Tuesday, March 21, 2000
Early Childhood/Elementary
Earth Day Ideas
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Kathleen - Hi, I see
we have some people logged on. Please feel free to exchange ideas for Earth
Day in the classroom. http://www.teachers.net/projects/earthday/
is our Earth Day center here at Teachers.Net
Marty K. - Hi ..Do
you have some songs to recommend for Spring?
Marty K. - Can you
recommend some good primary books of poetry that can be used for Earth
Day or the coming of Spring ...
Kathleen - Marty,
on that Earth Day chatboard you will find a post about a whole annotated
bibliography created by our Mary k&1 specifically for Earth Day/Enviro
theme
Kathleen - In our
Archives in the EC/Primary section there is a transcript full of Earth
Day ideas from last year's live chat on the Earth Day theme
Michelle117 - ok,
so tell me exactly when is Earth Day? I know in April...
Kathleen - I teach
kindergarten part time, and I love the project we do leading up to Earth
Day. You can read about it on that Earth Day chatboard. I call it Earth
Protectors
Kathleen - April
22 is Earth Day every year
Marty K. - Is there
something many people from all over the world do at the very same time
on this day?
Kathleen - Each child
receives a little globe keychain (Oriental Trading Co.), then as they perform
"earth saving deeds" they (with their families) record those deeds, each
on a paper key shape that is then attached to the globe key ring.
Michelle117 - I haven't
read that yet. Can you tell me a little about Earth Protectors?
Kathleen - Marty,
I don't recall that there is any one activity, you mean like the ringing
of a bell or something? Not that I'm aware of.
Kathleen - We talk
alot about ways even kids can help save the earth by keeping it clean,
cutting up those plastic 6-pack rings, turning off lights and water, etc.
Marty K. - I think
it is something some grownups do ... perhaps in time it might be an interesting
happening for younger people ... i'll look into it more
Kathleen - We collect
those 6-Pack rings all year then cut them up around earth day, good fine
motor practice too :-)
Trish - I teach at
a middle school (specifically fifth-grade). Where could I find the most
activities or projects for Earth Day for my students?
Kathleen - We also
collect (clean) plastic milk jugs and "reduce" them by stomping on them.
The kids love that. We do some with caps on and discuss what forces the
cap to fly so far when we stomp on what looks like an empty milk jug (it's
not actually empty, it's full of air)
Kathleen - Trish,
many of the projects shared here at Teachers.Net are adaptable to all elem.
levels
Kathleen - Trish,
also there are some activities listed for Earth Day Elem. level in the
Lessons Bank, just search: Earth Day and they will come up
Trish - I teach English
and reading, and the other fifth-grade teachers and I try to integrate
on a lot of activities. The science teacher, of course, wouldn't have any
problem, but I'm not sure about the social studies/math teacher.
Kathleen - We cover
small balloons with papier mache, then paint them ocean blue, then paint
green land masses on them for little earths
Trish - We had a
fantastic school-wide Read Across America project in March and we would
like to have another school-wide project in April. This sounds like it
would be perfect!
Kathleen - Trish,
Earth Day/Enviro theme has so many possibilities, and I'll bet the SS and
math teacher could do some wonderful and enriching activities too
Trish - Planting
trees and plants outside would be a good project for this.
Trish - We've been
talking about letting the students set up a flower garden and this would
fit right in with the project, wouldn't it?
Trish - Is there
a lot of reading material available that I could use in my reading class?
Kathleen - Yes, many
teachers plant gardens for Earth Day! I have to leave for now, please remember
to check out the Teachers.Net Earth Day chatboard: http://www.teachers.net/projects/earthday/
Michelle117 - Trish,
the math teachers could have them record what happens when the milk jugs
are stomped...create graphs to present the data, measure, record and compare
the distances that the lids flew... ompare d
Kathleen - On that
Earth Day chatboard I've left a message with a link to a whole annotated
bibliography compiled by Mary k&1 on the Earth Day/Enviro theme
Trish - Good idea,
Michelle117! I hadn't thought of that.
Kathleen - bye for
now, enjoy the sharing! And please post what you decide to do on the Earth
Day chatboard, read my post about the global earth day project we;re doing.
bye!
Trish - Thanks, Kathleen.
You've been so helpful!
Kathie - I teach
Kinders and we send home a family note asking them to pack a "trash free"
lunch on earth day...plastic containers and silverware that can be sent
home and reused again.
Michelle117 - Kathie,
Do your kiddos bring their lunches each day?
Kathie - We are a
full-day Kdg. Most bring, some buy lunch in the caf.
Michelle117 - So
just tho ones bringing lunches do this? Or does everyone bring a lunch
for that day?
Kathie - for Earth
Day '99 we got involved in the Earth Day groceries bag internet project.
That was fun! Then we planted flowers in large containers set up in the
front of our school.
Addie k/mo - kathie,
explain the grocery bag project
Michelle117 - We
do sack lunches on our field day at years end. I like the idea of a trash
free one for earth day! ...Our cafeteria provided the lunches, though.
mm - I always thought
of Earth Day as a celebration. I think Earth Day should be everyday and
not just one day a year where we ask kids to do something. We should try
to make it part of their everyday rountine.
Kathie - Hi, Addie.We
contacted a local grocery store and asked to borrow some paper bags. The
kids decorated them in school with messages about Earth Day (could be done
at home too) then we delivered them back to the store manager to be used
to pack shoppers groceries on Earth Day. Last year the store manager was
really nice and displayed all the decorated bags up on his windows before
E.D. I have the URL if you are interested in registering your class to
participate this year.
Addie k/mo - i guess
earth day provides us with an opportunity to focus on what is good for
the earth and start some new habits.
Kathie - Our school
is really big on recycling. We have containers in all our classrooms and
in the hallways to help us reduce trash. D.E.A.R (Drop Everything and Recycle!)
mm - I like the idea
of starting new habits...just so long as E.D. is not presented as something
you should only do on that day to be a good human being.
Addie k/mo - interesting,
kathie. we have done some sack decorating, before, but not for earth day.
i guess i wondered about the internet component. i thought the people who
got the sacks would email you or something
Trish - I have to
go now, but I appreciate the information and ideas.
Kathie - Good night,
all!
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