, and I think the big idea of this poem is about love.
The poem is all about a tree and a boy, as days pass by the boy began to grow and came to visit the tree less. The one thing I think is why The Giving Tree is a bout love is because every time the boy came back, he always wanted something form the tree. Now, everyone else would probably be a little angry that he disappeared and immediately wanted something from you. But the tree didn't care, she gave him everything he needed like apples for money, branches for a home, wood for a boat and even a stump for him to sit on. She loved the boy so much that she scarified everything she had just to be with him, she never felt angry when he came she was just glad he was back.
After reading the poem about 3-4 times, the boy seemed to change in my opinion. Because at the end when he sat on the tree's stump it seemed like he learned how hard life is, I mean at the beginning he needed money and a house and even a wife and kids, but the boys life seemed very hard and now I get why the boy is always sad and how happy he gets whenever the tree helps him during his hardest moments.
In the end the tree got everything she wanted, I can't really say the same for the boy since he was pretty much sad all the time but never mind that. This poem is pretty sad, but I think it's still great and I'm excited to read more of Shel Silversteins poems.

Sophia

1/7/2020 05:05:36 pm

I think one of the main ideas in the giving tree is giving everything for people you love. The "tree" loved the boy very much and because of this she gave everything she had just so he can be happy. Those things conclude as her branches, trunck and apples. This reminds me of my family and how they give up so much so I can be happy.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:19:16 am

@ Sophia - Please reread the criteria again to make sure you have included everything asked.

1.) What did the characters learn? Did they learn anything?
2.) Please give more specific examples of how the tree showed the boy love to support your big idea.
3.) Give a specific example of how your family supports you so much.

1/7/2020 05:26:49 pm

first div 1 student

Adrian

1/7/2020 05:50:48 pm

Today at school we worked on doing novel approach. Mr. Hong gave us a poem called the Giving Tree and we were to write our visible thinking on it. The poem is about a boy and a tree that were best friends and played together everyday, but the boy got older and older and said he couldn't play anymore and was sad. So the tree would do anything she could to make the boy happy even if it means hurting the tree herself.

I personally think that the big idea is, is that sometime we just have to appreciate those people in your life that would just do anything for you to keep you happy like the giving tree and we have to do it back. As we get older we don't really have the same friends and you split a part, so that's why we should all be trying our best to stay together like what the tree is doing and not the boy. Every time the comes back saying that he is sad about something, so the tree makes sacrifices for the boy like letting him take her branches, apples and even the tree trunk! So I think that the boy is a bit heartless and selfish. That is what I think that big idea is about this poem.

Charlie

1/8/2020 09:10:10 am

1.) What the Character has learned
2.) Add a little more to why you have this as your big idea

Adrian

1/8/2020 09:45:17 am

Today at school we worked on doing novel approach. Mr. Hong assigned us a poem called "The Giving Tree" and we were to write our visible thinking about it. The poem is about a little boy and a tree that were originally best friends and played together everyday, but the little boy got older and older and said he couldn't climb or play anymore with the tree and always came back to the tree saying he was sad from something. So the tree would do anything she could to make the boy happy even if it means hurting the tree herself.

I personally think that the big idea is, is that sometime we just have to appreciate those people in your life that would just do anything for you to keep you happy like the giving tree and we have to do it back. As we get older we don't really have the same friends and you split a part, so that's why we should all be trying our best to stay together like what the tree is doing and not the boy. As the boy is growing the tree is staying the same because I am pretty sure that the tree was old from the start to be climbed on and they are different things as well (humans and plants). The tree was always extremely loyal to the boy and was watching over him just like a son, but the boy just kept on leaving every time he got what he wanted, I don't really know what the boy would do without the tree! Every time the comes back saying that he is sad about something, so the tree makes sacrifices for the boy like letting him take her branches, apples and even the tree trunk! So I think that the boy is a bit heartless and selfish. I think that the giving tree has learned that the boy isn't really gonna give anything back for all the stuff the tree has sacrificed for him and that the tree doesn't matter, she just wants the boy to stay happy, kind of like a mom or dad but I also feel that the characters didn't learn much.

That was my big idea for "The Giving Tree" and also about it. No one is exactly sure who the little boy was, but he asked for a bit to much from the tree (except for when he asked to sit down on the tree's stump) to the point where the tree couldn't really do anything for the boy. The tree had everything cut off or taken off so she was only left as a stump, but as long as the boy was happy the tree was as well. Anyways, that was my visible thinking and big idea for this poem.

1/7/2020 06:31:11 pm

I think the big idea is that you can lose some things but you still have to try your best and go on with what you have. I think this because the tree gives almost everything she has to the boy to make him happy, and at the end she was only a stump but still made a good spot to sit down and rest.

Brieana

1/7/2020 08:16:45 pm

@RZ
Maybe you could put a little more detail about her giving up everything. But even though it was simple, it cut right to the chase.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 08:55:15 am

@ RZ - Please read the criteria again and edit/revise.

Brieana

1/8/2020 09:15:58 am

@RZ
1. You didn’t state what the character learned.
2. You didn’t give thoughts about the big idea.
3. You didn’t state why you thought of the idea.

