This category consists of several  sections...click on the one you'd like!

•Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games

•Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins

•Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities

•Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas

•Earth Themed Music Activities

•Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!

•Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School

32 Green Things to do at Home...

•Earth Friendly and 'Green' Contact Resource List

•Gardening Theme

•Bird Theme

•Worm Theme

•Insects/Creepy Crawlies

Also see crafts, art and games made from RECYCLED MATERIALS

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Earth and Green Theme Menu 

 

ART AND CRAFTS

TRASH COLLAGE OR MURAL
Use thrown away paper, labels, stamps, scraps cut from junk mail, used craft items, etc. Use everything you can find that is typically thrown away; with all this, make a wonderful collage or mural.
(This is a good idea to include in the Earth Week Exhibit described in this category)

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EARTH DAY PROGRAM QUILT
Give children 6” squares and have them draw something in nature that they appreciate. Punch holes in all four corners of each square and tie the squares together with yarn. Hang for all to admire!

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RAIN STICK #1 (Heavy-duty)
1. Hammer nails into Heavy cardboard mailing tubes 1/8" apart, using the spiral seam of the cardboard.
2. Add several handfuls of assorted filler material (rice, beans, etc)
3. Seal each end of the tube securely with tape.
4. Decorate your stick with raffia, ribbon, adhesive-backed shelf paper, wrapping paper or a jungle print or decorations.

RAIN STICK #2
Materials: Paper Towel Roll, Tape that can be painted, Paint, Glue, Uncooked Rice, Toothpicks...

• Pre-poke holes into the side of the paper towel rolls.
• Have children poke toothpicks through the holes and glue each end of the tooth pick.
• Next- tape one end of the roll closed.
• Add rice and tape the other end.
• Children can paint their sticks as they choose.
• Last, cut off the toothpicks that stick out from the tube.

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Idea***Research and make INFORMATIONAL POSTERS on such things as the RAIN FOREST OR ENGANGERED SPECIES and the protection of animals on the brink of extinction. Design an attractive mural with the information...

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 DECORATING YOUR ROOM FOR A PARTY?

Put up decorations made from recycled or reused materials. Instead of using crepe paper, cut strips of used notebook paper or construction paper and glue them together to form colorful chains to hang from the ceiling. Be creative!

 

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LITTER BUG CRAFT

(Good for young children)
Materials -A variety of  Craft Items such as:
Paper towel and tissue paper rolls
Stickers
Markers
Pipe Cleaners, String, Yarn, Buttons, Glue, Scissors, google eyes...
Using craft supplies and imagination create your own Litter Bug. Be sure to make it an ugly little bug. Use this bug to show young children that this is what people look like --when they don’t throw away trash!

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MAKING LITTER BAGS FOR PARENTS' CARS (Easy craft)

• Give children small lunch bags or white craft bags. Have THEM decorate the bag with pictures of flowers, trees and animals.
• Open up the bag and bend the top down 1”.
• Punch two holes on one side at the top.
• Loop a piece of string, yarn or ribbon through the two holes and tie.
• Have children hang their litter bags in their parents' cars; remind them that all car litter should go in the litter bag.

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Be sure to check out the "RECYCLED MATERIAL CATEGORY" TO MAKE ART, GAMES AND CRAFTS! Great for Earth Friendly ideas...

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EARTH DAY GROCERIES PROJECT
Four Simple Steps

1. Borrow. Contact a local grocery store that uses large paper grocery bags. See if the manager will let you "borrow" enough bags so that each student in your school can decorate one. Let the manager know about the project and its environmental education message, of course! Grocers usually get these bags in "bundles" of 500.
 
2. Decorate. Have students at school decorate the bags with pictures of the earth, environmental messages, the name of your school, etc. Be creative! DO NOT allow students to write their last names on any bags.
 
3. Deliver. A couple of days before Earth Day you and/or your students return the decorated bags to the grocery store - with many thanks to the manager! The store then distributes these bags (full of groceries) to happy and amazed shoppers on Earth Day.
 
4. Report. Fill out the Report Form on the project web site with a count of how many bags your school made. Please, only one report per school. All reports will be posted on the Earth Day Groceries site

You do not need to sign up or register, just have a great time with the project! For more information, check the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Another Idea: If you can't use paper bags, you can have students decorate individual fliers, or even bookmarks, which can be handed out to shoppers or inserted in their shopping bags. These will be counted in the project tally, so do send in your report!
This is a great idea, even if you do it on your own!

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LIANA VINE DECORATIVE STRING

 

Make a rainforest liana vine to decorate a room. (Also,wonderful for summer!) This simple-to-make string makes a great classroom decoration. It represents a rainforest vine full of leaves, flowers, butterflies, caterpillars, snakes, lizards, and other life. You can drape the colorful string around the classroom, from the ceiling, or over the windows. (Liana is a woody, climbing vine that grows on tree trunks in order to reach sunlight in the rainforest. Rattan, used for making wicker furniture, is made from liana vines.)

Supplies needed:
Construction paper (many colors)
Crayons or markers
Scissors
Glue, tape, or staples
A long piece of green or brown yarn or string
1.  Make some template for the kids to trace...
Example: When you make leaves ---make sure to draw a thick stem on the top (your leaf will hang from this stem, which will be folded over). 2.  Cut out the leaf.
3.  Draw the leaf veins if you wish.
4.  Fold the leaf's stem in half. Attach the leaf to a long string using tape, glue, or staples. Make more leaves and attach them to the string.

•  Make flowers, butterflies, caterpillars, snakes, and other animals for the vine.
•  A good way to attach butterflies to the vine is by taping (or stapling) a V-shaped pipe cleaner to the butterfly's head (as its antennae), and then twisting the pipe cleaner to attach it to the vine.
• Draw details on your flowers and animals, and attach them to the string (using tape, glue, staples or pipe cleaners).
• Hang your rainforest/summer vine across the room for a colorful decoration.
  Adapted from EnchantedLearning

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Earth Week Art and Project Exhibit

This will need to be starts weeks before Earth Day which is April 22… Display photography, sculpture, drawings, pastels, etc., as well as crafts, toys, and nature projects made by the children. FOCUS EVERYTING ON THE ENVIRONMENT or OBJECTS MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS.

• Set up your "Exhibit" and hold a FAMILY EVENT after school. You can also invite school classrooms to walk through and view.
• Serve refreshments/snacks with an Earth theme...Ideas for snacks are below-click here.
• Spend time on projects made from Recycled Materials! Click here to visit the Recycled Ideas Category. 

