by Dr. Lauri Przybysz, D.Min

 

This activity celebrates the family and friends who support and care for us, imagined as a Tree of Life. It would be a fun activity during springtime, Eastertide or part of your Earth Day celebrations. Our families and friends make up our environment in which we can grow and thrive, like trees in a forest. As in those bountiful forests, God provides our families with all that they need to be strong. This activity can appeal to children of all ages.

1. Review the parts of a tree: roots, trunk, branches, and leaves.
2. Our roots are those people who have gone before us—the people in our past who started our families, like our grandparents, saints, etc.
3. Our trunk is the people who give us support every day—the people in our present who help our family, like our godparents, family friends, teachers, priests, brothers, sisters, deacons, lay ministers, etc.
4. Our branches symbolize us reaching out to the world, an important part of keeping us strong—the gifts that we share with the world, like musical gifts and talents or our Catholic faith. As we reach out like branches, we are working towards a future with God.
5. Just as God sends water and sun for the tree to grow, God’s creation also helps us to be strong. Everything around us from the trees to the ocean is an important part of nurturing our faith and trust in God.

Instructions: Each student receives a picture of a tree without any leaves, a number of paper leaves about 3 inches wide (triangles will work), and a form or paper on which to write their answers to the following questions:

1. Print your own name under the “tree” illustration.
2. Think of names of people that helped you to feel loved and cared for.  Write a name on one of the leaves. Glue it on your “tree.” You may add more names on additional leaves.
3. Name the people who currently are positive influences on you. Write them on other leaves.
4. Identify the gifts that you have that you are able to share with others, now and in the future. Write them on one or more leaves.
5. Write the gifts of creation for which you have appreciation. Write the ideas on leaves. Paste all your leaves on the tree page.

Gather the students for a gratitude prayer. During the prayer, invite students to share ONE item from their leaves with the group.

Close the activity with a prayer of thanksgiving: “We thank you, God Our Creator, for all of the people and gifts you have given us to help us grow, and for the beauty of nature that we recall when we see these Trees of Life. Amen.”

Look for free downloadable and printable resources are available for Earth Day in Catholic Resources:

Dr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21