1/8/2020 09:46:25 am

I think the big idea is that you can lose some things but you still have to try your best and go on with what you have. I think this because the tree gives the boy apples for money, branches for a house, and her own trunk so the boy can sail away. At the end she was only a stump but still made a good spot to sit down and rest. I can tell the tree cares about the boy a lot since at the end, she says it's her fault for not having anything left. The only reason she didn't have anything left is because she gave everything to the boy, yet she is still blaming herself. This also shows she is selfless. Even with all this meaning, I don't think the tree or the boy learned anything throughout the story

1/7/2020 06:38:57 pm

Kyungsun

1/7/2020 06:48:08 pm

The giving tree is a well known book written by shel silverstien in 1964. It is about a child using a tree for various things like money and a home. Depending on who you ask it can mean anything. Some people think its about a parent child relationship, some people thing its religious, some people think its satire and has no meaning. Heres what i think the big idea
i think that this is about how we as humans are driven to exploit things as much as possible. I believe the unnamed boy is supposed to represent humans as a species. The tree represents wildlife natural resources and things like that as well as the people being exploited by thier government. The earth is not heavily affect by humans doing things that dont really affect anything else. So is the tree in the first part of this book. All the boy does is eat apples and climb trees. the greatest impact he has is carving stuff into the bark. ( I think that was in a version that i read at some point). This represents humanity up till around the early 1800s. Exploiting the earth and polluting it but leaving much unharmed. Then the boy is a teenager and much more needy. He siezes the trees means of production to get as many apples as possible however this further harms the tree. In this case i think this represents the communist revolutions in the early 1900s where the tree is now the people and the boy is actually a communist. He then sells these apples. This is much like how the soviet union used up much of thier resources in ww2. After this the boy comes back and requires a house. So he completely removes all of the trees branches to build one. This represents the further exploitation of the soviet unions resources by thier government during the later stages of ww2 as well as during the early part of the cold war. Then in this story the boy comes back and requires a boat. So he cuts down the trees trunk. This most likely leaves the tree nearly dead much like how the earth will be on its last legs in the next 20 years or so. The last part of the book has the boy coming back now a old man. He uses what is left of the tree (trunk) and sits on it. This does not damage the tree further nor does it help it grow back as trees dont do that. I think this represents how we will not appreciate all the earth has done for us untill it and us ill be close to death.
In conclusion this is a very deep book. Sure on the surface it looks like any old childrens book however it is written so that there is just enough to give the reader possible meanings but also not enough to give a solid meaning making it up to the reader to interpret it.

kyungsun

1/7/2020 08:02:56 pm

The giving tree is a well known book written by shel silverstien in 1964. It is about a child using a tree for various things like money and a home. Depending on who you ask it can mean anything. Some people think its about a parent child relationship, some people thing its religious, some people think its satire and has no meaning. Heres what i think the big idea
i think that this is about how we as humans are driven to exploit things as much as possible. I believe the unnamed boy is supposed to represent humans as a species. The tree represents wildlife natural resources and things like that as well as the people being exploited by thier government. The earth is not heavily affect by humans doing things that dont really affect anything else. So is the tree in the first part of this book. All the boy does is eat apples and climb trees. the greatest impact he has is carving stuff into the bark. ( I think that was in a version that i read at some point). This represents humanity up till around the early 1800s. Exploiting the earth and polluting it but leaving much unharmed. Then the boy is a teenager and much more needy. He siezes the trees means of production to get as many apples as possible however this further harms the tree. In this case i think this represents the communist revolutions in the early 1900s where the tree is now the people and the boy is actually a communist. He then sells these apples. This is much like how the soviet union used up much of thier resources in ww2. After this the boy comes back and requires a house. So he completely removes all of the trees branches to build one. This represents the further exploitation of the soviet unions resources by thier government during the later stages of ww2 as well as during the early part of the cold war. Then in this story the boy comes back and requires a boat. So he cuts down the trees trunk. This most likely leaves the tree nearly dead much like how the earth will be on its last legs in the next 20 years or so. The last part of the book has the boy coming back now a old man. He uses what is left of the tree (trunk) and sits on it. This does not damage the tree further nor does it help it grow back as trees dont do that. I think this represents how we will not appreciate all the earth has done for us untill it and humanity will be close to death.
In conclusion this is a very deep book. Sure on the surface it looks like any old childrens book however it is written so that there is just enough to give the reader possible meanings but also not enough to give a solid meaning making it up to the reader to interpret it.

Emily

1/8/2020 09:16:47 am

@Kyungsun, don't forget to add:
- the givens
- an explanation of what the character has learned
- your thoughts about the big idea
- why you have this thought as your big idea

Kyungsun

1/8/2020 09:44:49 am

The giving tree is a well known book written by Shel Silverstien in 1964. It is about a child using a tree for various things like money and a home. Depending on who you ask the meaning varies heavily. Some people think its about a parent child relationship, some people thing its religious, some people think its satire and has no meaning. Here's what I think the big idea

