Celebrating Earth Day!

My students and I have been very busy this week preparing for Earth Day.  I've been focusing on how we can help the Earth in a big way by doing small things like Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling (the 3 R's)!  That reminds me... if you haven't heard this song by Jack Johnson, you've got to check it out.  It's so cute, and the students LOVE singing along with it! Three R's by Jack Johnson (with lyrics)

Earlier this week, I read a great book about recycling by Gail Gibbons.  Afterwards, I brought a bag of trash from home (I say "trash", but it was pretty much boxes, packages, bottles, and cans... nothing icky, I promise).  I went through each item in my "trash" bag and we talked about what it was, and if it can be recycled.  The students quickly started noticing that our bag of "trash" was quickly being REDUCED in size because we were able to RECYCLE almost everything that had been thrown away!  On Monday (Earth Day), we will be spending some time outside with bags picking up trash around the school and field, doing some more recycling, and planting a seed!   Of course, we will also be working on all of the fun activities in my "Celebrate Earth Day" unit all week long, that is... when we're not doing tons of TEST practice!  Only 10  more days until our state testing begins.  Yikes!

Here is a little sneak peek at my Earth Day Unit. 

It includes:  Earth Day Reading Comprehension (Grades 2-3), Earth Day Word Search, Earth Day Word Scramble (and Key), Earth Day ABC Order, "I will help our Earth by... " Writing Prompt, Earth Day Cause and Effect Flip Book Examples and Printables, Bulletin Board Templates, and BONUS page of Earth Day Vocabulary Cards (just added!)

Happy Earth Day, everyone!