~ April 22, 2020 Marks 50 Years of Earth Day ~
- The first Earth Day in 1970: "...launched a wave of action, including the passage of landmark environmental laws in the United States. The Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts were created in response to the first Earth Day in 1970, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Many countries soon adopted similar laws." (Earthday.Org)
- Earth Day 2020 Theme - "The theme for Earth Day 2020 is climate action. The enormous challenge — but also the vast opportunities — of action on climate change have distinguished the issue as the most pressing topic for the 50th anniversary. Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable." (Earthday.org)
- There are over 800 plants that are listed as threatened or endangered under federal jurisdiction, and thousands more are protected at the state level. America's Most Endangered Plants:
- More information can be found: -here!
Image Credit: NetCredit
- Take the Pesticide Pledge to help protect species - -here!
- Join Earth Challenge 2020, a Citizen Science Initiative to help fulfill the goal of engaging millions of global citizens. Learn more and sign up -here!
- Take Action - work for the earth - be a Take Action volunteer - find out more: -here!
- Take Action - Get a team and plan an event - find out more: -here!
- Register your event and add it to the global map -here!
- Register your event and add it to the global map -here!
- Change starts with action. Do an act of green to help reach A Billion Acts of Green - -here!
- Take Action and do your own act of green -here!
- Take Action with a community cleanup -here!
- Learn more about The Great Global Cleanup™-here!
- Commit to planting a pollinator garden -here!
- Take Action and become an Earth Day School -here! As we get closer to Earth Day, you will get resources like lesson plans, activity ideas, and planning tools! As an Earth Day School, you will connect to a global network of educators working for a better future. If you celebrate on April 22, or any other day in 2020, we are here to support all of your initiatives. Whether you're planning innovative class assignments or whole school events, sign up below to join.
- Take Action fight climate change with diet change and advocate for your school/organization to serve plant-based meals: -here!
- Learn about Foodprints for the future - -here! (Foodprints measure the environmental impacts associated with the growing, producing, tarnsporting and storing of our food).
- Foodprint calculators help understand how much your food choices actually impact the planet - Find Foodprint calculators - -here!
- "Globally, if food waste could be represented as its own country, it would be the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the US" - United Nations Environment. Our food's impact on our planet - -here!
- Engineering for Good (grades 5-8) is a three-week, project based learning unit for middle school science classrooms focused on developing solutions for negative impacts of plastics on the environment - -here!
- Art Basics with Dick Termes: Design It...Build It...Recycle It... (grades 1-12) Students will design, draw and build a creature, building or whatever else they can imagine out of recyclable materials. -here!
- Make a recycled garden -here!
- Effects of Environmental Change activity (grades 3-5) Students investigate what might happen to plants and animals if their environment changes - -here!
- Watch Team Marine - "...understand the effects of plastic bags and the other plastic debris on the environment and sea life" -here!
- More videos from Young Voices for the Planet can be found on PBS --here!
- Learn about Young Voices for the Planet -here!
- We Are Teachers recommends this Free Earth Day Digital Breakout for Grades 2-5 - "...Digital Breakout EDU is an awesome, immersive games platform for learners of all ages. Plays work collaboratively to solve a series of critical thinking puzzles in order to open a locked Google Forms 'box.' The creative learning possibilities are endless. " Find out more -here!
- Answer Key
1. POLLINATION
2. RECYCLING
3. 18,000,000
4. 04/22/1970
- The full page on We Are Teachers about the Earth Day Digital Breakout -here!
- For lessons on how to make your own Digital Breakout visit the Breakout Digital EDU website -here!
- Make adorable Grass Buddies from East Coast Mommy Blog:
- Adorable Tin Can Planters from Tried and True Blog : Directions are -here!
- Mr. Recycled Head Man from Delia Creates : Directions are -here!
- DIY Jungle Terrarium from Crafting a Green World : Directions are -here!
- DIY Upcycled Bud Vase from Create Craft Love : Directions are -here!
- Tiolet Paper Roll Bird Feeder from The Resourceful Mama: Directions are -here!
- Recycled materials backyard bird feeder from East Coast Mommy: Directions are -here!
- East Coast Mommy also recommends making these birdfeeders: Directions are -here!
- East Coast Mommy shows us how to make a milk carton birdhouse: Directions are -here!
- Little Bins for Little Hands suggests starting a seed jar:
- Little Bins for Little Hands suggests a DIY Bug Hotel:
- DIY Seed Bombs from Little Bins... -here!
- Mother Rising shows how to make this butterfly feeder: Directions are -here!
- Wonderful DIY shows how to make a grass 'house' : Directions are -here!
- KiwiCo shows how to make this earth luminary: Directions are -here!
- Light up the night with paper mache light-up globes from Housing a Forest. Directions are -here!
- Housing a Forest shows how to make these great earth day nails. Directions are -here!
- Modern Parent Messy Kids shows us how to grow plants from food scraps. Directions are -here!
- How About Orange teaches us how to make recycled magazine coasters! Directions are: -here!
- Adorable Earth Day Photo Keepsake via Teach Me Mommy. Directions are: -here!
- Let Kids Save the Planet from Teach them to Fly. Directions are: -here!
