The Mango Tree

Worksheet: Plan a letter from Maggieungroup

Compose a sensory poem 

Before reading the story, write the word Mango on the board. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Students are to silently write down everything they can think of that relates to the word ‘Mango’ until the time is up. Discuss the ideas that students wrote during the timed writing exercise.  

Some samples answers might be: 

• Fruit 
• Delicious 
• Juicy 
• Summer 
• Ice cream 
• Grows on a tree 
• Tropical 

Read the story ‘The Mango Tree.’ After reading, students use a highlighter or coloured pencil to underline descriptions of the Mango tree and the other plants in the garden. Sample words and phrases that should be underlined include: 

• cool shade of its leaves 
• smelled almost as good as a ripe mango! 
• sweep her hand through the leaves and feel almost nothing. 
• spiky grass 
• smooth trunk 
• canopy of leaves 
• a beautiful scent filled the air. 

Organise these words and phrases into three groups based on the sense the author is appealing to (some samples have been included in this table): 

Discuss why including appeals to multiple senses is more interesting for readers than just describing what things look like.  

Suggested ideas for this discussion include: Readers can feel like they are there in the garden with Maggie because they can imagine what Maggie can see, smell and feel.  

Students choose a fruit or a plant that is stimulating for multiple senses, they should think about something that is interesting to look at, smell, taste, touch or listen to.  

Suggestions include: 

• Strawberries  
• Rosemary 
• Gardenia 
• Bananas 

Students identify three senses and place them in three columns – one for each sense they have identified. In each column, students brainstorm words, phrases and descriptions relating to that sense. A sample is provided below: 

Rosemary 

Tall 

Long arms reaching to the sky 

Sweet smelling 

Reminds me of roast lamb and Christmas time 

Spiky leaves 

When crushed, becomes sticky 

Once students have completed their brainstorm, they are to piece together a short poem about their fruit or plant using the sensory descriptions from their brainstorm. 

Sample: 

Beside me on the path 

long, green arms reach for the sky 

brushing my knuckles with spiky leaves 

releasing a sweet scent. 

It reminds me of Grandma’s Christmas lunch. 

I crush a leaf and the scent grows stronger 

And my tummy grumbles for roast.  

Extension Task: Students create an illustration to accompany their poem.