Are you ready to celebrate Earth Day on April 22? It is a great day to do something different. Here are a few things that we have done in the past. At the bottom of this post there are some FREE Earth Day Games you can download and use to create fun for your celebration!
Planting Flowers
I selected two different "easy to grow" flower seeds. Each child was able to select which flower they would like to plant. After planting the seeds, I created a fun math center. I printed a graph for each of the children. They were able to ask the kids in their group which flower they planted. They marked the correct flower on their own survey. Using the collected data, they each created a graph. Then, they analyzed the data and recorded the results of their surveys.
Making Bird Feeders
Another fun activity is to create bird feeders. An easy option is a pinecone feeder. To begin, tie a string to the end of the pinecone. Next, spread peanut butter, or crisco if you have nut allergies, onto the pinecone. Pour bird seed into a shallow box. Invite the children to roll the pinecone in the bird seed. The seed will stick to the peanut butter. Once the children completed the birdfeeder, we reproduced the bird feeder sequencing page. The children cut out the pictures to show the directions of how to make the feeder. Then, they arranged the pictures onto the flow map to represent each of the steps. Glue. Now, using the How To Writing Paper, they wrote the steps for making their bird feeder as shown on the flow map.
Energy Spin Graph
I love to use "spin graphs". They are super simple and make an easy independent activity. For our earth day spin graph, we selected pictures to represent 3 different kinds of energy and placed them on the spin graph (see photo). We added a spinner using a brad and a paper clip.
Planting Flowers Flap Book
The fun cut a sentence book is a great way to teach the steps for how to plant seeds. We created a step book using yellow construction paper.
Earth Day Guided Reading
We used this Earth Day Guided Reading Unit to develop the content for Earth Day. I love that we created the text at three different levels to meet the needs of all of our learners. We also created phonics and writing practice. Children also used nonfiction features to help make meaning of the text. You can grab this unit by clicking here!
Earth Day Magnify It Games
Our kids love Magnify It Games. We use them ALL year during math and literacy centers. Here are 4 different ones Earth Day themed games you can download for free.
The games included:
- Counting to 10
- Counting to 20
- Beginning Sounds
- Ending Sounds
- Reproduce the colored pages on cardstock and laminate.
- Using the table grid, cut apart the cards.
- Reproduce a recording page for each child.
- Invite the children to use a magnify glass to look at the tiny pictures.
- If it is a math game, the children count the items.
- Now, find the card with the correct numeral.
- On the recording page, locate the letter which matches the letter on the card with the tiny pictures.
- Write the answer in the empty box.
- If it is a literacy game, the children name the pictures.
- Now find the card with the correct beginning or ending sound depending on which game they are playing.
- Now, find the card with the correct letter.
- On the recording page, locate the numeral which matches the tiny numeral on the card with the tiny picture.
- Write the letter in the empty box on the recording page to represent the beginning or ending sound.
