TeachersFirst's Earth Day
Earth Day presents a special opportunity to connect the classroom curriculum with real-world experience, not only in science but also for lessons in math, language arts, social studies, art, and more. With so many outstanding resources available on the web related to environmental concerns, TeachersFirst's editorial team has hand-selected this curated list of resources for their potential to engage and involve your students in both the understanding of scientific concepts surrounding Earth Day and in environmental activism for any time of the year.
Whether you seek ideas for a community service project for Earth Day or ways to use innovative technologies to bring the environment into your classroom, TeachersFIrst has the reviewed resources to meet your needs. If you are looking for more Earth Day resources, browse our entire collection of resources related to Earth Day, Recyling, Conservation, Pollution, Ecology, and Environment,
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There is No Planet B - Climate Change and its Impact on the Earth - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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There is No Planet B - Climate Change and its Impact on the Earth is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed...more
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There is No Planet B - Climate Change and its Impact on the Earth is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I Lost My Library/Media Specialist series reviewed here. This article includes Background Information on discussions and research about climate change that began in the 1800s and continues through current times. The activities include a list of books related to climate change and suggested classroom activities. Also included are suggestions for extension activities, such as using gamification activities to learn about climate change. Information includes correlation to ISTE and AASL standards.
tag(s): book lists (164), climate (83), climate change (93), earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245), planets (112), STEM (286)
In the Classroom
Use the suggested book list to find ideas for books to share with students in your classroom library. Engage students in learning about climate change by including additional activities at Ted-Ed's Earth School reviewed here. For example, search Earth School for lessons on wildlife adaptations to climate change, how food waste contributes to climate change, and many other engaging lessons. Extend student learning by asking them to research climate change's before and after effects for specific locations, then use Juxtapose reviewed here to create a single image to compare and contrast the two images using a slider bar.
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Ecology - Crash Course
Grades
8 to 12
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Get your students into helping our planet and ourselves by watching these interesting, short videos from Crash Course. There are a dozen videos, all about ten minutes long. This particular...more
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Get your students into helping our planet and ourselves by watching these interesting, short videos from Crash Course. There are a dozen videos, all about ten minutes long. This particular series has titles like Human Impacts on the Environment, Pollution, and Conservation and Restoration Ecology. The videos reside on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): climate change (93), earth day (60), ecology (102), environment (245), pollution (52), video (262)
In the Classroom
Though the videos were created for high school and college students, many of them can be used in grades as low as eighth with a bit of adapting. Use Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add questions and discussion activities within each video. Extend learning by asking students to create blog posts using edublogs, reviewed here, to discuss what students can do differently at home to help our planet.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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World Wildlife Foundation Educator's Toolkits - World Wildlife Organization
Grades
K to 12
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World Wildlife Organization offers several educational toolkits for teaching the conservation of the planet, animals, and food resources. Elementary-level kits primarily focus on exploring...more
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World Wildlife Organization offers several educational toolkits for teaching the conservation of the planet, animals, and food resources. Elementary-level kits primarily focus on exploring animals, while secondary activities tackle in-depth topics of biodiversity, food waste, and issues affecting the planet. Download each kit or select the preview to examine learning materials before downloading. Each resource includes an educator's resource guide, teaching activities, student resources, posters, and achievement certificates.
tag(s): animals (291), carbon footprint (5), citizen science (27), conservation (93), earth (185), earth day (60)
In the Classroom
Use the lessons and activities found on this site to engage students in learning about animals and conservation. Use Symbaloo, reviewed here, to share additional resources with elementary students in a user-friendly format. For older students, consider using LiveBinders, reviewed here, to collaborate and compile information. After completing research, use a tool such as Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to create infographics as a class or as individual projects. Share your infographics on your class website when complete. As a culminating project, share options with students to "show what they know" through a variety of options. Consider offering students a variety of tools such as creating digital books using Book Creator, reviewed here, a virtual tour built with Google My Maps, reviewed here, or a podcast using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. This site is perfect to include during Citizen Science Month each April as a resource for finding science activities that turn curiosity into impact.
