Earth Day 2024 Teaching Resources
Teach students about Earth Day in 2024 with printables, worksheets, activities, crafts, and more about being kind to our earth and living a more sustainable life.
This collection of teacher-created resources for ELA, math and science teachers touches on a variety of eco-friendly themes, including sustainability, environmental impact, and recycling. Most resources are curriculum-aligned and editable so you can differentiate work for individual students, and each has undergone rigorous review by an expert teacher on the Teach Starter team.
Teaching Earth Day for the first time this year, or need a quick guide to the 2024 holiday? Read on for tips from our teacher team!
When Is Earth Day 2024?
Earth Day is held on the same day each year, which means this year the holiday will be on April 22, 2024. This is a Monday, so schools should be in session!
What Is the Theme of Earth Day 2024?
Following the Earth Day theme — chosen annually by EarthDay.org — can help you focus your lesson planning to save time and have the greatest impact on your students.
The 2024 theme is Planets vs. Plastics, opening the door to talk about the impact of single-use plastics on the environment!
How Do You Explain Earth Day to a Child?
Depending on the grade level you are teaching this school year, explaining the state of our planet can be a challenge. So how do you touch on the importance of being green and sustainability in kid-friendly ways?
First, you may want to consider why it's so important that our students learn about Earth Day in the first place. Earth Day is an important opportunity for children to learn about the environment, the importance of conservation and sustainability, and to understand their role as active citizens.
Among the issues kids are learning when you teach about Earth Day in the classroom:
- Environmental education: Learning about Earth Day helps students understand the importance of protecting the environment and preserving natural resources for future generations.
- Climate change: Understanding the impacts of climate change and how to reduce carbon footprint can be started in elementary school and have a real impact as kids grow up
- Active citizenship: Children learning about Earth Day are learning about how they can make a difference in their own community, such as recycling, conserving energy, and protecting endangered species.
- Interdependence: Learning about Earth Day also helps children understand how everything in the world is interconnected, and how our actions can have a direct impact on the planet.
- Encouraging curiosity and creativity: Earth Day promotes curiosity and creativity in children, leading them to want to explore and learn more about the world around them.
What Can Students Do on Earth Day?
This collection is full of activities you can use with your students this Earth Day, and here are some things elementary schools can do to mark this important annual event:
- Get Planting at School — If you don't already have one, Earth Day is the perfect time to create a school garden and teach students about the benefits of planting fresh plants, flowers and trees.
- Clean-Up Litter Around the Community — Organize a clean-up event to pick up litter in the school's community.
- Amp Up Recycling Efforts — Encourage your students to do more to keep trash (especially plastic!) out of landfills by setting up recycling stations around the school or in your classroom.
- Conserve Energy — Educate your students about energy conservation and encourage them to turn off lights and unplug electronics when they're not in use.
- Enjoy Nature — Organize a nature walk around the school or in a nearby park. Your class can learn about different types of plants and animals while they enjoy fresh air.
- Bring in a Guest — Invite an expert to speak to the class about environmental issues and what kids can do to help.
- Get Creative With Reuse — Your class can make artwork using recycled materials and learn about how these items can be transformed into something new and beautiful.
- Experiment — Conduct a science experiment in your science classes related to an environmental issue, and learn about how we can make a difference.
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Great Barrier Reef - Comprehension and Note Taking Worksheet
Learn about The Great Barrier Reef with a comprehension and note-taking activity.
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Recycling Card Game - SNAP!
Use this card game to reinforce the correct containers to be used for recycling, composting, and discarding waste.
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Oil Spill Science Experiment
Investigate water pollution and discover the effects of oil spills on wildlife with a hands-on science lab!
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Natural Resources Word Search
Review the different natural resources with a word search.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Brainstorming Sheets
Brainstorm All the Ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle with a pack of printable brainstorming worksheets.
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Our Physical Environment Bingo
Build and master the ability to identify land and water formations in the physical environment with a game of Physical Environment Bingo!
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Endangered Species Fact Cards
A set of 64 fact cards featuring species and subspecies that are on the critically endangered list.
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Be Kind to the Planet Template
A template for students to write ways they can be eco-friendly.
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Carbon Footprint Draw and Write
Help your students be more eco-conscious by having them complete a carbon footprint worksheet.
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How to Reduce Waste - School Lunch Project
Investigate the waste produced from school lunches and create a plan of action to reduce waste with a school lunch waste analysis project.
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How to Save Water Poster and Worksheet Pack
Teach your students ways to save water with a printable poster and worksheet pack.
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Sprinkle Kindness Activity Book Template
Encourage students to write about ways to be kind to people and the planet with a printable sprinkle kindness activity book.
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Protecting Native Plants and Animals – Comprehension Worksheets
Build comprehension skills and learn about human impact on ecosystems with a reading passage and worksheets.
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Natural Resource Use - Instructional Slide Deck
Explore how natural resources are used by humans in the 21st century with an instructional slide deck.
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Why Should We Compost? Poster
Use this poster set to explain why it is important to compost food scraps.
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Recycling Labels - Printable Bin Tags
Teach your students how to recycle in the classroom with labeled recycling bins!
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Acrostic Poem Template - PLANET
An acrostic poem template for the word ‘planet’ to use for Earth Day, during National Poetry Month, and when learning about the solar system.
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Make Every Day Earth Day Poster
A poster that encourages students to think about the Earth every day!
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Tree Observation Worksheets
Record observations of trees in the environment with a printable graphic organizer.
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Being Water Wise - Saving Water Poster Project
Learn and demonstrate knowledge about water conservation with a "Being Water Wise" poster project.
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The World Without Water – Natural Resource Worksheet
Imagine and depict what a world without water would look like with a drawing prompt worksheet.
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Water Use Timeline Worksheet
Observe and explore the ways water is used throughout the day with a printable water timeline worksheet.
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Conserve Energy in the Classroom – Student Reminders
Inspire your students to conserve electricity with these energy-saving reminders that can be placed around the classroom.
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Water is Life - Instructional Slide Deck
Learn about the importance of water to life on Earth, along with where our water comes from, with an instructional slide deck.
- Earth Day 2024 Worksheets
- Earth Day 2024 Templates
- Earth Day 2024 Posters
- Earth Day 2024 Writing Templates
- Earth Day 2024 Projects
- Earth Day 2024 Instructional Slide Decks
- Earth Day 2024 Games
- Earth Day 2024 Word Searches
- Earth Day 2024 Flipbooks
- Earth Day 2024 Puzzles
- Earth Day 2024 Sorting Activities
- Earth Day 2024 Mini Book
- Earth Day 2024 Coloring Pages
- Earth Day 2024 Graphic Organizers
- Earth Day 2024 Cut and Paste Worksheets
- Earth Day 2024 Bingo
- Earth Day 2024 Word Walls
- Earth Day 2024 Craft Activities
- Earth Day 2024 Custom Studio Resources
- Earth Day 2024 Task Cards
- Earth Day 2024 Card Games
- Earth Day 2024 for Pre-K
- Earth Day 2024 for Kindergarten
- Earth Day 2024 for 1st Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 2nd Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 3rd Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 4th Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 5th Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 6th Grade
- Earth Day 2024 for 7th Grade