| Lesson
Plans LESSON:
EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!
Grades: 1-4
Subject Areas: Science, Health, Geography
Estimated Time: Two one-hour sessions
I. Summary: For a school Earth Day project, Maya, Miguel and their friends decide to clean up an old lot and plant a community garden. But as the deadline approaches, a rainstorm hits, turning the patch of dirt into a muddy mess. How will Maya get her friends out of the muck this time?
This lesson concentrates on the importance of caring for the Earth every day. Students will utilize the actions of Maya and Miguel as a springboard for brainstorming positive contributions they can make to the Earth and their community.
After viewing the episode, “Every Day is Earth Day,” lead a discussion on how a community garden would benefit your school grounds by providing food, beauty and possible community support. If appropriate, plant a community garden!
II. Objectives:
- Students will identify the importance of Earth Day, and learn how individuals and communities can affect the environment
- Students will be given opportunities to create a plan for a community garden
- Students will understand the basics of how plants grow and thrive
III. Materials:
- Maya & Miguel episode "Every Day is Earth Day"
- Printout: Celebrate Earth Day Word Search
IV. Background:
Earth Day is recognized and celebrated on April 22nd and is commemorated by environmental events in over 175 countries worldwide. This special day helps build community activism by acknowledging environmental concerns and helps build ways to improve the environment.
The day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 and national support behind the initiative helped generate the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and several pieces of legislation including Clean Acts.
V. Procedure:
(Session One)
1. Ask children if they have ever heard of Earth Day. What do they think the day represents? How do students and their families currently help make positive contributions to the environment? What does the school do to help the Earth? Examples might include; recycling, water and energy conservation, proper trash disposal and caring for endangered species. Brainstorm children’s answers for a class discussion and jot them on a large sheet of paper, or the chalkboard for students to view.
2. Introduce the Maya & Miguel episode "Every Day is Earth Day" by asking a few questions before viewing:
- Maya, Miguel, and their friends are working on ideas at their school to celebrate Earth Day and make positive contributions for their community. What are some things you think they might be doing to help? (Solicit answers such as picking up trash, recycling, etc.)
- Maya loves Earth Day – it’s one of her favorite days of the year! Why do you think Maya is so enthusiastic about Earth Day?
- One of the things that Maya and Miguel decide to do is clean up an old lot in their neighborhood and plant a garden. How do you think they will start? How do you think planting a community garden would benefit the environment?
After watching the episode ask the following questions:
- Do you feel that Maya, Miguel and the other kids’ actions will help the environment and their community?
- Maya and her friends decided to build a community garden for their school project. What do you think a community garden means? Do you think other people outside of the school will help and maintain the garden?
3. After soliciting answers on what the students feel a community garden is, create a plan together for your school! Start by discussing a space that might be appropriate – take a walk around the school grounds and see if there is adequate space. You might start out by utilizing a small area – perhaps an overgrown flowerbed or a vacant spot on the school grounds.
4. Invite a local nursery professional into your classroom to lead a discussion on how to build a community garden and share plants that are appropriate for your region. You might consider inviting a panel of guests including the principal, local water specialist, landscape designer, and if in your area, a county extension agent. (Parents who like to garden might like to sit on your panel too!)
Prepare the students for the discussion with the experts by asking questions that might include: Is the space we have located for our community garden appropriate? What types of plants should we use, and where can we get them from? What is the best way to water our garden and how often? Is there enough sun for the plants to grow? What tools and materials will we need to plant? What do we need to do before we start planting? How will we maintain our garden? Who can we involve in our community garden? Where can we get the money and supplies for our project?
(Session Two)
5. After your panel discussion, allow the students to work in pairs or small groups and come up with ideas for the community garden based on the expert advice (ask the children to write or draw their answers). You might also ask children to think about when the garden produces fruits and vegetables how are they going to used? Can the food be share with homeless shelters, or community members that help in the garden? How can the flowers be used to brighten a person’s life – maybe in a retirement home, or sick people in a nearby hospital? What about making a class bouquet for the entry of the school?
After the small group discussions, ask the students to share what they discussed. Together, formulate a written plan for your community garden.
6. For an easier level, stop after formulating a plan, and help the school property by pulling weeds, and general clean up (don’t forget to recycle)! For a more advanced level, actually build the garden with the advice from your team of experts!
VI. Assessment: Students should successfully understand the importance of Earth Day and will demonstrate knowledge on the topic through oral and written communications. Students should be able to name some of the key elements needed to start and maintain a community garden.
VII. Extensions in Learning:
- Use the printable Celebrate Earth Day! word search to emphasize vocabulary related to the topic.
- Create artwork out of recycled materials. Look at the activity Recycled Treasure, for more ideas.
- Ask students to create a narrative story out of their experiences with creating a community garden. Include what the student has learned about the environment, and how their actions have an impact. Publish the stories in the school hallway on Earth Day! (For younger children, create the story together as a class with the teacher as a scribe.)
- Provide books in the classroom for children to learn more on the topic including: Let’s Celebrate Earth Day by Peter Roop (ages 4-8), The Earth and I by Frank Asch (ages 4-8), Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children by Sharon Lovejoy (ages 9-12).
- To learn more about Earth Day and community gardens, here are a few Web sites to check out:
Related National Standards
(These are established by McREL at URL: http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/.)
Geography
- Knows how people affect the environment in negative (e.g., litter, pollution) and positive (e.g., recycling, picking up litter) ways
- Knows how communities benefit from the physical environment (e.g., people make their living by farming on fertile land, fishing in local water, working in mines; the community is a port located on a natural harbor, a tourist center located in a scenic or historic area, an industrial center with good access to natural resources)
- Knows advantages and disadvantages of recycling and reusing different types of materials
Health
- Knows how individuals, communities, and states cooperate to control environmental problems and maintain a healthy environment
Science
- Knows the basic needs of plants and animals (e.g., air, water, nutrients, light or food, shelter)
- Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment
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