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KoiKiwi - Ecological Games For Smart Kids - KoiKiwi.com
Grades
K to 12
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This site from New Zealand provides many different games focused on the environment and ecology. Select from various titles such as Electric Vehicle Race and Catch the Rubbish. Each...more
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This site from New Zealand provides many different games focused on the environment and ecology. Select from various titles such as Electric Vehicle Race and Catch the Rubbish. Each activity includes a suggested age level and level of difficulty. Be sure to read the directions for how to play the games and earn points.
tag(s): earth day (60), ecology (102), forests (28), pollution (52), ponds (3), recycling (45)
In the Classroom
Select games from this site to include with Earth Day or environmental units. Include a link to games on classroom computers and your class website for students to access during learning centers or at home. Instead of using worksheets or short response quizzes, ask students to create an infographic sharing information learned during your science unit. Canva, reviewed here, offers easy to use templates for designing infographics. Collaborate with a classroom in a different state or country using Global Virtual Classroom, reviewed here, to compare and contrast environmental issues found in your different locations. Continue your collaboration using Gravity, reviewed here to create student video responses to essential questions raised during your ongoing discussions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Life of a Can - Novelis
Grades
3 to 6
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This engaging interactive and classroom program demonstrates the impact of recycling just one can. Students make eco-friendly choices within the interactive to explore Cantown and earn...more
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This engaging interactive and classroom program demonstrates the impact of recycling just one can. Students make eco-friendly choices within the interactive to explore Cantown and earn Green Points for helping to recycle a can. Resources for educators include standards-aligned lessons and activities to download.
tag(s): conservation (93), earth day (60), recycling (45)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans shared on this site for use with Earth Day activities, or recycling and conservation units. Share a link to the interactive on classroom computers or your class website. Ask students to create a concept/mind map to organize the information they are learning. This could be done conventionally or digiatally. Consider using a digital concept mapping tool to replace the paper/pencil version of a concept map with MindMup, reviewed here. Next ask students to create a simple infographic sharing information on recycling using Visme, reviewed here, or create an interactive poster using Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here.
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Vanishing: The Extinction Crisis is Far Worse than you Think - CNN
Grades
6 to 12
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This CNN interactive takes an in-depth look at vanishing species around the globe along with the reasons for their disappearance. Scroll through to discover how humans are causing species...more
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This CNN interactive takes an in-depth look at vanishing species around the globe along with the reasons for their disappearance. Scroll through to discover how humans are causing species to go extinct at a rate 100 times faster than normal. Watch videos as scientists describe physical changes occuring on the earth's surface, view interactives demonstrating animal habitat changes, and more.
tag(s): animals (291), conservation (93), earth (185), earth day (60), endangered species (27), habitats (89)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on interactive whiteboards as an introduction to any unit on animals, habitats, or earth conservation. Explore together, then allow students to explore in depth on their own. Have students either individually or as groups choose a topic found on this site to research further. If you are new to integrating technology you may want to have students create a presentation using Visme, reviewed here. Looking for something different? Have students use Microsoft Sway, reviewed here, to create an interactive presentation including charts, videos, and images.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plum Landing - WGBH Educational Foundation
Grades
1 to 3
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Join Plum, an alien video game designer from another planet, and explore the natural world through interactive games, videos, adventures, and real life activities. Live videos feature...more
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Join Plum, an alien video game designer from another planet, and explore the natural world through interactive games, videos, adventures, and real life activities. Live videos feature kids exploring different biomes and recording data for Plum. Before each game, learn about the environmental focus that will help you win the game. Ideas for exploring and investigating outside bring environmental concepts to your own community. Post images, thoughts, and ideas to share with Plum in the gallery. A parent section offers activities to do online and outside. The educator section provides curriculum for Afterschool programs, Clubs, or Camps. Lesson plans designed for after school enrichment, clubs, and camps give curriculum topics, standards, video links, conversation starters, and related activities.
