environmental education activities for high school students

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16 Environmental Activities for Students to Encourage Sustainability in Your Classroom

Written by Jeanne Sager

If you’ve caught even one news story about the environment lately, you know just how important environmental activities for students can be. The saying “children are our future” is used so often that it can begin to sound cliched, but let’s face it: Truer words are rarely spoken.

The students learning about nature, climate change, and sustainability in your classroom today will be the stewards of the environment in 10 or 20 years. The future of our planet will soon be in their hands. As a teacher, you’re making an important impact on our future too.

Sustainability — and helping teachers — are jointly entwined in our core mission, and we are here to lend a hand. The teachers who create all the printable worksheets , digital activities, and other teaching resources on the Teach Starter website hail from all around the US, and they’ve put together some of the best environmental activities for students plus ways to help the environment right in your classroom.

Whether you’re celebrating Earth Day , writing sustainability lessons for your science class, or just looking for ways to stress the importance of being kind to Mother Earth in the classroom, read on for some must-save ideas to add to your teacher toolkit!

What Is Sustainability?

Elementary school is an important time to begin talking to students about sustainability as we can instill these practices early and make them into lifelong habits. But explaining this concept to kids can be tricky.

Here’s a kid-friendly definition we like to use: Sustainability is the ability to meet someone’s current needs without hurting the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs.

On a more technical level, sustainability represents a holistic approach to addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in a way that supports long-term well-being and resilience. This often includes practices such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving natural resources and promoting social equity.

So how do you get kids thinking sustainably?

Download a free “Why Plant a Tree” poster for your classroom!

Environmental Education Activities for Elementary School

1. collect weather data.

Studies have found that kids who feel “connected” to nature act in more sustainable ways because of it. What better way to connect students to nature than by connecting to the weather going on outside every day?

A simple but effective environmental activity for kids that helps the wide world of science, collecting weather data for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network draws on those data and analysis skills while helping students to make predictions and see real-world connections to the work they’re doing in math class.

2. Plant … Anything

Let’s face it, one of the most obvious environmental education activities you can do with your students is one that’s pretty simple and tied directly to science standards: Planting physical plants.

Whether you’re growing bean sprouts in snack bags with wet paper towels or setting up a full-fledged school garden, there are myriad benefits for students that come from incorporating the physical act of planting seeds into your lessons. In addition to the chance to connect with the environment and teach students sustainable agriculture practices, studies show gardening with students helps improve their achievement in science classes, and kids involved in school gardening projects have been found to have an increased preference for fruits and veggies when it comes to snacking.

Print a free plant growth chart to help students track their seedlings!

3. Determine Your Carbon Footprint

Students can use a carbon footprint calculator (this calculator from the EPA and this calculator from 8 Billion Trees are free but each does require some pretty specific details parents would have to supply, while ) to determine approximately how much carbon their lifestyle emits in a year. The calculators provide some small lifestyle changes they could make in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

• Your class can record, collate and compare the numerical data that their quiz responses generate.
• Students can plot individual, small group, or class data in a graph or table.
• Establish what the average carbon footprint is for your entire class and set a goal to reduce it to a certain amount by the end of the school year. Have students examine the lifestyle changes suggested to them in their own results and identify which change they will embrace to help lower the class carbon footprint.

4. Join the North American Butterfly Census as a Class

The teachers on the Teach Starter team are big fans of citizen science, encouraging students to take part in collecting data from the natural world to help real world scientists with their jobs. Not only do these environmental activities complement the science (and often math) curriculum, but they remind students that even small scale acts for good can have big impact.

If you’re studying the butterfly life cycle or looking for an environmental education activity that students can use to practice their data analysis skills , the North American Butterfly Association could use your help! Each year, the non-profit turns to students, teachers, and other citizen scientists to take part in its butterfly counts , contributing to a census of butterflies.

Because butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment, joining a count with your class helps students learn to protect butterfly habitats and the value that these  invertebrates add to our ecosystem.

Explore a host of our favorite  butterfly activities for elementary schoolers !

5. Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt

We know that children learn through play, and learning to be more sustainable and caring for the environment follows that same trend. Then add in the fact that spending time in nature can help children develop a connection to the environment, making them more aware of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of natural systems, and a nature scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids thinking more sustainably.

Connecting kids to nature can foster a sense of stewardship for the natural world, leading our students to think more carefully about how their actions impact the environment.

Print off a free nature scavenger hunt grid , and turn recess into an adventure in connecting with the environment.

5. Tally Trips

Ask students to record their travels for a few days or a week, including trips to and from school, to the grocery store, or any other place they visit.

The type of data they capture for each trip may include:

• Mode of transport — did they walk? Ride a bus? Ride in a car?
• Approximate the distance of the trip
• Number of passengers
• Possible alternative modes of transport (could they have carpooled with other classmates?).

Students can then collate, examine and compare their own, small group, and whole-class data. After presenting their findings in visual representations such as tables, column graphs or picture graphs, discuss what the results might mean in terms of knowledge of, and attitudes toward sustainability.

7. Write Found Object Short Stories

Students choose a found object or item to use as the inspiration for a short story in this environmental education activity. It may be something they collected during the nature walk, a food product examined in a lunchbox audit (see more below!), or a commercial item that they already own.

This creative writing exercise will put these items that might have gone unnoticed or been discarded in the focal point, encouraging students to think about them in an entirely different way.

8. Access the Wisdom of Local Community

Connecting with a local organization is a fantastic way to find out more about the issues that are most relevant to your community.  This also helps your students to gain even more of a real-world perspective on the sustainability topics you have been exploring in class.

• Send an email or Facebook message to an environmental organization in your local area. Or, even better, pick up the phone and give them a call!
• Invite someone from the local community to come and speak to your class about the sustainability work that they do.

Check the Green Stewards list of non-profits with a sustainability focus for ideas!

9. Make Classroom Own Paint

If you use paint in your classroom — or the art teacher down the hall does — try this project in your next science class. Use this recipe for turning old, tired felt pens into  homemade watercolor paint  to get the most out of your school supplies before you chuck it in the  TerraCycle box . You can wash and use old yogurt containers and egg cartons for paint pots to make painting even more environmentally friendly.

10. Visit the Local Recycling Center

Looking for a new field trip idea that won’t break the budget and has a real impact on your students’ futures? Check to see if your community has access to a recycling center that offers educational experiences. Even a visit to the local landfill could be an inexpensive and priceless field trip experience.

11. Re-Purpose Paper

It can feel nearly impossible to have a sustainable classroom when things like worksheets and printouts are such an integral part of a teacher’s day-to-day life. You can get pretty close, however, by being smart about the amount of paper you use, and teach your students to be more environmentally conscious while you’re at it!

Here are some ideas about how to reduce your paper use:

• Make your students’ journals last longer by organizing loose worksheets into folders.
• Make printable worksheets into booklets.
• Create a scrap paper drawer with paper students can reuse for projects, doodle paper, and more.
• Shred your paper for craft activities, such as papier mache, or donate it to your local animal shelter for animal bedding.
• Use Recycled Paper Bead Kits. Once you have enough, use the beads as counters, or create some beautiful visual art pieces! Or even use them in our  Patterns Math Investigation – Bands of Friendship .

Here at Teach Starter, we are committed to reducing our paper waste and helping the environment in whatever way we can — Teach Starter has pledged to plant one million trees by 2033 with our  One Million Trees Project  by planting a tree for every person who subscribes to Teach Starter. If you haven’t already, head on over to our  subscription plans  page, and help us out on this environmental initiative.

What Are 5 Ways to Help the Environment at School?

1. create a classroom compost center.

Helping the environment at school doesn’t have to mean leaving the classroom. It can start with dumping the grounds from your classroom coffee pot and student lunch leftovers into a class compost bin. Learn how to set up your own classroom compost center , and set up a reference poster that reminds students how composting works .

2. Enforce (and Role Model) Recycling

This is another easy environmental activity that will help the environment right from your classroom! Make recycling mandatory — you can add it to a classroom contract — and practice it yourself, so students see you regularly pitching your paper into the recycling bin or adding your leftover cardboard boxes to the pile for the janitors to tote to the recycling center. The more it becomes a habit when they’re young, the more likely they are to continue this sustainable practice into the future.

Learn creative ways to encourage students to recycle .

3. Weigh in on Water Conversation

Do you have a sink in the classroom? Talk about water waste early in the school year, and add visual reminders to ensure students tighten the faucets went they’re done washing their hands. Talk to the janitorial team about posting similar reminders in the school bathrooms so everyone can do their part to help the environment at school.

4. Hold an Energy-Free (or Energy-Light) Day

Challenge your students (and yourself!) to go without power for a school day, or maybe just a half day if they’ll be headed out to specials and a whole day won’t work.

This environmental education activity will quickly draw your students’ attention to the plethora of items they use at school that require energy. Lights, calculators, computers, iPads, interactive whiteboards, and air conditioners are all out for the day!

In the days leading up to your energy-free time, poll students to contribute ideas about how they can complete each of their regular lessons without the consumption of energy.

5. Dig Into the Lunchbox

Do you have a class full of students who bring their lunch? Or maybe you bring your lunch. Running a lunchbox audit with your class can once again help students connect their real-world actions with the environmental impact they have as individuals!

This kind of exploration goes a long way toward encouraging children to think about their own consumption with a more global and sustainable perspective. This activity could be extended for older students as a STEM task. Students can explore the production, packaging, and disposal stages of a food item’s life, as well as develop and present a proposal for more sustainable design options for production, packaging, or sale.

Looking for parent buy-in? Share this list of options in your next classroom newsletter to update parents on their children’s sustainability progress:

• Use reusable packaging, such as beeswax lunch wraps, reusable pouches, and fabric lunch baggies.
• Eat more fruit and vegetables and food that doesn’t require packaging.
• Fill small containers repeatedly with snacks from larger packets.
• Use a reusable lunchbox with compartments to prevent cross-food contamination.
• Reuse plastic cling wrap and foil when possible.
• Use reusable cutlery sets.

Another fun idea from a member of our teacher team? Have a Nude Food Day where the objective is for your class to have a completely waste-free lunchbox for a day!

Plastic Pollution Facts for Kids

Want to establish just why all these activities are so important? Share these facts about pollution in a morning meeting, to introduce a lesson or even as a writing prompt. We’ve rounded up some plastic pollution facts for you to use as a backbone for research projects and to support lesson plans.

