Tree of life
You’ll need
- Scissors
- Coloured pens or pencils
- Glue sticks
- Sticky tape
- A4 card
- Tables
- Chairs
Before you begin
- Tell everyone that they’ll be creating their own trees to represent the helpful people in their lives. Ask them to bring in pictures and information about the people they live with, their family, and other people who help them at school, nursery, or Scouts.
- Print off enough copies of the ‘Leaf templates’ for everyone in the group, and draw a giant tree for everyone to display their work on.
- Set up enough tables and chairs for everyone.
Story time
- Everyone should sit in a circle.
- Someone should read Micah's Act of Kindness by Jess Connett.
- After reading the story, everyone should take some time to reflect on it as a group. We’ve included some questions to help you reflect in the pink box below.
Chris was Micah’s next door neighbour. He was very kind and helpful to people and to animals.
He made a pond in the front garden so the frogs would have a place to live.
He kept the grass long so wildflowers could grow, and bees could visit.
Micah was interested in bees, so Chris bought him a book about how bees make honey.
Together they built a birdbox and put it up in a big tree outside Micah’s house. Chris’ house didn’t have any trees.
One day they were both out in their gardens. “You know what I’d really like?” said Chris. “To see birds in my garden from the dining table while I’m eating breakfast.”
That gave Micah an idea. He went to tell his mum and dad. Micah wanted to grow a tree in Chris’ garden, so they could put a birdbox in his garden too.
“Trees take a long time to grow,” said Dad. “To grow a tree as tall as the one outside our house takes many years. It might take until you’re a grown up, Micah.”
Micah had another idea. He asked Mum if they could put a birdfeeder on the ground, in front of Chris’ window. Feeding the birds brings them into our gardens.
“But birdfeeders can attract animals we don’t want, like rats,” said Mum. “It’s better if the birdfeeder is in a tree. Then only the birds can get the food.”
Micah felt sad. He didn’t have any more ideas. But Mum and Dad did.
The next week was Chris’ birthday. Mum, Dad and Micah went to a garden centre and chose a special present.
“It’s a birdbath,” said mum. “Now the birds will come to Chris’ garden to have a bath.”
The birdbath came in a big box. It was very heavy! They all carried it through the gate into Chris’ garden. Micah rang the doorbell.
“Happy birthday!” said Micah when Chris opened the door. “Now you’ll be able to watch the birds.”
Chris was very happy. “What a kind present, Micah!” he said. Together they put up the birdbath and filled it with water.
Chris invited them in for a piece of birthday cake. They sat at the dining table to eat.
“Look!” said Micah, pointing out of the window. “There’s the first bird taking a bath!”
By Jess Connett
My roots
- The person leading the activity should give everyone a copy of the ‘Leaf templates’.
- Everyone should find a space around a table where they can work on their leaves. They should make sure they have any pictures and information they’ve brought with them.
- Everyone should stick or draw a picture of themselves inside one of the leaves on their sheet, and add any other information they want to include about themselves.
- The person leading the activity should display the tree that they drew before the session.
- Everyone should stick their leaves onto the tree.
- As a group, everyone should reflect on their leaves. Would anyone like to share anything about them?
Grow the tree
- Everyone should cut out more leaves and add information and pictures about other helpful people they live with, family members, and people at Scouts, school, or nursery.
- Whenever someone finishes a new leaf, they should add it to the tree.
- Everyone should talk about the tree and share their thoughts. Why was it important to bring everyone’s information together?
Be inspired
- Go around the group and ask everyone to talk about why they included their people on the tree. How are the people kind and helpful?
- Everyone should choose one or two ways that they could be kind or helpful. For example, if they’ve included a big sister who always helps them to tidy up, they could try to help their siblings or friends tidy up next time they play.
- Everyone should go and do their best to do the helpful things they chose.
Reflection
This activity encouraged everyone to think about how the people they live with, their family, and the helpful people in their lives might be different to others’ in the group. It also encourages everyone to think about what it means to be part of a community. The activities questioned the thoughts and feelings that hold a group of people together, and challenged the idea that everyone must be genetically related.
You can ask these reflection questions throughout the session or at the end.
Micah's Act of Kindness
- What did Micah do for Chris in the story?
- Why is it good to be kind? How does it make you feel to be kind?
My roots
- Do everyone’s leaves look the same? Why not?
- Does everyone in a tree of life have to be related?
Grow the tree
- Why did you place everyone on the same tree?
- What do you think keeps your group tree healthy and strong?
- How is this tree a community?
Be inspired
- Was it easy to think of examples of how people are kind and helpful?
- Is it always easy to choose to be kind and helpful?
- Why is it best to try to be kind and helpful?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
- Glue and solvents
Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.
- If they’re struggling, people could work in pairs to support each other to cut and stick and decide what pictures and information to put in their leaves.
- If they’re feeling confident, people could write words or even sentences about the people on their leaves.
- Not everyone will be able to draw their own leaves; they can use the ‘Leaf templates’ instead.
- Some people may not want to speak about their family in front of everyone. If lots of people don’t want to share in a big group, people could do the activity in pairs or smaller groups.
- Be especially sensitive if you know the topic of families is difficult for anyone. This activity gives everyone the chance to think about the helpful people in their lives, whoever they are.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Everyone could print pictures of their faces or their names and add these to a large tree made up of everyone to show their involvement as a whole group.
Why not have a go at this at home? Ask everyone you live with to create their own leaf and fill it with things that are special to them. Then put it all together to create your tree of life.
Everyone should have the opportunity to share information about their families and the people they live with (and express their feelings about people in their lives) during the activity. Encourage everyone to make their own choices about who to include in their tree and what they want to say about them.