The Lorax

"Unless someone like you...

cares a whole awful lot...

nothing is going to get better...

It's not." ~Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, is a poetic fable that tells the tale of a tiny creature who "speaks for the trees". It was first published in 1971 and has since been adapted into a full feature movie. The language and word choice in this book is innovative and make it easy for children to understand the importance of respecting the Earth and how cutting down trees and polluting the Earth's atmosphere can have dire consequences.

The illustrations are bright and cheery in the beginning, but as the story continues all the color seems to go away once the trees have all been cut down. The terrain then just looks dead and dreary. Seuss does an amazing job at depicting his scenes. He uses color, line, shape, and texture in magnificent ways to really capture the readers attention and drive home the point in which he is trying to make throughout his story.

Motivational Activities

1) Challenge students to come up with conservation goals to meet by Student Earth Day. They may want to pledge to recycle a certain number of bottles, plant a certain number of trees, clean up a local park, or adopt an endangered species. Have them write these pledges on a poster and draw a picture for you to post on the "Pledge Board" bulletin in the classroom. Enhancement: Compete against another classroom or school to make it more fun or join forces with an environmental group in your community.

2) Make creations from recyclable materials, such as tire swings or pinecone bird feeders, for the playground. This promotes the motto of recycling "reduce, reuse, recycle". Enhancement: Have students listen to Jack Johnson's "3 R's" song and have them sing it while creating there crafts. Song Here!!!! 

Discussion

1) What was the land of the Lorax like before the Once-ler arrived? Did it seem like someplace you'd like to live? What parts of your own environment would you be sad to see go?

2) What kind of person is the Once-ler? Why won't he listen to the Lorax? The Lorax says to the Once-ler, "You are crazy with greed." Why does the Lorax say that? Do you agree or disagree?

3) Why does the Lorax speak for the trees? Why is it important to speak up for others? Have you ever spoken up for someone else? Has someone else ever spoken up for you?

4) How does the Once-ler's Thneed business hurt the land of the Lorax? What happens to the Swomee-swans, the Brown Bar-ba-loots, and the Humming-fish? How could things have been different if the Once-ler listened to the Lorax?

5) The Once-ler says, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." What does the Once-ler mean? Can one person make a difference? Can you? What are some things you can do to better your own environment?

6) How does the Once-ler feel about what his Thneed business did to the Lorax and friends? Do you think you would feel like the Once-ler if you were in his situation? Why or why not?

References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworths, Inc.

Seuss, Dr. The Lorax. Random House, 1971. Print.