I think that the big idea is about how we as humans are driven to exploit things as much as possible. I believe the unnamed boy is supposed to represent humans as a species. The tree represents wildlife natural resources and things like that as well as the people being exploited by their government. The earth is not heavily affected by humans doing things that don't really affect anything else. So is the tree in the first part of this book. All the boy does is eat apples and climb trees. the greatest impact he has is carving stuff into the bark. ( I think that was in a version that I read at some point). This represents humanity up till around the early 1800s. Exploiting the earth and polluting it but leaving much unharmed. Then the boy is a teenager and much more needy. He seizes the trees means of production to get as many apples as possible however this further harms the tree. In this case I think this represents the communist revolutions in the early 1900s where the tree is now the people and the boy is actually a communist. He then sells these apples. This is much like how the soviet union used up much of their resources in ww2. After this the boy comes back and requires a house. So he completely removes all of the trees branches to build one. This represents the further exploitation of the soviet unions resources by their government during the later stages of ww2 as well as during the early part of the cold war. Then in this story the boy comes back and requires a boat. So he cuts down the trees trunk. This most likely leaves the tree nearly dead much like how the earth will be on its last legs in the next 20 years or so. The last part of the book has the boy coming back now a old man. He uses what is left of the tree (trunk) and sits on it. This does not damage the tree further nor does it help it grow back as trees don't do that. I think this represents how we will not appreciate all the earth has done for us until it and humanity will be close to death. At the end of this book the boy learns that he should really stop exploiting just one tree. This is shown as he does not harm the tree any further. The tree learns that it should probably stop destroying itself. This is shown after the tree`s trunk is cut down when it is written that the tree was happy but not really. I think the big idea is this as the boy destroying the tree more and more is much like how humanity is destroying the earth and how politicians are destroying their nations resources more and more. this is of course until the very end. I agree with the big idea as I agree that politicians and people in general are very driven to exploit things and that is a huge flaw with humans.

In conclusion this is a very deep book. Sure on the surface it looks like any old children's book however it is written so that there is just enough to give the reader possible meanings but also not enough to give a solid meaning leaving it up to the reader to interpret it

1/7/2020 07:13:32 pm

During school, we got to use our visible thinking on the poem The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

I think the big idea is that if you care for someone, they will care for you back. The reason why I think this because in the poem, the boy took care of the tree and as the boy grew older, he needed more things such as shelter and money. He asked the tree for help and the tree in the process of helping him, she had to sacrifice something.

The tree loved the boy very much by sacrificing her own body to support him in life.

Mealea

1/8/2020 09:13:04 am

@Ty- To be honest, I don't see anything wrong with your PAR, maybe you could have listed what you have completed.
You stated the big idea
provided evidence for the big idea
gave your thoughts
explained your thoughts
Focused on grammar and punctuation
My thoughts on how you can improve it:
Engaging hook
and that's it :)

Mealea

1/8/2020 09:14:51 am

@Ty- Explain what the character has learned too.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:22:09 am

@ Ty - What did the characters learn?

Ty (Edit)

1/8/2020 09:38:30 am

During school, we got to use our visible thinking on the poem The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.

I think the big idea is that if you care for someone, they will care for you back. The reason why I think this because in the poem, the boy took care of the tree and as the boy grew older, he needed more things such as shelter and money. He asked the tree for help and in the process of helping him, she had to sacrifice something.

In the end, the boy learned that the tree loved him very much because she was sacrificing her own body.

Sara

1/7/2020 07:18:55 pm

Have you heard of a book called The Giving Tree? It was made by Shel Silverstein for children. Like every written piece, there is something meaningful or should I say a Big Idea. There are many big ideas in this book but I am going to show you one of them.

For The Giving Tree, I think one big idea is kindness. I think it is about kindness because the tree really loved the boy. She sacrificed her apples so the boy could sell them for money, branches for a house, and she even let him cut down her trunk so the boy could make a boat to get away from his problems. But little did he knew, his happiness was not with his wife or children. It was with the Tree. The Giving tree or how I like to say,"The Guardian Tree." I like to say it this way because the Tree is like a mother to the boy, a wise, gentle grandmother to take care of him when no one wants to. When he realized this, he came back. There was also one last thing the tree could give him, an old stump to sit on.

The Giving Tree is a very meaningful book. You need to use your reading strategies to help you come up with a big idea. What do you think the big idea is in The Giving Tree?

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:24:14 am

@ Sara
1.) little did he know (not - little did he knew)
2.) What did the characters learn?

Sara

1/8/2020 09:33:51 am

Have you heard of a book called The Giving Tree? It was made by Shel Silverstein for children. Like every written piece, there is something meaningful or should I say a Big Idea. There are many big ideas in this book but I am going to show you one of them.

For The Giving Tree, I think one big idea is kindness. I think it is about kindness because the tree really loved the boy. She sacrificed her apples so the boy could sell them for money, branches for a house, and she even let him cut down her trunk so the boy could make a boat to get away from his problems. But little did he know, his happiness was not with his wife or children. It was with the Tree. The Giving tree or how I like to say, " The Guardian Tree." I like to say it this way because the Tree is like a mother to the boy, a wise, gentle grandmother to take care of him when no one wants to. When he realized this, he came back. There was also one last thing the tree could give him, an old stump to sit on. But as for the Tree, I don`t think learned she anything because she was really kind to the boy and she is very kind- hearted.

The Giving Tree is a very meaningful book. You need to use your reading strategies to help you come up with a big idea. What do you think the big idea is in The Giving Tree?

Spencer

1/7/2020 07:28:48 pm

Today we read a poem called "The Giving Tree" and I found it pretty interesting. I think the big idea of the poem is describing the relationship seasons of a parent and son. The tree is the parent and the boy is the son. It starts off with the boy really needing and appreciating the tree, and the tree having a lot to give the boy. Then when the boy gets older the tree begins making sacrifices for the boy, and giving parts of itself because the tree loves the boy and it makes the tree happy. This is similar to the sacrifices parents make providing for and supporting their children as they grow up. Later in life the tree has less to give the boy, but the boy comes to re-appreciate just coming and spending time with the tree. This is similar how in later years having your parents around for longer is very special. I think that Shel Silverstein does an excellent job telling a powerful story in this short poem.

