5 Creative and Easy Earth Day Activities

Here are 5 simple ideas for Earth Day celebrations in an upper elementary classroom. I think they are appropriate for any age group, but I will be doing them in my classroom today!

Materials needed: a local map and graph paper. This is a perfect activity for 5th and 6th graders as they are becoming masters at coordinate planes and plotting on graphs.

Materials needed to make a compost bin:

Garbage Can Compost Bin

Approximate cost: $20 (or free - try to locate a garbage can to be donated!)

Materials:

A clean plastic garbage can at least 24 inches tall with a lid (can be a recycled one)

A few bricks or a piece of lumber (to set the can on)

Hammer and nails or drill

Torn paper or paper bags

Dry leaves chopped small

Kitchen scraps, including vegetable or fruit peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags

Soil

Watering can

Small scrap piece of carpet

Directions:

Step 1: Make "breathing" holes 4-6 inches apart all over the can including the bottom.

Step 2: Put bin in a shady area on top of bricks or cement.

Step 3: Fill the bottom off the compost bin with shredded newspaper or dry leaves until it is about 1/8 - 1/4 full

Step 4: Add soil to 1/2 way point

Step 5: Place any uncooked food scraps into compost such as fruit, vegetables, crushed egg shells, coffee grounds, teas bags, or paper products such as paper towels. (Don't add meat, dairy products, or oil to your compost.)

Step 5: Stir it up and cover it with dirt!

Step 6: Spray with luke warm water

Step 7: Put a lid with holes on it!

Stir and add more trash every 2-3 days. If you get fruit flies, add some hay. In 2 months, you should see lovely soil and a complete break down of trash.

ps. don't forget to find some worms to add!