 

 

 

 

 

DOWN IN THE JUNGLE (This would be great during Earth Week or to include in the above Art Exhibit! Some wonderful animal creations using recycled materials, made by children in First Grade. Scraps amd sheets of used paper are saved during the year and then turned into delightful display projects!

Contributed by Bev Evan at Display Photos

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GAMES...

RAINFOREST OBSTACLE COURSE
Optional: Take a portable CD player outside and play rainforests sounds of animals, music, nature...
Put together an obstacle course...

1. Use branches for the children to climb over, under or around.
2. Have them climb across the monkey bars, while making monkey sounds...
3. Climb a vine (a hanging rope) 
   This can be done individually or as a team!

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LITTER SWEEP RELAY GAME

• Divide into two teams and give each team a broom and a small pile of dry trash such as soda cans, paper, small plastic bottles, etc.
• On the signal, the first person on each team sweeps the trash to a certain point and back.
• The next team member then takes over, and so on until all have run.
• First team finished wins.
• If a player loses any trash they must sweep back and pick it up.

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ENDANGERED ANIMAL CHARADES

Young children are often surprised to learn that their favorite animals from books and in zoos are not prevalent in the wild. In this activity, children become aware of the diversity of endangered species through a game.

• Prepare a list of animals that are endangered (with or without pictures) and cut the list apart. Fold the slips of paper and put them into a container for children to draw from. Examples include: Alligator, Whale, Sheep, Elephant, Hummingbird, Shark, eagle, Wolf, Panda, Tiger Rattlesnake, Grasshopper, Fly, Polar Bear, rhino, Gorilla, turtle, Snail, Panther, butterfly, Dolphin, Rabbit, Frog, and Iguana.
• First-discuss the term "endangered species" and what students know about it… What do they believe causes animals to become extinct? Point out that many kinds of animals they find interesting are in danger of disappearing.

GAME: Children will pretend to be an endangered species and have their classmates try to guess what these animals are. As in the formal game of charades, students are not permitted to talk, but they may pantomime the behaviors of the animals.

If the group is large, form two teams and have individual students pantomime as their team members guess. If they cannot guess the name of the animal, the other team may try.

After the game, talk about the animals they acted out and why some of them are endangered. What animals on the endangered list surprised the students?

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GARBAGE BALL If you’re having an Earth theme this game would work!

• Use whatever you have that can be thrown and not hurt anyone… Balls, wads of paper, sock balls, rubber chickens, koosh balls, etc.
• Have two equal teams with a center line.
• Each team starts with the same amount of items.
• At the signal each team throws whatever it can get their hands on—from their side of the line to the other side.
• Players continue to throw until the signal to stop (or if music is used when you play—and the music stops)
• The winning team is the side with the least amount of garbage on it’s side.
  To play more rounds—divide the garbage evenly again and continue. Keep score of whoever has the most wins.

You can add interest by having the “losing team” pick up all “garbage” or have both teams pick up garbage but the losing team has to do what the winning teams directs---such as accomplish a certain amount of push-ups- sit-ups, etc.

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Be sure to visit the Trash to Treasures Category (Making things from Recycled Materials)

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Earth and Green Theme Menu

 

 CANCEL SALES CATALOGS!

Read about a school that started "The Catalog Canceling Challenge" in 2007 and since then other schools and scouts have joined the fun. So far 5,000 kids in fifteen states have canceled almost 40,000 unwanted sales catalogs! It saves trees, water, energy, and our climate. In fact, these kids have saved over 600 trees so far!

It's a pretty straightforward idea that kids enjoy. Click here if your program would like more information. (Also, please see comment box at page bottom from the Catelog Cancelling Challenge.)

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ANIMAL SAFETY

This is good reminder to include in a newsletter or at an Earth Club meeting...

Sometimes plastic ring-type holders found on six-packs of aluminum cans can end up in the water... fish and other animals that live there can get caught in them. Help your child make these holders less hazardous by using scissors to cut through each ring in the holder before throwing it away.

I was in Traverse City one summer; at the Hotel's water edge was a duck with plastic ring wrapped around his beak. I was told that it was there for at least a day. The duck was frantic and trying to remove it. Several hours later...someone was finally able to get it off...(Photo is of duck with six-pack rings caught on head)

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OLD SHOES...

For information visit their website. To keep recycling equipment running smoothly, there are guidelines:
• Athletic shoes only (any brand)
• No shoes containing metal
• No cleats or dress shoes
• No wet or damp shoes

Put out notices and containers—and start collecting!!!
Ever thrown out a pair of worn-out athletic shoes? Did you know that IT TAKES ABOUT 1,000 YEARS for those sneakers to biodegrade? Wondering what to do with the ones you've already got? RECYCLE THEM.
 
Every year, millions of pairs of athletic shoes are thrown away, not only wasting landfill space, but wasting tons of reusable material. Since 1993 Nike has been running a program called Reuse-a-Shoe. So far they've used 24 million pairs of athletic shoes to create sports surfaces. It’s part of the "Let Me Play" campaign, one of Nike’s longest-running environmental and community programs, where worn-out athletic shoes of any brand are collected, processed and recycled into material USED IN SPORT SURFACES like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world.

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 BE SURE TO READ THE LORAX BY DR. SEUSS!

It's MUCH more than a children's book!!! It's a GREAT LESSON for all ages! (Beside the movie, there is also a 25 minute video!!!)
The Lorax appears and speaks for the trees, since they have no voice of their own. The Lorax warns of the dangers of raping the land for the Truffula Trees, but the Once-ler is so greedy, he pays him no heed. As you can guess, the land soon dies, and all that is left is destruction and pollution. The Lorax sadly flies off, never to be seen there again. But, as it should be, the story ends with hope. He entrusts to you a seed, the very last seed, to start again for the Truffula Trees.
 
BUILD A THEME AROUND THE LORAX
SOME Activities to supplement "THE LORAX" for a Theme...

1. Discuss the IMPORTANCE OF TREES for people and animals.
With the children...list all the ways the forest is helpful.

• The trees hold the water in the soil with their roots.
• The forest keeps the surrounding area cool with its shade.
• The forest provides homes for many animals.
• Forests clean and enrich the air we breathe. Their leaves and needles take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen through the tree's bark.   

