Trees Seem to be Key

The tree house the kids are standing below (1)

The kids are standing below the tree house wondering, 'This tree house looks cool and all, but what makes it any more special than our regular houses?'

The Lorax is waiting on the front porch of the tree house, inviting the kids to come in. He is eager to show them around his tree home and to explain just how special it really is. 

The Lorax (2)

”Come on in guys, hurry, before there isn’t a tree left to explore!”

Raccoons using a tree
as their home. (3)

The first branch the Lorax takes the kids to is called Animal Support, known as AS. AS supports the ladder that leads you up to the tree house. Just like the branch supports the ladder, trees support animal life by housing them, as seen in the image to the left.

“Next stop, Oxygen Alley. 

We call it OA for short.” 

OA is the branch that holds up the porch, which allows us to communicate with those below. Just like OA is a connector between the porch and the outside world, trees supply us with oxygen, which helps us talk as much as we want with our friends. 

A piece of wood furniture
that was made from a tree (4)

Right after OA, the kids were led to Hardwood Holder-uppers. 

• HH is a branch in the tree house that has a very important job. 
• It supports the floor that you can use to sit on. 
• Just like the branch holds up the floor that can act as furniture, trees give us lumber that is used to make chairs, couches, tables, and beds.

At this point in the tour, the kids were 

all excited and ready to learn more.

Who knew trees did so many things for us?! 

Unfortunately, the adventure was quickly coming to an end, so the Lorax took a time-out to explain to the kids:

Apples growing on a tree (5)

The next pause happened in front of the Healthy Branch. 
The HB is the branch that holds up the walls of the tree house. Just like the HB keeps the walls of the treehouse standing strong, trees give us important foods such as apples, nuts, and syrup, which all help us stay healthy and strong.

The next and final stop of the kids’ tree-house adventure was at Hide-and-Seek Branch.

Animals using the tree to hide (6)

“The HAS,” the Lorax explained with wonder in his voice, “is perhaps the strongest branch of them all because it holds up the roof.” Just like the HAS helps the roof stay up, keeping us safe from storms, trees make great protection for animals and hunters when the weather gets rough.

Now that the tour was over, the children were sad that they had to leave. They said their goodbyes to the Lorax and promised to come back again soon. He reminded them as they climbed down the ladder, "Always remember how important trees are, and how fun tree houses can be!"

(1) Clipart. Cartoon tree house. [Online image]. Retrieved from http://www.clipartbest.com/clipart-yco495j9i

(6) Cole, M. Illustration of animals under the tree on white. [Online image]. Retrieved

                 from http://www.shutterstock.com/s/%22squirrel+tree%22/search.html?page=1&inline=105833450

(5) Inwallspeakers. Green apple tree clipart. [Online image]. Retrieved from http://inwallspeakers1.com/green-apple-tree-clipart/

(4) Seamartini. Cartoon wooden chest of drawers vector. [Online image]. Retrieved      
                 from http://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/cartoon-wooden-chest-of-drawers-vector-2048319

(2) Tinsel-tv. Lorax character mr (4). [Online image]. Retrieved from http://tinsel.tv/the-lorax-stills/#jp-carousel-9121

(3) Wdwf. Raccoon family in tree den. [Online image]. Retrieved from http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/snags/