Earth Day

Pick one of the eight activities to do together.

1. Scavenger Hunt

Oftentimes in a scavenger hunt, objects are hidden throughout the search area and the children then search out these items. However, instead of looking for pre-hidden objects, students can look for plants, animals, and objects found in nature. For example, this ‘Nature Scavenger Hunt Grid’ sets out some basic things to look for such as water, a spider web, and bark. Use this Bingo sheet created by our Michigan PLT state program, or you could also create your own grid or checklist suited to a particular grade level or topic.

Subjects: Science

Grades: K-6

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 23—The Fallen Log

Family Activity:

• The Fallen Log (in English and Español): Discover microhabitats, communities, and diverse life by observing fallen logs.

Smartphone Video Demonstration:

• The Fallen Log, thanks to Maine PLT.

2. Collect Art Supplies

Not only could students look around their surroundings for artistic inspiration on nature walks, they could collect objects to be included in a piece of art, such as pieces of bark, dried leaves, seed pods or sticks (make sure you do your research on plants in your area so you’re sure what you collect is safe to use).

Subjects: Art

Grades: K-3

Educators:

• PLT’s Early Childhood Guide: Activity 1—The Shape of Things

Family Activity:

• The Shape of Things (in English and Español): Children search for the shapes and colors that are found in both natural and built environments.

Smartphone Video Demonstration:

• The Shape of Things, thanks to Maine PLT

3. Seed Collecting

Get students to gather a collection of seeds from a wooded area. They can drag an old blanket or fuzzy cloth behind them on the ground. They can place a large, old, wool sock over hands or shoes to see what they can pick up. Or they can wear bracelets made of masking tape (sticky side out), to hold the seeds they find. Have children examine their seed collections and invent a system for sorting or classifying them. Explain that plants have developed many different methods of seed dispersal, to ensure the success of their species.

Subjects: Science

Grades: K-6

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 43—Have Seeds, Will Travel
  • STEM: Have Seeds, Will Travel. Whether floating on the air, getting carried by animals, or catching waves, plants use many techniques to send their seeds far and wide.

Family Activity:

• Have Seeds, Will Travel (in English and Español): Observe, collect, and classify plant seeds.

4. Dip Netting

Local ponds, swamps, and dams are teeming with microorganisms and bugs. Why not take some dip nets and magnifying glasses with you on your nature walk? Stop at these ponds and allow children to do some dip netting to see what sort of critters live in the ponds. Students could also pick different environments during their nature walks and make observations on sunlight, soil moisture, temperature, wind, water flow, plants, and animals in each.

Subjects: Science

Grades: K-6

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 48—Field, Forest, and Stream
  • Student Worksheets (in English and Español)

Family Activity:

• Field, Forest, and Stream (in English and Español): Compare different environments to understand how nonliving elements can influence living elements within an ecosystem.

5. Adopt a Tree

Have children pick a nearby tree that is special to them and spend time observing and learning about the tree. Get them to “adopt” their tree and keep a journal (you could use this Adopt a Tree Journal template developed by Minnesota PLT) to record and analyze information they collect over time. Use it to help children really get to know about that special tree in their lives on nature walks over the course of a school year, or a semester.

Subjects: Science, Mathematics

Grades: K-8

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 21—Adopt a Tree
  • Student Checklist of notes and drawings for a journal (in English and Español)
  • Adopt a Tree Certificate (in English and Español)

Family Activity:

• Adopt a Tree (in English and Español): Deepen awareness of individual trees over time and develop a greater understanding of the environment.

Smartphone Demonstration:

• Adopt a Tree, thanks to Virginia PLT

6. Planting Trees

If you’re exploring environmental issues and sustainability, this is often a go-to activity for Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Subjects: Science

Grades: K-12

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 31—Plant a Tree
  • Student Worksheets (in English and Español)
  • STEM: Plant a Tree. There is much to know before planting a tree. These STEM lessons help students learn how to plant the right tree in the right place.

Family Activity:

• What Tree Should I Plant? Use a free online tool to select the best trees to plant near your home.

7. Have a Picnic

If you’re able to extend your time outdoors, having a snack or meal is a great way to take a break while you’re exploring the outdoors. Use the opportunity to enjoy some bird watching or talk with children about what they have seen and learned. Or if they have taken photos, take some time to share and discuss them as a class.

Subjects: Science, Art

Grades: K-9

Educators:

• For younger children, explore PLT’s Early Childhood guide for ideas around “Enjoying Snacks Together”

8. A Big Clean Up

It’s a great idea to take some big garbage bags along with you on your walk and pick up some trash if you see it lying around. This can be a segue into some Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Lesson Ideas. Many of these hands-on project ideas can be adapted for any grade.

Subjects: Science

Grades: K-10

Educators:

• PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 37—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle will help students learn a lot about how and why people throw things away.

Family Activity:

• Reuse and Recycle At Home (in English and Español): Use this chart to analyze how you currently dispose of items and ways you can reduce waste, reuse items, recycle, and compost.