Earth Day - Everyday
Environmentally Friendly Activities for School and Home
Earth Day is April 22. Here are some ideas for celebrating this special day.
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. Early celebrations were held on the first day of spring which is usually March 20, but April 22 is now the accepted date. In past years, activities centered on recycling and reusing materials, but with more and more emphasis on global climate change, Earth Day has taken on a greater significance in recent years. Here are some lesson ideas for this environmental celebration.
In School
Read: The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, is still one of the best Earth Day books available. Students of all ages love this story, so read it aloud to your class and discuss it’s implications for modern life.
Another great book for older students is 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth. This handbook of environmentally friendly projects and activities is a great resource.
Teach: Students of all ages can learn about global climate change, its potential impact and ways to work to save the world from this increasingly urgent threat. The EPA Kids' Site is an excellent resource for planning your lessons on this topic. Another to use is the Global Warming for Kids site. Both have factual information, games and activities for students of all grades.
Make: After students have learned about global warming and the importance of Earth Day, have them make an Earth Day collage using recycled art materials.
School-wide: Organize an Earth Day assembly program for your school. Each class can prepare murals, posters, poems, talks and songs on an environmental theme to present to the student body, teachers and parents.
At Home
Invite students to continue what they’ve learned by discussing Earth Day with their parents and families. Ask them to note ways that their families are meeting the challenges of climate change and helping the environment. A few simple things that can be done at home are these:
- Recycle
- Use alternative transportation – bikes, walking, public transport
- Car pool when possible
- Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
- Sign up for community clean up and recycling days
Have students keep an Earth Day log or chart at home and note the many ways that they stay in the Earth Day spirit long after April 22 has come and gone.
For the Teacher
If you haven’t already – make time to see the Academy Award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth. This is one of the best global warming films available today. Many civic and environmental groups offer free screenings and discussion of this important film by Vice-President Al Gore.