Max? link

1/8/2020 09:21:23 am

Feedback:

1.) I think you should use some more transition words to make your paragraph smoother. That way the reader has a better idea on what happens in the story.

2.) You didn't show what you think of the big idea. In your last sentence, you talked about how Shel Sliverstein writes dome deep and meaningful books. I think you should include one or two sentences in your paragraph that talks about your opinion on the big idea.

3.) How did you come up with this big idea? In your paragraph you didn't tell the readers what led you to the conclusion of the big idea. I suggest, after the second last sentence you should include a sentence or two, so you can talk about what led you to the big idea, and what facts did you read to support your big idea.

That is all the feedback I have for you. Although, I like your paragraph, and overall, I think it is pretty good. 🐱

Spencer

1/8/2020 09:41:05 am

Today we read a poem called "The Giving Tree" and I found it pretty interesting. what I think of the big idea is that the poem was trying to describe the relationship seasons of a parent and son. The tree is the parent and the boy is the son. these are the clues that led me to my theory. first, It starts off with the boy really needing and appreciating the tree, and the tree having a lot to give the boy. Then when the boy gets older the tree begins making sacrifices for the boy, and giving parts of itself because the tree loves the boy and it makes the tree happy. This is similar to the sacrifices parents make providing for and supporting their children as they grow up. Later in life the tree has less to give the boy, but the boy learned to re-appreciate just coming and spending time with the tree. This is similar how in later years having your parents around for longer is very special. I think that Shel Silverstein does an excellent job telling a powerful story in this short poem.

kaelyn

1/7/2020 08:08:07 pm

i think that the big idea, is you can tell when somebody is loyal to you. You can take, take, take from them all you want, but they will always be there in the end for you. No matter what. For example, the boy knows the tree is loyal, because he loved the tree and used to spend all his days with him. Then as he aged, he distanced himself from the tree, only returning when he needed something to make him happy. The tree being a loyal character to the boy, gives as the boys asks because the tree does not want to have an unhappy boy. When the boy loses all he has and realizes that all he needs is a friend and someone to trust, also known as the tree stump. he lies in the shade with the tree stump as he did when he was just a boy.

Charlie

1/7/2020 08:47:22 pm

@Kaelyn what shade when there isn't a tree but a tree stump?

Konoshin

1/8/2020 09:35:43 am

@Kaelyn - You forgot to capitalize your "I" and you didn't put it in paragraph format.

kaelyn (edited)

1/8/2020 09:42:07 am

Reading is not about just looking at words. it is about understanding and comprehending the deep meaning and messages behind the actual story. What do we call that? We all it the "big idea" we can use reading strategies to help us comprehend the ''big idea''.

I think that the big idea, is you can tell when somebody is loyal to you. You can take, take, take from them all you want, but they will always be there in the end for you. No matter what. For example, the boy knows the tree is loyal, because he loved the tree and used to spend all his days with him. Then as he aged, he distanced himself from the tree, only returning when he needed something to make him happy. The tree being a loyal character to the boy, gives as the boys asks because the tree does not want to have an unhappy boy. When the boy loses all he has and realizes that all he needs is a friend and someone to trust, also known as the tree stump. he lies in the shade with the tree stump as he did when he was just a boy.

Dennis

1/7/2020 08:10:00 pm

Today, during our novel approach class we had been given a poem on paper which was called "The Giving Tree". Our goal for this lesson, was to do visible thinking and use the new reading strategy called Synthesizing and Evaluating. The story is about a boy who would go into the woods and play with a tree, who would give him everything she possibly can give, even her own tree trunk. In the end the boys sits down beside the tree, and rests a while.

I think the Big Idea is the true friendship these two have between each other, the respect both have for each other is amazing, the tree has already given up everything for the boys happiness, for example in the story the tree gives the boys her apples to sell for money, her branches for a house to keep his family happy, her trunk to help the boy build a boat to sail the world. I think the Idea of the story is that friendship is most important when you are not happy or you are sad, friends can really help in these kinds of situations. Basically best friends forever, in the end both are happy. Moral be nice.

Overall, being nice and helping others equals a good life and a good feeling.

Kayd

1/8/2020 09:24:53 am

-The part where it reads "I think the Big Idea is the true friendship these two have between each other" I believe there is a grammatical error.

-for example in the story the tree gives the boys her apples to sell for money there was only one boy in the story there are many time it reads boys instead of boy. (Grammatical error)

-Other wise pretty good.

Dennis

1/8/2020 09:39:04 am

Today, during our novel approach class we had been given a poem on paper which was called "The Giving Tree". Our goal for this lesson, was to do visible thinking and use the new reading strategy called Synthesizing and Evaluating. The story is about a boy who would go into the woods and play with a tree, who would give him everything she possibly can give, even her own tree trunk. In the end the boys sits down beside the tree, and rests a while.

I think the Big Idea is friendship, because in the story the tree has already given up everything for the boy's happiness, for example in the story the tree gives the boy her apples to sell for money in the city, her branches for a house to keep his family happy, her trunk to help the boy build a boat to sail the world. I think the Idea of the story is that friendship is most important when you are not happy or you are sad, friends can really help in these kinds of situations. If i am being honest I don't think either character learned anything at all. Basically best friends forever, in the end both are happy. Moral be nice.

Overall, being nice and helping others equals a good life and a good feeling.

Nick

1/7/2020 08:11:51 pm

Today we read the short story "The giving tree", which narrates the story of a boy and a tree, and how their relationship shifts as time goes by. My personal opinion on the big idea is that we should give others and repay them if they've done something for us. We should always be there for friends and family, just like how the boy did for the tree, even if it took him his entire lifetime.

