Curriculum Resources for Earth Day
Make a Difference on Earth Day!
from Education World®
Earth Day is April 22, 2009. It's a time when people around the world hold events to honor our planet -- and to remind everyone about the importance of our ecosystem. Here, we feature activities that have students cleaning up trash-filled areas in their communities, creating public-service announcements about environmental issues, and much more!
Background
Founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a former United States senator from Wisconsin, Earth Day has grown into a global event. In 1970, 20 million Americans demonstrated in streets, parks, and auditoriums for a healthier, cleaner environment. Each year, hundreds of millions of people in more than 180 countries participate in Earth Day activities around the world.
Lesson Plans
- Clean Up Hazardous Waste
Grades 3-12 identify sources of home hazardous waste and create posters to educate community members about how to handle that waste.
- Community Clean Up
Students identify community areas filled with trash and work together to clean those areas.
- Cafeteria Compost
Students create a compost pile in the schoolyard, using lunchroom food scraps and yard clippings.
- Earth Day PSA
Students develop a short public service announcement (PSA) video to raise awareness about an environmental issue.
- Fund-Raiser for Earth Day
Students hold a fund-raising activity to raise money to buy seeds, plants, or tree seedlings to beautify school grounds.
- Improving School Recycling
Students evaluate their school recycling programs and propose improvements.
- Earth Day WebQuest
In this special Earth Day WebQuest, student teams vie for funding from the fictional Help Our World (HOW) Foundation.
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