2. MAKE A MURAL with trees, etc.
 
3. PLANT a small tree.
 
4. Make ENVIRONMENTAL COLLAGES
Have children cut out magazine pictures of trees, flowers, birds, sun, clouds, etc. They then glue them on sheets of construction paper to make a collage about their environment. Post collages on wall... talk about the world they live in... And how we can help take care of the trees and birds.
 
5. DO TREE RUBBINGS
Give children a piece of paper and a large crayon with the paper off. Show them how to use the crayon sideways to make a rubbing.

6. MAKE A TREE: Give each child a cardboard toilet tissue tube for a tree trunk. Help each child make several hand shapes out of green construction paper for palm fronds (leaves) have children tape the leaves to the inside of the top of their tree trunks. Before they glue the leaves on--they can color or paint the tubes.
 
 7.  MAKE PLAY DOUGH and make it different colors of the earth! The children can make trees, worms, and flower shapes. (There are more than 40 recipes in the Goop, Gak Category and 40 in the Play Dough Category...even one for fossils and dough that looks like mud!)

8. NATURE/FOREST SCAVENGET HUNT (With Pictures for those that can't read) Normal otherwise...

• Make a scavenger hunt list with pictures you have drawn on a sheet of paper.
• Some ideas: a feather, small stone, acorn, various leaves in your area, small twig or stick, dead bug (draw him with legs up, pine cone, flower (only if they can pick one), worm, pieces of grass, clover leaf …and any other ideas you can come up with.
• Make sure that you go over the list with the children just in case your not the world’s best artist.

9.  PARACHUTE WITH LEAVES FALLING
Place pre-cut leaves (lots of them on a parachute. Put on some music and play games with letting the leaves gently fall. 

10. HELP THE BIRDS! See Bird Theme for other ideas for Birds!

     Lend a helping hand to the birds by supplying them with simple nesting materials.

• All you need to do is fill a mesh bag (like the kind onions are packaged in ) or a berry basket; use dried grass, short lengths of yarn and string, stuffing from old furniture or a feather pillow---also hair from brushes.
• Loop the strands outside of the mesh or basket so birds can grab them.
• Hang the bag in a location that the birds can safely access; watch the birds collect--hunt to see if you can find one of "your" nests!

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YOU CAN ALSO...

• If the weather is nice -- READ OUTSIDE under a tree! Have a picnic or a snack there! 

• Get a "Sounds of the Rain forest" or woodsy and animal-sounds CD to play .... It will be soothing for the kids (and you) as well as enriching.

• Do a COMMUNITY SERVICE project. Litter spoils the woods and can hurt the animals and visitors. As a special project, have the students pick up litter in your area (with plastic gloves on)--and then dispose of it properly. Make a list of the things that were found. Contact the media to do a story on the children's concern for their environment.

• SNACKS: See below...

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SNACKS FOR EARTH THEME...

 TASTE THE RAINFOREST

Buy food found in the Rainforest: Bananas, star fruit, coconut, chocolate, papaya, bananas, mangoes, etc.
Have children try all the different flavors. You can add dimension by adding a graphing of who liked what best.
When you do things like this, be sure to indicate the treat on your snack and daily activities calendar –
Example: Snack Today: We’re tasting the Rainforest!

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EARTH COOKIES:

Make or purchase round cookies. To resemble the Earth, have children spread cookies with green and blue frosting. (Put green, blue and a bit of yellow frosting on cookes in horizontal lines. With a tooth pick-swirl the colors together.)

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NATURES BOUNTY

Have children snack on a variety of foods that come directly from nature: Apple slices, orange segments, fresh berries, and sunflower seeds.
Remember to write ...SNACK TODAY FROM NATURE'S BOUNTY!
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TRASH SNACK
Ingredients:
Flat bottom ice cream cones, Cheerios, miniature marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and peanuts.

• Take 4 lunch bags and put a different food item in each one.
• Write “old tires” on the bag of Cheerios
• “Styrofoam” on marshmallows bag
• “Sticks” on the bag with pretzel sticks
• “Stones” on the bag with peanuts
• Serve the “trash” in trash cans (Ice cream cones)

When serving the snack the kids can take a scoop from each bag or they can combine and mix the ingredients in a large bowl.
Nice that there is NO trash when the children have finished eating!
Idea adapted from practicalkindergarten in answersyahoo...
This idea would be nice combined with a project related to litter and trash!

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  Two recipes for DIRT CUPS. One mixes cookies into the pudding and one doesn't.
#1 version

Canned or Pre-made Chocolate Pudding Mix
Milk (If making pudding)
Oreo Cookies
Gummy Worms
Cool Whip
Cups, Spoons,  Zip Lock Bags
   • Place Oreo cookies in a zip lock bag; have children break them up by banging the bag. Cover the bottom of cups with crumbled Oreos.
Use canned pudding or Combine pudding mix and milk to make your own pudding, pour into the cups--leaving 1/2 an inch of space at the top. Refrigerate pudding until set. Add crumbled Oreos to the top of each cup and garnish with a gummy worm.

 #2 DIRT CUP version
2 cups of cold milk
1 package (4 serving size) JELL-O Instant Pudding (chocolate flavor)
3-1/2 cups (8 ounce container) COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed
1 package (16 ounces) chocolate sandwich cookies (like OREOS) (crush them into tiny pieces in a plastic bag)
Gummy worms or insects
Measuring cup
Medium mixing bowl
Wire whisk
Rubber scraper or large spoon
Measuring spoons
8-10 paper or plastic cups (8 ounce size)

• Pour the milk into the mixing bowl and add the pudding mix. Beat with the wire whisk until well blended (about two minutes).
• Let pudding stand for five minutes.
• Stir whipped topping and 1/2 of the crushed cookies into the pudding (very gently) with rubber scraper until mixture is all the same color.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of the remaining crushed cookies into the bottom of each cup.
• Fill cups about 3/4 full with pudding mixture.
• Top each cup with the rest of the crushed cookies. Add gummy worms and insects to decorate.
• Put cups into the refrigerator for about one hour to chill them-- and enjoy!
  

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FOUR 'BIRD SNACKS' FOR HUMANS

#1 PIDGEON POOP SNACK

4 cups peanut butter crunch cereal
3 cups rice krispies
2 cups pretzel sticks broken in 1/2
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 bags white chocolate chips
Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl and melt white chocolate chips in microwave and cover and mix, then lay on wax paper until cooled. Break into pieces.