• Each year, 400 million tons of plastic waste is produced worldwide.
• Of the 7 billion tons of plastic waste accumulated globally, only 10% has been recycled.
• Plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to decompose, and single straw can take up to 200 years!
• Not all pollutants are manufactured; volcanic ash is a natural pollutant affecting air quality.
• Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates in the world, as they recycle 50-60% of their garbage.
• Decomposing waste in landfills releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change.
• Did you know 99% of plastic is made of fossil fuels?

Download dozens of environmental impact activities for the classroom , developed by teachers and curated by the Teach Starter team!

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NEW SERIES:  Gray, Green, Blue: Water Security and YOU!

People, businesses and industries, recreation, waste removal, transport, nature and even lawn care all require water. Making sure there’s enough reliable, clean water for the health and livelihoods of people and natural environments is what we mean by water security, and it is one of the biggest challenges we face. Learn how nature can play a role in ensuring water security and what YOU can do to help in this four-part series: Gray, Green, Blue: Water Security and YOU! You can watch this series in Spanish with subtitles. Mira la serie subtítulos en español.

Recording the Rainforest 

In this lesson, students will explore a compelling question: How can we use science and acoustic technology to care for the land and protect the plants and animals in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions?  

Coastline Erosion Protection

There are multiple ways to protect coastlines. In this lesson, students compare strong (but expensive) construction materials with the less robust (but cheaper) oyster reefs. Students use an online tool to find historic tide data in a selected coastal location and explore the use of different materials in protecting coastlines. 

Biomimicry: Water Security

In this lesson, students follow the journey of water from an area of rural Colombia to its capital city, Bogotá to learn about a special ecosystem high above the city that makes it possible for Bogotá to have clean water year-round. Students will use these plants as inspiration for their own efforts at biomimicry. Vimeo | Powerpoint

Finding Your Flow: Watersheds

Students will use a video about water in Colombia as a jumping off point to explore the issues facing the watershed in which they live and to identify ways they can become involved in protecting their water along its journey. Vimeo

Ecosystem Interdependence: Managing Salmon 

In this lesson plan, students address the impact of unsustainable fishing practices. Salmon runs are an important factor in cycling several nutrients. Overfishing salmon reduces the forest’s capacity for growth and regeneration. Students explore the connection between the size of salmon runs and forest health.  Vimeo

Sustainable Fishing

In this set of activities, students explore sustainable fishing through a specific case study in Peru, which is home to one of the world’s largest fisheries. The challenges to the health of fisheries in the waters off the coast of Peru represent a microcosm of the larger world as similar challenges are faced by fisheries everywhere. Vimeo

Understanding Climate Change

Students will explore the relationship between weather and climate using local data to derive their own definitions. Students will examine the ways that humans have impacted Earth by analyzing real data and online interactives to discover why scientists are calling this the “Anthropocene.” Vimeo

Urban Runoff: Stormwater Management

Whether a city is rebuilding after a devastating storm or simply looking to revitalize and improve, working with nature rather than against it is a key part of the process of redesigning our cities to be more resilient and sustainable. This lesson introduces students to the problem of urban runoff and a variety of nature-based design ideas and solutions. Vimeo

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Lesson Plans & Activities 9-12

Please see below for lessons and activities.

Biology/Ecosystems  ||  Geography  ||  Geology  ||  Global Change  ||  Natural Hazards  ||  Oceans/Coasts  ||  Water

Biology/Ecosystems

Wildlife and Contaminants - Lessons A series of lessons targeted to high school students that introduces the topic of ecotoxicology and guides students through the scientific process of gathering raw data and drawing conclusions about the impact of contaminants on wildlife.   

Become a Phenology Observer - Activity The National Phenology Network (sponsored by the USGS) is looking for volunteers to help monitor plant and animal species found across the United States. Learn how to monitor plant and animal phenology and sign up to contribute new observations to the national phenology database. Make this a classroom project!

Lessons on the Lake: An Educator's Guide to the Pontchartrain Basin - Lessons Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain Basin is home to 1.5 million people and an estuary ecosystem with enormous biodiversity. Activities in the educator's guide help students in grades 5-12 gain an understanding and appreciation of the Basin and teaches them the skills to identify environmental concerns, make changes, and solve problems.

Land and People - Activity Students look at interactions between people and the environment in three regions of the United States: Cape Cod, Los Angeles, and the Everglades. Targeted to grades 7-12.

Interactive San Francisco Bay Data - Activity Look at plots of data collected from the water of San Francisco Bay, then generate your own plots using real data. How does a change in light penetration compare to water temperature? Does a change in salinity correspond with a change in chlorophyll?

Topographic Map Resources for Teachers - Lessons and Activities This directory level site includes links to various resources on topographic maps, how to obtain them, read them, their history, and map projections and includes links to various teaching activities and modules. It is the one-stop shop for learning about, using, and teaching topographic map concepts.

I ntroduction to Soils - Lessons A series of lessons teaching high school students about soils and linking them to climate, vegetation, and geology.

Exploring Maps - Lesson Exploring Maps  is an interdisciplinary set of materials on mapping for grades 7-12.  Students will learn basic mapmaking and map-reading skills and will see how maps can answer fundamental geographic questions.  The map images and activities in this packet can be used in various courses, including geography, history, math, art, English, and the sciences.   

Constructing a 3D Topographic Map - Activity This exercise uses clear plastic take-out lids, each marked with a different elevation line, and stacked to produce a 3D topographic map. It includes a base map of Angel Island (San Francisco Bay) but can be adapted to any local topographic feature.

27 Ideas for Teaching with Topographic Maps - Activity Contains 27 ideas for teaching with the approximately 57,000 topographic maps that the USGS offers.

Map Mysteries - Lesson Sample questions to use with USGS topographic and thematic maps as starting points to uncover mysteries about the cultural and physical geography of the Earth.

Corn Maze Geography - Activity Visit a corn maze and use these activities to learn about maps and geography.

How to Use a Compass with a USGS Topographic Map - Activity Learn to navigate using a topographic map and a compass.

Map-It: Form-based Simple Map Generator - Activity Enter the longitude and latitude of points to plot on a simple map. Download a postscript version of the resulting map.   Satellite Imagery

Tracking Change over Time - Activity Enhance students' learning of geography, map reading, earth science, and problem solving through landscape changes recorded by satellites in space.

AmericaView - Lessons USGS is a partner in AmericaView, which has lesson plans and other education resources for working with satellite imagery. Mostly targeted to grades 6-12.

Journey Along a Field Line - Activity A sixteen-page comic book about the Earth's magnetic field. Travel down through the interior of the earth then back up into the ionosphere to learn how the magnetic field works.

Antarctic Ice Sheet - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through a paper model, why there are changes on the ice sheet that covers the Antarctica continent. By studying the paper model, students will better understand the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Chicxulub Impact Event - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, by means of two paper models, how dinosaurs may have become extinct as a result of an asteroid impact. By studying the paper models, students will better understand the mass extinctions that have been part of the Earth's history. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Crinoids - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through the use of a paper model, how crinoids lived and became fossilized. By studying the paper model, students will better understand the flower-like animal that is referred to as a "sea lily" and its ocean-floor environment. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

How to Construct Four Paper Models that Describe Island Coral Reefs - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing a set of four, three-dimensional paper models that schematically illustrate the development of island coral.

Make Your Own Paper Fossils - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, by means of paper models, how two organisms, a trilobite and a nautiloid, became fossils. The report is intended to help students and others visualize the size and shape of a trilobite and a nautiloid, the environment in which they lived, and the circumstances of their fossilization and subsequent discovery. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Make Your Own Paper Model of a Volcano - Lessons and Activities

This report contains instructions and a pattern for making a three-dimensional paper model of a volcano. This model is intended to help students and others to visualize a stratovolcano (inside and out) and to learn some of the terms used by geologists in describing it.

Paper Model Showing Motion on the San Andreas Fault - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing a three-dimensional model that schematically illustrates the fault motion that occurred during the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989, in California. The model is intended to help students and others visualize the process of fault slip during earthquakes.

Sand Dunes - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates, through computer animations and paper models, why sand dunes can develop different forms. By studying the animations and the paper models, students will better understand the evolution of sand dunes.

How to construct 7 paper models that describe faulting of the Earth - Activity This report contains instructions and patterns for preparing seven three-dimensional paper models that schematically illustrate common earth faults and associated landforms.

2 Paper Models Showing the Effects of Glacial Ice on a Mountain Valley - Activity This report contains instructions and templates for preparing three-dimensional paper models of two features a mountain valley partly filled by a glacier and the same valley after the glacier has melted. Included are brief descriptions of how such glaciers form, how they erode the landscape, and what kinds of physiographic features they produce.

Earthquake Effects - Lessons and Activities The report is intended to help students and others visualize what causes earthquake shaking and some of the possible results of the shaking. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Landslide Effects - Lessons and Activities This report illustrates how four different types of landslides (slide, slump, flow, and rockfall) occur and what type of damage may result. The report is intended to help students and others visualize what causes landslides and some of the possible result of the landslides. Animations mentioned in the Educator Guides are no longer available.

Plate Tectonics Tennis Ball Globe - Activity Create a mini globe that shows the major plate boundaries of the world (scroll to page 15).

This Dynamic Planet Teaching Companion Packet - Lessons and Activities This Teaching Companion is intended to assist teachers to teach plate tectonics, primarily for grades 6–14.

Schoolyard Geology - Activities - under construction Structured activities use man-made features that are found in a typical schoolyard to demonstrate geologic principles.

The Lifecycle of a Mineral Deposit - Activities A teacher's guide for hands-on mineral education activities. Designed to meet the National Science Standards, this product includes 10 activity-based learning exercises that educate students on basic geologic concepts; the processes of finding, identifying, and extracting the resources from a mineral deposit; and the uses of minerals. Geared for fifth through eighth grade science teachers.  

Collecting Rocks - Activity Learn about different types of rocks and how to identify and collect them.

What's in My Soil? - Activity Students separate, examine and identify the major components of soil to better understand how these components give soil its unique physical characteristics.

Introduction to Soils - Lesson This complete lesson plan teaches students how soils develop and provides links between soils, climate, vegetation, and geology. Includes materials for both teachers and students (handout, puzzle, field and lab sheets).

Graded Bedding - Activity Students are introduced to the concept of graded bedding, in which particles are sorted by size as they settle out of suspension. Students will discover that water is a good medium to separate and sort particles, and that particles have different behaviors in water and air.

