A tree-themed read-aloud and classroom activity offers teachers a fun way to bring nature, creativity and environmental learning into the new school year.
Back-to-school season is a wonderful time to help children reconnect with nature, build curiosity, and discover how they can care for the world around them.
Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE! is written by Andrea Koehle Jones, founder and executive director of The ChariTree Foundation, and illustrated by Erin Mercer.
Meet Ned — a wildly enthusiastic puppy with BIG tree-planting dreams and a hilarious habit of planting trees in ALL the wrong places! 🌳🐶
This lively, interactive read-aloud gets young children laughing, thinking and joining in as Ned discovers an important environmental lesson: planting a tree isn’t just about digging a hole — it’s about choosing the right tree and the right place for it to grow.
Along the way, Ned’s muddy, tree-planting adventure opens the door to conversations about nature, teamwork, community, tree planting, STEM and environmental awareness — making the book a fun springboard for hands-on classroom learning.
🌱 Classroom Activity: Where Would You Plant Your Tree?
After reading the book, invite students to imagine that they have a new tree to plant.
Ask children to:
- 🌳 Choose what kind of tree they would plant.
- 📍 Draw where they would plant their tree.
- 🌱 Think about why that location would be a good place for it to grow.
- 💚 Share their hope for their tree.
A child might hope their tree will grow fruit for people to eat, provide shade on a hot day, become a home for birds and other wildlife, beautify their community, or grow strong and tall for future generations to enjoy.
Students can complete three simple prompts:
The kind of tree I would plant is ____________________.
I would plant my tree ______________________________.
My hope for my tree is _____________________________.
The activity encourages children to connect creativity and imagination with environmental learning. It can also start a conversation about what trees need to thrive — including healthy soil, sunlight, water, space for their roots and branches, and a suitable place to grow.
Planting Ideas That Grow
At The ChariTree Foundation, we believe environmental education can start with something as simple as a story, a drawing and a child imagining where they would plant a tree.
When children begin noticing trees, thinking about what they need, and discovering the many ways trees support people, wildlife and communities, they begin building their own connection with the natural world.
As students head back to school, Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE! offers teachers and families a fun way to turn storytime into a conversation about trees — and then give children the opportunity to imagine a tree of their very own.
Read a story. Imagine a tree. Choose its place. Plant an idea that can grow. 🌱🌎
Perfect for families, educators, librarians, homeschoolers, and young nature enthusiasts, Don’t Let Ned Plant a Tree THERE! encourages children to laugh, learn, and discover that helping the planet begins with curiosity, compassion, and hope.
100% of the author’s book profits support children’s environmental education and tree-planting initiatives.
The book features:
• A unique picture book/graphic novel format
• Humorous, interactive storytelling
• Hidden seedlings to find throughout the story
• Tree-planting tips and instructions