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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!
