The Dreaming Tree ISBN 978-1-84717-158-0 hb

Eithne Massey

Teaching Guide
By PETER HEANEY

RA TIONALE A N D THEMES Roberto finds the confidence to adapt to AC T I V I T I ES

and participate in his new surroundings,
The Dreaming Tree is a gentle story,
and is able to offer his own gifts and 1. A Friend for Roberto
which examines how insecurity in a new
talents without fear of rejection. (Read pp 8 – 9) Roberto wants to be
and strange environment can limit the
opportunities for integration and The approach should emphasise that friends with the other children in his
participation. everyone has both talents and the class; however he is not sure how to
potential to contribute effectively, begin. Can you help him? What sort of
The essence of the story falls within the
especially where circumstances might things should he say or do and what
SPHE range of issues and examines the
limit or discourage participation as was should he not do?
way self image can dictate how we
the case with Roberto. Use a class brainstorm to make a list of all
perceive our circumstances. The story
also shows how support and Whole class strategies and discussion-led the things you think might help him and
encouragement can energise a positive group work should provide an effective then in small groups pick the three things
self image and provide the courage to focus to examine the issues from the that you think will help the most. You
take control of any circumstances. story. could make a little

The themes include: DO & DON’T CARD

DISCUSSI ON POI NT S
l Self image / perception for him and decorate it with a helpful
l (Read P5): Fergus never asked picture.
l Courage Roberto to play. Do you think he was
l Cultural pride being mean or did he just not think 2. The Cúpla Focal
about asking him to play? What do
l Integration & participation (Read p 7) Roberto can speak two
you think Roberto should have done
languages, English and Portuguese. How
l Anxiety himself and why do you think he did
many languages are spoken in your
l Avoidance strategies not do it?
school?
l Support and encouragement l (Read pp 13 – 15): Amanda was a
If you had children in your school who
good dancer and Roberto thought
l Taking the initiative. did not speak English, what do you think
that she was ‘showing off’. His mum
the five most useful phrases that you
S U M MARY said that she wasn’t ‘showing off’ and
could learn to say in another language to
that it was OK to be proud of things
Roberto is unable to take the first step make them feel welcome would be?
that you can do. Who do you think is
towards integration with his new right? When do you think that being Do you think that you could get the
environment. His younger sister, proud of something you can do phrases translated and write them out on
Amanda, has already begun to make new becomes ‘showing off’? a chart with a picture to show what is
friends, but Roberto is finding it more being said? Do you think that you could
difficult. It is only when he speaks on the l (Read p16): Why do you think
practise them until you could say them
telephone to his granny in Brazil, and she Roberto hated to look different from
easily?
reminds him of the Legend of The everyone else? How did he try to
Dreaming Tree and the Jaguar King, that hide his embarrassment? Can you 3. Five Gold Stars
he finds the courage to seek his own think of other ways that people might
(Read pp31 -32) Roberto pulled off his
Dreaming Tree. This sets in motion a behave if they were embarrassed?
jacket to show his green and yellow
chain of events that lead to him achieving What could you do if you thought
jersey with the five gold stars – his
his ‘heart’s desire’. that someone you knew was
Brazilian football top. Today he is playing
embarrassed about something?
as a striker for Ireland.
A P P ROAC H
Can you use your imagination to write a
Roberto’s story is a universal tale of loving short match report to describe what is
family support; with his family’s support, happening?

The Dreaming Tree 1 Teaching Guide

If you prefer; you could do it as a thirty CLASS P R OJ EC T Using the template below, the children
second radio or television commentary are asked to compare and record the
Growing Up: Last Year, This Year, What
and everyone could listen to you as you level of personal skill and achievement
the Future Holds ...
say it? that they have experienced over a two
In the story, Roberto is reluctant to join in year period.
You should try to answer the 5 x W
with the other boys. He lacks the self
questions in your report. I.e. WHO, The prompts are:
assertion that will allow him easily to
WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY What could I / was I allowed to do
become a member of the group. l
last year?
4. What’s in a Name? The focus of these activities is to provide
the opportunity for the children to l What can I / am I allowed to do this
(Read p 29) Fergus and Shane’s black cat
identify, share and celebrate the range of year?
is called Snowy as a joke. They have used
talents that each of them has. The third prompt is a projection activity
a word that means the opposite of what
she looks like to describe her. This is The thread of the first activity is to help and can be linked easily to the notion of
called ‘irony’. the children appreciate that skill, talent the ‘Heart’s Desire’ (p13)
and achievement are progressions and The activity can be completed when the
Can you use your imagination and make
will develop over time. The activity is children dress the figure in the centre in
a list of five creatures or things and give
suited to small groups and the ideas can their favourite colours / team kit / outfit,
them names which describe the
be prompted initially by whole class or attach a photograph of themselves
complete opposite to what they are?
discussions. doing / wearing something they like.
For example,
l Lightning the Tortoise
What I could do last year What I can do this year
l Slim the Hippopotamus
Etc.
You can add a picture if you like.

