EARTH DAY

Earth Patrol

Here we go!
We're on the Earth Patrol.
We're going to work all day
To put the trash away.
The planet earth, you see,
Is our habitat.
We're going to clean it up.
Well, how about that?

Litter Bags

Have children bring in empty cereal or food boxes from home. Cut off the top and punch holes in the sides. Attach a piece of string and use to collect trash. (Disposable gloves are suggested for picking up trash.) Children could also take these home and use them in their cars to collect trash.

Earth Book

Take children on a nature walk to collect four small specimens for their book. Remind them to only collect objects off the ground. (How would you feel if you were a tree and someone jerked off your leaves?) When you return to the classroom give each child 4 sandwich zip bags. Children place one object in each bag and zip shut. Give them pieces of masking tape or sticky labels for each page so they can label their objects. (Younger children can dictate, and older children can write their own sentences.) Stack bags and staple together.

Eating Trash???

Here's a variation of "trash" you can eat! You will need Cheerios, pretzel sticks, miniature marshmallows, peanuts or M&M's, and flat bottom ice cream cones. You will also need lunch sacks, a large bowl, and a big spoon. Write "old tires" on a lunch sack and pour the Cheerios in there. Write "sticks" on the next sack and put in the pretzel sticks. Write "Styrofoam" on the next sack for the marshmallows. Write "stones" for the peanuts or "candy wrappers" for the M&M's. Invite the children to sit on the floor and help you make "trash." Choose different children to empty the bags into the large bowl. Mix with a spoon and serve in the "trash can" ice cream cones.

Note! Many children have food allergies, so adapt the ingredients to the dietary needs in your classroom.