Show students how to use a Who/What/Why chart as a way of summarizing some of the important parts of a book. Show a chart such as this: Summary: The man in the story travels through the rain forest and wants to chop down the great kapok tree. Many animals that live in the rain forest come over and whisper to him, to not cut down the tree. The animals remind the man that the tree is apart of their life and some of the animals live in the tree. Sierra Leone's symbolic Cotton Tree falls during storm in Freetown". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 25 May 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-05-25 . Retrieved 2023-05-25.

The name ‘kapok’ comes from the cotton-like pile acquired from the seed pods of these trees, which is a Malay-derived name and is known by many other names in different regions. It is mainly cultivated for its cotton-like seed fiber, which is used for different purposes and is very famous in south-east Asian countries. Since the soil washes away with frequent rains, the kapok tree has to support itself by growing massive trunks, tripod-like buttresses, and wide rise flowing outward from the trunk. Review: "The Great Kapok Tree" is an excellent story to enhance the theme of community. The animals tell the man not to chop down the tree because it is apart of life and the need the tree in many ways to survive.

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Text-to-World Connection: How does a theme or content presented in the book connect to something happening in the world? The ceiba was the most sacred tree for the ancient Maya, and according to Maya mythology, it was the symbol of the universe. The tree signified a route of communication between the three levels of earth. Its roots were said to reach down into the underworld, its trunk represented the middle world where the humans live, and its canopy of branches arched high in the sky symbolized the upper world and the thirteen levels in which the Maya heaven was divided. No one notices the jaguar “because his spotted coat blended into the dappled light and shadows of the understory.” Can you find out about other animals that use camouflage? The following video gives more information about the book and the rainforest. Could you create a similar video (or a written / audio report)?

If students are still having difficulty distinguishing between a topic (what the story is about) and a main idea (what the author wants to say about the topic), don't worry. Finding "main ideas" is often difficult for students at this age level because it goes beyond the concrete details of the story to understanding of the essence of a story and the author's purpose. Augh! You can make a case for this perfectly good message without being patronizing about it. You can make a case for the message without cramming it down the reader's throat. You can talk about these things without having each animal coming to him brimming with exposition. She's a great artist. I would say she's not that good of a writer. It's the equivalent of drawing diagrams of everything. You don't need to spell it out. When you do that, it becomes uninteresting to read. The person who's reading it feels like you're talking down to them. They feel like you're saying you're better than they are. Nobody wants to read a book like that. I don't want to read it again, and I don't want to read it to my kids. I can't imagine a child being interested in anything beyond the pictures. Use the first line of the book (“Two men walked into the rain forest”) as the starting point for your own story. This is a recount from the perspective of the man in the story. It recalls the events leading up to the man’s arrival at the Kapok tree and also provides an insight into the mindset of the man. Your children will reflect on the man’s reasons for chopping down the trees as well as gaining an insight on the man’s mindset. This is a brilliant recount that encourages your Lower KS2 children to consider the circumstances of people before making judgements, whilst reflecting on ways to improve the words used in the text to become more independent writers and editors. Some folklore from Trinidad and Tobago says that a considerable kapok tree exists deep in the forest.BBC Earth News) "Sacred plants of the Maya forest", 5 June 2009 accessed 12.25 on February 10 2021. An animal that eats the leaves of the Kapok tree is the loudest animal on land- the Howler Monkey. And the Howler monkey is eaten by large birds of prey such as the Harpy Eagle. The Harpy Eagle is the top of this food chain and has no natural predators. Create a weather report for the rainforest. How would it compare to a weather report for the place where you live?