tag(s): conservation (93), earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245), game based learning (182)
In the Classroom
Capture student interest in environmental science, zoology, conservation, and ecology with Plum and her human friends! Use this site in science as a way to introduce the study of the Earth, biomes, or food chains. Share the videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Add to computers for center time. Use Plum's adventures to inspire further adventures involving the students. Use videos as a multimedia resource to supplement the science textbook. Use the adventures to inspire either narrative or expository writing. During Earth Day, students can explore your school community. Explore other science topics and modify student learning by challenging them to create comics using a tool such as Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here, or a digital storytelling project with their own images, observations, and stories using Presentious, reviewed here. Presentious allows narrating and adding text to a picture. ENL/ESL and learning support students will find this site useful with reading support, video, and demonstrations. Have students research topics mentioned in the videos for deeper understanding. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Seesaw, reviewed here. Share research and stories with other classes in your school, students' families, and on your class website or wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Every Last Drop - Nice and Serious
Grades
3 to 9
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Every Last Drop is an interactive site sharing information about the amount of water wasted each day in the United Kingdom. It offers suggestions for small changes that make big ...more
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Every Last Drop is an interactive site sharing information about the amount of water wasted each day in the United Kingdom. It offers suggestions for small changes that make big differences. Scroll down through the site to view water usage during a typical day. Watch the video at the end of the presentation for many more suggestions on water saving. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English and measurements use the metric system.
tag(s): conservation (93), earth day (60), environment (245), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a perfect addition to Earth Day activities. View together and brainstorm ideas about how you can save water at school and home. Have students brainstorm ideas on a collaborative bulletin board like Scrumblr, reviewed here, (quick start- no membership required!). Challenge cooperative learning groups to create videos demonstrating ways to conserve water and share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Toward the end of this presentation, it is stated that over 1 billion earthlings have no access to clean water. Research countries and communities who do not have access to clean water to see why and also what is being done to help them. Student's findings could be turned into a very clever digital storytelling project using Visme, reviewed here. Visme allows for narration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Geographic Education - National Geographic
Grades
K to 12
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National Geographic offers a rich and extensive site for educators through its Education homepage. Scroll down the page to find resources, reference materials, maps, media, collections,...more
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National Geographic offers a rich and extensive site for educators through its Education homepage. Scroll down the page to find resources, reference materials, maps, media, collections, and much more. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find Explorer Classroom. For specific content searches use the search bar to find and filter results by grades, subjects, resource type, and audience.This site is frequently updated. Check back often!
tag(s): animals (291), climate change (93), commoncore (75), earth day (60), ecology (102), energy (131), food chains (18), map skills (57), maps (207), migration (45), multimedia (46), oceans (149), STEM (286), weather (160)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark (or favorite) this site for use throughout the year to find real-world resources for classroom use. Don't forget to look for materials on National Geographic for use with Earth Day and Arbor Day activities! Differentiate easily using the multiple levels of materials found within National Geographic. Some text portions are challenging, so you should pair weaker readers with a partner as they research on this site. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Venngage, reviewed here. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. If you use Apple products in your classroom, be sure to download the interactive iBooks for use in classroom centers or independent reading.
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EarthEcho Water Challenge - World Water Monitoring Challenge (WWMC)
Grades
5 to 12
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Join others in over 50 countries around the world in the EarthEcho Water Challenge. The official kickoff for World Water Day is on March 22. However, the challenge continues through...more
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Join others in over 50 countries around the world in the EarthEcho Water Challenge. The official kickoff for World Water Day is on March 22. However, the challenge continues through December 31. Register to monitor any lake, stream, bay, or any other nearby body of water with safe access. Follow directions to test and monitor your water. There are test kits available for purchase. However, you can create your own. Share data by logging into the site. Click the Tools tab at the top to find Event Resources, Action Guides & Lesson Plans, Reports, and Links.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth day (60), environment (245), water (101)
In the Classroom
Sign up your classroom or science club to participate in the World Water Monitoring Challenge. Follow directions on the site for how to collect and submit data. Take advantage of lesson plans found on the site in both English and Spanish. Use the lessons and resources as part of an environmental or Earth Day unit. Challenge students to create a presentation using Slides, reviewed here, sharing their findings.
