Happy 40th Anniversary, Earth Day!
Being a self-proclaimed “greenie,” this is one of my favorite times of year. The flowers are in bloom, the days last longer, and it only takes three layers of clothing to keep warm instead of the customary moon suit I’ve been sporting since November.
The Spring months are also the time of year when concerted attention is given, through Earth Hour and numerous Earth Day activities, to be more aware of the lasting impact that our actions have on Mother Earth. The “go green” messages and quick tip items are everywhere, and they can’t be acted upon soon enough.
Working at abcteach, I am proud that environmental stewardship is not only an arena that we promote, but something that we build upon regularly and have been doing for years. Offering online materials to share with colleagues, reducing new material purchases, and conserving energy/storage space by housing backend technology all contribute to the “greater green good.” While they’re not as glorious as saving the rainforest, these seemingly small things have a great impact in achieving sustainability around the globe. Being green starts at home.
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Our students play a vital a role in achieving sustainability, and Earth Day is the perfect time to help plant the environmental seed in your class. Here are a few ideas for using the excitement of the outdoors to engage students in their studies:
• Create a recycling center with materials from our Think Green, Teach Green section.
• Eco-audit your classroom by noting the paper, energy, and water used with worksheets created from abctools.
• Take a field trip on-site! Science, biology, and literary inspiration is just a step outside the classroom doors.
• Turn your crafts into “natural” works of art.
• When creating classroom extras, remember to print, laminate, and use forever!
There are so many ways to get students involved, and like most things, the earlier they begin (and the more hands-on), the better. We wish you all the best with your Earth Day celebrations, and thank you for thinking–and teaching–green.
If you have a special “go green” story that you’d like to share, we’d love to hear. And don’t forget the pictures!
Posted by Lindsey Elton, abcteach team