Geologic Age - Activity Students investigate radioactivity as a tool for measuring geologic time.

Global Change

Greenhouse Gases - Activity Students observe and contrast thermal properties of three major greenhouse changes over time for dry air, water-saturated air, carbon dioxide, and methane.

Evaluating Glacier and Landscape Change - Lesson In this lesson students interpret USGS data in multiple formats and draw conclusions based on the data presented. 

Natural Hazards

Tabletop Earthquakes - Activity Construct a simple earthquake machine to demonstrate the principles of seismology. Includes supporting instructional material. 

Size and Occurrence of Floods - Activity Students use macaroni or beans to calculate the statistics of floor recurrence (see back side of poster).

Living with a Volcano in your Backyard - Activities A three-unit guide that provides science content and inquiry-based activities about volcanoes of the Cascade Range for middle-school students, with an emphasis on Mount Ranier. Includes more than 30 activities, a field guide, glossary, and supplementary information.

Predict an Eruption! - Activities This highly interactive site uses animations, illustrations, activities, and quizzes to show how eruptions at Mount St. Helens were accurately predicted by USGS scientists, then allows students to predict an actual eruption using real data.

Oceans/Coasts

The Fragile Fringe: A Guide for Teaching about Coastal Wetlands - Background Information and Activities Material to use for developing a comprehensive study of coastal wetlands.  Includes background information, suggested activities, glossary, references, and reading list. Activities can be demonstrated by the teacher or performed by students. Emphasis is on Gulf Coast wetlands.   

Hands-on Experiments to Test for Acid Mine Drainage - Activities Fourteen very basic exercises use home-made litmus paper and household items to test creek water for acid mine drainage and to look at plants, bacteria, and insects living in the water.

Ask a River to Text You with a WaterAlert - Activity Incorporate real-time data in the classroom by receiving instant, customized updates about water conditions at a specific river through WaterAlert.

Outreach Notebook for Groundwater - Lessons Five groundwater-related lesson plans for grades 6-8, complete with forms, diagrams, and supporting information. Although these were designed to be taught by an instructor and a water professional working together, a thoughtful educator could easily handle the lessons on their own.

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Reading list

Not for me, please!: I choose to act green Paperback by Maria Godsey

What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet (Protect the Planet) by Jess French

The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling (Little Green Books) by Alison Inches

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals

Save the Scraps (Save the Earth) by Bethany Stahl

WE ARE ALL CONNECTED: CARING FOR EACH OTHER & THE EARTH by Gabi Garcia

Earth Ninja: A Children’s Book About Recycling, Reducing, and Reusing (Ninja Life Hacks) by Mary Nhin

Steve and Eve Save the Planet: I Can Hear Your Heart Beep (Book 1) by Paul Shore and Deborah Katz

Middle School

Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by by Barbara Dee

World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky

The Incredible Ecosystems of Planet Earth by Rachel Ignotofsky

Going Blue: A Teen Guide to Saving Our Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, & Wetlands by Cathryn Berger Kaye M.A.  

Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do by Andrea Minoglio

Old Enough to Save the Planet (Changemakers) by Loll Kirby

The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen's Guide to Saving the Planet by Jenn Savedge

50 Fun Earth Day Crafts and Activities Using Upcycled Materials

Save the earth, make art.

Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22), though there really is never a bad time to celebrate Mother Earth. It’s important to teach students the environmental benefits of recycling, like conserving energy and natural resources and reducing air and water pollution, all year long. While recycling breaks down old items in order to create something new, upcyling makes something new from an existing object in its current state. Challenge your students to create something unique and wonderful from preexisting items like magazines, plastic water bottles, tin cans, egg cartons, and more. Check out our list of the best recycled crafts for Earth Day or any day, and give some of them a try!

1. Make wildflower seed bombs

Give back to Mother Earth with these easy-to-make seed bombs. Blend together used scraps of construction paper, water, and wildflower seeds in a food processor, then form them into tiny muffins. Let them dry, then toss them in the ground. As the seed bombs receive sun and rain, the paper will eventually compost and the seeds will germinate.

Learn more: Learn How To Make Seed Bombs

2. Put together nature wreaths

Take your kids on a nature walk to gather interesting leaves, flowers, berries, and the like. To make the wreath forms, braid together strips of old T-shirts and form them into a circle. Then attach natural items into the crevices and secure with clear fishing line or hot glue. Attach a ribbon at the top to hang your wreath.

Learn more: Kid-Made Nature Wreath

3. Construct a bug hotel

Create a cozy place for all the creepy-crawlies to hang out. Cut a two-liter plastic bottle into two cylinders, then stuff it with sticks, pine cones, bark, or any other natural material. Make sure to pack the organic material tightly. Then loop a piece of twine or yarn around the two cylinders and hang your bug hotel from a tree branch or fence.

Learn more: Simple Bug Hotel for Kids

4. Make a quilt

Textiles make up a huge portion of municipal solid waste—over 16 million tons per year. Teach your kids to repurpose old material that would otherwise end up in the landfill by putting together a cozy quilt.

Learn more: Create a Classroom Quilt

5. Use magazines to create a bowl

We love Earth Day crafts that result in a practical object you can use around the house. This project is best for older students who have the patience and dexterity necessary to carefully roll their magazine strips and glue them together.

Learn more: Easy DIY Magazine Bowls

6. Create a planet Earth craft

Pay tribute to our lovely planet on Earth Day with these fuzzy moss balls. Kids who love getting their hands dirty will particularly love this craft. All you do is squish pre-soaked sphagnum moss into a tight ball, wrap it tightly with blue yarn or strips of discarded T-shirts, layer more moss and more yarn, etc., until you’ve created an Earth-shaped orb. Finish with a loop of yarn and hang it in a sunny window. To keep your moss ball healthy, simply spray it with water every couple of days.

Learn more: DIY Earth Moss Ball

7. Plant a hanging garden

Large plastic bottles become beautiful hanging planters in this green-living, green-thumb project. A great way to make a gorgeous hanging garden.

Learn more: DIY Recycled Hanging Planter

8. Upcycle trash into flower art

Scraps of paper are the only supplies you need for this recycled-flower-garden activity and lesson. The measurement and math element is an added bonus.

Learn more: Fun Earth Day Recycled Garden Activity

9. “Grow” an egg carton tree

Save those egg cartons! This simple project only requires a few supplies to make a recycled egg carton tree.

Learn more: Recycled Egg Carton Tree

10. Repurpose paper towel rolls into binoculars

Save those paper rolls so your class can customize their own binoculars! Have a variety of paints, stickers, and the like on hand so your students can really personalize their bird-watchers.

Learn more: Paper Roll Binoculars

11. Construct your own flexible seating

One of our favorite Earth Day crafts has to be upcycling tires into comfy seating for our reading nook.

Learn more: DIY Tire Seats

12. Fashion a pop-top bracelet

Aluminum beverage pop-tops become wearable jewelry thanks to some ninja ribbon work. Show this video on your interactive whiteboard to give your students the full 411, and then get crafting!

Learn more: Pop Tab Bracelets

13. Create colorful suncatchers / wind chimes

Go outside for a nature walk and gather sticks, weeds, and pickable blooms, then bring the treasures inside to be showcased in recycled jar lids. With some wax paper and string, your students can craft this surprisingly beautiful recycled wind chime.

Learn more: Homemade Nature Suncatcher Wind Chimes

14. Make recycled crafts from paper bags

Brown paper bags become eco-canvases for artwork and a perfect way to adorn fridges for Earth Day. Bonus points if you can source handled bags because the handles serve as built-in artwork hangers.

Learn more: Paper Bag Paintings

15. Build a recycled city

Create an adorable village using little more than paper rolls, paper, scissors, paint, glue or tape, and your imagination!

Learn more: How To Make a Mini City Out of Paper Rolls

16. Create pebble art

Take students outside to collect small rocks and pebbles. Have them arrange the rocks into a pattern of their choice. Get creative, and try for as many different designs as you can!

Learn more: DIY Pebble Art Tutorial

17. Use old crayons to make Earth Day crayons

This isn’t just any recycled crayon—it’s a gorgeous Earth crayon! You can make these with your kids using a muffin tin. You just need to sort out the right colors.

Learn more: Earth Crayons

18. Use upcycled objects to make mazes

STEM and recycling go together wonderfully! This idea is a great way to challenge kids to make mazes or something else entirely.

Learn more: Kid-Made DIY Recycled Cardboard Marble Maze

19. Make a rope snake

Recycling projects that use objects you may have lying around your garage or shed are some of our favorites. Grab that old rope you’ve been saving and create these adorable rope worms/snakes with your students.

Learn more: DIY Rope Snake Craft

20. Feed the birds

Herald spring with this easy crowd-pleaser: the large plastic bottle bird feeder. This short video will teach kids how to get started constructing their feeders.

Learn more: How To Make a Birdfeeder From a Bottle

21. Get organized with old cans

Tin cans are easy to get your hands on, and they can go a long way in organizing supplies. Get your kids involved by having them help decorate the cans. They’ll really take ownership of this, which will hopefully inspire them to keep supplies more organized.

Learn more: Homework Supply Caddy

22. Make papier-mâché pots

Cut off the bottoms of beverage bottles or reuse food containers and jazz them up with bright-colored paper scraps. Except for the glue, these papier-mâché planters are composed solely of recycled materials.

Learn more: Papier Mache Pots

23. Make a necklace out of found items

Earth Day art that is wearable is a bonus! Use found objects or some string to create these unique necklaces.

Learn more: Recycled Cardboard Art Necklaces

24. Make chair fidgets out of old tees

Give old T-shirts new life with this craft by making chair fidgets. This uses a simple braiding technique, and your kids will love helping out.

Learn more: Make Your Own Chair Fidget

25. Collaborate on an aluminum can recycling bin

Kids can work together to create an aluminum-can recycling center. Watch the video to get the simple instructions and learn how your school can make recycling fun and rewarding.

Learn more: DIY Recycling Station From Aluminum Cans

26. Build tin can robots

Recycling projects like these are the best since kids love robots. Be sure to have an extra pair of adult hands around to help with the hot glue for these Earth Day crafts.

Learn more: Tin Can Robot

27. Fashion fairy house night-lights

Are these the sweetest Earth Day crafts ever? Plastic bottles from home become homes for fairies, thanks to paint, scissors, glue, and real or faux greenery.