5. The Dreaming Tree

(Read pp11-13) Roberto’s granny told
him the story about the boy who found
The Dreaming Tree and when he fell
asleep in its branches, he met the Jaguar
King who taught him many things.
Could you use your imagination to draw
your very own Dreaming Tree? What
animals would you find asleep in its
branches?
If you met the Jaguar King, what do you
think he might teach you?
Photograph or drawing of student
6. The Shirt
(Read p 16) Roberto hated to look
different. He was so embarrassed
because his shirts were colourful that he
hid them underneath his sweatshirt.
Have you every worn anything that made
you feel embarrassed?
Could you draw a picture of yourself
wearing the outfit and describe it?
Could you explain why you were wearing
it and what you did to hide your My heart’s desire ...
embarrassment?
What would you say to someone if you
thought they were embarrassed by
something they were wearing?

The Dreaming Tree 2 Teaching Guide

 The Dreaming Tree ISBN 978-1-84717-158-0 hb

B R AZ I L: T HE R OUGH GUI DE
T H IN K ING OF ME / THINKING OF YOU
In this activity the children will have the opportunity to research
In this activity, the children have the opportunity to identify and
both factual and opinions-based information and use this to
acknowledge positive traits in themselves and in others.
create a simple guide to Brazil.
The activity should be led initially by class discussion on how to
For age appropriate country information on Brazil you can try:
identify positive characteristics. Care should be taken at this
stage to discuss how you can and why you should identify and kids.nationalgeographic.com/Places/Find/Brazil
acknowledge positive characteristics in someone that you are in There will be an opportunity for them to develop a range of
dispute with or that you are not friendly with. literacy skills as they attempt to make their writing brief, concise
Once the activity is begun it can be most effective if it is and interesting.
completed in silence. One classroom strategy could be to present the internet
The only resource needed is a blank sheet of A4 and a selection materials as a whole-class activity and ask them to make their
of coloured pens or pencils. own notes on what they found interesting from the
presentation. They could then use the notes as the basis for
The children are asked to draw an outline of each of their hands
their guide. It can be an interesting strategy to have a delay of a
onto the blank paper. (See diagram)
few days between watching the presentation and then using the
notes that were made during the presentation to complete the
Child’s outline / tracing of left Child’s outline / tracing of guide. This way the children have the opportunity exercise their
hand right hand recall. This can be done in small groups to stimulate discussion
on their recall of what they saw.
Class discussion on the differences between fact and opinion
and the impression that these create when they are used; and
the use of a simple template (See below) can offer the
opportunity to explore how these literary forms are used.
1. DID YOU KNOW: (Fact and information: concise and clear)
2. PEOPLE SAY: (Opinion: comment or popular myth)
BRAZIL

FLAG

The title for the right hand box is ‘What I think of me’ and the
title for the left hand box is ‘What we think of you’.
During the first part of the activity, the children are asked to
record inside the drawing of their right hand all the positive
elements about themselves that they can think of.
During the second part of the activity, the children are Country Facts
permitted to move quietly around the class and leave a positive l Language
comment on each other’s left hand.
l Capital City
Allowing a variety of colours and handwriting styles adds to their
Geography
ROUGH GUIDE

l
enjoyment.
Simple rules outlined at the start, for example: l Climate

l Leave one comment only on each hand l Legends

l Positive comments only l Etc Picture

l Don’t queue up to make a comment; move on and come

back later. Etc
should ensure that everyone has sufficient comment on their
hands and prevent accumulation of comments on the hands of
the more popular children.
Laminating or otherwise preserving the finished product will
ensure a more permanent reminder for them of their skills and
their peer appreciation.
People say

The Dreaming Tree 3 Teaching Guide