ZAMASAMA PRESENTS
A Guide for Teachers and Parents
Written and Illustrated
by
Vinayak Verma
Children will:
- Understand the importance of trees in maintaining ecological balance and protecting biodiversity.
- Recognize how individual actions can have a long-term impact on the environment.
- Explore how compassion for animals and nature can inspire action.
- Learn about Jadav Payeng’s real-life contribution to combating deforestation.
- Be encouraged to take small environmental steps—such as planting trees or reducing waste—in their communities.
Discussion Questions
A. Warm-Up Discussion (Before Reading):
- Have you ever planted a tree? Why do people plant trees?
- What would happen if there were no trees around us?
- Can you name animals or birds that live in trees?
- What does a forest look like? What does it feel or smell like?
B. Questions During Reading:
- Why was Jadav upset when he saw the dead snakes?
- What did he decide to do to fix the problem?
- How did the land change over time?
- What challenges did Jadav face as he planted more trees?
C. Questions After Reading:
- What qualities made Jadav special?
- What would have happened if Jadav had waited for someone else to act?
- How did the forest help both animals and people?
- What lesson can we take from Jadav’s story?
D. Suggested Activities:
- Seed-to-Tree Journal: Give each child a seed to plant in a pot and track its growth over weeks.
- Draw Your Dream Forest: Encourage children to draw a forest they would like to grow—what trees, animals, and colors would it have?
- Story Extension: Research and present other real-life environmental heroes around the world.
- Eco-Pledge Wall: Each student writes one promise to the Earth and posts it on a classroom wall.
- Map the Forest: Locate Assam on a map and discuss other forests around the world—Amazon, Congo Basin, Sundarbans, etc.
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG Explanation:
- SDG13: Jadav’s tree planting combats climate change and promotes a cooler, greener Earth.
- SDG 15: The story emphasizes restoring degraded land and protecting ecosystems.
- SDG 12: Encourages readers to live responsibly and be mindful of environmental impact.
A Very Important Tree – A girl’s bond with a tree in her courtyard
A Tiny Seed –“We Need Trees” said Maathai as she became aware of the environmental degradation of Kenya.
- Children will express a deeper emotional connection to nature.
- They will be motivated to take simple steps toward sustainability.
- They will understand the role of trees in climate, biodiversity, and human life.
- Students will be inspired by real-life role models who made a difference.
Zamasama is a nonprofit platform that brings together stories from around the world to help children discover that beneath our differences—of culture, language, or belief—we share the same hopes, joys, and dreams.
Today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens, and the responsibility of building a more peaceful, tolerant, and empathetic world lies with them.
That’s why it’s vital to instill these values early—through stories that help them rise above the biases they inherit, and see diversity as a strength that unites us all.