Learn more: Fairy House Night-Lights

28. Create a giant upcycled art wall

This is an amazing recycled wall masterpiece. You could set it up on a cardboard backing and then let students add to it, paint it, and create with it whenever they have free time throughout the day.

Learn more: Recycled Materials Art Wall

29. Make your own games

Use bottle caps in a game of tic-tac-toe. They can also be turned into checkers. This would be a great makerspace activity. Give your kids several upcycled items and challenge them to create games with them.

Source: Tic-Tac-Toe on the Go

30. Make a treasure magnet

These treasure magnets are just so beautiful! Recycle a bottle cap, and glue a variety of gemstones and beads inside. Then add a magnet to the back.

Learn more: Treasure Magnet

31. Turn old magazines into art

We love how this upcycled magazine cut-paper art project can be modified for primary students or used to inspire sophisticated art by high school students.

Learn more: Cut Paper Art

32. Build a beautiful DIY terrarium

A bottle gets a second life as a museum-worthy terrarium as well as a home for an environmental science project. Be sure to add the activated charcoal and moss for plastic bottle terrariums that flourish.

Learn more: Coke Bottle Terrarium

33. Paint with corks

This is the perfect kind of Earth Day art since you use recycled material (corks) to paint your favorite scene from nature.

Learn more: Cork Painting Activity for Kids

34. Set up some self-watering planters

Your classroom studies of plant life, photosynthesis, and water conservation will get a boost with this hands-on crafting of a self-watering planter. The base? A good ol’ large plastic bottle.

Learn more: DIY Self-Watering Planters

35. Form flowers from water bottles

Create these stunning flowers from plastic bottles and water-based paint markers. String them together for a colorful garland for your classroom.

Learn more: DIY Eco Pledge Flower

36. Build cardboard castles

Gather all your recyclables and put those tiny engineers to work. You’ll be amazed by what they create!

Learn more: Recycled Castle Art Project

37. Make these newspaper owls

Old newspapers find their spirit animal when they become recycled newspaper owls. All you need are markers, watercolors, and paper scraps to make them come alive.

Learn more: Colorful Newspaper Owl Craft

38. Construct a plastic bottle recycling bin

Water bottles come together, as do your kids, to make this water bottle recycling center. This project combines teamwork with respect for our environment, a double win.

Learn more: DIY Recycling Station From Plastic Bottles

39. Let your imagination run wild with cardboard

Cardboard is one of the easiest, least expensive materials you can get your hands on. Grab a ton of it and challenge your kids to make awesome creations. You never know what they might come up with.

Learn more: Make Your Own Cardboard TV

40. Make a musical instrument

There are no limits to the recycling projects you can create using cardboard. This DIY instrument will teach kids about vibrations and sound.

Learn more: Cardboard Flute

41. Create a spinning top

Do you have a bunch of CDs lying around that never get played anymore? How about a box or drawer of markers that barely write? If you answered yes to these questions, then this is the perfect project for you.

Learn more: Recycled CD Spinning Tops

42. Fashion lady bugs from bottle caps

These little ladybugs are so cute and yet so, so simple. Grab some bottle caps, paint, googly eyes, and glue and get ready to make some adorable friends!

Learn more: Bottle Top Ladybugs

43. Create a coffee filter Earth

Simple to make and beautiful to display, these coffee filter Earths are a cinch. Simply color with blue and green markers, then squirt with a water bottle.

Learn more: Coffee Filter Earth Day Craft

44. Create Earth Day agamographs

An agamograph is a piece of art created from strips of paper strung together. Choose an Earth Day theme and try your own!

Learn more: Earth Day Agamographs

45. Make DIY recycled plantable seed paper

Not only is it beautiful paper, it can be used to grow beautiful flowers!

Learn more: DIY Seeded Paper

46. Craft a pair of egg carton glasses

How creative is this egg carton craft for Earth Day? All you need is egg carton sections, pipe cleaners, scissors, and craft paint, and voilà! Superhero goggles.

Learn more: Egg Carton Superhero Goggles

47. Put together an Earth Day mosaic puzzle

Create this colorful Earth-shaped puzzle using torn pieces of green and blue paper glued onto recycled cardboard puzzle cut-outs.

Learn more: Mosaic Earth Puzzles

48. Construct a papier-mâché globe

Most kids love the sloppy process of papier-mâché. Here, learn how to make a DIY globe with recycled paper that they can treasure forever.

Learn more: How To Make a Papier-Mâché Planet Earth

49. Make Earth Day salt dough crafts

Salt dough crafts are so much fun to celebrate Earth Day! Make these colorful medallions, then attach string. Your kids will wear their Earth Day pride for all to see.

Learn more: Earth Day Salt Dough Craft

50. Mesmerize with DIY Earth Day discovery bottles

It’s amazing what a calming tool you can make with just glue and water inside of a recycled bottle.

Learn more: DIY Earth Day Sensory Bottles

What are your favorite things to do for Earth Day? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!

Love spending time outside try these fun outdoor science activities ..

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Resource Database

Climate change lessons by teachers, news for students, professional development, guidance for school administrators, teacher guides, 10 climate change games for the classroom.

Teacher Author

Vanessa wilson is a 6-8 science, english, and spanish teacher..

🍎 If you like these games, check out our Back to School Teacher Guides

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Want to increase student engagement and interest in the classroom? Educational games are a fantastic way to boost student motivation and help them develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By using climate change games in the classroom, you will inspire students to learn about the impacts of climate change, find solutions, and take climate action. We’ve gathered 10 digital and physical educational games to use in the classroom and/or link to any LMS system, such as Google Classroom. Students will be excited to learn these concepts in a fun and engaging manner.

What Type of Shopper Are You?

The game introduces the idea of greenwashing and being mindful of the environmental and social effects of economic decisions. .

Grades 6-12

This interactive online game, published by SubjectToClimate,  makes students more aware of their shopping habits and susceptibility to greenwashing efforts. Students learn about the four different types of shoppers - competitive, methodical, spontaneous, and humanistic. The game asks students to watch company ads, decide if they would buy the product, and explain their choice. At the end of the game, students will learn what type of shopper they are based on their choices and they will earn a Greenwashing Badge from Captain Climate. Climate change games for the classroom get students actively thinking about how they can make an impact in their community and combat global warming. This game can be paired with the video  Everything You Need to Know About Greenwashing  and the lesson plan  Is This Greenwashing?  to introduce students to the term greenwashing. Students can complete the activity with a peer to collaborate and discuss their answer choices, or the game can be a full class activity. Teachers may ask students to reflect on their choices by holding a group discussion or completing a written reflection activity.

Where Are All the Trees?

In this interactive game, students play the role of an urban planner who must decide if los angeles needs to plant more trees. .

Trees and the ecosystems they support are vital for the health of the Earth and all its inhabitants. They provide us with the oxygen we need to breathe and remove pollutants such as CO2, the most notorious greenhouse gas, from the air. In this game,  students play the role of an urban planner and must decide whether or not more trees are needed in the Los Angeles area. Throughout the game, students watch two informational videos - one on proper tree planting and another on areas in severe need of tree cover. They will then analyze a Los Angeles tree equity map and decide where they should plant the trees. At the end of the activity, students will earn their Urban Forest Badge from Captain Climate. The activity allows students to develop problem-solving skills by asking them to take the best course of action to solve real world problems. Teachers can use this activity as a formative or summative assessment to gauge student learning as it offers instant feedback. This game ties in well with this  Tree Equity Score  interactive, where students can examine data on the number of trees found in their communities.

Students should be familiar with terms such as urban planning and tree equity.  Teachers can pair the game with the  Cities, Trees, and Inequality  lesson plan. This game may be added during the “Investigate” phase so students can learn more about the benefits of trees and disparities amongst tree planting in different areas, a crucial topic in the context of the climate crisis. In social studies classes, students can complete the  Tree Equity Score  interactive map, which will develop their spatial thinking skills and help them learn more about the places around them. They may collaborate with their peers and decide on the best places to plant more trees according to the map data.

The Best Solutions to Climate Change

Students will watch a short video about each solution, choose the solution they think is the best, and answer questions to see if the solution they chose aligns with their answers. .

In this activity, students will participate in a  fortune-telling game  where they learn about four different solutions to limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Students will watch four videos on the following subjects -  eliminating food waste ,  empowering girls & women ,  renewable energy , and  eating a plant-based diet . After watching the videos, students will decide which climate change solution they believe to be most effective and then answer questions to see if their answer aligns with their chosen fortune. Upon completion, students will earn their Climate Solutions Badge from Captain Climate. This game provides students with the opportunity to make their own choices, which teaches them how to make informed decisions with sustainability in mind. Students need to learn about the impact that individuals have on carbon emissions and the importance of adopting different strategies to combat the climate crisis. 

Teachers will need to provide students with a basic background of climate change terms before assigning this activity. Students should be familiar with terms such as “climate,” “carbon dioxide,” and “climate change,” along with some background information about the causes of climate change. By pairing this activity with StC’s lesson -  What’s the Best Solution to Climate Change  - students will expand their knowledge about climate change and learn how to write an evidence-based paragraph to inform others about powerful climate solutions.

Looking for the latest free Climate Change game and activities to share in your class?

This fun game teaches students how to build their town while preserving the health of the lakes. .

Grades 3-12

In this interactive and engaging video game,  students are in charge of developing and taking care of their own town . With the help of advisors, students will become city-builders and create their own town. Through this process, they will learn about the negative impact humans have on city ecosystems, including fossil fuel emissions, pollution, and agriculture. While creating their town, students will be asked to build homes and farms, and then manage and sell farm products for revenue. Students will observe how difficult it is to adopt sustainable farming practices and preserve ecosystems. 

The resource is free and easy for students to access as it requires no login or download. It can be used in numerous subject areas including, but not limited to science, social studies, and biology. On the main game website, you can find middle and high school standards to incorporate into lesson plans. Teachers can pair the game with the TedEd video -  Can we create the perfect farm?  In this video, students learn about the history of farming practices, the negative impacts of current farming methods, and possible solutions for more sustainable farming. After completing the game, teachers can assess students with an exit ticket. Sample exit ticket questions include:

• Write down 3 things you learned while playing the game.
• List 1-2 things you want to learn more about.
• What is the problem faced in the game? Possible solutions?

