Earth Day

We have been enthusiastically celebrating Earth Day for the past week. It started with an earth necklace project, where students painted salt dough circles to look like the earth.

We also wrote about what we can do to help keep the earth healthy. Here are some of our ideas:

The students participated in five Earth Day-themed rotations today. There were math activities, fine motor activities, craft activities, and more!

Students used pattern blocks to make the earth and a recycle logo.

Geoboards with Earth Day inspirations helped students to strengthen fine motor skills while using shapes to make the earth, a leaf, recycle bins, and trash cans.

We completed our multi-day earth necklace project with students adding some beads to their necklace.

Our celebration wrapped up with a book exchange. Each student was invited to bring in a gently used book to add to our exchange. They took turns choosing a new book, to which I added a special Earth Day bookplate with their names! Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day

Friday Fun today was all about celebrating our earth!

Students made recycled paper seed pods. First, students ripped up pieces of blue and green construction paper.

Then the paper was soaked in warm water and added to a blender.

Once blended, students added a scoop of California Native Wildflower mix. Students then mixed the blue and green goop together in a mason jar lid in a colander.

They pushed down on their mixture to get rid of excess water.

We then popped the mixture out and put it on a plate to dry.

Once dry, students will have an earth shaped seed pod that they can plant in the ground!

Our second activity was to create an Earth Day necklace. Students painted salt dough to look like the earth.

They added beads and made an adorable necklace.

Students also made earth cookies. They were given a slice of cookie dough that they cut in half. Next, they mixed one half with green food coloring and the other half with blue food coloring.

(I had the students wear gloves so that their hands remained color free!)

Then, students rolled two halves together to make a whole.

I popped the dough into the oven for a bit…..

and we were all delighted to see our special earth cookies!

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Earth Day

We love Earth Day! Students listened to a few of my favorite Earth Day books, including Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a girl who promises her grandfather that she will make the world more beautiful. As she grows up, she sees that the world is already a beautiful place. One spring she plants some lupine seeds. Two years later she is surprised when she sees that the seeds have spread all over her town, causing beautiful lupines to bloom! She decides that she will make the earth more beautiful by sowing more seeds.

I then asked students to make an Earth Day Pledge. What are some things they can do to make the Earth a healthier, more beautiful place to live? Here are some of their ideas:

We also made earth paintings using a marbleized paint technique. This technique is so fun…you will want to try it at home!!

First, students added liquid water color to shaving cream.

Then they mixed the colors with the shaving cream….I used my hands, but the students used a craft stick because the liquid watercolor tends to stain a bit!