It is difficult to motivate students to care about the Earth if they don't have a direct connection with the natural world. This series of engaging classroom activities, creative art activities, inventive reading and writing lessons, fascinating science experiments, and interactive videos are designed to inspire a love of nature and an appreciation for the many gifts of our precious planet.
1. Take Action Like Greta
This research activity introduces students to Greta Thunberg, a young activist who speaks passionately about climate change and environmental protection. After reading Our House Is on Fire: Greta's call to save the planet, students will conduct research using online resources to learn more about her cause.
Learn more: Education.com
2. Take a Virtual Field Trip to the Amazon Rainforest
On this exciting virtual field trip, students will learn about the layers of the rainforest, the animals that live there and discover fascinating plant and animal adaptations. This visually stunning video will inspire a deeper appreciation for all of nature's remarkable gifts.
Learn more: Virtual Field Trips Net
3. Earth Day PowerPoint
This educational presentation covers the origins of Earth Day and offers simple, actionable ideas students can take to help our planet.
Learn more: Twinkl
4. Read and Discuss 'Where Does the Garbage Go?"
This informative picture book takes students on a tour of landfills, incinerators, and recycling centers. It offers many environmentally friendly ideas such as using a lunch box instead of a paper bag and can serve as a great launching point for a discussion about ways to help the Earth.
5. Make an Earth Day Art Activity with Recyclable Materials
Students will love transforming a coffee filter into a beautiful image of the Earth using green and blue markers and a simple water spray technique.
Learn more: I Heart Crafty Things
6. Recycled Plastic Water Bottle Suncatchers
These earth-friendly creations can be hung up around the classroom to add a pop of color. They also make for a great opportunity to discuss our excessive plastic bottle consumption and brainstorm ways to reduce, reuse and recycle plastics. Check our list of fun and exciting recycling activities for kindergarteners here.
Learn more: A Little Pinch of Perfect
7. Plant Seeds to Help the Earth
The process of tiny seeds transforming into flowering plants and towering trees is an utterly fascinating natural marvel. As they watch the seeds germinate, students will have ample opportunities to discuss the needs of plants and how to nurture young seedlings. Here is a list of our favorite fast-growing seeds for garden classrooms.
Learn more: Tinker Garden
8. Compare Non-Renewable and Renewable Energy Systems
This lesson highlights the importance of energy as a resource that powers our cars, phones, and lights. Young learners will develop an appreciation for renewable energy and learn ways they can reduce their reliance on non-renewable sources.
Learn more: Education.com
9. Make a Water Cycle in a Bag
This simple science experiment is a hands-on way for students to see the process of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection right before their eyes.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
10. Printable Earth Day Packet
This huge Earth Day packet is filled with fun, educational activities. It includes a true/false quiz, vocabulary cards, original stories, and creative writing activities.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
11. Earth Day Bingo Board
This Earth Day-themed bingo board is full of creative and fun activities, ranging from nature hunts to recycled art sculptures, combining scientific discovery with artistic expression.
Learn more: Education.com
12. Make Your Own Water Filtration System
This hands-on activity guides students in making their own water filtration system, using common materials found around the home. It makes for a great opportunity to discuss the importance of ensuring access to clean water in communities across the world.
Learn more: Education.com
13. Plant Trees
What better way to show appreciation for the Earth than to plant some trees in your school or community? Students may know that trees produce the air we breathe and provide the food and other resources many species need to survive, but do they know about their role in controlling erosion and stormwater runoff?
Learn more: Project Learning Tree
14. Play Every Day is Earth Day Online
In this fun web activity, students will select litter along the river and drag it into the appropriate bin: paper, cans, or plastic.
Learn more: Star Fall
15. Count the Tree Rings
This printable Earth Day activity guides students to count various tree rings to determine their age. It's an engaging way to learn about the natural world while developing observation and counting skills.
Learn more: Education.com
16. Grow a Seed in a Jar
This seed jar experiment allows students to watch the amazing process of seed germination taking place below the soil’s surface. It is sure to spark many questions and generate rich scientific discussion.
Learn more: Kitchen Counter Chronicle
17. Play a Wildlife Video Game
Alba is a young girl on a mission to clean up her island community while enjoying the great outdoors. Students will be inspired to learn that for every copy of the game sold, the developers will plant one tree, with the goal of reaching one million planted trees.
Learn more: Alba Wildlife
18. Earth Day Coloring Page
Apart from being a soothing and relaxing activity, coloring is an easy and fun way for students to celebrate Earth Day. Let them choose from this collection of thoughtful, themed designs or create their own.
