Make Students Superheroes
by Melissa, a 3rd Grade Teacher, from South Amboy, NJ
After exploring the challenges and solutions related to ecology, I have my children create their own superheroes who each possess Earth-saving powers. I invite students to each draw and label a picture of their heroes and write about the evil polluter villains they battle. As part of our Earth Day festivities, we share the stories and illustrations together and then go on to talk about how we can be Earth Superheroes in real life.
Earth Day Rube Goldberg
by Cindy, a 3rd Grade Teacher, in Houston, TX
For Earth Day, we have our students create a “Rube Goldberg” style machine created out of recycled materials. A Rube Goldberg machine is comprised of a series of moving parts that interconnect to perform a simple task.
For our purposes, we invite students to use recyclables to create a simple marble run machine; students then test their creations by dropping one marble at a time into their runs to complete one of the following tasks: open a door, ring a bell, or raise a flag. (Tip: Try challenging older students to incorporate a specific number of levers, inclined planes, screws, pulleys and wedges into their marble contraptions.) Our students love knowing their trash can become treasures that help them experience the fun and physics of simple machines.
Make a Hat
by Kristina, a 1st Grade Teacher, from Baxter, MN
To celebrate Earth Day in my first grade classroom, we make “Recycled Trash Hats.” For each hat, we fold recycled sheets of newspaper (comics are always a favorite) into a classic sailor hat design. I also send a note home the week before asking parents to send in “clean” trash such as gum wrappers, gift wrap, straws, styrofoam, plastic milk lids, etc. The kids love wearing their recycled hats to lunch and explaining to others what they learned about Earth Day.
What do you do with your students for Earth Day? Share your ideas below!
Julie says
Another great idea is to pu foil around a shoe box for solar oven to melt cheese on chips?