PBS
Waste Audit
Does everything in the trash can belong there? Conduct a waste audit with your class by collecting a day's worth of garbage, separating it into recyclables, non-recyclables, or food waste, and properly distributing what they find into...
Minnesota Department of Natural Resoures
Tree Life
The life of a tree is the focus of a packet consisting of several activities all covering a different subject. Second graders measure shadows, make pinecone critters, write poems, count rings, complete a word search, play tree tag, and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint
Unplugging from technology for one day per week will decrease your carbon footprint—are you up to the challenge? Part two in a series of three allows individuals to explore their personal carbon footprints. By first taking a quiz at home...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right to a Clean Environment in the United States
Even if a school has gone digital, chances are there's still plenty of paper being used. The three activities help scholars learn about the environmental impact of paper and another consumer products of their choosing, the issue of...
Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry
Students create a poster. In this recycling lesson, students discuss pollution and the ways humans negatively affect the environment. Students describe examples of litter or pollution they have experienced. Students collect litter from...
Curated OER
Fashion Recycles
Complete fashion design activities as a part of a study on protecting the environment. For this fashion and environment lesson, students discuss global environmental awareness and work in groups to list recyclable products that can be...
Curated OER
Note Cards
This is a very simple idea, learners make note cards or stationery out of their recycled art work. Note: I have done a version of this, where I've had my special needs learners paint on card stock or watercolor paper. I then cut each...
Curated OER
Celebrating Earth Day
Students explore environmental safety by planting seeds outside their classroom. In this Earth Day lesson, students identify the different ways to recycle and conserve resources on Earth while facilitating recycling bins around campus....
Curated OER
The Environment and You
First graders examine the human environmental impact and discover ways to lessen effects. They create a pollution damage flow chart and write down what they think Mother Earth might say. They create inventions from recyclable materials.
Curated OER
Repair, Reuse, Recycle
Students read "Joseph had a Little Overcoat" and explain why his clothing didn't go to waste. In this repairing, reusing, recycling lesson, students recognize by reusing objects they help the environment. Students write their ideas for...
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
RETHINK: Bullying Prevention Curriculum
Adopt a school-wide approach to bullying prevention guided by a program packet that is designed to engage the full school, families, and the entire community. Participants are asked to consider the roles power, control, and...
Curated OER
Going Green School Campaign
Students explore ways to make their school's interior and exterior environmentally 'green.' In this environmental concern activity, students work in groups to examine their school's interior and exteriors to make them 'green.' Students...
Curated OER
Making Something from Nothing
Students explore how to make something out of nothing. In this recycling lesson, students discuss the importance of recycling and what effects their choices could have on future generations. Students create something new out of used...
Curated OER
Scientific Inquiry, Episode 1
Learners look at ways to help the environment. In this recycling lesson, students watch a video on pollution and then collect trash at their school. They create posters to share with the school about the importance of recycling.
Curated OER
Where Do Things Come From?
Second graders examine the recycling process. In this recycling lesson, 2nd graders discuss the reasons for recycling and create storyboards to show where a specific material comes from. Students complete a worksheet as a follow-up...
Captain Planet Foundation
Rotting Away
What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...
Curated OER
Nature's Recyclers
Young scholars create environments to demonstrate how earthworms interact with their surroundings.
Curated OER
A Lot Of Garbage
Students collect their own garbage. In this recycling lesson, students keep their own garbage for a day in their own personal garbage bag and then consider methods to reduce wastefulness.
Curated OER
NOT WASTING
Students brainstorm and analyze creative ways to not waste materials and recycle more as an individual. The theory and importance of conservation is also stressed within this lesson plan. In addition, silent sitting is exercised, story...
Curated OER
RAINSTICKS
Students create a rainstick from recycled materials and begin learning about the "nature" of the rainforest.
Curated OER
Web of Predators and Prey
Students investigate the food chain by researching the Internet. In this ecosystem lesson, students view the video "Competitor and Predator" and read a book from the series "The Magic School Bus." Students utilize a worksheet...
Curated OER
Fancy Packaging
Youngsters consider the amount of packaging used in manufacturing food and follow its travels through to the landfill. They brainstorm ways in which to reduce packaging and take a survey at home to evaluate ways they could reduce trash.
Curated OER
Recycling Program
Students develop and implement a recycling program in their school. Students work in groups to complete tasks in their student-created recycling program. They keep records of the items collected, the amount of money earned, and the...
Curated OER
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
Young scholars determine the importance of recycling to reduce waste, to employ trash in useful ways, and to save the environment. They estimate the percentages of landfill waste that items constitute, based on what they found in their...