1.+The+Lorax

=**Seuss, Dr. (1971). //The Lorax.// New York: Random House.** = Synopsis: //The Lorax speaks for the trees and other members of our environment. When the once-lers start abusing the land, the Lorax tries to save the environment. After years of abuse the very last seed is passed on to the next generation of youth to preserve the future.//

Using Children's Literature as a Springboard to Creating Inventions.
Create an invention out of recyclable household items using various children’s tradebooks as inspiration. Each group will design an advertisement using persuasive devices used in propaganda to promote the invention.

[|NSTA2012InventionHandout.pdf] //Designed by Leslie Suters//

OTHER TEACHING IDEAS
//I. Research pollution & deforestation - Tuten-Puckett (1990)// __Science and Social Studies__ Research, discuss, or write about environmental pollution in your state or the U.S. Research, discuss, or write about what is happening to the Amazon Rain Forests and the worldwide effects.

//II. Plant trees - Leaf (website included in references)// __Science/math__ Students plant tree seeds, graph the growth of seeds, write stories about how their seeds have grown and saved the earth in response to The Lorax (share stories)

//III. Environmental Scarcity - Kloppenburg// __Science (Environmental scarcity)/Social Studies (Economics)__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Talk to the students about symbolism. Have students try to find the symbolism in the following experiment. Have students draw a number and line up in order. Pour out a small bag of potato chips on a table. Announce, “when it is your turn you can step forward and have as much as you want, take the entire amount back to your seat and enjoy.” (Usually the chips don’t last past #5 or so). When the last chip or chip dust is taken the game is over and the group discussion begins… “What did the line of people symbolize?” “What about the potato chips - what did they stand for?” “What happened?” Relate to the characters in The Lorax.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//IV. Cause & Effect - Novelli (2003)// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__Science/social studies:__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make a cause and effect chain to explore story structure. Start with the Once-ler cutting down the first Truffala Tree. Continue with the Thneed that the Once-ler made from the factory that was built to make more Thneeds from more trees, and so on. Discuss the chain. How did one thing lead to another. Make connections to students’ lives by investigating the environment in their neighborhood (town, city, state, and so on). (Are any animals’ habitats being destroyed from development? Are streams or lakes being polluted? How is the air quality?) Choose a topic to learn more about. Organize a cause-and-effect chain to look at what is happening and why. Plan a class stewardship project as a culmination.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//V. Conservation// <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**A. Moseley (1995)** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Science (conservation)/Social studies (technology, marketing, populations) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students examine the importance of conserving natural resources. Discuss and analyze the story and relate it to the management and mismanagement of natural resources. __Environmental Issues__: solid waste disposal, air pollution, deforestation, endangered species, extinction, and hazardous waste disposal. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__Socio-ecological issues__: technology advancement, population increases, consumer marketing, wealth, and progress. Four activities follow.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Divide class into 2 large groups - one represents the Lorax, and the other represents the Once-ler. As you read the book ask the students to identify with the character (how it feels, thinks, and what it wants), regardless of whether they personally agree. After the story is over, ask: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who do the Lorax and the Once-ler represent? What are their professions? What do they do for a living? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What do the Lorax and Once-ler really want? What are their biggest concerns? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ask students to brainstorm additional outcomes for the story. Record possibilities. Challenge students to negotiate the best possible outcome upon which both parties can agree.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**I’m a Lorax, you’re a Lorax**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After students become familiar with the book, ask:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Lessons of the Lorax**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What seems to be the author’s intent in writing this book?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Can you equate the ideas in the story with real, present-day situations? If so, what people, what resources, and what issues?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What issues appear to be important in the story? Identify any present-day counterparts to these issues. Are any of these issues in apparent conflict? If so, which ones? For what reasons?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Do you think The Lorax was written for young children, their parents, or both?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What, if any, significance do the ideas presented in the Lorax have for you in your daily life?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ask students to write a sequel to the story. What do they think happened to the Lorax? The truffala trees? The environment? Does humanity fit into the story? How? Do they fit into the story? How?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Divide the class into 6 groups and give each group a card with one of the following topics written on it. Each group should discuss their assigned topic and write down answers. Ask groups to take turns reading their answers to class and students can agree, disagree, or add to the answers given by their classmates.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**The Moral of the Story**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How could the Once-ler have managed his company to protect natural resources and not run out of trees to manufacture “thneeds”? Is it necessary to protect all trees “from axes that hack”?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What did the Once-ler mean by “unless”? What responsibility does he seem to think “someone like you” needs to take? What kinds of things can we do today to ensure that trees will be available for all different purposes in the future?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Compare the Once-ler’s attitude toward the environment at the beginning of the story with his attitude at the end.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Once-ler explains his actions by saying, “If I didn’t do it, someone else would.” Is this a good excuse for doing what he did?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Lorax says he speaks for the trees. What does this mean to you? What is the Lorax’s attitude at the end of the story?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What was Dr. Seuss’s purpose in writing this story?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Lorax contains a rich array of concepts, which makes it ideally suited for concept mapping. Give groups of students a copy of the book or show the video. Ask students to write down concepts as the story progresses. Then, have the students prepare a concept map in their groups. By the time they are finished they have not only improved their mapping skills, but they have discussed environmental issues in the book extensively. Have the groups research concepts that they are unfamiliar with to add details to their maps. Ask students to use Inspiration software to complete their final map.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Concept Map**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**B. Comer (1999) To Conserve or Not to Conserve** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Before reading the book, pass around a roll of toilet tissue and ask students to take as much as they think they will need. Do not give them any hint as to what they are taking toilet paper for. Let them draw their own conclusion. Read the book, emphasizing the destruction that takes place in it. Have a discussion about how greed destroyed the land and forced all living creatures to leave. Once the discussion is completed, ask students to count the number of sections of toilet tissue they took. For each section, instruct them to write one way that they personally, can help conserve energy and/or save the environment.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">VI. **The Power to Choose and the Lorax Unit- developed by Tannis Calder** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Excellent resource that includes 7 lessons ranging from putting the Once-ler on trial, writing a sequel to the story, and gathering forensic evidence. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">www.ierg.net/assets/documents/teach/3pgframes/**Lorax**Unit.pdf

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">References
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Calder, Tannis. The Power to Choose and the Lorax. (Mock Trial - Unit plan and blackline masters)

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Kloppenburg, Kevin. //On the Loose with Dr. Seuss: An Exploratory Class for Middle School//. Cherokee Middle School. Springfield, Missouri.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Leaf, Vickie. Dr. Seuss Lesson plans (12 activities for Dr. Seuss books). []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Moseley, Christine A. (May, 1995). The continuing adventures of the Truffala Tree Company. //Science Scope//. v. 18, p. 22-25.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Novelli, Joan (2003). //Teaching with Favorite Dr. Seuss Books//. New York, Scholastic Inc.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Peters, Tom (1999). //Seuss-isms For Success: Insider Tips on Economic Health from the Good Doctor//. New York: Random House.