Earth Day is just a few days away (4.22.16), but with all the demands placed on teachers right now, is there time to even mention it? I hope so! I love the quote to the left and fully embrace its implications for teaching and learning. However, as a former classroom teacher, I'm also aware of the time and curriculum constraints placed on teachers. Today, I share a quick yet meaningful way to integrate Earth Day in your classroom this week. I just had the privilege of designing an Earth Day focused, school-wide STEaM Challenge for an elementary school. (More on that in another post.) We linked the project to the Earth Day Network’s theme for Earth Day 2016: Trees for the Earth. If you haven’t had a chance to check out their goal of planting 7.8 billion trees by 2020 (one for each person on the planet) read more HERE. The students loved being a part of this exciting goal as each classroom was able to plant a tree.
Another focus the challenge was to introduce students to the work of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace prize. She started the Green Belt movement, replanting the trees of Kenya and supporting women’s rights. Her story is motivating and powerful and thankfully, there are quite a few children’s books that do an excellent job of sharing her story. Hopefully you have one of more of these titles in your schools already, but if not, thanks to YouTube, we have a few read aloud for us. I would still encourage purchasing the books for your classroom and/or school libraries, but for the sake of this week, check out the videos. My favorite clip is the Hummingbird Parable. If nothing else, I would share this clip with my students and share Wangari’s story. Then have a follow-up discussion on how they can be hummingbirds every single day. Below you will find the list of resources I’ve compiled and a few quick extension ideas for free writes or even just discussion. I hope that you take a few minutes to explore them and squeeze even just a little bit of this powerful story into your classroom this week. You, too can be a hummingbird and teach what counts.
Teaching Resources
Videos
If you have time to go deeper with the text, Wangari’s Trees of Peace, check out this comprehensive Lesson Plan (designed for K) that has great discussion questions and more.
Books
Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson (Grades 3 and up)
Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola (Grades K & up)
Mama Miti by by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson
Additional Resources
Cause & Effect Lesson Plan & Additional Videos Resources
Writing Prompt Extension Ideas:
Wangari Maathai’s dream was to replant the trees of Kenya. What is one dream you have for your neighborhood, school, town or planet? Brainstorm some ways you can make a difference. Write about it or draw a picture.
Can you brainstorm an invention that would help solve an environmental problem? Think of a problem you see at school (ex. Styrofoam trays in the cafeteria), at home (your parents plastic coffee cups or k-cups) or in your neighborhood or even on our planet ? Do some planning then draw a diagram or sketch a picture and tell us about it!
Other Great Earth Day/ Tree Themed Books
Another focus the challenge was to introduce students to the work of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace prize. She started the Green Belt movement, replanting the trees of Kenya and supporting women’s rights. Her story is motivating and powerful and thankfully, there are quite a few children’s books that do an excellent job of sharing her story. Hopefully you have one of more of these titles in your schools already, but if not, thanks to YouTube, we have a few read aloud for us. I would still encourage purchasing the books for your classroom and/or school libraries, but for the sake of this week, check out the videos. My favorite clip is the Hummingbird Parable. If nothing else, I would share this clip with my students and share Wangari’s story. Then have a follow-up discussion on how they can be hummingbirds every single day. Below you will find the list of resources I’ve compiled and a few quick extension ideas for free writes or even just discussion. I hope that you take a few minutes to explore them and squeeze even just a little bit of this powerful story into your classroom this week. You, too can be a hummingbird and teach what counts.
Teaching Resources
Videos
- Hummingbird Parable Clip (embedded below) 2 minute clip
- Read Aloud Video of Wangari’s Trees of Peace (5 minute clip)
If you have time to go deeper with the text, Wangari’s Trees of Peace, check out this comprehensive Lesson Plan (designed for K) that has great discussion questions and more.
- Read Aloud of Kid-Created Book: Great intro video for kids, by kids. Explains her life and work in a kid-friendly way.
Books
Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson (Grades 3 and up)
Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola (Grades K & up)
- Video of Book Read Aloud (6 minutes 15 sec.)
Mama Miti by by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson
Additional Resources
Cause & Effect Lesson Plan & Additional Videos Resources
Writing Prompt Extension Ideas:
Wangari Maathai’s dream was to replant the trees of Kenya. What is one dream you have for your neighborhood, school, town or planet? Brainstorm some ways you can make a difference. Write about it or draw a picture.
Can you brainstorm an invention that would help solve an environmental problem? Think of a problem you see at school (ex. Styrofoam trays in the cafeteria), at home (your parents plastic coffee cups or k-cups) or in your neighborhood or even on our planet ? Do some planning then draw a diagram or sketch a picture and tell us about it!
Other Great Earth Day/ Tree Themed Books
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