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Life on Earth - BBC
Grades
6 to 12
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We know our own lifetimes are but a tiny hiccup in the long history of the Earth. But what HAS happened since we were born? The BBC will tell you. ...more
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We know our own lifetimes are but a tiny hiccup in the long history of the Earth. But what HAS happened since we were born? The BBC will tell you. Simply enter your date of birth (using the day/month/year format) and some other information (you can choose either metric or Imperial/US measurement), and a wonderful series of charts appears! How many times has your heart beat? How old would you be on Venus? How has the Earth changed since you were born? How has humankind changed the Earth since you were born? How many volcanoes have erupted? What's happened to the sea levels? How many endangered species have become extinct? This site is created by the BBC (United Kingdom). American English speakers may notice some slights spelling differences. It is best viewed in Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer 10 and above.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): climate change (93), earth (185), earth day (60), earthquakes (44), planets (112), writing prompts (59)
In the Classroom
Look at the various metrics based on your age to gain perspective on many science and history topics. Look at the impact of human behavior on the environment or at the "big picture" of what one human can do in a lifetime. Consider comparing the changes on Earth based on a student's age versus a teacher's age (if you're brave enough to tell!). You can also dial back the clock 100 years, but choose times in modern history for the comparison. Don't forget to use the dropdown menus on each chart for more information. For example, pick any planet to see how old you'd be there. Small groups of students could discuss and analyze different components of the site and present their findings to the larger class. Include this in math class as a way to apply multiplication formulas or conversions. Use observations on this site to spark blog posts of evidence-based writing. Have students make visual representations of their life on Earth as an infographic. To learn more about infographics in the classroom, see TeachersFirst's Now I See!.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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I want to be... - The Ad Council
Grades
4 to 12
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Learn about recycling and the vast array of products that are made out of recycled materials. Use the How to Recycle section to learn about the various types of materials ...more
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Learn about recycling and the vast array of products that are made out of recycled materials. Use the How to Recycle section to learn about the various types of materials that are recycled, how to recycle them, and the new items they become. In Recycling Journey, follow an item from curbside pickup to the new item it becomes. Visit Spread the Word and share information about recycling with others you know via social media. Put in your local zip code to find opportunities to recycle in your local area. After viewing the main areas of this site, engage your students by having them play the game.
tag(s): earth (185), earth day (60), natural resources (37), plastics (4), recycling (45), resources (87)
In the Classroom
First, after viewing the main areas of this site, engage your students by having them play the game "Super Sorter." For Earth Day or everyday, use this site to raise awareness about the energy that is used to create items and how energy can be saved by using recycled materials. Students can research statistics about the various items used in the United States and abroad. Discover why recycling is an important endeavor to combat pollution and energy use. Create a public service announcement for your school or community to learn more about the benefits of recycling. Initiate a recycling campaign and create a center for recycling many items from the school including paper. Classes can tally the pounds of materials saved for recycling. Have students create informational commercials using a multimedia tool such as Genially, reviewed here. With Genially you can insert maps, surveys, video, audio and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Welcome to Recycling 101 - Republic Services
Grades
1 to 12
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Learn about the recycling process. View Virtual Tour videos about recycling processes including recycling of specific materials. Use the Search bar for lesson plans about recycling....more
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Learn about the recycling process. View Virtual Tour videos about recycling processes including recycling of specific materials. Use the Search bar for lesson plans about recycling. Also, search for Infographics for data and information about use of resources and recycling. Don't miss the family activities for kids (they can be used in the classroom, too) in the middle of the page! The videos reside on YouTube. If your school blocls YouTube, they may not be viewable.
tag(s): earth day (60), energy (131), recycling (45), resources (87)
In the Classroom
Use the lesson plans on the site to learn about resources and recycling. Be sure to discuss what is meant by "Reduce, reuse, recycle" in terms of resources and energy (Infographics and resources are helpful for this) and why recycling is not always the best answer. Do simpler activities or lessons with younger students during Earth Day or Earth Week. Include this link with other resources about resources and recycling. Have different groups each become an expert in the processing of one of the resources and discuss the common steps and problems involved in the recycling process.
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Surging Seas: Sea Level Risk Finder - Cimate Central
Grades
6 to 12
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What is the impact of changes in sea levels? Use this tool to show various effects with different feet of sea level rise. There is plenty of data showing that ...more
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What is the impact of changes in sea levels? Use this tool to show various effects with different feet of sea level rise. There is plenty of data showing that sea levels have already risen eight inches since 1880. Most people are unaware of the areas of the world that are at risk, though hurricanes may make us temporarily aware. This interactive map gives incredible detail by zooming into neighborhoods and understanding the possible changes that can occur with sea level change. Enter a city, zip code, or click on the US map to begin. Use the slider to change the sea level from 1 to 10 feet. Choose various other data such as social vulnerability, population, income, and property values. The application is based upon two independently written, easily accessible, peer-reviewed papers.