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#2 BIRD'S NEST SNACK
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
1 cup chowmein noodles
Candy bird eggs (jelly beans)

• Melt butterscotch morsels in a medium microwave safe bowl.
• Add chow mein noodles to melted morsels and mix.
• Shape into a circle on wax paper.
• Use a large spoon to make indention in center.
• Let nests harden. Add jelly beans or chocolate eggs.

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#3 CHOCOLATE BIRD NESTS

Make the above version, but instead of butterscotch chips, use chocolate chips! (Image by KidActivities.net)

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#4 BIRD'S NEST SNACK 

Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a saucepan.
Add 1 cup of brown sugar. Boil and stir for one minute.
Add a 3 oz. can of chow mein noodles.
Put the mixture in 12 paper baking cups in a muffin tin. Use your thumb to press noodles into the nest while still warm. DO NOT BAKE.
Give children jelly bean eggs to put in their nests.
*You can also put MELON BALLS in the nests...

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Other Earth Themed Pages

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
• Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas
• Earth Themed Music Activities
• Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School
• Garden/Gardening Theme
• Worm Theme
• Insects/Creepy Crawlies

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 PLAN A PROGRAM RECYCLING EFFORT...

• Contact an agency to see if it would be willing to remove your items for recycling. Find out how they must be sorted and stored.
• Collect and recycle everything you can.
• Donate the proceeds if you turn recycled items in for cash.
• Contact for publicity; perhaps others will join the recycling effort!

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COLLECT LITTER IN YOUR PROGRAM AREA
Set a Collection Goal and Keep Track on a posted litter-meter.
Be sure kids wear protective disposable gloves when collecting litter. 

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WASTE WATCHERS!

Introduce recycling to your school by having kids set up a recycling bin for paper. Ask school officials to set up bins in the cafeteria for plastic, aluminum and glass. Students can help educate their schoolmates about recycling by designing posters that describe what can and cannot be place in each recycling bin.

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 COLLECT  FOR…

Collect money (Coins for the Rainforest) and “adopt” a bit of Rain Forest. 2500 square feet can be purchased from Arborday website for $10.00 in the program section of the aborday site.

Just search Rainforest Rescue. ***Have kids decorate plastic milk jugs and place them about the building and office/lounge areas. Be sure to put an article in your newsletter and promote the project verbally and with posters.

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CLASSROOM RAINFOREST PROJECT

Grades: Appropriate for Pre-kindergarten to Grade 12.

One Michigan 2nd-grade celebration of Earth Day became a sustained commitment to caring for a rainforest.

 
To better understand tropical plants and their connections with society, the students did research in small groups, then drew or constructed models of plants, transforming their classroom into a model rain forest. (See Photo) During their research, the children discovered they could adopt acres of the real rain forest to help preserve it, and calculated how much money they needed to do this.

The students maintained their obligation to the environment in their fund-raising efforts. They created and presented, to parents and other classes, a program on dangers facing rain forests. They charged each person who attended an empty pop can, which they recycled for money to purchase sections of rain forest.

As a follow-up to their presentation, the students wrote, illustrated, and bound their own story books about rain forests. They donated the books to local doctors' offices, schools, and libraries so that the community could continue to learn about this important resource. Adapted from Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas, 1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.

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  PENNIES FOR PANDAS ... and Pumas ... and Pelicans ...etc. Great Idea from a Real Group of Kids! 

To one 2nd-grade class, the study of endangered animals was a vague subject. They grasped the definitions of words like "threatened" and "extinct," but it was difficult to imagine animals that were so familiar to them — like pandas — simply not existing. A student-led fund-raising project in support of endangered animals brought the issue into focus.

Grades: Prekindergarten to 5 (This is something that would translate easily to an After School Program) In Minnesota a group of second graders did this project--but all grades can do the same!

The students prepared by reading a play about rainforest animals.

They worked cooperatively to chart information about a variety of endangered animals and make illustrated books about each one.

The children then pulled key ideas from what they'd learned and created flyers that they distributed to households near the school. In the flyers, the students informed their neighbors about issues facing animals and asked them to contribute aluminum cans and pennies, which the students counted and used to adopt two animals from the local zoo.

The children also organized a school-wide contest to see which class could contribute the most pennies.

In celebration of the successful fund-raising drive, the students performed the play about rainforest animals for parents and fellow students. Even before the curtain rose, they knew they were already playing one of the most important roles of their lives: caretaker of the Earth.
Adapted from "Route to Reform: K-8 service-learning Curriculum Ideas,"  1994-95 National Youth Leadership Council.

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  Reduce... Recycle... Reuse...

How can we help our environment? Make your own version of this wonderful display board by Bev Evan at Display Photos

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BE GREEN DURING NEW SCHOOL YEAR!  Kids...

•Ride your bike or walk to school.
•Use last year's school supplies.
•Buy a canvas and cardboard binders instead of plastic.
•Buy recycled paper.
•Use reusable water bottles instead of plastic.
•Use a lunch box, not paper bags.
•Donate last year's clothes instead of throwing them away.
•Buy online to avoid driving.
•Buy organic food.
•Turn your computer off when you're not using it.
•Decorate your lunchbox.
•Make your own bookmarks.
•Organize a clothes swap with your friends.
•Carpool to sports.
•Use refillable pens and pencils.
•Reuse your backpack. Decorate it with cool patches.
Tips from NationalGeographic

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 BIRD FEEDERS...

Bird feeding isn't just a winter activity; it might surprise you to learn that even in spring, food is still scarce for our feathered friends. Click here for 17 Feeder Ideas in the Bird Theme. There may also be other ideas that you will like…

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 PLANT AN INDOOR LITTER GARDEN!

You’ll Need:
     • Medium sized container
     • Dirt
     • Various items of "litter"
     • Water
  1. Find a medium sized container. Something about the size of a window sill planter will do.
  2. Fill the container about halfway up with dirt.
  3. "Plant" some litter; Plant foods, paper, metal, plastics, fabrics and anything else that might be litter. Use your imagination.   Write a list of everything that's planted.
  4. Water your litter garden about once a week. Keep the soil moist but not flooded, more or less how you'd water plants.
  5. At the end of several months to a year, dig up your litter garden and note any changes in the litter. See which items decomposed and which didn't. Your observations can be incorporated into lessons on ecology, environment and biodegradability. Idea of Michael Motta

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THE EARTH'S WONDERS

Display natural earth wonders (in your home or center) such as :
Sea shells, rocks, crystals, geodes, pine cones, seeds, twigs, etc.
Encourage children to add to the collection. Provide magnifying glasses to study the items at this center...Photograph courtesy of Restoration Place.

