Earth Day: TeachersFirst Editors' Choices
Earth Day presents a special opportunity to connect classroom curriculum with real-world experience, not only in science but also for lessons in math, language arts, social studies, art, and more. With so many outstanding resources available on the web related to environmental concerns, TeachersFirst's editorial team has hand-selected this group of "Editors' Choices" for their potential to engage and involve your students in both the understanding of scientific concepts surrounding Earth Day and in environmental activism for any time of the year.
TeachersFirst has many more reviewed Earth Day resources if you wish to browse a longer listing. You can also narrow your search to a specific topic for earth day or a certain grade range using our keyword search tool in the left column of this page. Be sure to read the tips to optimize your search of our reviewed collection.
Whether you seek ideas for a community service project for Earth Day or ways to use innovative technologies to bring the environment into your classroom, our editors have found "the best of the best" to meet your needs.
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Made By Milk Carton Construction Contest - Evergreen Packaging
Grades
K to 12tag(s): architecture (64), counting (59), grants (16), STEM (276), structures (18)
In the Classroom
This project is perfect for individual classroom participation, Art Clubs, or after school clubs. Incorporate this project into your math class and have students count the number of cartons used, estimate how many cartons needed, or calculate how long it will take to gather the number of needed cartons. Join in the challenge in conjunction with a science unit on structures or a physics unit at much higher levels. Include as part of your nutrition unit to help students understand the importance of dairy in a healthy diet. Share this information with your PTO/PTA as a possible "makers movement" idea for an evening of fun and learning, even if you never enter the official contest. Let your gifted students (or a school service club) organize and plan a mini-version of the contest within your school, perhaps using the smaller milk cartons from the cafeteria. Make re-using milk cartons a creative event for Earth Day.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Metro: Tools for Living - Metro
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): environment (242), natural resources (38), recycling (45), resources (88), sustainability (43)
In the Classroom
Though originally for residents of Portland, Oregon, anyone, anywhere can use this resource. Use as a start for good ideas and search for additional information for better understanding. Create blog posts, websites, posters, or other media to share ideas with others to create community involvement in sustainable living. Transform technology use in your classroom and have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Express for Education, Animatron, Sway, and Microsoft PowerPoint Online. When researching and discussing environmental issues, be sure to add practical ways for others to DO something. Challenge your students to create their own community of young people at your school to become involved in sustainable living. Use this site for ideas to launch Earth Day initiatives and public service announcements.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Laundry List - Project Laundry List, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth day (60), ecology (101), environment (242), holidays (178)
In the Classroom
During environmental science units or Earth Day, use this to have students calculate what their own households spend to care for clothing. Have students consider different tips for reducing environmental impact and saving money. As a homework assignment, have students implement two changes for two weeks. Have parents sign off on a log form to verify student participation. (Parents will love the extra help and possible money savings!) Set up your own celebration of "National Hanging Out Day" by having teams of students prepare presentations (the website even provides one) to share with others students and the community.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Algalita - Plastic Ocean Pollution - Algalita Marine Research Foundation
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): environment (242), oceans (149), plastics (4), pollution (51)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard or projector to introduce this site. Use the Trash Tracker lesson as is or adapt for your own use. Consider having students work in groups of four, and have each group explore a different expedition (listed by year and selected by you). Have the small groups of students investigate the first several days of the selected expedition together. After that, have pairs take notes about what they learn, using Memo Notepad, reviewed here, then have partners compare notes for the days they investigated. Once they've investigated their expedition, remix the groups so you have one student from each of the different expeditions together. Have them share information and determine what was alike and different for each year. Use a graphic organizer or mind mapping tool such as WiseMapping, reviewed here, to help students keep track of the information. Once done have students access the additional resources pages (the blogs will often have more information for the expeditions), and look at the maps. Older students may want to investigate information about careers related to GIS, Conservation, and Marine Biology by using the link at the bottom of the page.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Early Sprouts - Early Sprouts Program; Keene State College
Grades
K to 4tag(s): child development (23), cooking (30), nutrition (137), obesity (8)
In the Classroom
Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. Use the print sources and images from this site for your bulletin boards. This site is a perfect addition to Earth Day activities. When you have lessons on nutrition, make them real by including the sensory aspects of this curriculum. Try some of the simple recipes in class, or cut and paste to make a classroom cookbook.Use this site as a jumping off point for growing those parent gifts of sweet potato greens or other small vegetable plants.