Carbon Cycle Game

This digital activity styled like a board game helps students visualize the carbon cycle while also adding in a bit of competition. .

This  yard game interactive activity will help students learn about the carbon cycle using a board game-style platform.  Students can play individually, with another peer, or on the web against other opponents. The game allows students to engage in a low-risk competition activity while motivating them to learn about one of Earth's most important natural cycles. The game requires no login or download and includes a tutorial on how best to play the game. Students should be familiar with the basics of the carbon cycle and its implications for global climate change. Assign students this interactive  Carbon Cycle  resource before the game to teach them the basic processes. After students complete the game, teachers can do a misconception check with the class. Teachers will show students commonly misconceived phrases about the carbon cycle and have students correct the misconceptions based on the information they learned during the game.

Environmental Education Group Games & Activities

This wonderful resource contains instructions for seven games that teach students about the environment, ecosystems, and sustainability through play.  .

This  NEEF  website offers a variety of  physical games and activities for students to play . The games vary in subject matter from biological populations to renewable resources and community roles. The site provides directions for each game, supply lists, and optional activity recommendations.  Activities can be adapted for various grade levels and subject areas. These activities from NEEF require minimal supplies and are easy to incorporate into any class. The activities stimulate engagement and collaboration among peers as they help students acquire knowledge of these concepts in an entertaining way. Students that are categorized as ESE or ELL may need to be paired with a peer to assist them in playing the game. Before playing, students may need to learn about the scientific terms incorporated in the game. Teachers can use the debrief questions to assess student comprehension of terms and concepts after the activity.

Water Cycle Game

This game allows students to move water molecules through different locations and states of matter using the processes of the water cycle. .

In this activity,  students will explore the processes of the water cycle and observe how water travels all over the world by playing a digital card game. Key terms include condensation, evaporation, precipitation, runoff, and groundwater expansion. Learners of all types will benefit from the visual and hands-on aspects of the game. This activity offers students a choice of playing individually, with a partner, or with multiple players. This game will help visual, kinesthetic, ELL, and ESE learners comprehend complex water cycle terms and processes by offering a different mode of engagement and learning. Students in need of reinforcement can learn key terms using the digital cards, each of which offers a vocabulary word, definition, and picture. Students may benefit from watching the tutorial to gain a better understanding of the goal and rules of the game. Students that are not comfortable with technology can be paired with a peer to play the game. Teachers can also project the game and play it as a whole class activity, or separate the classroom into two groups (red and blue); the group with the most points wins.

Wind Simulator Game

This interactive game and simulation helps students investigate the science behind why the wind blows and what causes tornadoes. .

This  wind simulation game teaches students how high and low-pressure systems cause wind patterns. In the game, students are asked to drag an arrow according to their observation and the movement of the wind. When they move the arrow to show the correct movement of the wind particles, they can move on to the next level of the game. Each level shows different wind patterns, which challenges students and increases their critical thinking skills. The game can be used to enhance or assess knowledge of wind and storm patterns. Students can first learn about the basics of wind movement by viewing the  Effect of Atmospheric Circulation on Climate . This resource includes a reading activity, images, video, and comprehension questions. 

River Runner

This video game-like interactive map lets students place a "raindrop" anywhere on earth to see where the water will end up. .

In this  interactive topographic map activity , students are asked to place a water droplet anywhere in the world and observe as the droplet moves through different water sources. This map is a great introduction to the water cycle as students can learn how water moves through various locations. Students will learn the names of the different sources of water and can stop, restart, and control the pace of the activity. It also allows students to share their completed path with a link that can be shared with peers for collaboration. Students will benefit from this map activity by learning about the different surface waters around the world. This activity can be used cross-curricular in science and social science or geography courses. In social science and geography classrooms, teachers may have students research the different landforms and water sources in the area where the droplet traveled. Science teachers may have students dive deeper into how the project ties together with the processes of the water cycle.

Elementary students can first learn the basics of the water cycle by completing this coloring activity,  Coloring Page: The Water Cycle  and then discussing it in small groups or as a class. After students complete the interactive, teachers can show students  The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes  video, which discusses the water cycle and its importance to organisms and geological processes. Students only need to watch the first 2 minutes and 40 seconds of the video; the rest is information for teachers to learn how to best teach the concept.

Habitat Game

In this interactive game, students drag and drop animals into their correct ecological habitats. .

This  game introduces students to the different habitats  found around the world such as deserts, coral reefs, jungles, and marshes. Students are asked to match the different animals to their habitats by dragging and dropping them from a selection of organisms. The game provides its players with instant feedback, so students will know if they have placed the animal in its correct habitat. This activity will serve as a primer activity for students to learn about terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can be used with elementary and middle schoolers.

The game is free to play and requires only a laptop or desktop. Students can play individually or pair up with a peer to discuss what they have observed. If students do not have access to laptops, the game can be displayed on a smartboard or other interactive display to play as a class. Teachers can use this game as a preliminary activity to assess students' knowledge of habitats. Pairing this game with the  Habitat Basics  video will enhance student knowledge of the different habitats and organisms found throughout the world. A whole-class discussion after completing the game will help students reinforce their understanding of the game and concept.

Students can watch this  Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands  video to learn about the negative impact humans have on animals and their habitats. The website includes an “Explore Your Eco-Region” section where students can learn about the 11 ecoregions found throughout the world. Each ecoregion link includes a case study and inquiry activities for different grade levels.

Final Thoughts

Playing games to reinforce science concepts will enhance participation in the classroom. These activities will make complex concepts fun and engaging, and students will become active contributors to their learning. Games are student-centered activities that enhance important 21st-century skills such as creativity, communication, critical thinking, and fostering a growth mindset. Finally, using these games in the classroom will develop connections between students and their peers and form positive classroom memories.  Find more climate change games for the classroom  on our site.

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Think Earth Curriculum

Along with educating students about our natural environment, Think Earth instructional units teach students:

• how we use natural resources
• what causes waste and pollution
• what we can all do to help keep our environment clean and healthy

Think Earth helps develop students’ understanding of how their actions impact the environment so that they are prepared to make environmentally conscious decisions. They learn to “Think Earth”!

Check out the first four units— Kindergarten , Grade 1 , Grade 2 , and Grade 3 —by clicking on a cover to the right. Whether you are a classroom teacher, an administrator, or a homeschooler, you can register to gain free access to all of the Think Earth materials.

The complete Think Earth Curriculum—nine units from preschool to middle-school—has been used since the 1990s to teach students about the importance of a clean, healthy environment and about what they can do to:

• conserve natural resources
• reduce waste
• minimize pollution

These comprehensive, award—winning environmental science lesson plans have been printed for many years and distributed to more than 60,000 teachers and environmental educators nationwide.

Be sure to connect with Think Earth on Facebook and Twitter for current announcements! 

Teachers Love Think Earth

Teachers have been teaching Think Earth for years, and they love it because:

1. It works!

Classes average under 60% correct (about guessing level) on unit pretests and nearly 90% on posttests. "I thought the kids already knew it, but from the pretest scores, I can see I was wrong." "Parents have told me that their children came home and told them how to imporve their environment!" "The students are changed for a lifetime."

2. It's complete but quick and easy to teach!

Each unit requires only a week of daily lessons. "This is the best program I've seen in years. It's exciting, hands-on, age appropriate, and teacher friendly. Thank you for developing this!" "I have several other resources but use this one all the time. Well organized and interesting." "I appreciate the ease of use; all the materials are so well-written and thought-out."

3. Students love it!

100% of the teachers rated students' attitudes toward Think Earth as "Very Positive" or "Positive." "The kids loved it. You are making a difference!" "My students are so excited about doing their part, both at school and home. It's so important to teach them about these things at an early age." "The students loved the 'Rascals.' They now faithfully practice the 3Rs." "The students especially enjoyed the activities that showed them how to 'Think Earth' each day."

Think Earth is Unique

Unlike many environmental programs, Think Earth is behavior-based, teaching students not only why taking care of the environment is important but also what they can do, personally, every day to "Think Earth."

Other unique characteristics include:

• comprehensive content, covering water, air, and land
• field-tested and revised instruction and materials
• quick and easy to teach
• student assessments
• standards-based lessons

Think Earth Wins Awards

Think Earth has been awarded numerous honors, including the President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Award, given by the White House. Click here to see a full list of awards.

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Think Earth Online Curriculum Project

Click on your grade level to preview the unit materials – teacher’s guide, videos, posters, stories, songs, student pages, and more!

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Think Earth Kindergarten Unit

Think earth first grade unit, think earth second grade unit, think earth third grade unit, waste invaders fourth grade mini-unit, pollution is for the birds fifth grade mini-unit.

07 apr 2023

8 Engaging Earth Day Activities for High-School Students to Inspire Eco-Awareness

As a teacher, you have the unique opportunity to spark a passion for change in your students. With Earth Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect moment to dive into Earth Day activities for high-school students that go beyond the usual. These activities can foster a deeper sense of environmental responsibility and empower students to take meaningful action for a sustainable future. Ready to inspire your class? Here are some creative and impactful ideas to get your students actively involved in making a difference!

Clean-up Challenge 

If you live in a town or city with multiple high schools (or at least more than one), why not engage a neighboring school in a clean-up challenge to celebrate Earth Day? 

Not only is it great for the environment, but it’s also an opportunity for students to meet and spend time outside for a change. Additionally, educators can network and exchange ideas and experiences. 

The more schools you can engage, the better! Reach out to colleagues from other schools, determine the rules of the competition, and set a date and location for your clean-ups. Spread the word and promote the challenge as widely as possible on social media.

Plogging: Good for Health, Great for the Planet!

If no school was brave enough to take up the above challenge, there’s an even better alternative—plogging! Besides, it’s super easy to organize. 

Plogging is a relatively new fitness trend that started in Sweden in 2016. As you probably guessed, it combines jogging with picking up trash. The name originated from the Swedish verb “plocka upp” which means “to pick up.” 

In terms of the benefits it offers for both health and the environment, this one is very hard to beat. Additionally, apart from fighting pollution and saving some money on the local budget, a nice big plogging party attracts a lot of attention, which makes an ultimate triple Earth-Day combo!

So, pick a nice route around your neighborhood, and grab some gloves and trash bags. Asking your students to post about it on social media wouldn’t go amiss either.

Volunteer at a Local Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

If you are lucky enough to have a wildlife center nearby, organizing volunteer work for your students there can be an amazing way to celebrate Earth Day. Working with animals can provide a firsthand look at the impact of human activities on the natural world better than anything else. 

