BDA: Seedfolks

Before, During, and After Reading activities for the book Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman.

Before You Begin Reading…
Complete one of the following activities.

1. Do you know the people in your neighborhood? Why or why not? Do you do any activities with your neighbors? Describe the people who make up your neighborhood. Write at least half a page.


2. What does “community” mean to you? Create a poster illustrating what you think makes up a community. Use words, drawings, and/or cut-out pictures from magazines.


3. Have you ever grown a flower a plant, a tree? Describe what you had to do to take care of it. How often did you water it, fertilize it? Did you place it inside or outside? Was it in the sun or a shady space? How did it grow? Write at least half a page.


4. Write a poem about one of the following topics: community, neighborhood, gardens, farming.

While You Are Reading…
Complete one of the following activities.

1. Create a map of the community garden. Include who is gardening in each spot and what they are growing. Where are the gardeners from?


2. Make a chart and fill in the following information for each character:
   
   • Name
   
   
   • Describe his or her personality traits.
   
   
   • Where is he or she from? (history)
   
   
   • What is he or she growing?
   
   
   • Why is he or she growing that?
   
   
   • How does he or she feel about the other people?
   
   
   • How does the garden change this person?


3. The characters learn a lot about growing flowers and vegetables in the garden. Create a booklet of growing tips for Chicago. Include all the information from the book.


4. The gardeners have come to Chicago from many different places. On a map of the world, label each place with the person’s name and the approximate date they moved to Chicago. Include the people who moved from another state to Illinois.


5. Plant and grow a seed of your own in a paper cup or outside. Write a daily journal describing how you care for the plant and how it grows.

When You Have Finished Reading…
Complete one of the following activities.

1. Create a poster promoting community gardens. Make it clear how they benefit neighborhoods. Give tips for starting a community garden.


2. Write at least one page describing how the garden changed the lives of at least 5 people. Can you see a community garden changing the lives of people in your community or your school’s community?


3. Gardens are a metaphor for community and connection to the planet and one another. Write at least one page explaining these metaphors. Give examples from the book.


4. Write a song or a poem about at least 5 characters in the book and how the community garden changed their lives.