Sara

1/8/2020 09:18:57 am

@ Nick - Here is some feedback:

- Provide evidence from the story
- what did the characters learn?
- why have you thought this as your big idea
-Check your paragraph to make sure you have included everything listed in the above criteria and post a message stating if you have met the criteria. If not, edit/revise your original post.

Nick

1/8/2020 09:46:36 am

We read the short story "The giving tree" by Shel Silverstein. We read through the story and visibly wrote our thinking on the sheet of paper. We then proceeded to write our own opinions on 'the big idea' of the story. Here's mine:

The giving tree narrates the story of a boy and a tree, and how the relationship between them shifts as time goes by. The boy was playful and used to hang out with the tree every day. But the boy started to visit the tree less frequently as he grows older, and the only times he comes back to the tree is when he needed something. The tree always gave the boy what he wanted, including apples, branches, and the tree even let him cut off her trunk to build a boat. The tree had sacrificed so much for the boy, but when he returned one last time as an old man, he finally realized everything the tree has done for her, and he finally repaid the tree with what she really wanted; company.

I think the big idea is to give to others, and to repay the ones who did something for you, just like in the story. The tree had given everything for the boy, but finally he repaid her by simply being with the tree.

Konoshin

1/7/2020 08:16:36 pm

Today we read a poem called "The Giving Tree" and we are to write down our visible thinking and use our reading strategies to determine the big idea.

I think the big idea is that you should respect the people who makes sacrifices to give you everything, so you are happy. In the poem, the tree gives everything to the boy so he will be happy. For example, he takes all of she apples to sell in the city, he cuts off her branches to make a house, and he cuts her trunk off to make a boat so he can sail away.

In conclusion, I think that the tree was being to kind to the boy because she didn't care if she gives everything to him. That's because she loved him so munch. So that is what I think the big idea of this poem is.

kaelyn

1/8/2020 09:13:41 am

@konoshin

FEEDBACK:
~what did the characters learn?
~ what are your thoughts about the big idea?
~ why did you think this?

good job kid :)

Konoshin

1/8/2020 09:45:00 am

@Kaelyn - Thanks for the feedback.

Konoshin

1/21/2020 04:57:55 pm

Today we read a poem called "The Giving Tree" and we are to write down our visible thinking and use our reading strategies to determine the big idea.

I think the big idea is that you should respect the people who makes sacrifices to give you everything, so you are happy. I thought of this because the tree gave everything to the boy and that's because she loved the him so much. In the poem, the tree gives everything to the boy so he will be happy. For example, he takes all of she apples to sell in the city, he cuts off her branches to make a house, and he cuts her trunk off to make a boat so he can sail away.

When he came back he realized that the tree gave everything she had to make him happy, so in return he sat down next to her so she won't feel lonely.

Kayd

1/7/2020 08:24:41 pm

I believe that one of the big ideas for the giving tree is childhood i think that it is child hood because the tree was like a mother figure to the boy. and they supplied the boy with everything they needed until they both had nothing. I also believe that the boy had a rough life because he needed a lot of support from the tree and in the poem he says he need a boat to get away. I think that he needed the boat to get away from the family he wanted.

Boswell

1/8/2020 09:27:26 am

1) You need to include the intro and conclusion paragraph
2) You didn't capitalize the I in the first sentence
3) You forgot to explain what the character learned after everything he did

Kayd

1/8/2020 09:38:18 am

In class for our novel approach we learned about the reading strategy of Synthesizing and evaluating to determine the big idea.

I believe that one of the big ideas for the giving tree is childhood I think that it is child hood because the tree was like a mother figure to the boy. and they supplied the boy with everything they needed until they both had nothing. I also believe that the boy had a rough life because he needed a lot of support from the tree and in the poem he says he need a boat to get away. I think that he needed the boat to get away from the family wanted. After everything the boy has done in the poem I think he learned to always be thankful for what you have available to you.

Charlie

1/7/2020 08:45:48 pm

Adrian

1/8/2020 09:18:13 am

- No conclusion
- A bit more information on your big idea
- Need to explain what the character has learned
- More thoughts on the big idea

Charlie

1/8/2020 09:35:57 am

Today we were assigned to show our thinking and show our evidence to our interpretations of the big idea for the poem "The Giving Tree". This simple yet deep poem has many different sides to what it really means.

My interpretation of this poem is that we all need to acknowledged the sacrifices our parents make for our happiness which is shown through this poem and the name The Giving Tree hints to this as well. The Giving Tree constantly sacrificed and gave herself up for the boy's happiness to the point were she herself grew sad. Another bid idea I think this poem had was to be kind and care for those you love but not the extent of sadness among yourself. I think this because one line near the end of the poem "The tree was happy... but not really". This small phrase shows the sadness the tree felt because of the sacrifices she made with nothing but more sacrifices to make. Though not having much character development, the tree's happiness slowly turns into sadness because of the sacrifices she had to make, but in the end the boy no longer asked for something of hers but instead some where to sit. The tree offer her stump for him and she was happy because the boy no longer asked for materialistic needs but instead a friend. The boy who was a materialistic person that constantly ask the Giving Tree for things to the point were the tree grew sad. The boy only then realized through old age that asking for materialistic things too much leads to others sadness. The boy realized this with old age and decided to visit the tree, not to ask for something, but to sit with her (or sit on her) and talk to her.