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I love this idea!!! (Barb) ADOPT A TREE!

Find a special tree on your playground/yard and explain that you can adopt that tree as your “pet” plant. Have a contest to name the tree. (This is a great way to use a graph!)

• Take photos of your tree and encourage the children to draw pictures of it during different seasons.
• Ask children to hug your tree. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? Can you hear your tree?
• Measure the tree...  
• Read books, have picnics, or sing songs under your tree.

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PLANT…

Plant and care for a garden, flowers, or small tree. (Free trees are offered at the Arbor Day website)
Deciding where and what to plant...

 • Contain your plants... Many vegetables and flowers grow well in either indoor or outdoor pots. Once your plot or pots are chosen, help children begin researching what to plant. For speedier and more certain results, plant seedlings instead of seeds – though children will miss out on the excitement of seeing that first sprout peeking through the soil.

• With container gardening you control the soil and drainage; you can avoid most garden pests.
•  In 3- to 5-gallon pots, you can grow beans, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, corn, broccoli, cabbage, kale, leeks and even melons.
• Pots as small as 4- to 6-inches are fine for growing peas (choose shorter peas, ones that grow to about a foot), lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard.
• Choose medium size pots for beets, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Of course, all of your pots will need plenty of sun and water.

 Reap what you sow! Children often want to plant seeds left over from fruits (peach pits, apple seeds, watermelon seeds). If your climate is conducive and you have the space, try planting some peach pits in a corner of the yard. Within about three years, some tasty fruit may appear.

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GROW SOME EDIBLE PLANTS and add them to soups, salads, beverages and desserts. The following are fine to eat: Peonies, pansies, nasturtiums, dandelions, day lilies, squash flowers, elder flowers, carnations, violets, marigolds and sunflowers. Do not eat: wisteria, holly, bird of paradise, hydrangea, oleander, poinsettia or philodendron.

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WONDERFUL IDEA! PLANT A CIRCLE OF TREES...
In the January issue of Exchange, Rusty Keeler contributed the article, "A Spring Playscape Project: Building a Tree Circle", which he introduces with...  "If you are dreaming of adding nature to your yard, this project may be perfect for you. The Tree Circle is a green gathering area for children made by planting trees in a circle.

• For children, the Tree Circle becomes a magical place for dramatic play, quiet retreat, or lively nature exploration.
• For teachers and parents it becomes a shady grove for snacks and stories.
• The trees create a sweet spot that changes during the seasons and grows over time. A beautiful addition to a child’s life — and yours too!" You can read the instructions of the tree circle in its entirety. Click here
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OUTDOOR GARDEN
Here's a good idea if you can't dig up a plot for a garden!
   1.  Get a a small swimming pool and be sure to punch holes for drainage.
   2.  Fill with dirt---plant seeds, or small flowers, water, fertilize and watch the flowers grow!
   3.  The kids will love to work their "garden"

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PLANT A GARDEN TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES! A list of plants that attract adult butterflies:

• Aster
• Blanket Flower
• Day-lily
• Phlox
• Sunflower
• Verbena
• Black-eyed Susan
• Butterfly Bush
• Milkweed

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GARDENING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

•Improve the school grounds and plant trees or wildflowers.

•Plant produce. Donate the harvest to a local food bank.

•Plant seeds. Sell the flowers or plants and donate the proceeds to a local organization in need.
Form a litter patrol on school or park ground

•Put on a play at your school, a fair, or festival about local environmental issues.

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WORM FARM- HOW WORMS WORK IN THE GARDEN!!!

• Cut the top off a plastic soda bottle, tape the edge.
• Pour in 2 inches gravel or stones for drainage (good way to get small rocks out of the yard!)

  

• Alternate 2 inches of sand, 2 inches of dirt. (VERY lightly spray the dirt with water)
• Put a few small pieces of banana peel in the middle for worm food.
• Continue with layers till top.
• Add worms. Tape the top back on or cover top with plastic wrap and tape. Either way, put in several air holes.

Tape black construction paper around bottle, and leave for a day or 2 -- try to do this on a Friday. When you take the paper off, you will see the tunnels the worms have made, and the layers will have shifted and mixed. Great way to show how worms work in the garden! Make sure you check your bottle ecosystems every day; moisten the soil; add more moistened food to the top layer if necessary.

You can also: 1.) Observe your ecosystems and record your observations. 2.) Draw a picture or take a digital photograph of your ecosystems.

 WORMS CAN BE FUN Activity Two

Go to bait and tackle store and buy bait worms. Dump them into two large tubs of dirt and let the children observe them as they dig. The children can use their hands to dig up the worms. If your children a young, have a variety of plastic birds  at the table for pretend feeding.

With the children, TAKE THE WORMS OUTSIDE and put them in the garden at the end of the day. Have a box of baby wipes available for hand washing.

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GARBOLOGY: WHOSE TRASH IS IT?
What it teaches: Principles of archaeology, critical thinking
Materials Needed:
Five paper grocery bags, various pieces of clean trash (no discarded food items)

WHAT To Do:
To prepare for this activity, gather clean items of trash and sort them into themed bags, such as a "junk-food bag" with Doritos and Snickers wrappers, and a "pet-friendly bag" with cat-food cans, receipts for vet bills, etc. Then divide the class into small groups, and give each group a bag of trash. Ask students to pull out one piece of trash at a time and record each item and how it was used. When the bags are empty, trash have groups look at their findings and develop a hypothesis about the people to whom the belongs. Invite students to present their findings.

What’s Going On:
Garbology is a relatively new form of science that began in the 1970s at the University of Arizona. It's based upon principles found in archaeology which suggest that evidence and patterns about people's lives can be found in their garbage. Excavations of artifacts from buried trash pits and modern-day refuse dumps give archaeologists clues to the items people use, their diets, and culture.
Source: FreeLibrary.com

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TIPS FROM SCIENCE CATEGORY...

 

SCIENCE OF HORTICULTURE... 

