Learners will take part in a service learning project involving trees.  They will discuss the meaning of philanthropy and come to a consensus as to how they can help improve the community with trees.  Through the use of literature, video, music, and drama, they will reflect what they can do to make a difference in their community.  They will carry out a service project of planting trees in a common area.  By using waste paper from the school, learners will participate in the process of recycling to help take care of the trees using the natural process of composting.

The learner will:

• identify the main idea of The Lorax and act out the story while the teacher reads it aloud. 
• recognize that we have a responsibility for the common good and can be good stewards of trees.
• define and give examples of selfishness and selflessness. 
• brainstorm the uses of trees and sort into meaningful categories. 
• define the four sectors of society--family, business, government, and non-profit--and discuss each sector's interest in trees. 
• compare and contrast private property and common resources.
• name some common areas where they could plant trees.
• illustrate and identify the needs of a tree: water, food, and air.
• follow directions to plant a tree in a pot.
• discuss the benefits of nature.
• give examples of actions students can take to improve the common good and list or describe responsibilities that go with these actions.
• make a map of the area of where the trees are going to be planted.
• plant the trees in a common area.
• illustrate and reflect in writing on the planted trees.
• write thank-you notes for the opportunity to plant in the common area.
• develop a service plan to recycle paper from their school.
• chart and graph the weight of shredded paper.
• interpret the data from a graph.
• demonstrate how to be a philanthropist by making a common area more beautiful.
• write a letter to the nursery that helped to create the compost.

Assessment takes place through observation of student participation in discussions and activities. Several drawing and writing assignments are assessed for content.

This unit will require many weeks to complete.  Be sure to read all lessons before beginning. Before beginning this unit, contact a guest speaker to talk to the class about trees in Day Three of Lesson One.  This person may come from a local nursery, garden club, extension agency, Hoosier Releaf,  or parent gardener.  The speaker should present information about different types of trees, their benefits, their needs, and how students can be good stewards for the trees.

The re-enactment of The Lorax in Lesson One can be as elaborate or simple as the instructor desires.

For Lesson Two, make sure you have a classroom supply of bare-root trees to pot. These may need to be ordered several months in advance.  Free trees and plants service and Information can be found at http://www.freetreesandplants.com

Before beginning Lesson Three, potted trees must have grown an appropriate amount for planting outdoors.  Also, different trees have different planting times.  Be careful to plant the trees at the appropriate time of year.

In Lesson Three, you need permission to plant trees in a common area of the community. On Day Three of Lesson Three, you will need parent helpers and parent permission to go on a field trip to the common area.

Before beginning Lesson Four, check with your administration for placement of collection containers and for making a public announcement over the school's public address system. Make arrangements with a nursery for adding shredded paper to their compost pile and for a field trip to observe the compost pile. The time component for Lesson Four will be determined by the amount of paper collected and the time required for the paper to decompose.