It’s one thing to talk about it, but seeing animals that have been injured or orphaned due to habitat destruction and climate change can be eye-opening and help your students truly understand the importance of environmental conservation. And, as always, spread the word by sharing photos on social media to help raise awareness. 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) distributes funding for a range of environmental programs and initiatives. Looking into what the agency does, how it works, and how to get involved might be a terrific Earth Day activity. All the more fitting because the first Earth Day ever in the US led to the creation of the EPA. 

Learning about how things work at a high level and how federal funding is distributed can showcase that it is indeed possible to make a difference. So this Earth Day, why not play EPA with your students? For example, divide the class into committees: 

• Pollution prevention and reduction
• Environmental education and outreach
• Clean-up and restoration 
• Research and development 
• Enforcement and compliance

The idea is that each committee should present a project in its respective category, with the best being chosen by voting. The authors of the best project can be rewarded with a trophy or get a chance to present it in front of the mayor. 

Upcycling Contest 

According to the UN, in about 30 years, the human population will hit 10 billion, a number that many scientists consider to be Earth’s maximum capacity. This means that we have very little time to radically rethink how we use materials and deal with waste. 

With this in mind, Earth Day is an excellent occasion to bring up the subject of upcycling in class and plant the idea that it’s everyone’s responsibility to develop and sharpen our upcycling thinking. Arranging a contest for the best upcycling project can be a great way to celebrate Earth Day. 

Alternatively, you could organize an upcycling workshop. There are plenty of everyday things you can upcycle together in class:

• Old clothing and textiles could be used for reusable market bags, napkins, pillowcases, or rugs.
• Glass jars can become storage containers or vases for flowers.
• Old vinyl records and CDs can become clocks, shelves, coasters, or wall art.

Have your students share their work on social media to generate interest. 

What Goes Around Comes Around

It might be a great idea to dedicate a lesson to some of the amazing achievements of environmental activists and wildlife conservationists. It’s uplifting and might help boost student motivation to do something for the environment. 

There are plenty of examples of what eco-activists have managed to achieve throughout the years. Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, for example, the ozone hole is expected to fully recover within 20 to 30 years. Species like the giant panda, black rhino, snow leopard, humpback whale, and many others are in a much better situation now thanks to conservation efforts. 

You could give students an assignment to look up examples such as these to present in class on Earth Day. After all, it’s a great way to showcase that every effort counts!

Tech-Forward for a Greener Earth

Nowadays, we have some amazingly simple solutions that can help us contribute to a more sustainable future with little to no effort on our part—mobile apps! You could make an assignment out of this—like making a list of the best eco-friendly mobile apps—that your students will definitely like. 

There are plenty of examples in multiple categories.

• Recycling: iRecycle and Olio
• Consumer goods and clothing: Good Guide and Good on You
• Sustainable habits and lifestyle: JouleBug
• Going paperless: PaperKarma , iScanner , Evernote  

Moreover, you could make a contest out of this where the author of the optimal list gets a premium subscription to the app of their choice. 

You CAN Move Mountains with a Feather

Sadly, a lot of people still abstain from taking action because they believe that their efforts are futile in the grand scheme of things. Climate change might seem too big of a problem for an individual contribution to make a difference. 

Luckily for all of us, it’s very far from the truth. There’s plenty of evidence that small, consistent efforts can bring tremendous results in the long run. For example, if every student in the US abstains from printing one assignment, it will save 50 million sheets of paper. That’s roughly 40 football fields of forest land.

There are also quite a few inspiring books that convey this idea:

• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
• The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
• One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer

You could use several chapters as a reading assignment for Earth Day. Ask students to write an essay with some ideas of small changes in our everyday lives that could make a huge difference. Have them speculate about how different the world would be if, for example, everyone went paperless or if plastic bags were banned. An exercise like that can be very useful for developing an eco-friendly mindset. 

All in all, there are plenty of Earth Day activities for high-school students. We hope these ideas will get your creative juices flowing!

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A Framework for Lessons on Sustainability

Teachers can use this framework to guide students to develop deep and enduring knowledge on environmental topics.

Navigating the dense jungle of sustainability education can feel daunting. Curriculum requirements loom large, and a plethora of online resources promise solutions, but few offer a clear path. Some materials present mere islands of information—worksheets chock-full of facts, videos showcasing environmental problems, or tree-planting activities that don’t delve into root causes of climate change. Others promote superficial service: clean-up days or recycling drives that don’t develop deeper understandings of interconnected environmental systems.

These well-intentioned efforts often leave students with fragmented knowledge, a sense of helplessness, and limited agency. They grapple with the “what” but struggle with the “why”: Why is climate change happening? How do our actions impact the environment? What sustainable solutions exist, and how can we advocate for them? This approach fails to cultivate critical thinking, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills essential for tackling complex sustainability challenges.

As sustainability pioneers like Stephen Sterling and David Orr have advocated for decades, a holistic approach to sustainability education is crucial. We must move beyond mere “sustainability days” or extracurricular clubs that impact only a few eager students. To nurture sustainability mindsets and equip young people with tools for navigating an uncertain future, we need a clear framework that develops students’ content knowledge, critical thinking, and agency to take action. A framework that offers a mental model and structure for teachers to plan meaningful, holistic sustainability-oriented learning.

Drawing on my years spent working with teams, teaching, and researching sustainability education, I’ve developed a framework that consists of three key learning phases: learning about, learning for, and learning as sustainability. 

Learning ABOUT Sustainability

The foundation of this framework is the building of students’ comprehensive understandings of environmental and social systems. Aligned with curriculum standards, educators should emphasize hands-on engagements, real-world case studies, and connections to the natural world. This about phase of sustainability education is vital to the understanding of interconnectedness, a key concept in sustainability education and natural sciences. The goal is for students to grasp examples of sustainability, what makes something sustainable and, therefore, what makes something unsustainable.

During a recent grade 5 unit titled “Renewable Energy,” I observed how spending significant time in the about phase had a huge impact on student learning in the long term. Having delivered this unit in previous years, the teachers developing the unit felt that it was imperative to emphasize scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding before delving into discussions about renewability versus nonrenewability. 

They did this through a number of scientific inquiries and investigations where students explored the concept of potential and kinetic energy and how energy can be stored and transferred. Students used Frayer models and other visible thinking tools to develop solid conceptual understanding, which enabled teachers to identify misconceptions and teach accordingly. Establishing this depth of understanding set a foundation of knowledge for the rest of the unit, allowing students to develop informed and robust opinions moving forward.

Through this experience, we learned that we should align sustainability instruction with curriculum standards (often science-based); build a strong knowledge base using hands-on activities; use this phase as an opportunity to build connection with the natural world; utilize real-world case studies and local examples; and employ visible thinking tools to demonstrate understanding.

Learning FOR Sustainability

While acquiring knowledge is vital, the true essence of sustainability education lies in developing skills for active contribution. The for phase focuses on cultivating key 21st-century skills like critical thinking, systems thinking, creativity, and ethical responsibility. 

Through activities like case study comparisons, students can develop systems thinking by analyzing interconnected elements and potential consequences of actions and behaviors. Creativity comes into play as students propose solutions, while critical and ethical questioning encourages nuanced perspectives and avoids shallow arguments.

In the aforementioned Renewable Energy unit, students engaged in critical thinking activities based on case studies comparing various energy sources in different parts of the world. Students practiced systems thinking and worked to understand complex issues by drawing system maps, considering stakeholders, and identifying differing perspectives. They discussed the nuances of safe, clean, and renewable energy, challenging reliance on fossil fuels and exploring the limitations of renewables. This rich learning was made possible because of the strong content knowledge they’d built in the about phase.

Key actions as practitioners included providing opportunities for comparison and contrast; utilizing visible thinking tools like systems maps to highlight complexity; employing provocative questions to spark discussion and challenge assumptions; and creating a safe space for critical thought and challenging ideas.

Learning AS Sustainability

The pinnacle of sustainability education is when knowledge, skills, and dispositions translate into meaningful action. 

The as phase involves students’ applying acquired knowledge and skills to such action—by initiating school sustainability programs, collaborating with local organizations, or participating in community-based projects. The focus, here, is on translating theory into tangible contributions that address sustainability challenges. Action projects should be student-led with teacher guidance, building upon the about and for phases. Students can utilize their learning to develop authentic action points that address genuine needs, moving beyond tokenistic efforts.

Students in the Renewable Energy unit applied their learning through action projects based on their takeaways from the previous phases of the framework. Some designed light switch signs to promote mindful energy use. Others focused on fundraising for the installation of additional solar panels on the school roof, demonstrating alternative energy solutions. Teachers encouraged students to work in and lead small groups, with educators acting as coaches rather than project leaders.

The transferable principles, here, are to involve students in service projects and collaboration with local partners, include small acts within the school community, position the teacher as a coach and facilitator, and empower students to use prior learning to develop authentic action points.

Effective sustainability education revolves around learning about , for , and as sustainability. This framework is not a rigid formula, but rather a guide for ensuring that each element is present when teaching sustainability. It goes beyond theory, empowering students to make a positive impact on their environment and society. 

In the context of 21st-century education, a holistic approach not only supports academic rigor and understanding, but also embeds key skills, fosters agency, and develops competencies vital for an uncertain future. By approaching sustainability as a necessary component of cross-disciplinary education, we can shift toward a more sustainable future.

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Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Online Environmental Resources for Educators: Waste and Recycling

Find an array of environmental and science based lesson plans, activities and ideas below from EPA, other federal agencies and external organizations.  ​ Encontrar recursos para estudiantes y maestros.