  •  Grow different types of beans in wet cotton and plastic bags; tape the baggies to a window and some in a closet. Observe and photograph (or draw) the sprouting once a week.

  •  Discuss differences in growth patterns and what plants need to grow. Measure and graph plant heights.

  •  Plant a garden and eat harvested vegetables. (See above ideas)

  •  Discuss what animals and plants need for growing well.

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CAPTURE THE MOMENT (BIOLOGY)

1.  When children find a frog, roly-poly bugs, moths, or an anthill, offer a magnifying glass or microscope for looking very closely.
2.  If they notice birds building a nest, provide binoculars and help them make regular observations to record what they see.
3.  Compare observations over time. Ask children to predict what might happen next (baby birds?)

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 KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN…

If you look around you when out walking keep an eye out for pretty flowers you can dry, colorful rocks, odd shaped pieces of wood or other interesting objects. KEEP THEM IN A COLLECTION BOX...and before you know it you will have wonderful things to use in FUTURE craft projects. (Ask parents and kids to do the same!!!)

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Other Pages for Earth and Green Theme 

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
• Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities (This page)
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas
• Earth Themed Music Activities
• Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School
• Gardening Theme

Also see crafts, art and games made from RECYCLED MATERIALS and the BIRD THEME! Good idea for an Earth friendly theme!

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START A  GREEN BAND! There are tons of ideas in making instruments from recycled materials (Click here) Don't stop at making the instruments...Do something with them!!!

SOME IDEAS…
1. START A PROGRAM GREEN BAND! (Green-because it's made from 'recycled' materials) Invite children to join the musical group ...OR...
2. HAVE A MARCHING BAND!...OR...
3. HAVE A PARADE!!!

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PERFORM!!!

Practice, practice, practice…then put on a show for a school assembly, a few of the classrooms and/or a parents’ night!
How about the Marching Band or parade?
You can also take the group "on the road" and entertain an assisted living facility or other community group.
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NO MATTER WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO WITH THE INSTRUMENTS:

Show children how to play the instruments.

Play along with a piece of music---Start out by playing some FAMILIAR SONGS with which they can play their instruments. (Maybe sing with them too?)

Encourage youth to listen for the beat of the song and match their strokes to the tempo of the music.

Give children CHOICE. Before they choose their final "Band Instrument --- let them play from a variety.

Put on some lively music and have child practice the instrument. Because it will be loud--you could practice outside when weather is nice!

Consider choosing an instrument for yourself and join the children's' Instrument Parade!

It's not enough to just make the instruments - Now have some fun with them!!!

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Idea *** Get a Sounds of the Rain Forest CD; Soothing and enriching as well.

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EARTH DAY SONGS...(Music List that is great into adulthood is listed below)

Songs may seem corny or just for younger kids--but consider doing one at the beginning of Earth Club meetings! Young kids will love them!

 YUCKY, YUCKY, POO
Tune: The Bear Went Over the Mountain

There's something polluting our water,
There's something polluting our water,
There's something polluting our water,
I'll tell you what it is.
It is a _______________,
It is a _______________,
It is a _______________,
Yucky, yucky, poo.
(Hold nose)
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RECYCLING FOR EARTH SONG
...Sung to- Mary Had a Little Lamb

Hear the cans go crunch, crunch, crunch,
Crunch, crunch, crunch,
crunch, crunch, crunch,
Hear the cans go crunch, crunch, crunch,
Recycle for our earth.

Hear the bottle go ding, ding, ding
Ding, ding, ding,
ding, ding, ding,
Hear the bottle go ding, ding, ding
Recycle for our earth.

Hear the paper go crinkle, crinkle, crinkle
crinkle, crinkle, crinkle,... crinkle, crinkle, crinkle
Hear the paper go crinkle, crinkle, crinkle
Recycling for our earth.
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PICK UP LITTER SONG
...Sung To If Your Happy And You Know It

If you see a piece of litter pick it up
If you see a piece of litter pick it up
You will make the world look better
If you pick up all the litter...If you see a piece of litter, pick it up.
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LITTER IS GARBAGE
Tune: The Wheels on the Bus

Litter is garbage that wasn't put away,
Wasn't put away,
Wasn't put away,
Litter is garbage that wasn't put away,
In the garbage can.

I put my garbage in the garbage can,
In the garbage can, In the garbage can,
I put my garbage in the garbage can,
I'm not a lit-ter-bu-ug.

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SET THE MOOD for Earth Day...Any of these songs, would be wonderful used during 'Earth Week' or for a Nature Theme! Learn the words to such songs as  'This Land is Your Land" and use others as background, listening, and transition music!

 • The Three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) by Jack Johnson
 • Green, Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones
 • Earth Song by Michael Jackson
 • What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
 • This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
 • And The Green Grass Grows All Around by Traditional
 • Down to Earth from Wall-E by Peter Gabriel
 • Moondance by Van Morrison
 • Garden Song by John Denver
 • Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver
 • Mother Earth by Neil Young and Crazy Horse
 • The Flower That Shattered The Stone by John Denver
 • Emergency on Planet Earth by Jamiroquai
 • Planet Earth by Duran Duran
 • Edelweiss from The Sound of Music
 • Moon River by Henry Mancini
 • Wildwood Flower by The Carter Family
 • Where Have All The Flowers Gone? by The Kingston Trio
 • ‘Cross The Green Mountain by Bob Dylan
 • Planet Earth by Prince
 • Red River Valley by Traditional 
 • River Flows In You by Yiruma
 • Where The River Shannon Flows by James I. Russell
 • Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller
 • Mother Earth, Sister Moon by Carol Klose
 • Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven

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Earth and Green Theme Menu

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
•  Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas 
• Earth Themed Music Activities
• Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School

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FALL OR SPRING
A WALK IN THE WOODS...
Read the entire post; there is variety in the 19 activity ideas!
Also good for Science and Nature!

1. Create a wood eco system by placing soil in the bottom of an aquarium. Then place a layer of dead leaves on top of the soil. Place a dead, rotten log on top of the leaves. Watch what happens. Does anything begin to grow out of the soil or emerge from the long?

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2. Visit a forest preserve, nature center or state park and ask the park ranger or manager to meet with the students. Ask the ranger to discuss his/her job, and what the special satisfactions in the job are. You might also ask the ranger to lead the students through a walk in the woods. If you can't go on a field trip—invite the park ranger to your site.

