Book Discussion Guide

The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin Naturalist, Geologist & Thinker by Peter Sis

The life of Charles Darwin is creatively told by Peter Sís in the book, The Tree of Life. Who knew that a 19th century life could be so exciting? The cartoon like illustrations animate the life of a scientific explorer that is written in layers – his public life, private life, and secret life. In order to read this beautiful book, you will need to investigate every corner of every page. The intriguing layout makes this book perfect to share as a read aloud with your 5th grade student or, due to its complexity, as an independent read for a sixth or seventh grader. The Tree of Life breathes new life into the biography and ideas of Charles Darwin, making it obvious why we still reference him today.

Questions To Talk About
While Reading

Vocabulary

It's important to make sure that your child has an understanding of key words in the book. Talking about words while reading is a great way for your child to learn new words.

In this book, you might talk about these words:

naturalist (pg. 6)
expedition (pg. 6)
practical arrangements (pg. 7)
chronological (pg. 8)
classifying (pg. 21)
theory (pg. 21)
adaptation (pg. 25)

You might use a question like:

Based on the book, what does “naturalist” mean? What other words does the author use (context clues) to help you figure out what it means? How is this word different than its synonym(s)?

Key Ideas and Themes

In addition to words, it's important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book.

Here are some examples to get you started:

1
After reading the book, skim and scan the pages with your child to talk about the author’s use of different fonts in layering the story. Ask you child what different types of information are told with the different fonts. Why do you think the author would present the text like this?
2
Read through the journal pages detailing Darwin’s five-year journey. Ask your child to look for information describing his life on the ship. Now, ask you child to compare Darwin’s life on land to his life on the ship. How are they similar and how are they different?
3
The book talks about the theory of natural selection. Ask your child to go over what Darwin’s theory of natural selection is. Ask him or her to use the book to help out. Now, ask who Wilberforce is and what he thinks. How do Darwin and Wilberforce disagree with one another? While you talk about their differences, use the book to include specific details for each person.
4
Peter Sís goes to great lengths to talk about both the public and private lives of Charles Darwin. Talk with your child about how the publication of Origin of the Species affected both his public and private lives. What do you think he thought about the public controversy? What in the book tells you so?
5
On the final page of the book, Darwin is quoted as saying, “As far as I can judge, I am not apt to follow blindly the lead of other men.” Reread this quote and talk about what Darwin meant. Ask your child to point out places in the book that reflect this statement. Was Darwin right about himself?

Extra Activities

1
Encourage your child to become a naturalist just like Darwin by recording his or her own observations about the natural world. You and your child can draw and take notes about your own surroundings. Use Peter Sís’s description of Darwin to help you make observations. What questions do you have about what you see? Visit the library or a website to answer your questions. Congratulations! These are the first steps toward a life of inquiry!
2
With your child, read The Danger Box by Blue Balliett. Charles Darwin and his life as a naturalist play a role in this novel. What a perfect follow up to reading Peter Sís’s masterpiece! After reading, ask your child to compare how these two authors present the life of Darwin in works of fiction and non-fiction.