Epsilon Kappa
Chapter: 130
Institution: Michigan State University
Theme: The Great Kapok Tree Pen Pal Program
• The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry was read to third-grade students and a discussion was held after the reading.
• The students then wrote letters to their new pen pals (KDP members) discussing their reactions, opinions, and the environmental issues that were raised in the book.
• When chapter members met to discuss The Great Kapok Tree, they read and responded to the students’ letters.
• Packets were assembled and delivered during the students’ lunchtime. The packets included rainforest friends’ stickers, bookmarks, pencils, and notebooks, a copy of The Great Kapok Tree (with a note from the pen pal inside), and two other age-appropriate children’s books
• Healthy fruits that might be found in a rainforest were provided for the students’ dessert. After they were finished eating, pen pals helped create a pop-up mural about the book.