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3. Make a Bulletin Board about “Woodland Creatures,” “Changing Seasons in the Woods,” or “Animal Tracks Found in the Woods.”

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4. Collect various leaves and bark samples and talk about their differences. Have the students feel the different barks and compare and describe each one.

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5.  Make a Nature Discovery Corner in your room. Have students bring in “their discoveries”.
Extension: children can write a short description of what they found.

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6. Make  plaster casts of animal tracks you have seen in the woods. They can be found on trails, near feeding sites, and water sources. Students can identify what the animal is. Then have them research on the animal, where it lives, what it eats, its size, and how many offspring it has. The students can explore what the animal's relationship is to other living things in the woods.

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7. Wood Walker Diaries: Ask the students to keep a journal of a wooded area that is close to the school or home. Have them visit the area regularly to note changes. They might include drawings or photographs of what they see.

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8. Create a wood glossary. Ask each student to define a “woods word” and decorate the classroom with the terms.

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9. During a walk in the woods, ask the students to find as many tree seeds as the can. The best time to do this is in the spring or fall. 

• Why do some trees drop their seeds in the spring and some in the fall? It is a dormancy issue.
• Those that drop in the spring do not require cold to germinate.
• Those that drop their seeds later in the summer or fall require a cold dormancy period in order for them to germinate.
• Some seeds to look for are acorns, walnuts, hickory nuts, and some maple seeds, and pine cones. 

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10. Set up an experiment with several different tree seeds. You will be determining which seeds need a cold treatment to germinate. You will need TWO SEEDS OF EACH TREE. Plant each seed in a different pot. Place half the pots in the windowsill and the other half in a refrigerator for 1-3 months. Then take the pots out of the refrigerator and water well. Compare with the ones that are on the windowsill. This process is called stratification where seeds are subjected to a specified amount of cold to overcome seed dormancy.

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11. In the spring, take the students for a walk in the woods and mark off a 3 feet by 3 feet area with string. Go back and visit the area periodically and observe the changes in the area and what you see growing.  You could select two or three different places, each having a different habitat such as a dead log, leaf litter, bare ground, area in the sun, an area in the shade, or a spot along a stream.

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12. Discover ways living creatures camouflage themselves in the woods. Discuss color, patterns, and shapes that you find in the woods and how they can protect creatures from harm. For instance, a walking stick (an insect) on a branch is hardly noticeable. A frog along a stream edge is hard to see. What others can you come up with? It’s like an 'I SPY' game. What do you think living creatures do in the winter to protect themselves?

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14. Talk about how seeds can move from, place to place. Some stick to our clothing or animals' fur, some fly like helicopter blades, and others spread through bird and animal droppings. Have the students find and record as many seeds as they can in their journal.

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15. Litter spoils the woods and can hurt the animals and visitors. As a special project have students pick up litter in the woods and then dispose of it properly.

• Weigh how much litter was collected and make a list of the things that were found.
• Contact media to do a story on the children's concern for their environment.

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16. On a walk in the woods spot some animal and bird homes. Look for nests, burrows in the ground, hiding places in trees, or drilled holes in a tree which usually means a woodpecker is nearby.

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17. Have a Scavenger Hunt for a walk in the woods. The students can look for seeds and acorns, various kinds of leaves, bones from dead animals or birds, gnawed or rubbed off bark, animal paths, nests or flattened grass where an animal might have been laying.

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18. Look for animal tracks. Look for tracks by muddy paths and puddles, near water or streams, and in the snow. See if the students can identify them.

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19. Look for different color and shapes of mushrooms. Don't touch them – rather have the students draw a picture in their journals. Source: University of Illinois Extension

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GARDENING THEME FOR SPRING, SUMMER, FALL...

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GREEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

By: Vanessa Greaves
Ten easy tips for an Earth-friendly holiday. You can celebrate the season of giving and do your bit to help out Mother Earth at the same time. Here's how.

 

1. Make Memories
Give experiences instead of 'stuff'.

• Try tickets to a show, a ball game, or a scenic train ride instead of dust-collecting knickknacks.
• Tailor the gift to the recipient: club or museum memberships, craft or hobby lessons, 'IOU' for a home-cooked meal, an afternoon of gardening help, free babysitting, and so on.

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2. Save Your Energy
Shopping downtown? Take public transportation. Bring your own shopping bags while you're at it.

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3. Right Light
Using LED Christmas lights instead of power-sucking regular lights will dramatically slash your energy bill. Put all of your lights on a timer so they shine out only when it's dark.

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4. Go Natural
String together plain popcorn and fresh cranberries into long, colorful swags to hang on the tree, along the mantelpiece, or in the windows. (This is a great activity for the kids!) After the holidays you can hang the strings outside for the birds to enjoy. Make these as a program activity. You can decorate your rooms before kids take them home!

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5. Go Local
Seek out regionally produced, one-of-a-kind gifts. Good sources include church fairs, craft shows, local boutiques, and flea markets.

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6. Re-gift
Here's your official permission to pass along that present you can't use but maybe Uncle Bob can.

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7. Reuse
Turn old holiday cards into gift tags and colorful paper chains.

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8. Recycle
Why spend money on commercial gift wrap? Calendar pages, kid's school paintings, the comics section of the newspaper--these make fun and fabulous wrapping paper alternatives. Choose paper or cloth ribbon, or colored twine instead of plastic ribbon.

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9. Reduce
Instead of adding bulk to the landfill, choose gifts that come with a minimum of product packaging, and try to find packaging that's 100 percent recyclable.

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10. Simplify
Stop the madness and remember what the holidays are really about. Family. Friends. The simple pleasures of a shared meal. Now make it happen.
Source: allrecipes.com

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SHELTER, OBSERVATORY AND FOOD FOR SMALL ANIMALS AND BIRDS...

• Turn a protected section of your program or school yard into a nature shelter. In the cold weather- birds, squirrels and other small wildlife are in constant search of food, fresh water and safe shelter.

• Set up a bird feeder, bird bath and bird house where you and the children will be able to quietly observe. They’ll enjoy watching different animals seek the food and water… and your bird house will be their when needed.
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DECORATE YOUR WINTER TREES OR SMALL SHRUBS!