In conclusion, The Giving Tree is a simple yet deep poem, with multitudes of meanings and interpretations. My interpretation of this poem was to acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices our parents make and to sacrifice for those you love but not to the extent where you yourself are not happy anymore.

Hello

1/7/2020 08:58:52 pm

hello.... >_<

megan

1/7/2020 09:43:57 pm

Personally, I think the big idea is that being greedy and ungrateful will benefit no one. As shown in the poem, the boy then later left behind everything and sailed off. This meant the boy saw no need in staying where he was now, and because he was so unhappy, he asked the tree for a boat to sail off forever.
In comparison to his younger self, the boy was much happier and did not require much to be happy. But just as most of us, we grow out of the things which entertains us when younger, and we simply don't enjoy it anymore. I believe this is what happened to the boy.
I think this poem really shows how you should always be appreciative of what you have, because even after all of the tree's gifts, the boy was still left with nothing in the end.

Shannon

1/8/2020 09:18:02 am

@Megan
1. Include intro
2. Explain what the character has learned.
3. Give thoughts on big idea
4. State why you think that
Other than that, good par!

megan

1/8/2020 09:44:21 am

When there are sacrifices made for us by a parent or guardian, I think we tend to overlook it. That's what I think the big idea is in 'The Giving Tree.'

Personally, I think the big idea is that being greedy and ungrateful will benefit no one. As shown in the poem, the boy then later left behind everything and sailed off. This meant the boy saw no need in staying where he was now, and because he was so unhappy, he asked the tree for a boat to sail off forever.
In comparison to his younger self, the boy was much happier and did not require much to be happy. But just as most of us, we grow out of the things which entertains us when younger, and we simply don't enjoy it anymore. I believe this is what happened to the boy.

Of course, when you make mistakes, you should always use them as a stepping stone rather than seeing them as a loss. If I were to say what the boy had learned, I would say that he learned that greed cannot benefit him or the tree. Throughout the story, the tree is constantly giving up parts of herself for the boy, such as branches for a home, apples for money, etc. In the end, the boy had lost everything, a home, money, food, resulting in him wanting to abandon the tree and everything else he knew. Which is where I think the tree had learned that the boy was never going to go back to his old self. The young boy that loved swinging branch to branch, climbing tree trunks, was gone. As he aged, he only visited the tree if he wanted something, and of course, the tree provided. In the end, both of them had lost everything, with the tree being a mere stump and the boy having nearly nothing.

I think this poem really shows how you should always be appreciative of what you have, because even after all of the tree's gifts, the boy was still left with nothing in the end. I think this because when living with such privilege makes you naturally become less appreciative of what is given to you. In the story, the boy doesn't even thank the tree, or acknowledge the fact the tree is sacrificing literal parts of herself for the benefit of the boy.

This poem teaches such a valuable lesson, you should never be ungrateful for the things you get.

Boswell

1/7/2020 10:02:34 pm

I think that the big idea for the poem, The Giving Tree is that this is like a parent and a child with the tree being the parent and the child being the boy. When you're little you hang out with your parents a lot and play a lot like in the story where it states that they will play a lot when the boy was little. But when the boy grew older he drifted away and only asked for stuff he wanted and never really hanged out or played with the tree. I feel a connection here cause when i was little I would always play with my parents but now I probably spend more time on social media than with them like how the boy doesn't play with the tree anymore.Then in a paragraph after the tree gave him the boat which cost the tree everything the tree wasn't happy and i think that its because the boy is only taking and not spending time while the trees doing the best to make the boy happy. And that is what i think the big idea for the poem, the Giving Tree is.

Dennis

1/8/2020 09:23:05 am

1) Intro needed, add a hook to make the intro more interesting, for example "Today It was our first Novel Approach class, and what a class was."

2) "I feel a connection here cause when i was little I would always play with my parents but now I probably spend more time on social media."
Must capitalize the "I" between the when _ was.

3) Try and add commas in between your sentences, otherwise it will be classified as a run on sentence.

Boswell

1/8/2020 09:46:12 am

Today at school we were learning about reading strategies and were given an assignment which was to use the reading strategies we have learned so far. The poem we used the reading strategies on was called The Giving Tree.

I think that the big idea for the poem, The Giving Tree is that this is like a parent and a child with the tree being the parent and the child being the boy. When you're little you hang out with your parents a lot and play a lot like in the story where it states that they will play a lot when the boy was little. But when the boy grew older he drifted away and only asked for stuff he wanted and never really hanged out or played with the tree. I feel a connection here cause when I was little I would always play with my parents but now I probably spend more time on social media than with them like how the boy doesn't play with the tree anymore. Then in a paragraph after the tree gave him the boat which cost the tree everything the tree wasn't happy and I think that its because the boy is only taking and not spending time while the trees doing the best to make the boy happy. I feel like the character learn he already took everything from the tree nothing since he took everything from the tree and didn't stop taking for his personal use. And that is what I think the big idea for the poem, the Giving Tree is.

In conclusion, you should be kind and don't take everything from someone and play with them instead of just taking everything from them.

Amy

1/7/2020 10:34:33 pm

"The Giving Tree" is a story that has many themes. I think the big idea of this story is caring for others can make yourself happy as well. Whenever the Boy comes to ask for something, the tree gives it and is happy, even though she loses a big of herself every time. Helping others to be happy often makes you happy, sometimes just by staying next to them.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 08:54:42 am

@ Amy - Please check the criteria to ensure you have met it. :-)

Ethel

1/8/2020 09:08:56 am

Add this to your paragraph: =)
-Explain what the character learned
-Explain why you thought the big idea was about happiness.

