Procedure:
- The students receive a sheet of paper with the outlines of a tree. They learn that the tree is a figurative depiction of their own person, with the parts of the tree representing the following categories (this should be discussed and illustrated with an example on the board):
- Roots: basic needs. What do I need to live? In what am I deeply rooted? (family, food, home, etc.).
- Branches: abilities/strengths. What am I able to do? What are my strengths?
- Leaves: interests/hobbies. What are my hobbies? What am I interested in?
- Blossoms or fruit: desires/dreams. What do I wish for? What kind of dreams do I have?
- Trunk: name/nickname.
- The students write to the individual parts of the tree what is characteristic of them. (The instructor or a classmate may help the very young students). Subsequently, they may embellish their paper with colors.
- Reflection and discussion with the class as a whole: each student presents his/her tree and with it, his/her own personality. It is useful to previously provide the students with a few sentence beginnings (maybe write them on the board), e. g. “My skills are…”, “I am interested in…”. Finally, commonalities and differences are discussed, inluding gender and age-specific similarities and differences.