CHEERIO CHAINS
Wrap tape on one end of a long length of yarn. Tie a knot with a Cheerio on it at the other end. Demonstrate how to string the chain by sliding a Cheerio (or any “O” shaped cereal) over the tape (needle) and dropping it to the bottom. Invite children to help you until the entire chain is strung. Drape these chains around outside tree for birds/animals to enjoy.
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ORANGE SLICES...
Poke a hole with a plastic straw at the top of each orange slice. Thread with raffia or ribbon and tie each slice to a branch.
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Take stale bread and have children cut shapes with cookie cutters. Invite them to spread peanut butter on the bread with a plastic knife and then sprinkle on birdseed. Poke a hole at the top with a plastic straw. Thread with raffia or yarn. Together decorate the outdoor bushes and low trees branches with these “yummy” decorations.

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RECYCLE AND OLD CHRISTMAS TREE INTO RUSTIC PHOTO ORNAMENTS  (No wood slices? Cut the tree trunk after Christmas this year...and pack away for next year!)
Materials:
Circular wood slices, about 1" thick, 2" wide and 3" tall (from wood trunk)
Color copies of favorite photographs
Eye hooks
Chenille tie or ribbon
Scissors
Decoupage medium or diluted white glue
Pen or rubber stamp

1. Before beginning, cut all circular wooden slices and make color copies of photographs.
2. Then, use scissors to cut photograph in a circular (or oval) shape to fit wooden slice. Cut photo a little smaller than the slice so that a small wooden border surrounds the photo.
3. Apply decoupage medium or glue to the back of the photograph. Adhere to wooden surface.
4. Next, coat the entire top surface -- including photograph -- with decoupage medium . Allow to dry.
5. Apply several more coats of decoupage medium, allowing medium to dry thoroughly between coats.
6. Stamp or write the year of the photography on the back of the wooden ornament.
7. Add tie through eye hook to hang the ornament.
Source: Debbie Stapley diynetwork.com

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Earth and Green Theme Menu

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
• Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas  (More for younger kids-some may work)
• Earth Themed Music Activities (For younger kids)
•  Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School
• Garden Theme

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 • Write letters to members of congress to support environmental legislation.

• Raise money through various contests to support conservation causes. Example, class competitions.

• Have high school and middle school students present environmental information to middle and elementary schools.

• Volunteer locally to do habitat preservation, adopt a roadway or beach to remove litter, or recycle wastes in the community.

• Volunteer at a recycling center.

• Get students involved on local media programs of radio and T.V. which focus on environmental concerns.

• Begin recycling programs in your school or analyze the ones already in place and suggest improvements.

• Encourage teachers to duplicate on both sides of papers.

• Plan a field trip to sewage treatment, sanitary landfill, zoo, arboretum, or nature center.

• Invite a director or president of local environmental organizations to your program. Learn what the organization does—as well as finding out why these people volunteer their time and how they became interested in the environment.

• Interview local businesses to find out about economic conflicts associated with environmental issues.

• Volunteer and spend time at a local elementary school-facilitating projects made from recycled materials. Volunteer time setting up a litter campain or collection for rain-forest, etc. with elementary school programs.

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BE GREEN DURING SCHOOL YEAR! 

•Ride your bike or walk to school.
•Use last year's school supplies.
•Buy a canvas and cardboard binders instead of plastic.
•Buy recycled paper.
•Use reusable water bottles instead of plastic.
•Use a lunch box, not paper bags.
•Donate last year's clothes instead of throwing them away.
•Buy online to avoid driving.
•Buy organic food.
•Turn your computer off when you're not using it.
•Decorate your lunchbox.
•Make your own bookmarks.
•Organize a clothes swap with your friends.
•Carpool to sports.
•Use refillable pens and pencils.
•Reuse your backpack. Decorate it with cool patches.
Tips from NationalGeographic

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 GREEN MAPPING...GREAT IDEA for middle school to adult!
Pretend you are the first person to explore your home or school neighborhood. Draw a map of what you find. This idea with a Community Service/Green Bend is Green Mapping.
 
Green Mapping is catching on across the globe as kids and adults around the world participate in diverse and unusual mapping projects. Green Mapping looks at the community using the map as the medium.
The map could examine environmental issues or look at community resources and needs with a critical eye. Green Maps can be computer generated or hand drawn and can include poems, narrative text, photos, and background information.
Children and adults from around the world have mapped a wide variety of diverse projects.
Consider ideas such as:

• Where are bike trails, farmers’ markets, or wildlife habitats in your town?
• Are there good walking tours to recommend?
• What are the cultural resources for children in your area? Are there enough?
• Are there toxic waste sites or environmental hazards in your community?
• Are there rivers or streams that are at risk in your area?
• Where are the green spaces in your community? Should there be more?
• What is youth-friendly in your neighborhood?

• What does your neighborhood need?
  Click Here to Learn all about Green Mapping.

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SET THE MOOD for Earth& Green Activities with Music! Any of these ' songs, would be wonderful used during 'Earth Week' or for a Nature Theme! Learn the words to such songs as This Land is Your Land and use others as background and listening music!

 • The Three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) by Jack Johnson
 • Green, Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones
 • Earth Song by Michael Jackson
 • What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
 • This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
 • And The Green Grass Grows All Around by Traditional
 • Down to Earth from Wall-E by Peter Gabriel
 • Moondance by Van Morrison
 • Garden Song by John Denver
 • Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver
 • Mother Earth by Neil Young and Crazy Horse
 • The Flower That Shattered The Stone by John Denver
 • Emergency on Planet Earth by Jamiroquai
 • Planet Earth by Duran Duran
 • Edelweiss from The Sound of Music
 • Moon River by Henry Mancini
 • Wildwood Flower by The Carter Family
 • Where Have All The Flowers Gone? by The Kingston Trio
 • Cross The Green Mountain by Bob Dylan
 • Planet Earth by Prince
 • Red River Valley by Traditional 
 • River Flows In You by Yiruma
 • Where The River Shannon Flows by James I. Russell
 • Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller
 • Mother Earth, Sister Moon by Carol Klose
 • Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven

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Many  ideas from other categories will also work with older youth. Check out:

• Earth Theme: Art, Crafts and Games
• Earth Theme: Litter, Recycling and Coins
• Earth Theme: Nature and Science Activities
• Earth Themed Snacks and Variey of Ideas  (More for elementary school-a few will work)
• Earth Themed Music Activities (For Elementary School)
• Seasonal Earth and Green Ideas!
• Earth Friendly Ideas for Middle and High School
• There is also a page of 32 Green Things to do at Home...
• Garden/Gardening Theme

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