How to Combine 1:1 Classrooms and Virtual Libraries in Your Lesson Plans
May 08, 2023Blog Homepage/ 7 Earth Day Lesson Plan Ideas
7 Earth Day Lesson Plan Ideas
in the Classroom
Earth Day 2023
Earth Day is one of my favorite days to celebrate in the STEM classroom! It’s an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the science we are learning and its application to real-world problems and solutions. Read on and check out these Resources for Earth Day 2023 for some ideas on how to make your Earth Day awesome this year!
Create your Earth Day Lesson Plans in Symbaloo Webspaces
Symbaloo is your best friend when it comes to saving, sharing, and organizing resources. Create a Free Symbaloo Webspace now, and start organizing your 1:1 classroom effectively.
Create your FREE WebspaceFacilitate a campus or neighborhood clean-up
Learn moreWatch an environmental science documentary
Learn moreDesign a solution that addresses an environmental challenge
Learn moreRead a picture book about Earth
Learn moreAssign a virtual Earth Day game
Learn moreResearch environmental issues and take a stand
Learn moreJoin a citizen science project
Learn moreFacilitate a campus or neighborhood clean-up
Consider going on a walking field trip around your school’s campus or check out the “Global Cleanup” tile on the webmix to find and join a local Earth Day clean up event! Ask the PTO, parents, or local businesses to donate gloves and trash bags. Before the trip, discuss watersheds and the connection between litter around the neighborhood and the local and regional community. The video on water pollution under the “Books and Videos” section of the webmix does a great job of explaining this connection.
Watch an environmental science documentary
What could be better than a movie day that fully engages your students and helps them consider the beauty of nature? Some of my favorites that check all the boxes are Netflix’s One Strange Rock and Our Planet. Check out the webmix “Books and Videos” tiles to find resources for these videos and others perfect for your Earth Day celebration.
Design a solution that addresses an environmental challenge
Earth Day is a great time to engage students in environmental science STEM challenges. The big, real-world problems (e.g. global warming, microplastics, air pollution, deforestation, etc.) are sure to grab your students' attention and leave them wanting to take action. The options for STEM challenges are endless! My students have had awesome experiences designing and building compost bins, wind-powered cars, and recycled paper. Check out the tiles in the “Lessons and Activities” section of the webmix for a wide range of STEM activities and design challenges.
Read a picture book about Earth
Inspire your students to appreciate planet Earth and their role in protecting our natural resources with an Earth Day read aloud. Check out pre-recorded Earth-themed read alouds and more awesome Earth Day picture book suggestions in the “Books and Videos” section of the webmix.
Assign a virtual Earth Day game
Engage your students with an online game to learn more about the history of Earth Day or actions we can take to protect our planet. PBS, National Geographic, and others offer awesome educational gaming platforms on these topics. Find them in the “Games” section of the webmix.
Research environmental issues and take a stand
If you are looking for a more independent activity, choose an environmental issue (climate change, the decline of pollinators, pollution, deforestation, etc.). Then have your students use the tiles under in the “Research” section of the webmix to learn about the problem and discover possible solutions along with the pros and cons to each solution. They can make a claim about the best solution for the problem and back it up with evidence. The presentation can be in the form of a poster, research paper, oral presentation, or class debate.
Join a citizen science project
Citizen science projects give the general public an opportunity to collaborate with scientists and experts around the globe through data collection and observations. Earth Day is the perfect time to have your students contribute to real-world environmental science research. Check out the SciStarter tile under the “Join In” section of the webmix to find a citizen science project that will engage and inspire your students this Earth Day and beyond!
About Trilby
Trilby is a STEM educator with over a decade of classroom experience and recent finalist for the Presidential Award of Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. As owner and author of STEM in the Middle, Trilby creates engaging and rigorous STEM lessons for middle school teachers. Connect with Trilby on Instagram and find out more about her work here.
Related posts
How to Implement Virtual Libraries in Your School: A Guide for Educators
May 05, 2023Set Symbaloo as a Homepage on all your School's Devices at Once
May 03, 2023What is a Virtual Library? How can it benefit schools and educators?
April 25, 20235 Steps to Set Up Your New Symbaloo Webspace
April 04, 20235 Steps for Implementing a One to One Classroom Successfully
February 24, 2023What is a 1:1 classroom, and why do I need it?
February 17, 2023How to Enjoy Connected Webspaces to the Fullest Extent for your School or District
January 11, 2023How to Create your Online Classroom for Blended Learning in 4 Simple Steps
January 06, 20236 Ways to Innovate in your School with Symbaloo
October 03, 2022Edmodo has shut down. Learn how Symbaloo can help you.
September 15, 2022Twitter Space: ISTE 2022
June 15, 2022Add images to your Symbaloo Webmix
May 03, 2022Project-Based Learning
December 21, 20216 ways to use Symbaloo in the classroom
December 16, 2021Supporting Special Education Learners through a Custom Symbaloo Webmix
March 31, 2021What is Virtual Learning?
January 18, 20215 Ways to use Symbaloo across Remote Learning or Hybrid Learning Environments
July 30, 2020Bob Hayes: How I teach
July 08, 2020Teaching During Quarantine? How to Educate in Unprecedented Times
March 20, 2020