by Joan Inong

Created on: November 13, 2009

Earth Day should not be celebrated only once a year. Earth day should be an everyday experience, and when you teach your students about the importance of the health of the environment, they will become developed, mature, and responsible adults who will know how to take care of their world and why they should do so. If you are a primary school teacher, here are a few fun Earth Day crafts that you can integrate into your lesson plans throughout the year.

Personal Plants

It is always a good idea to teach and guide your students about growing plants. It will hopefully instill in them the desire to plant many seeds throughout their life, contributing to the beauty and to the good health of the environment. To create these "personal plants," you will need to purchase one pot for each of your students. For a low-budget activity, you can use red Dixie cups that hold 16 fl. oz.

In a mixing bowl, you will add perlite, potting soil, and perhaps even organic fertilizer such as bat guano. You can find these and more materials at your local garden supply store. When you are using perlite, make sure to wear a mask. Your students should not be around when you are mixing these together. This will eliminate the need for them to wear masks, too.

In class, allow your students to fill up their Dixie cups. Then, give them a choice of seeds to plant. Basil seeds are easy to maintain, germinate, and provide a healthy source of food, too. Teach your students how to take care of their plants.

Water Cycle Chart

For this activity, you will need colored construction paper, scissors, colored pencils, and markers. You may also need other supplies such as gluesticks.

You can access a water cycle description from this website. Print out the accompanying image. One will do. Have your students look at the picture. They will try to recreate the process themselves using the materials provided.

Then ask them: What can they do to help ensure that the water cycle remains 'clean"? What dangers and risks are posed towards the rivers, streams, and oceans, and how can these be avoided or at least, decreased?

As you can see, these activities are meant to help your students understand their relationship to their environment. They play an active role in the health of the environment, whether they like it or not, and it is their responsibility to make sure that their roles affect the environment in as little a negative way as possible.

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