Meaningful Literacy Activities to Celebrate Earth Day
April 19, 2019
3 min read
(Image by qimono from Pixabay)
Earth Day is April 22nd. Help kids make a positive impact on the planet with these fun and meaningful Earth Day literacy activities.
Pre-K and K:
Read a book and plant a tree: Read a book like The Lorax by Dr. Seuss or The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Discuss the importance of trees. Visit a nursery together, read about the different types of trees and plant a tree in your yard.
Make a poster: Draw a large circle to represent the Earth. Inside the circle, draw pictures of all the things you are thankful for that the Earth provides. Have an adult help you label each of your pictures using beginning, middle and end spelling.
Trash sort: Write uppercase and lowercase letters on pieces of paper and crumble them up to create trash Spread the trash around the room. Label a paper grocery bag with uppercase A and another one with lowercase a. Pick up the trash, name the letter on the paper and sort it to the correct bag. When the game is finished, make sure to recycle the paper.
1st and 2nd
Earth Day Reminders: Read How to Help the Earth - by the Lorax (Dr. Seuss) (Step Into Reading) by Tish Rabe. Brainstorm a list of ways to help the Earth and make signs to put around the house such as Turn off the lights or Take shorter showers.
Scavenger Hunt: Make a checklist of items to look for outside such as a yellow flower, a flat rock, a pinecone, an acorn, or a dandelion. You can also include human trash items such as aluminum cans or plastic bags that can be recycled.
Gratitude Jar: For one week (starting on Earth Day), start a Gratitude Jar. To highlight the simplicity of reusing objects, use an old jar like a Mason Jar that you might have thrown out and scraps of paper. Each day, use the scrap paper to write at least one thing you are grateful for that the Earth provides. On the other side, write a way to help protect that gift. For example, “I am thankful for the bees that help pollinate the flowers” and “I can plant flowers so that the bees have food.” You may find that the Gratitude jar is a tradition you’d like to continue throughout the year - it doesn't have to be limited to Earth Day week!
3rd and Up:
Adopt an Animal: Visit your local library or read a book together like Critically Endangered Animals: What Are They? Animal Books for Kids | Children's Animal Books by Baby Professor. Pick an animal to virtually adopt. Use websites like www.worldwiildlife.org or www.sierraclub.org to read about and research your animal.
Write a Letter: Pick an issue that is important to you and impacts your local community and research it. For example, if you live near the ocean, you might want to learn about the way trash and plastics impact life in the ocean. Write a letter to your local politician telling them the importance of your specific cause.
Write a Poem: April is National Poetry Month so use this opportunity to write a poem about Earth Day. For example, you could write an Acrostic Poem using the word Earth (each line would begin with one of the letters in the Earth).
Every animal is important and should be protected
All of us have a responsibility to care for our world
Recycle what you can, reuse plastic bags, reduce your carbon footprint
Together we can make a difference
How can you help protect the environment today?
Use these activities to teach your children about the beauty of our Earth and the importance of protecting it for future generations. Every day should be Earth Day!
