Think Like a Tree

Direct students to read the title of the poem and look at the image. Invite them to predict what the poem will be about.

Point out that this is a shape poem (a poem in which the poet arranges words on the page to create a shape that is connected to the poem’s topic).

Point out and discuss the meanings of any unfamiliar or challenging words, such as affirm, emerge, renewed, rustling.

Ask a volunteer to read aloud the Up Close box at the top of the page.

Read the poem aloud, or play our Audio Read-Aloud.

Go back to the question in the Up Close box and have students discuss their responses with a partner.

Discuss the poem as a class, using the questions that follow as prompts.

1. The title and each line of the poem begin with a verb (such as think, soak, affirm, be). Why do you think poet Karen I. Shragg made the choice to write her poem this way? (text structure) The poet starts the title and each line of the poem with a verb to make commands or suggestions. She does this because she’s giving instructions she wants us to follow.

2. In line 2, affirm means to “declare or show something is true.” In what ways does a tree show the magic of life? How might a person “affirm life’s magic”? (figurative language) Sample answer: Trees show the magic of life in many different ways. Their growth from seed or nut to towering tree can seem magical, as can their ability to make their own food from the sun’s energy. They often change with the seasons and offer many wonderful and useful things to humans and animals, such as fruit, shade, or a place to live. A person can affirm life’s magic by pausing to notice and appreciate the many amazing moments in life. We might choose to write a poem or story about one of these moments or simply talk about the experience with a friend.

3. Read line 4. Explain what it means for someone to “stand tall after a storm.” (figurative language) To “stand tall after a storm” means to be confident or proud of yourself after going through a difficult time. 

4. Read the final two lines of the poem and explain in your own words what they mean. (interpreting text) To “be still long enough to hear your own leaves rustling” means to take time to quiet the outside world and pay attention to what you’re feeling and thinking.

5. What is the tone, or speaker’s attitude, in the poem? (tone) The poem’s tone is serious but enthusiastic and encouraging. It shows that Shragg is eager for us to understand what she has to say and to feel as enthusiastic as she does.

6. Why do you think Shragg wrote this poem? What do you think she believes we can learn from trees? (author’s purpose) Shragg probably wrote “Think Like a Tree” to celebrate how amazing trees are and to encourage us to apply some of the things that trees do to our own lives. She believes we should notice the magic in life, be strong and adaptable, offer help to others, and be in touch with nature and ourselves.

Connect the poem to this issue’s nonfiction article, “After the Storm,” which is about the September 2024 floods in the areas of Asheville, North Carolina, focusing on the experiences of Evelyn Sarellano Paez and her family. Ask students to write a letter to Evelyn about the poem “Think Like a Tree,” encouraging her to read it. In their letters, they should explain what they appreciate about the poem and why Evelyn might feel a connection to it.