10 Easy and Engaging Earth Day Classroom Activities

Earth Day is just around the corner and I am so excited to share with you some of the tried-and-true, engaging, and EASY Earth Day classroom activities that my students and I LOVE.  I’m always a bit surprised each year when I discover that quite a few of my students don’t have a clue what Earth Day is.  We remedy that real quick with a little informational text slideshow (powered via Google Slides).  My first graders love seeing the vivid color photographs and learning more about how Earth Day got its start.  With this slideshow they also learn basic principles of recycling and conserving, which really gets them thinking!

Next, to make sure they are paying attention (HA), we do a fun little Jeopardy-style Earth Day quiz game.  My first graders GO CRAZY for this kind of thing and it really helps solidify a few more facts about whatever topic we are focusing on.  Sometimes we make teams and keep score and other times we just play for fun!

While we learn facts about Earth Day I like to have my students keep track of their learning by taking ‘notes’ on one of these graphic organizers.  I haven’t quite decided what we will do this year, but I will either have my students write down a few facts as we go through the slideshow OR I will give them the picture page have them color each picture as we talk about that subject.  Either way, holding them accountable for the information you are helping them discover is KEY!

There is almost nothing that I love more than read-aloud time with my students!  I’m a little guilty of impulse buying allthebooks on Amazon when a holiday is coming up.  A classroom library that is rich with variety, content, and color is paramount, if you ask me.  My kiddos love perusing these books and I always make sure that they are available to them for a week or two!  Here are a few of my Earth Day favorites this year!

After gathering information we start internalizing it and I model how I can think of an Earth Day promise, something that I can do to help make our world a better place.  I pledge to my students that I will be better at recycling my Dr. Pepper cans (haha), that I will pick up any little bits of trash I see on my way into the school building each morning, or that I will plant some extra flowers in my yard.  Once you give them a few ideas, their own ideas will start pouring out!  We seal our pledges by creating an Earth Day handprint poster.  I originally saw this idea years ago from the fabulous Cara Carroll.  We for sure hang our pledge poster up as a visual reminder of our promises.  The students have such pride in it and that is completely worth fostering!

My students love to do a good old-fashioned write-the-room hunt.  I actually have write-the-room as one of our consistent literacy centers.  Every week my students get to hunt around the room for a variety of words and it is one of their favorite things!  They feel like little detectives.  They always feel like I am trying to pull a fast one on them by hiding the words in new or sneaky spots! Each week I change the theme (you can see my different themes HERE), but of course right now we will be hunting for Earth Day-themed words like recycle, planet, and conserve.  My write-the-room packets also included a handful of easy-to-prep fast-finisher options in case some of your students finish more quickly than others!

Earth Day Boom Cards

New to Boom Cards?  I promise, you’re going to LOVE them!  Take a look at this post if you need a bit of an introduction to the wonderful world of Boom.  My students are able to work on Boom Cards during their independent centers time and I make sure that these decks are available to them during the week of Earth Day.  The content is core curriculum, for sure, but something about the fact that it matches up with our Earth Day theme makes my students even MORE excited for their Boom Time.  You can click on any of these images to access a free PLAYABLE PREVIEW of each deck.

Earth Day Craft and Treat

Nothing makes a unit of study more engaging and fun than a little craft and a tasty treat!  This year we are going to be making these fun little Earth Day figures, complete with accordion-folded legs and arms!  You can find a template and directions for this cutie in my brand new Earth Day packet right HERE.

I know, I know….treats are not necessary, but man are they fun!  And this one is beyond easy!  All you need are some marshmallows, a cup of water, and some sprinkles.  You could also add a fun straw or skewer to make an Earth Day marshmallow pop, but that is totally up to you.  Spread some blue and green sprinkles on a plate in an alternating way (make it look like Earth). Dip your finger in the water and spread it all over the marshmallow. Roll the marshmallow in the sprinkles and let dry. For an even tastier version, roll the marshmallow in white candy melts prior to rolling it in the sprinkles. Your students can make their own or you can make them all ahead of time, but either way, they are going to love this fun and sweet addition to your Earth Day classroom activities!

Engaging Earth Day classroom activities are going to make Earth Day a memorable and fun experience for your students, which will more than likely lead them to better understanding the importance of taking care of and celebrating our Earth.  Nearly all of the activities that I talked about in this post are available right HERE.  I hope that you and your students have a fabulous Earth Day!