Topics: Air | Climate Change | Ecosystems | Energy | Health | Waste | Water

Educating Youth About Wasted Food Explore educational resources for teaching school-aged children about the effects of wasted food, for schools that wish to reduce the amount of food waste generated by their school’s cafeteria, for composting with youth, and more. Grades: K-12 Type of Resource: Website

Basic Information about Waste Management , Recycling , and  Pollution Prevention Find core information on sustainable materials management and pollution prevention at the source. Grades: 9-12 Type of Resource: Website

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Resources for Students and Educators Find games and classroom resources like Recycle City and the Planet Protector series, including a teachers guide. Type of Resource: Website

Educating Youth About Wasted Food   Find resources for use in the classroom, at school, at home or in youth groups to teach children about the effects of wasted food and steps they can take to reduce it. Type of Resource: Website

Pack a Waste-Free Lunch Find easy ways to encourage students (and parents) to reduce waste at lunchtime. Type of Resource: Toolkit

Life of a CD/DVD Lifecycle of a CD/DVD-Help your students explore the lifecycle of a familiar object, from how it's made to ideas for extending its life in new ways. Type of Resource: Poster/Flyer

Life of a Soccer Ball Help your students explore the lifecycle of a familiar object, from how it's made to ideas for extending it's life in new ways. Type of Resource: Poster/Flyer

Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste This document describes how people can help solve a growing problem...garbage! Grades: 9-12 Type of Resource: Website

The Quest for Less: Activities and Resources for Teaching K-8 Use this resource to develop lesson plans, incorporate a range of activities into various subject areas throughout the school year. Grades: K-8 Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Science Fair Fun: Designing Environmental Science Projects  (PDF 245K, 16 pp)  Resource booklet designed to generate ideas for students and teachers interested in solid waste science fair projects Grades: 6-8 Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Science Fair Fun: Designing Environmental Science Projects en Español  (PDF 223K, 16 pp) Resource booklet in Spanish designed to generate ideas for students and teachers interested in solid waste science fair projects. Grades: 6-8 Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Superfund Basics This page provides an overview of the Superfund program, highlights key steps in the Superfund cleanup process, explains how the program is enforced, describes EPA's Superfund offices, and links to other EPA hazardous-waste programs. Grades: 9-12 Type of Resource: Website

Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools EPA's Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools helps your school and school district reduce the amount of waste you generate. You'll learn how to start a waste reduction program or expand an existing one. The guide will show you how your program can benefit your school, your community, and the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling your waste. Grades: 9-12 Type of Resource: Curriculum guide

Where Can I Take My Computer? Web sites and organizations that can provide information on opportunities for donating and recycling computers and other electronics. Grades: 9-12 Type of Resource: Website

Reducing Food Waste Activity Book Help Apple and her friends learn how to reduce food waste and help protect the environment. Grades: 3-5 Type of Resource: Booklet

Be a Food Waste Warrior K-12 lessons, activities, and resources to teach the planetary impact of what we eat and what we throw away. Grades: K-12 Type of Resource: Lesson plan

EPA Publications

EPA has many publications on every environmental subject that you can download or order. See our predefined searches below on specific search terms to help you view our publication offerings from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP).

Predefined Search Terms:

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• Homework Help and Activities for K-12 Students

10 Environmental Science Activities For High School Students

Do you know you are an important part of a huge environment across the globe? While your interaction with the environment might not be noticeable, you are constantly consuming resources and elements given by nature. Right from drinking fresh water to eating fruits during lunch, you are connected to the environment more than you know. 

Environmental science can simply be defined as the interaction between living organisms with their surroundings. It is indeed a large concept where flora, fauna, ecosystems, their effects, and ill effects are all a part of the environment. However, to understand it thoroughly, as high schoolers, you can now involve yourself in unique environmental science activities. 

Such activities help high school students connect with crucial elements of the environment and understand their biological and chemical formations too. A thorough understanding of the environment even helps you in acquiring environmental scholarships in the future. In this article, you get to explore interesting activities that test your knowledge right from environmental aspects in your lunchbox to the alarming concerns of the world.

Engaging environmental science activities 

Environmental science is the coexistence of many forms of nature from humans to wildlife. It is essential for students to preserve the environment and this can be taught through the below-mentioned innovation activities.

1. Plantation Drive

One of the most common activities for the environment is always going green. Students get an opportunity to learn about different saplings, plants, and trees along with their properties through a plantation drive. 

For this activity, provide students with different types of seeds for a plantation drive in the school or a garden. Allow them to explore plantation techniques and different soil types. With such an activity, students learn about the environment and its importance in a green and clean way. Such natural science experiments help high students connect with the ecosystem and the existence of natural elements. 

2. Hunt for It!

A scavenger hunt enables high schoolers to connect with nature in an effective manner. For this activity, take students to a forest or a garden nearby. Print pictures of different elements found in nature. These pictures can include pine cones, dry leaves, broken branches, butterflies, and so on. 

Divide students into teams of 2 members each and let them find these elements in the surrounding. Invite an open discussion about their experiences with nature. Through this, students learn about the coexistence between nature and humans and how to live a sustainable life.

3. That’s My Bag

Environment conservation begins by eliminating stuff and materials that are harmful to nature. Bags are most commonly used in everyday life for grocery shopping and storing things. Hence, this activity focuses on shifting the plastic alternative to something more sustainable.

For this activity, students need to open their creative mindsets and think out of the box. It is about designing handbags that can be used instead of plastic bags. For example, students can use paper or cloth to make bags. Encourage them to use old clothes or other fabrics for this bag-making activity. In this way, they can do their bit towards a healthy environment.

4. Field Trip

Field trips are often an interesting way for students to get out of their everyday academic life and learn something fresh. By organizing a field trip, you can help students learn about the environment and its coexistence in everyday life. For this activity, you need to find a local recycling center.

Take students to this center and let them learn the process of recycling. After keen observation and thorough questioning, students need to prepare an elaborate report on recycling and its benefits. Since the environment is a big part of the globe, even a small contribution towards recycling can bring about a significant change in the world.

5. Lunchbox Audit

Protection of the environment starts from the home. Every choice you make creates a lasting impact on the environment. This activity focuses on explaining to students the possible alternatives in terms of their lunchbox and the food they consume.

For this activity, every student must be paired with another student. Both students need to audit each other’s lunchboxes to see how small steps can impact the environment. For example, if the food requires a lot of plastic packaging, it can be switched to healthier options. Similarly, it is ideal to use steel boxes instead of processed plastic. Students need to note such points and present the audit findings to the class.

6. Do It Yourself!

DIY is a popular concept among learners in current times. To conserve the environment and its resources, it is crucial to recycle, upcycle or reduce the wastage generated on an everyday basis. For this activity, ask students to research waste reduction and how they can reuse the materials.

Students need to collect the waste from their homes and bring it to the school. Divide the students into teams of 3 members each. They need to make something creative that is useful and would not lead to waste. For example, instead of throwing plastic bottles, they can cut bottles to make a hanging bird feeder. Art activities like this promote collaborative efforts between students.

7. Debate Begins!

Verbal communication is one of the effective ways to let students express their thoughts with freedom. A debate enables students to think creatively and use their analytical thinking skills. For this activity, divide the students into teams of 3 members each. Two teams need to compete with one another.

Now, write different topics on chits and put these chits in a box. These topics can be related to climate change, marine life, ecosystems, deforestation, or plastic pollution. Teams pick the chit and choose if they want to speak for or against the topic. Invite other students to contribute their views and feedback. Such communication activities help promote language and grammar skills.

8. Energy Audit

Energy consumption is one of the alarming causes of environmental conservation practices. It is important for students to be aware of how energy is consumed and where. For this activity, students play the role of energy auditor in their schools as well as homes.

Give a sheet of paper and ask them to make different rows on the sheet. They need to make a list of products or appliances that consume energy in the school and house. Ask them to mention the time taken by various appliances and how it affects the consumption pattern. Together, encourage students to discuss how energy consumption can be reduced.

9. Wildlife Rehabilitation

Animals are an important part of the environment and students often do not understand how they play a significant role in the ecosystem. This activity helps students dive into the learning world where they can understand codependency and coexistence between animals. For this activity, arrange a visit to a wildlife rehabilitation center.

Wildlife rehab is one where students get an opportunity to learn about injured animals and the care required for them. It provides exposure to how animals are saved and are a crucial part of society. Such activity enables students to understand the conservation efforts needed for wildlife. You may later ask them to make a presentation on their visit.

10. Models and More!

Students have different ideas on the topic of environmental science. The vast subject covers everything from pollution, marine life to global warming and climate change. In such a case, it is essential to offer freedom in the expression of their vision toward a clean and green future. For this activity, divide students into teams of 2 members each. 

After this, let them choose the preferable topics to make a model on. For example, students can choose topics like greenhouse gasses, conservation of marine life, climate change, soil pollution, and sustainable agriculture. Organize an environmental science fair and allow students to showcase their ideas and share their knowledge with other students. Agriculture activities like this one help students focus on various aspects of farming, cultivation, and so on. 

Conclusion 

Environmental science is a vital aspect of learning for students. As students get exposure to interconnecting with nature, they also explore their interests in conservation and protection of the environment. It helps them develop a liking for a certain field that they might be willing to explore in the future.

The above-mentioned activities play a major role in imparting knowledge, building imagination, and empowering students to do their bit toward the conservation of natural resources.

Sananda Bhattacharya, Chief Editor of TheHighSchooler, is dedicated to enhancing operations and growth. With degrees in Literature and Asian Studies from Presidency University, Kolkata, she leverages her educational and innovative background to shape TheHighSchooler into a pivotal resource hub. Providing valuable insights, practical activities, and guidance on school life, graduation, scholarships, and more, Sananda’s leadership enriches the journey of high school students.

Explore a plethora of invaluable resources and insights tailored for high schoolers at TheHighSchooler, under the guidance of Sananda Bhattacharya’s expertise. You can follow her on Linkedin

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Earth Day activities to inspire your students and make a difference

Earth Day is about raising awareness about the importance of protecting our planet and taking action. The first Earth Day came about after a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, saw the devastating impact of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Not willing to sit on the sidelines anymore, Senator Nelson organized a national “teach in” to educate and inspire people to protect the environment.

Since the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, it has generated public support for the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

Here’s a quick (3-minute) introduction to how Earth Day started and the impact it’s had:

Earth Day 2022

Earth Day will be held April 22, 2022 and the theme is Invest In Our Planet —because a green future is a prosperous future. 

Just in time to support Earth Day this year, PLT has released a new, cutting-edge resource for elementary and middle school educators, Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide . Learn about the guide’s 50 field-tested, hands-on activities and get a copy directly from PLT’s Shop or by attending a local PLT professional development workshop conducted by PLT’s 50-state network of 75 coordinators and 1,000 facilitators across the country.

Another way teachers and parents can observe Earth Day is to simply take children on a nature walk, whether that’s in your backyard, at a local park, on a nearby forest trail, or on school grounds, depending on what’s accessible in your area at this time. Doing a nature walk is not only about celebrating Earth Day. It’s also an opportunity for learning experiences in a variety of subjects such as science, geography, math, and art. Make your nature walk educational and fun at the same time with these 12 Nature Walk Activities for Earth Day (or Any Day!)

