Earth Day Reading and Writing Ideas for Upper Elementary Students

Earth Day Reading and Writing Ideas for Upper Elementary Students

The beautiful blue sky, the trees swaying in the breeze, the warm cheerful sunshine. These are just a few things we can appreciate about the Earth, our wonderful home. Celebrating Earth Day every April, we take one day to celebrate our planet and all of the wonderful gifts it gives us. From a young age, it’s important to instill in children an appreciation for our planet, as well as a desire to take care of it.

So, how can continue celebrating Earth Day at school with this in mind?

Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day

Celebrating Earth Day with your class can be fun and educational. Here are classroom activities to help teaching:

• Earth Day Writing, Reading, Math Packet: this packet has everything you need to engage and motivate your students. This packet was created for students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade in mind. You will find: Writing Prompts, Word Search, Writing Bulletin Board, Newsletter, Book Reviews, Poetry, Math Menu Boards, Math Color By Code and so much more! Grab it now on sale!
• Earth Day PBL Set: This set is perfect for having your students be creative and design their own recycled treasure! You will love how much creativity comes from these set! Take a peek here!
• Earth Day Flip Book: includes a reading activity to learn about earth day, writing prompts, an acrostic poem and more! Take a peek at it!
• Earth Day Writing Bulletin Board: This engaging bulletin board is perfect for a quick interactive celebration of earth day! Take a peek
• Holiday Quick Writes: this packet includes all holidays including Earth Day, make sure to grab it quickly you won’t regret having every holiday at your fingertips!
• Earth Day Reading: If you own the Holiday Reading Set you own the reading passage on Earth Day! If not, take a peek here because your students will love learning about earth day, and you will love having them show comprehension and learning.

7 Quick Ideas for Celebrating Earth Day

1. Eco-Friendly PBL Projects: Use recycled materials to create art. Students can bring in items from home or use materials found in the classroom. Projects could include creating sculptures, collages, or even functional items from recycled materials.
2. Nature Walk and Cleanup: Organize a nature walk around the school grounds or a local park. Equip students with gloves and bags to pick up litter along the way. This can be an excellent opportunity to teach them about local flora and fauna, as well as the impact of litter on ecosystems.
3. Classroom Energy Audit: Teach students how to conduct a simple energy audit of their classroom or school. Discuss ways to conserve energy and reduce carbon footprints. This activity can include checking for energy leaks, evaluating the efficiency of lighting, and discussing the benefits of energy-saving appliances.
4. Plant a School Garden or Trees: Engage students in planting a garden with native plants or trees on the school grounds. This hands-on activity can teach them about plant biology, the importance of native species, and the benefits of trees and plants for the environment.
5. Letter Writing Campaign: Encourage students to write letters to local leaders or businesses advocating for environmental issues they’ve learned about. This can teach persuasive writing skills and show students that they have a voice in their community.
6. Learn About the Earth: The Earth is full of surprises, especially for children. From the heights of Mount Everest, to the deepest point under the ocean, there are lots of exciting and interesting things to learn about the Earth. You might also consider having students learn about endangered animals. With these lessons, children can learn more about our planet and develop curiosity to discover even more. 
7. Celebrating Earth Day by Caring for the Earth: An important component of Earth day is learning how to take care of the Earth. Our job as people is to take care of the Earth. However, people don’t always do a good job of caring for our planet. So, as a part of Earth Day, it’s important to show children some ways they can contribute to the care of our planet. From recycling to limiting water use, saving electricity, and more, there are many ways to care for the Earth. In addition to learning about it, you can also get practical. Encourage children to pick up trash around the school, or plan a neighborhood clean-up. You could also participate in the worldwide hour of using no electricity, raise money to sponsor an endangered animal, or create a compost pile at school.

Are you looking for an easy way to teach your students about the Earth and how to take care of it? Check out my Earth Day flip book! It features a fun facts page, a reading about Earth Day, information about caring for the Earth, and more. 

My Earth Day Favorite Books

I have a list of some of my favorite books here for you to check out! Take a peek at the entire list HERE!

• A Dolphin’s Wish
• One Earth
• We Are Water Protectors
• Señorita Mariposa

Earth Day Freebie

Enjoy this quick Earth Day Writing Sampler, Grab it here!

Shop all my Earth Day Resources Here in my shop

Earth Day is an important day in the year that should be clearly marked. With it, we can help children develop an interest in caring for our planet as well as help them appreciate the many gifts our planet gives us. 

Are you celebrating Earth Day this year? Share what you’ll be doing with your class in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!

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