3 Ongoing Ways to Celebrate Mother Earth at School
Go Green with Your Classroom or School Community!
Although Earth Day is observed around the world on April 22, the official day is really a just a springboard for a mindset that spans all year. This year, consider ongoing Earth-friendly projects so your students can learn about environmental stewardship all year long – here are three meaningful project ideas with lasting benefits for Mother Earth and student participants.
1. Start a classroom (or school-wide) recycling program. Some studies show that school waste is 80% recyclable! A school recycling program is a hands-on lesson that educates students about the environment, personal responsibility, and community action. Programs build life-long habits that can have a huge impact on students and their families as well as the communities in which they live – and the kids can see first-hand how much of a difference they can make with ‘thoughtful tossing’.
Start small by assessing the need and assembling a team – consider recycling paper and cardboard from the classroom and neighborhood, distributing food from the cafeteria to community kitchens, or hosting a drive to collect outdated batteries and small electronics. Start recycling in one classroom or grade, then expand to the whole school! There are many how-to articles and guides available online to get you off to a great start. Don’t forget to promote the program to all class/school families through your school’s e-newsletter and social media, and later to the broader community through local news and radio stations.
2. Host a memory-making green fundraiser. Organize an eco-friendly fundraiser in collaboration with Flower Power Fundraising to give your school community a chance to make memories while connecting with their families and the Earth. Flower Power offers the finest, best-quality bulbs and plants available and sports an unconditional, 100% money-back guarantee. You keep 50% of every sale you make, there’s no minimum order, and the company ships directly to your buyers right when the plants and bulbs are ready to be planted.
3. Plant a class garden. Often, students today have very little knowledge of where their food comes from. Here’s a way to get your students connected to the growing cycle. They can use the products of the fundraiser (seeds and bulbs, for vegetables and herbs to strawberries and sunflowers, dahlias and bee attracting wildflowers) to create their school/class garden. Students learn about agricultural concepts, such as soil augmentation, and gain a unique kind of self-confidence as they realize their abilities to feed themselves. They’ll get tremendous practice in collaboration and teamwork and will have participated in the beautification of the school grounds. Students have greater respect for things they feel they have some ownership in. Plus, studies have shown that kids who garden make healthier eating choices and score better in science.
Kids who are exposed to environmental concerns grow up to be more environmentally conscious and responsible adults – that’s the true benefit of ongoing Earth Day celebrations and projects!
Thanks to our sponsor Flower Power for these great ideas!
