Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is April 22. Earth Day has become a worldwide event - reminding people of the importance of taking care of the planet by “going green.” The NEA and the Earth Day Network have a variety of resources to help Pennsylvania schools bring Earth Day into the classroom.
A brief history of Earth Day
Founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a former United States senator from Wisconsin, Earth Day has grown into a global event. In 1970, 20 million Americans demonstrated in streets, parks, and auditoriums for a healthier, cleaner environment. Each year, hundreds of millions of people in more than 180 countries participate in Earth Day activities around the world.
Share your Earth Day Activities
Visit the NEA's Green Across America website that provides educators interested in green schools and environmental education with a shared calendar, discussion forums, member profiles, photo gallery, file storage and more.
Tips to "Green" Your Classroom or School:
Flip the switch!
- Form a student patrol group to check that lights are off in vacant rooms
- Make signs or stickers for your classrooms that say “Flip the switch when leaving!” as a reminder to turn off lights
- Request to use CFLs or LED bulbs and have your students compute the energy savings
Monitor those monitors
- Make sure computers are set to enter “sleep” mode when inactive; avoid using screen savers
- Turn off monitors that won’t be used in subsequent classes
- Turn off computers when the school day ends
Recycle!
- Conserve paper by using both sides of a page in your notebooks, using recycled paper, and making sure there is a paper recycling bin in every classroom
- Start a recycling program for the school. If you already have one, evaluate the current program to find new ways to reduce waste and conserve more materials
- Collect used printer, fax, and copier cartridges to recycle
Earth Day Lesson Plans
By topic:
Education World Lessons (courtesy of the NEA)
1. Clean Up Hazardous Waste
Grades 3-12 identify sources of home hazardous waste and create posters to educate community members about how to handle that waste.
2. Community Clean Up
Students identify community areas filled with trash and work together to clean those areas.
3. Cafeteria Compost
Students create a compost pile in the schoolyard, using lunchroom food scraps and yard clippings.
4. Earth Day PSA
Students develop a short public service announcement (PSA) video to raise awareness about an environmental issue.
5. Fundraiser for Earth Day
Students hold a fund-raising activity to raise money to buy seeds, plants, or tree seedlings to beautify school grounds.
6. Improving School Recycling
Students evaluate their school recycling programs and propose improvements.
7. Earth Day WebQuest
In this special Earth Day WebQuest, student teams vie for funding from the fictional Help Our World (HOW) Foundation.
Find more resources and information at http://www.earthday.net