tag(s): climate (83), climate change (93), earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245)
In the Classroom
Use this tool to discuss how climate change is affecting sea level, as well as other weather events that have been in the news. Be sure to talk about energy and how it is produced and why all combustion reactions produce carbon dioxide. Research the composition of the atmosphere and why changes in certain gases can cause such a problem. Be sure to have students check out the validity of different sources and sites for accuracy and statistics and data that backs up the viewpoint. Rather than scare students, discuss ways that everyone in the world can create a greener Earth for tomorrow. Challenge students to research and then create multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, Vevox, Animatron, Renderforest, and Presentious.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Recyclebank - Recyclebank, subsidiary of Recycle Rewards, Inc.
Grades
4 to 12
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Recyclebank offers current information to help live "greener." Their goal is to realize a world without waste, one person or community at a time. Recycling information is easy to ...more
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Recyclebank offers current information to help live "greener." Their goal is to realize a world without waste, one person or community at a time. Recycling information is easy to understand and engaging. Register to become a member and earn points by taking quizzes on environmentally friendly topics, by reading articles and learning more about recycling, and by recycling (if your center or borough participates in the Recyclebank program). Earned points lead to rewards of grocery or entertainment coupons and some gift cards. No registration is required to read resources posted on the website.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245), recycling (45), sustainability (43)
In the Classroom
With the Common Core State Standards push for nonfiction reading, this site is a natural for any time of the year. Recyclebank will appeal to students who are environmentally conscious, but its intrinsic value is in teaching all students to think about how they can recycle in their everyday life. The advertising comes along with the prizes, so be sure to discuss where to click (or not). If your students have access to email, have them register with the website and start a class competition to see how many points students can earn individually or as a class. Conclude the competition by having students discuss (no matter who won the competition) how acting in greener ways allows everyone to win. There will be future "Green Schools" program competitions. This is a yearly competition where school groups design a green plan for their school that wins up to $2500.00. Posted on the website are the accepted projects where members from all over the country can award points to your school. For every 250 points donated to your school initiative, you earn $1.00. Promote Recyclebank to get as many people involved as possible. Ask them to donate their points to your school. Use this as an opportunity to teach students about grassroots movements and the difference that one bright idea and a few motivated people can make in the world. Why not plan an Earth Day project using this site?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Think Green - Waste Management
Grades
K to 12
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Looking for great information on living green and saving the environment? Find great resources here on "Transforming Waste" and "Case Studies." Read posts from professionals in "Points...more
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Looking for great information on living green and saving the environment? Find great resources here on "Transforming Waste" and "Case Studies." Read posts from professionals in "Points of View." View videos in the "Resources" section. Look under "Classroom Tools" to view student resources by grade and teacher resources by grade, topic, and resources. Caution: the beginning of the site sometimes asks you to participate in a survey. You can hit the "no thanks" button to pass this section.
tag(s): earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245)
In the Classroom
Use this site for lesson plans, videos, and other resources for teaching environmental issues to students of all ages. Share videos with younger students on a projector or as a center. Stay up to date with points of views from professionals. Have students review resources and determine points of views of other articles and resources on the web. Students can create individual, group, or class projects to increase awareness of environmental issues. Why not have students create age-appropriate multi-media presentations demonstrating what they learned? Have students create posters on paper or do it together as a class using an online tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here). Have cooperative learning groups create online books using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. Have students create commercials and share them using a tool such as SchoolTubeAdd your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Environmental Education Week - National Environmental Education Foundation
Grades
4 to 12
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Join Environmental Education Week which is held the week before Earth Day. Get involved in Education Week programs by registering your school and classrooms. Scroll down the page to...more
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Join Environmental Education Week which is held the week before Earth Day. Get involved in Education Week programs by registering your school and classrooms. Scroll down the page to find resources and activities from past EE Weeks. Educational materials include links to more resources that might be of interest such as Greening STEM Biodiversity Activities for the Classroom, The Power of Citizen Science, the previous year's Webinars, and others. Be sure to subscribe to their monthly newsletter. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable.
