Scenes From a Tree
Parent, Teacher and Caregiver Guide

This guide is designed for parents, teachers and caregivers to use with their children or students in connection with their visit to the theatre. It was written by Lois Adamson using adapted exercises from the accompanying material from des mots d’la dynamite and the study guide for A Year with Frog and Toad. We hope you will find this guide to be a useful resource. Should you have any questions or feedback or have inquiries about the use of this guide (which is copyright protected), please feel free to contact Lois Adamson, Interim Artistic Associate, Education at ladamson@youngpeoplestheatre.org.

The creators of Scenes from a Tree wanted to develop a show that would appeal to a very young audience that has, perhaps, never been exposed to the performing arts. A number of research studies show evidence of links between positive social and emotional development and early childhood arts engagement or participation. This ensemble-based piece uses craft and creation, music and performance to engage young people in a story about growth, nature and the seasonal cycles.

Exercises You Can Try at Home or in the Classroom

Before or After the Play

The Seasons

Ask children to name the four seasons. Together, discuss the characteristics of each season using the following guiding questions:

• How do you know it is summer, winter, fall, spring?
• What activities or events happen in summer, winter, fall, spring?
• What is special to you about the summer, winter, fall, spring?

After your discussion, children may choose to draw representations of each of the seasons.

Sensory Exploration of Nature

Go on a walk somewhere in nature. As you walk, focus on the sense of smell using, for example, pine tree branches, damp soil, fruits and flowers.

Then focus on texture. Have children touch the trees, leaves, and soil. Collect some leaves to bring back with you. After your walk, have children place a blank sheet of paper over top of the leaves. Have children rub the paper with a crayon, piece of chalk, pastel or charcoal with sweeping strokes until the texture appears.

Becoming Growing Trees

Begin by telling the children that they are going to explore the different seasons using their entire bodies. Use the following script as a narrative prompt for the children. You may also want to demonstrate as you narrate. You may choose to adapt the script for different seasons using ideas generated in the first exercise.

You are small seed, planted in the ground.
The warm sun shines on you. You can feel the heat.
The sun goes behind a cloud and it becomes cool. It gets cooler and cooler.
It then starts to rain. What sound does the rain make?
The sun returns and you poke your stem through the warm soil.
You grow taller and taller and taller.
Your leaves start to sprout from your stem, growing large and long.
You stretch your leaves and give them a shake.
The warm sun shines on you and the wind begins to blow. What sound does it make?
Your leaves shake in the breeze.
The wind calms down and you come to rest.