The Giving Tree Craft

What you'll need:

• 1 piece of white cardstock
• Brown crayon or marker
• Green and red cardstock
• Glue stick
• Scotch tape
• Scissors

• Using scissors, cut the white cardstock in half vertically. (see photos)
• Take one of the sheets of paper and draw a large tree trunk on it so that it covers three quarters of the cardstock.
• Decorate the tree trunk with markers or crayons to look like the Giving Tree. At the base of the tree trunk, write, “Once there was a tree…” on one side of the tree trunk and “and she loved a little boy.” on the other side of the tree trunk. (see photos)
• Cut the bottom quarter of the tree trunk off. Turn both pieces of paper over and use scotch tape to tape them back together. This provides a hinge and will allow you to fold back the tree trunk so that only the tree stump shows. (see photos)
• Cut a tree top shape out of the green cardstock to make the top part of the tree. Trace the tree top shape on green cardstock and cut out a second tree top shape. Glue one of the tree top shapes to the top of the tree trunk. (see photos)
• Cut the paper directly below the tree top shape, turn the pieces of cardstock over and tape with scotch tape to form another hinge. (see photos)
• Using the other half of the white cardstock, cut a piece that is the same size as the tree top piece of paper. Tape this to the top of the other piece of cardstock to create a third hinge. (see photos)
• Fold the blank piece of white cardstock over and glue the second tree top shape onto it. Use a brown marker or crayon to fill in the tree trunk. (see photos)
• Cut small apple shapes (circles) out of the red cardstock. Glue the apples to the second tree top shape. (see photos)
• Your fold out book is now complete! You have the four phases of the tree and will always remember the trees great sacrifices for the boy it loved! Next time you read this classic story, follow along with your fold out book, folding the tree as you go!