tag(s): animals (291), citizen science (27), climate change (93), earth (185), earth day (60), ecology (102), environment (245), national parks (28), resources (87), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to plan great activities, lessons, and events for students leading up to Earth Day. For example, use the search function locateed under the menu symbol in the upper left corner and search Greening, STEM, video, for videos and information about water shortages, drought, climate change, and resources. Use the articles and reports to pique student interest, use short videos in the classroom, and find great websites and programs linked from the page. Use these resources not only for a greater understanding of issues but to create awareness campaigns for change in the home, school, or community. Exchange pen and paper and enhance learning by asking students to keep a digital journal sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, replace pencil and paper and challenge your students to create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here. Partner with local groups (conservation or not) to create action plans and events, and provide opportunities for change in the community. Enhance and transform student learning by challenging them to create interactive brochures, magazines, or posters of information learned using Lucidpress, reviewed here, or Genially, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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UN Water - United Nations Development Programme
Grades
4 to 12
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Water is a basic human need and also a human right. Water and Sanitation is Sustainable Development Goal (SD) 6. Read about this goal and the UN's progress towards ...more
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Water is a basic human need and also a human right. Water and Sanitation is Sustainable Development Goal (SD) 6. Read about this goal and the UN's progress towards it. Explore the statistics, controversies, and issues concerning water use around the globe. Click the "Water Facts" tab to learn important information about Water Ecosystems, Human Rights, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Climate Change, Quality and Waste Water, Scarcity, and more.
tag(s): climate change (93), conservation (93), earth (185), earth day (60), pollution (52), resources (87), sustainability (43), water (101)
In the Classroom
Identify similarities and differences in water issues around the globe. Have cooperative learning groups create online Venn Diagrams comparing two distinct areas and their water issues. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here.Students can choose an area or topic of interest either individually or as a group. Look at water issues that many students may not be aware of including water quality and distribution. Create a campaign to increase water awareness that may or may not coincide with world water week (or day.) Have students create a video or podcast sharing their campaigns. For podcasts, use a site such as podOmatic, reviewed here. If creating videos, use a tool like FlexClip, reviewed here, where you can add music and the computer microphone to make comments, explain, etc. Share them on a site such as TeacherTube, reviewed here. Use these resources to determine how to help other countries in their need for clean water and how everyone can conserve.
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The Story of Stuff - Annie Leonard and Free Range Studios
Grades
6 to 12
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Watch the story of stuff movie, a 20-minute video about where our stuff comes from and the effects of consumption on our society. Play the video from the site or ...more
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Watch the story of stuff movie, a 20-minute video about where our stuff comes from and the effects of consumption on our society. Play the video from the site or download it to your computer. Other downloads include podcasts and related items. Subscribe to the blog and receive updates and new information. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
tag(s): earth (185), earth day (60), environment (245), resources (87)
In the Classroom
The most difficult aspect in learning about the environment is understanding how the "stuff we use" impacts more than students can imagine. Use this thought-provoking movie to stimulate class discussions, get students thinking, and create awareness. Students can take aspects of the video and do group research of additional information needed to understand. Students can also create awareness campaigns, poll friends and families, blog, or create other multimedia articles. Looking for some creative multimedia options? How about having students create public service message podcasts ("Stop! Where do you think that ___ came from?") using a tool such as podOmatic, reviewed here. Or create videos and share them using SchoolTube, reviewed here.Students can research the origins of many popular items in their lives, tracing the materials used and the resources needed to create and transport the materials and the product. Students can create a Google My Maps, reviewed here, showing the movement of materials throughout the world from resource to send product to consumer.
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Earth Day - Myvocabulary.com
Grades
4 to 10
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Earth Day. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Earth Day vocabulary...more
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As part of their extensive site for vocabulary, roots, and more, MyVocabulary.com has added a themed area for Earth Day. Find interactive vocabulary activities using Earth Day vocabulary words. You will also find printable crosswords, fill in the blanks and more, all using the same theme words. This and other "themes" available on the site will make vocabulary development fun.
tag(s): earth (185), earth day (60), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Share the puzzles on your interactive whiteboard or projector or make them available as links on your teacher public page. Have students (or groups) create their own illustrated dictionaries of terms using a tool such as Bookemon, reviewed here. As you add more vocabulary lists during the year, have them select their favorite 6-10 terms from each list to add to their "book."Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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