Amy

1/8/2020 09:29:38 am

"The Giving Tree" is a story about a boy and a tree. As the boy grew up, he started asking for things from the tree but the tree gives him everything he asks for.

I think the big idea of this story is caring for others can make yourself happy as well. Whenever the Boy comes to ask for something, the tree gives it and is happy, even though she loses a big of herself every time. Helping others to be happy often makes you happy, sometimes just by staying next to them. The Tree learns how to make others happy and the Boy learns to be happy out of simple things.

I think the big idea is about happiness because every time the Tree gives to the Boy she's happy.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:34:12 am

@ Amy - Can you give specific examples from the story that clearly show what the characters have learned?

Amy

1/8/2020 09:38:40 am

"The Giving Tree" is a story about a boy and a tree. As the boy grew up, he started asking for things from the tree but the tree gives him everything he asks for.

I think the big idea of this story is caring for others can make yourself happy as well. Whenever the Boy comes to ask for something, the tree gives it and is happy, even though she loses a big of herself every time. Helping others to be happy often makes you happy, sometimes just by staying next to them. The Tree learns that you don't need to give extravagant items to make someone happy. The Boy was happy when they played together, and he was happy when all the Tree gave him was a quiet place to sit and rest. The Boy learns that he didn't need money, a house, or a boat.
He learns to be happy out of simple things.

I think the big idea is about happiness because every time the Tree gives to the Boy she's happy.

Emily

1/7/2020 11:48:25 pm

Parents are willing to sacrifice almost anything for their children. I think that in The Giving Tree, the tree represents a parent, and the boy is the child. With that in mind, I think that the big idea of The Giving Tree is about a parent's undying love for their child. If a parent loves their child so much, I think it's safe to assume that they would do anything to keep them happy.

In the poem, whenever the boy asked the tree for something, the tree willingly complied. Sacrificing a piece of herself for his happiness. In the end, when the tree has nothing else left to give but a stump, the boy realized that was all he'd ever need. Then he ends up using he stump as a place to sit and rest. I think that the boy learned that there is a difference between wanting and needing something. For example, when he kept on ending up back at the tree, he kept on trying to get another object to replace the other. To create the feeling of temporary happiness. Then in the end he was content with just spending time with the tree.

I would say that I agree with the big idea. I also think that our parents should be more appreciated because their sacrifices are often overlooked. I think that I should appreciate the little things in life, like having a caring family, who support me no matter what.

Kyungsun

1/8/2020 09:45:08 am

@Emily, make sure you add what both the characters learned.

Emily

1/8/2020 09:46:18 am

Parents are willing to sacrifice almost anything for their children. I think that in The Giving Tree, the tree represents a parent, and the boy is the child. With that in mind, I think that the big idea of The Giving Tree is about a parent's undying love for their child. If a parent loves their child so much, I think it's safe to assume that they would do anything to keep them happy.

In the poem, whenever the boy asked the tree for something, the tree willingly complied. Sacrificing a piece of herself for his happiness. In the end, when the tree has nothing else left to give but a stump, the boy realized that was all he'd ever need. Then he ends up using he stump as a place to sit and rest. I think that the boy learned that there is a difference between wanting and needing something. For example, when he kept on ending up back at the tree, he kept on trying to get another object to replace the other. To create the feeling of temporary happiness. Then in the end he was content with just spending time with the tree. I think that the tree on the other hand, didn't learn anything. Her character didn't change much if you ask me.

I would say that I agree with the big idea. I also think that our parents should be more appreciated because their sacrifices are often overlooked. I think that I should appreciate the little things in life, like having a caring family, who support me no matter what.

Emma

1/8/2020 07:32:19 am

1/8/2020 09:31:43 am

@ Emma- Here's some feedback :D
- What did the character learn?

Emma

1/8/2020 09:50:27 am

The Giving tree is a great poem written by Shel Silverstein and is one of his most famous pieces. I found this story interesting and enjoyed reading it.

The Giving tree follows the story of a boy and a tree and while the boy is young he plays with the tree and they are both happy, but as the boy grows older he begins to want things from the tree such as money a house and eventually a boat to run away from his problems. The boy takes so many things until the tree is just a stump and the boy is very old. The big idea in my opinion is how the tree cares for the boy because even after the boy has been so ungrateful the tree still cares about him and continues to give him things that will give him happiness. The tree does all she can in her power to make the boy happy. All the tree wanted was to be with the boy and see him happy. Even when she was just a stump she allowed him to sit on her. I think that this shows that she cares about the boy even though that he is ungrateful and tries to run away from his problems and undeserving of The Giving Trees love.

In conclusion I think the big idea is to care for your loved ones. I think over the course of the poem The Giving Tree learned nothing, because every time the boy came except when he was young, she gave him whatever he asked for that she could provide, and the boy learned that the tree was doing whatever she could to give him happiness even just offering her self to sit on. This is a very emotional story told by Shel Silverstein.

Shannon

1/8/2020 08:06:59 am

and she loved a little boy very, very much - even more than she loved herself.
-Shel Silverstein

In my opinion, the big idea of the book is the relationship between a mother and son. I think that the tree is meant to be seen as a mother. This is because, throughout the story, the tree was constantly making sacrifices for the boy. I am inferring that the tree is not the dad since the tree is addressed as a she. Another key point to support my big idea would be that in the end, the tree blamed herself for not having anything to give the boy. To me, this is something only a parent would do.