Also, be sure to bookmark our Earth Day News Article full of fun ideas and activities to help you celebrate.

Even though Earth Day has a rich history, many people associate it with recycling. You’ll probably find a lot of Earth Day activities for the classroom that focus on just that. This can be a great starting point, especially because it’s an action students, schools, and families can do right away. If you want to incorporate activities on recycling in your Earth Day lesson plan, be sure to check out these reduce, reuse, recycle lesson plan ideas for every subject .

Young students can, and do, make a big difference. As an educator, you have the opportunity to spark a passion in students that will drive them to do their part to take care of the Earth. Here are a few different kinds of activities you could add to your lesson plans to inspire your students this Earth Day:

Make a pledge and a plan to take action

Writing down a commitment and making a plan are two actions that increase the likelihood that someone will follow through. So if you want those Earth Day lessons to stick, this is an easy activity to do with students of any age. This is a great way to incorporate an art project with a writing prompt.

Here are a few examples:

Integrate art projects

Art projects are fun way to add a hands-on activity to a lesson about Earth Day. Creating art can also help students feel connected to environmental topics, even if the issues you’re studying are happening far away from home. It’s also a great way to help them imagine the world they want to live in.

Here are a few examples of art projects for Earth Day:

Also, be sure to check out these art project ideas using recycled materials and Earth Day art activities .

Make signs for school and at home

Sometimes we just need a little reminder to help us change our habits. Have students think about what they can do at school and at home to help the environment and how they can encourage others to change their habits.

Make a video or presentation urging others to take action

Students can make a bigger impact if they influence others to do their part to protect the environment. Putting together a video or presentation also helps them internalize the material – they need to understand it before they can explain it to others. Presentations can be given in the classroom or even to the whole school. Eventually, they may be able to present their lessons and research at a local conference, like these students from Two Rivers Magnet Middle School in East Hartford, Conn.

Plant a tree

The Earth Day Network has a goal of planting 7.8 billion trees by 2020 – one tree for every person alive. By planting trees, you’re taking a tangible action with your students and you’re taking part in this bigger goal. Don’t forget to check out these tree planting tips before you get started.

Engage students in a pollution experiment

Teaching about pollution is an essential part of Earth Day because it helps students understand the consequences of not protecting the Earth. It can be much easier to prevent pollution than to remedy it later. Students can experience the effects of pollution on a small scale in the classroom.

An activity for younger students:

See more types of pollution experiments you can do in your classroom and check out PLT’s “Pollution Search” activity .

Pick up trash around your school

Trash clean-ups are another hands-on activity you don’t even have to leave the school grounds to do. To make a bigger impact, have students write down what kinds of trash they pick up and where. After analyzing the data together, you can find patterns and explore solutions so you can stop the trash at the source.

In fact, there’s a new app that can help you do just that. Check out Litterati , the app that makes it fun to pick up littler and helps prevent litter:

Host a drive to collect e-waste

E-waste is a growing problem in the U.S. and around the world. E-waste represents more than 70% of toxic waste in landfills. So it’s probably not surprising that only 12.5% of e-waste is recycled.

This is an opportunity for your students to help raise awareness about this problem within our school and community. Students can research a nearby recycling facility and organize a drive to collect e-waste to help combat this problem in your community.

Show them examples of other students making a real difference

It’s important for students to see examples of young environmentalists so they know they don’t need to wait until they’re older to make a difference. These inspiring examples of young environmentalists is a great place to start, and there are many more young people doing great work. Learning about the work these young people are doing can give your students new ideas for how to protect the environment. It can open the door of possibilities for how to think about finding solutions to problems they can help solve.

Earth Day isn’t just on April 22. It’s every day. How will you celebrate Earth Day and help students make a difference year-round?

Rebecca Reynandez

Earth day 2023 – investing in our planet and our students.

This Earth Month, invest in our planet and our youth. During April and May 2023, get 20% off of the Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers printed or digital guide and the Find Your Green Job online quiz. Inspire the next generation to explore green career paths! Use promo code GREENJOBS at checkout.

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STEM: Adopt a Tree

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NEEF partners with organizations to reach a national audience of students with environmental education activities that develop a deeper sense of environmental stewardship

educating & empowering youth

Environmental education is vital for equipping youth with skills for the future. It enhances their understanding of the environment while fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and community awareness. NEEF’s programs and resources support environmental educators in both formal and non-formal settings.

Greening STEM in Action

NEEF's K-12 education work is guided by our Greening STEM approach, which provides young people with unforgettable experiences through impactful, hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in their communities.

NEEF partnered with the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado Canyons Association for a Greening STEM project along the Colorado River.

NEEF partnered with Teaneck Creek Conservancy and Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Teaneck, NJ, to engage students in a water quality monitoring project at their local watershed.

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EWG+HS: Creating the next generation of environmental advocates

High school educates teenagers, giving them knowledge and skills to succeed in life – and now EWG+HS is making environmental health advocacy yet another strength.

Launched in 2023, EWG+HS is building a community of student leaders who want to create a healthier and safer world for everyone. Students in the program can work alone or in small groups, or form an EWG+HS club to pursue tailor-made projects and activities. They’ll learn about core environmental health issues, explore EWG’s extensive resources, and advocate for environmental health in their schools and communities.

The program offers a range of guided activities, such as decoding labels on personal care and cosmetic products with EWG experts, testing your school’s water for potential contamination, and mining EWG’s lists of recommended books and movies to learn – through real life stories – about pressing environmental health issues.

Advocacy is key to addressing those issues, as EWG’s track record shows. Since our founding over 30 years ago, we’ve scored a wide range of victories: getting pollutants out of drinking water , spotlighting inequities in farm subsidies , and informing consumers about harmful chemicals in their cosmetics, among many more.

EWG+HS will help ensure similar successes in the future by educating students about critical issues and training them to use the tools and strategies they will need to affect powerful change.

Using EWG’s many resources

EWG’s work is rooted in scientific data and research, but we also reach millions of people each year with user-friendly consumer guides and tools that people regularly use to help them make safe, healthier decisions.

Through EWG+HS, students will have access to these resources at a younger age than adults learning about our work. 

EWG staff and experts can also train students on how to use our guides and other resources to make positive change in their schools and communities. This includes showing them how to conduct research and collect environmental data that forms the bedrock of advocacy.

High school students learning how to live healthier and safer lives helps make them more aware of issues like drinking water contamination and exposure to toxic chemicals through  cosmetic and personal care products . 

The first cohort’s focus

EWG+HS’s  founding cohort represents four schools in San Francisco’s Bay Area. At EWG’s Earth Day Dinner in April 2024, these students were honored for their work as environmental health champions and changemakers. 

In a video presentation at the event, the students  detailed their work and accomplishments, inspiring the gala’s audience – work that is now reaching students around the world.

Several students shared that they were motivated to join EWG+HS to learn about which chemicals are in cosmetics they use, and their potential health risks. 

Peyton Spaht, EWG+HS’s founding student member and current senior at Convent & Stuart Hall, started the club to reach all students who care about their environmental health, no matter their level of familiarity with it. 

“EWG+HS is for any student interested in environmental health issues, or looking to affect change in their school community or trying to make informed, safer choices for their own health,” Spaht said.

Chemicals and pollution exposure touch almost every aspect of a student’s life, and the Bay Area cohort is helping to educate their peers on these risks, demonstrate how to live healthfully and safely, and improve their schools and communities.

How to get involved

While EWG+HS is designed to help educate and activate student leaders, it can also help connect parents, teachers, caregivers and others with the resources they need to learn more about the environment and their role in safeguarding it.

Any students or schools interested in launching an EWG+HS project or club can email [email protected] to learn more or to get started.

View the discussion thread.

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Office Clerk III (Instruction Office), #15 - South El Monte High School at El Monte Union High School District

Application Deadline

9/23/2024 12:00 PM Pacific

Date Posted

Number of openings, length of work year, employment type, about the employer.

Located in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, the El Monte Union High School District was established in 1901. Its high schools include Arroyo, El Monte, Mountain View, Rosemead, South El Monte and Fernando R. Ledesma High School. EMUHSD also features the El Monte-Rosemead Adult School, one of California’s largest and most respected adult programs. EMUHSD employs over 600 certificated employees and over 500 classified employees. The professional staff provides educational programs for over 7,000 students in grades 9 through 12 and 11,000 in adult education. Just minutes from the hub of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Civic Center, with the Pomona, San Bernardino and 605 freeways traversing the areas, the district boasts many comfortable and residential neighborhoods in addition to providing sites for a myriad of business and industrial facilities. The population studies show that approximately 200,000 people reside in our attendance boundaries. The area that the District serves represents a cross-section on interests, professions, and groups. The majority of income for people in this area is broadly grouped into industrial and factory work and retail sales. The families who live in this area include many in the middle to lower income economic groups. EMUHSD is renowned for its commitment to college and career readiness, fostering a learning environment where students are empowered to achieve their highest potential. Its diverse student body reflects the community's multicultural heritage, offering a unique and enriching educational experience. EMUHSD prides itself on its strong partnerships with parents, local businesses, community organizations, and K-8 partners, working collaboratively to support student success both academically and socially. With a dedicated staff and a wide array of programs and resources, EMUHSD is dedicated to creating equitable opportunities for all students to learn and thrive, preparing them for a successful future in a competitive global society. EMUHSD is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ Disabled/Title IX employer and provides equal employment opportunities for men and women and does not discriminate in educational programs and activities or in the employment of personnel and the process therein on the basis of any protected class.

Requirements / Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent plus three (3) years of increasingly responsible clerical experience involving the use of automated office equipment and software. Must type at a net corrected speed of 40 wpm. No online test will be accepted. To schedule a typing test, contact, contact Human Resources at 626-444-9005 ext. 9813.

• Letter of Introduction (Please address your letter to Robin Torres, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Include an explanation of your training and experiences as they relate to the position and please explain why you are interested in being considered for this position, your letter should be dated and signed.)
• Letter(s) of Recommendation (Please include three (3) current letters of recommendation.These letters should be dated and signed within the last three years.)
• Proof of HS Graduation (or Equivalent)
• Typing Certificate (Proof of net corrected typing speed of 40 wpm on a 5-minute typing test. No online tests will be accepted.)

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El Monte Union High School District

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