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Discover the Forest - Discover the Forest
Grades
K to 8tag(s): animals (286), climate change (93), environment (242), forests (28), natural resources (38), wetlands (7)
In the Classroom
Discover the forest from the classroom. Find nature sounds and create your own nature podcast or audio recording. Use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Collect leaves from around the area to create your own leaf rubbings and posters. Create animal tracks of domestic animals to view the difference in tracks. Take advantage of the Educator Resources and free lesson plans!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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WWF Footprint Calculator - World Wildlife Federation
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): ecology (101)
In the Classroom
Use this site to determine how each of us affects the environment. Bring math into the classroom by converting British units to American units. Students can research how each of these categories affects the environment and create action plans for reducing their footprint. Follow the action plans and retake the quiz after to see the change in footprint. Create Public Service Announcements in the form of posters or videos to share information. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Virtual Visit to a School Garden - TeachersFirst/Meriwether Lewis Elementary
Grades
3 to 8tag(s): earth day (60), environment (242)
In the Classroom
Scroll down to a list of suggestions for using this archived webcast in your classroom. Talk about local sites where you might be able to take a team of students to create a local student created "video field trip" to share with other classes both in and outside of your school. See TeachersFirst's complete how-to information to try one of your own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Biomes of the World - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): biomes (112), earth (186), earth day (60), ecosystems (74)
In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups to explore this site. Transform technology use and student learning by challenging students to create multimedia presentations about the biomes. Use Timeline JS, reviewed here; Timeline JS offers the option to upload and add photos, videos, audio, Tweets, and Google Maps making it interactive, or Typito, reviewed here; a video creation tool where you add images and video, add text, choose templates and layouts, and add music to personalize your work, or Genial.ly, reviewed here, which allows you to insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more. With Genial.ly students will have a choice of presentation styles (posters, infographics, etc.). Last, you could use Thinglink, reviewed here, where technology use will range from augmentation (narration of an image) to redefinition (adding media links, explanation, narration). Other options might include creating a wiki or blog.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Learning to Give - Points of Light Institute
Grades
K to 12tag(s): african american (110), animal homes (56), animals (286), character education (77), charts and graphs (170), colonial america (94), communities (36), data (148), diversity (37), ecology (101), environment (242), heroes (25), money (114), recycling (45)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for all subject matters, search for subject and browse resources. Share with other teachers in your building or district including teachers of the arts. Get your students involved! Challenge cooperative learning groups to create a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here discussing one of the topics at this site. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Canva Infographic Maker, Lucidpress, Powtoon, and MoocNote.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Environmental Education Week - National Environmental Education Foundation
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): animals (286), citizen science (27), climate change (93), earth (186), earth day (60), ecology (101), environment (242), national parks (28), resources (88), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to plan great activities, lessons, and events for students leading up to Earth Day. For example, use the search function locateed under the menu symbol in the upper left corner and search Greening, STEM, video, for videos and information about water shortages, drought, climate change, and resources. Use the articles and reports to pique student interest, use short videos in the classroom, and find great websites and programs linked from the page. Use these resources not only for a greater understanding of issues but to create awareness campaigns for change in the home, school, or community. Exchange pen and paper and enhance learning by asking students to keep a digital journal sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, replace pencil and paper and challenge your students to create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here. Partner with local groups (conservation or not) to create action plans and events, and provide opportunities for change in the community. Enhance and transform student learning by challenging them to create interactive brochures, magazines, or posters of information learned using Lucidpress, reviewed here, or Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ecosia - ecosia.org
Grades
K to 12tag(s): ecology (101), search engines (49)
In the Classroom
Use Ecosia along with other search engines for the same information and compare the results and order of the most popular searches. Share the informative video with your class on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Discuss differences in search results, display of information, and other factors. Use as examples in media and internet safety classes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Story of Stuff Project - The Story of Stuff Project
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): environment (242), sociology (24)
In the Classroom
Useful in classes on economics, ecology, consumer living, sociology or current events, the film would provide a wonderful discuss lead-in on topics ranging from consumer decision making to the environment. Because the site operates under the "Creative Commons" copyright agreement, you can download your own copy of the film for educational use or order a DVD copy.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): earth (186), earth day (60), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector or make them available as links on your teacher public page. Have students (or groups) create their own illustrated dictionaries of terms using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. As you add more vocabulary lists during the year, have them select their favorite 6-10 terms from each list to add to their "book."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freecycle - The Freecycle Network
Grades
K to 12tag(s): earth (186), earth day (60), environment (242)
In the Classroom
Share this site with your class as an idea for Earth Day or being "green." Encourage your school service club or student council to consider launching a Freecycle project. Be sure to list the link on your class website, so parents can freecycle too.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Energy Kids - U. S. Energy Information Admin.
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): earth (186), earth day (60), energy (132), solar energy (34)
In the Classroom
If energy is a subject you teach in your classroom, there are several pages at this site that would work well on a projector or interactive whiteboard. You will want to explore on your own to find all the teaching materials and activities, since there is SO much information. Share this site on your teacher web page during your energy unit, since many activities can include parents, as well. The alternative fuels, renewable energy, and conservation sections are also ideal for Earth Day activities. Have students use this site to research energy. Why not have students create blog entries, replacing pen and paper or enhancing the technology use in your curriculum demonstrating their knowledge? Try using Seesaw, reviewed here, for younger students and Telegra.ph, reviewed here for middle school and high school students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Recycle City - Environmental Protection Agency
Grades
2 to 6In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. As they independently explore, challenge students to make up their own "scavenger hunt" (complete with questions and answers) of places they feel are worthwhile to visit in Recycle City, then swap with a classmate. Have students write fictitious blog entries from the perspective of the city manager (updating residents on changes and improvements in the city).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Day - EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Grades
4 to 7tag(s): earth (186), earth day (60), ecology (101), environment (242), recycling (45)
In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Read the history of Earth Day together. Have cooperative learning groups explore different ways to "take action" and then challege them to enhance their learning and create a multimedia presentation to share with the class. Try using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or Sway, reviewed here. Why not ask students to extend their learning using one of these video tools (click tool name to see review): MoocNote, Animatron, or Powtoon. Then, have students share it with the class using a site such as TeacherTube, explained here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change - US EPA
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): ecology (101), fossil fuels (10)
In the Classroom
Have cooperative learning groups research the many links and activities at this site. Challenge groups to create a multi-media presentation: blog entry, wiki, PowerPoint, web page, or video. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): PBWorks (wiki), Site123 (blog), Renderforest (newscast video), and Genially (poster/bulletin board/slides).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Day Groceries Project - The Earth Day Groceries Project
Grades
K to 8tag(s): creativity (90), earth (186), earth day (60)
In the Classroom
Use this interdisciplinary activity to integrate art, creativity, community service, science, and Earth Day events. Share the PowerPoint presentation with your class on a projector or interactive whiteboard to get students motivated about the project.Display pictures of some of the bags on your class website. Provide this link in your class newsletter or on your class website; challenge parents to make this a family activity.
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