In conclusion, I think that this story is meant to show the sacrifices a mother would make for their child.

megan

1/8/2020 09:17:24 am

- For the first sentence (the quote) make sure to use quotation marks
- Explain what the character has learned
- Give thoughts on the big idea (you sort of started on it on the last sentence of 2nd paragraph, but you should elaborate)
- Other than that, good

Shannon

1/8/2020 09:34:18 am

"and she loved a little boy very, very much - even more than she loved herself."
-Shel Silverstein

In my opinion, the big idea of the book is the relationship between a mother and son. I think that the tree is meant to be seen as a mother. This is because, throughout the story, the tree was constantly making sacrifices for the boy. I am inferring that the tree is not the dad since the tree is addressed as a she. Another key point to support my big idea would be that in the end, the tree blamed herself for not having anything to give the boy. To me, this is something only a parent would do. Throughout the story, I think the boy learned about gratitude. He took advantage of the tree, and in the end it was left with nothing. I think that the boy might of felt guilty at the end. The tree kept the same mindset throughout the whole story. She loved the boy more than herself that she was willing so sacrifice what she had just to make him happy. I think that she learned that even if you give everything you have to someone, they can still leave you in the end. In my opinion, the big idea of this story is an important one. Sometimes, kids don't see how much their parents do for them. This story shows how much parents really care for their kids no matter what.

In conclusion, I think that this story is meant to show the sacrifices a parent would make for their child.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:30:28 am

@ Shannon
1.) I agree with Megan. Please be sure to explain what the two characters learned.

Catherine

1/8/2020 09:04:31 am

I think that the big idea is the author trying to make the tree represent the boy’s mother. So the tree is making so many sacrifices for the boy and all it wants is for the boy to be happy. I think the author wants us to think about someone in our life that made a lot of sacrifices for us but doesn't really expect us to give them anything back. We represent the boy because even if we don't realize, someone in our life is making sacrifices for us to live happier. Sometimes we take it for granted and keep on taking but don't give back. For example, the tree said ”come, boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy. The boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away. But stayed away for a long time… I think the author is trying to tell us to be more grateful to the people around us and don't just take things for granted.

Brieana

1/8/2020 09:10:56 am

@Catherine
The only thing you left out was what a character learned.

catherine

1/8/2020 09:18:48 am

1/8/2020 09:35:31 am

Harry

1/8/2020 09:37:07 am

The main idea of the giving tree is the tree love the boy so she/he want to gave the boy any things he want it is the same as the parent will gave any things that their child want so I think this is about the tree and the boy and the tree think the boy as the family I think the boy learn the tree is helping him but he live the tree alone the boy should think the tree as the family I think the tree will think the boy is grown up so he will think the tings that he do when he is young is bored or is to old to play so the tree should that the boy do the tings that he want.

Mr. Hong

1/8/2020 09:39:40 am

@ Harry

1.) You wrote one long sentence. Please separate your ideas with periods. You have written one long sentence.

1/8/2020 09:42:45 am

@Harry
You had a decent idea of the main idea, but I think you should add periods, also you have misspelled some words, like thing, you wrote ting. One last thing is checking the criteria, you have missed some points.

Harry

1/8/2020 09:48:01 am

The main idea of the giving tree is the tree love the boy so she/he want to gave the boy any things he want. it is the same as the parent will gave any things that their child want. so I think this is about the tree and the boy and the tree think the boy as the family. I think the boy learn the tree is helping him but he live the tree alone, the boy should think the tree as the family I think the tree will think the boy is grown up so he will think the things that he do when he is young is bored or is to old to play so the tree should that the boy do the things that he want.

Audrey

1/8/2020 09:50:46 am

I think the big idea is that even if you have (technically) everything that you asked for, you still won't be as happy. Being unappreciative and selfish won't lead you to anything, because in the poem, "The Giving Tree," when the boy was still young, he swung, climbed, ate apples from the tree. The boy just took and took without any gratitude till there's nothing left. I really don't think he realized how much the tree has sacrificed for him. First, he wanted money, so the tree gave him all her apples to sell. He then came back later and wanted a house, so the tree let him cut her branches off to build a house to keep him warm. Once again, he came back and asked for a boat to travel somewhere far, so the tree let him cut her trunk. The last time the boy came, the tree is even sorry she has nothing to give him, though it is not her fault at all. It clearly shows how much the tree loves, and takes care of the boy. It seems that the tree is the mother, while the boy is her son. It reminds me of how our parents would sacrifice everything for us as well, and how they would do the best even if they're sick and will get anything we ask for. It also shows in the poem that the tree is happy because the boy is happy, which also reminds me of how our parents would do the same. The tree is even happy just to be by his side. I think the poem is trying to tell us that we should be grateful for what we have, and cherish our moments with them, because you'll never know when things can happen. Even though you get everything you want, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be happy, and you're not happy just by getting something.

yan

1/8/2020 10:12:45 am

Today we learned about a poem called "The giving tree" and we write the visible thinking of it.

I think the big idea of this poem was just like mother and son. The mom cos the tree and the son cos the boy, and the son asked his mom for expensive things and the mom doing hard work for few years to fulfill her son. At the end the boy would've just wants to stay with his lonely mom. Form this thinking I think the author was trying say that we should be filial piety to our parents.

At the end I think the tree learned that she does not have to be too nice to the boy and the boy learned that a person should not be too greedy

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