Learn more: Super Coloring
19. Enjoy a Delicious Earth Day-inspired Treat
Why not bake some yummy Earth Day cupcakes to celebrate all the wonders of our beautiful planet? As an extension activity, students can share all the natural gifts they are grateful for while brainstorming ways to take better care of the environment.
Learn more: Bird on a Cake
20. Make a Flower Craft
This Earth Day flower craft is unique and easy to make, while also providing an opportunity to reflect on all the natural splendor and colors of this precious planet we call home.
Learn more: ABCs of Literacy
21. Make a Bird Feeder
Choose from this extensive list of natural and artificial bird feeder ideas to create one that kids will love to share with their feathered friends. This craft also provides a wonderful opportunity to learn about bird species while taking care of our planet.
Learn more: Happy Hooligans
22. Conduct a Water Pollution Experiment
After creating an artificial water environment and adding a sponge fish, students can observe the impact of different 'pollutants' on sea life, by using food coloring to represent fertilizer, paper to represent litter, and dish soap to represent acid rain.
Learn more: The Owl Teacher
23. Make a Terrarium in a Bottle
Being a self-contained environment, terrariums allow students to observe evaporation and condensation first hand. After the moisture evaporates from the soil and plant leaves inside, it condenses into water droplets on the bottle walls, before falling to remoisten the soil.
Learn more: Teaching Tiny Tots
24. Make Clay Imprints with Plants and Flower Petals
This hands-on, therapeutic craft gives kids a chance to connect with the splendor of plants and flowers, all while enjoying the soothing texture of clay.
Learn more: My Bright Ideas Blog
25. Make a DIY Wind Chime
Using only repurposed plastic bottle caps destined for the landfill, this colorful wind chime is a fun and easy way to take care of the Earth, while learning about sustainable wind energy.
Learn more: Crafts by Amanda
26. Make a Compost Bin
Students will love getting their hands dirty to build this simple compost. They can use lunchroom food scraps, yard trimmings, leftovers, plant, and kitchen waste, and organic materials found on the school grounds to observe the process of composting firsthand.
Learn more: Education World
27. Conduct an Eggshell Science Experiment
This classic experiment is a great way to teach about the decomposition of organic materials while conducting an acid-base reaction. Vinegar contains acetic acid and eggshells contain calcium carbonate, which is a base. Students will be amazed to watch as the two combine to dissolve eggshells right before their eyes!
Learn more: Go Science Kids
28. Share Your Earth Day Opinions in Writing
This cross-curricular lesson combines Science with persuasive writing. Students can choose from various Earth Day-related questions such as 'Should recycling be required?' and discuss the included facts to determine their argument.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
29. Complete an Oil Spill STEM Challenge
The goal of this challenge is to clean up oil from the water and from a set of artificial feathers in the limited time provided. Students can also discuss the impact of oil spill disasters on marine plants and animals.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
30. Connect with Nature by Taking Care of Plants
It's difficult for young learners to be motivated to protect the Earth if they don't connect regularly with the natural world. By taking care of a plant, they can develop responsibility while appreciating the gifts of Mother Nature.
Learn more: Education.com
31. Make a Garland from Recycled Paper
This environmentally-friendly garland gives new life to newspapers and can be packed up to reuse year after year. Students can have fun embellishing their crafts with reused construction paper, functional household items, or other basic materials around the classroom.
Learn more: Kitchen Counter Chronicle
32. Read and Discuss The Lorax
"The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss certainly tops the list for Earth Day book suggestions and can lead to a great discussion of conservation and environmentalism. This package includes story maps, comprehension questions, and a letter-writing prompt.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
33. Take A Virtual Earth Day Field Trip
This virtual field trip to a Recycling Facility makes for an exciting Earth Day learning experience. Students will learn about reducing waste, reusing, and recycling as well as the important function of recycling plants and landfills.
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
34. Test Your Knowledge With a Digital Quiz
Use this interactive multiple-choice quiz to test your students' knowledge of Earth Day in a fun and memorable way. This makes for a low-pressure way to assess student learning or wrap up an environmental unit.
Learn more: Twinkl
35. Make a Flip Book
This tab-style flipbook explores the history behind Earth Day, including the role of President Kennedy, and includes reading passages and comprehension questions to test student understanding.
Learn more: Apple Tastic Learning
36. Write an Acrostic Poem
This cross-curricular activity combines formatting and word processing skills with language arts. Students are sure to enjoy creating their own acrostic poems to honor this special holiday.
Learn more: Teacher Vision
37. Write an Earth Day Story
This comprehensive package will help students organize their story ideas by using separate graphic organizers for character, setting, and plot. There are a variety of organizers to choose from including those for expository, persuasive, and informative writing styles.
Learn more: Lesson Planet
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