22 Engaging Earth Day Activities for Upper Elementary
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 12, 2024
Earth Day provides a perfect opportunity to engage students with our planet in fun and educational ways. For upper elementary students, activities that blend learning with hands-on experiences can be particularly impactful. Here’s a list of 22 Earth Day activities that combine outdoor adventures with classroom projects, ensuring that students not only learn about environmental stewardship but also actively participate in it.
Looking for some no-prep Earth Day activities that you can print and use right away with your learners? Click on the image or button below to see all of the ready to teach Earth Day resources available in my TPT shop!
Earth Day Activities – Outdoor Learning Ideas
Read on for a big list of outdoor learning activities that are perfect for Earth Day!
1- Nature Walk and Litter Clean Up
Organize a nature walk through a local park, during which students can pick up litter. This helps teach them about the impact of waste on natural ecosystems.
2- Plant a tree
Partner with a local organization to plant trees in or around the schoolyard. Discuss the importance of trees for the environment, focusing on air quality and biodiversity.
3 – Create Playground Polygons
Grab some sidewalk chalk and tape and head outside to create playground polygons! This is a super fun way to practice key math concepts while creating beautiful works of outdoor art!
Click on the image or button below to download this engaging math activity from my TPT shop!
4- Start a School Garden
Create a garden at school where students can grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers, learning about plant life cycles and the importance of pollinators.
5- Wildlife Observation
Have students observe wildlife in a safe setting, noting species diversity. Discuss how various species contribute to environmental health.
Wildlife observation can be a fun indoor activity too! Read more about it in our post on indoor wildlife watching!
6- Build Bird Feeders
Craft bird feeders from recycled materials and hang them around the school to attract and support local bird populations.
One our favorite ways to do this is to cover pinecones we have gathered with peanut butter, and then roll them in birdseed before hanging outside. It is a quick and easy way to create inexpensive bird feeders!
Cornell Lab has a great step by step guide!
7- Become Leaf Detectives
Learn all about data analysis and graphing while gathering leaves in the great outdoors!
Click on the image or button below to download this fun math activity from my TPT shop!
8- Solar Oven Snacks
Construct simple solar ovens using cardboard boxes and aluminum foil to teach students about solar energy. Use the ovens to make a simple snack, like s’mores.
Check out a great tutorial for building solar ovens on NASA Climate Kids!
9- Create Nature Art
Create art projects using natural materials found during outdoor explorations, such as leaf rubbings or twig sculptures.
Check out one of my favorite outdoor art activities below!
To read more about this fun outdoor art activity, check out our step by step guide!
10- Complete Alphabet Scavenger Hunts
Scavenger hunts are great ways to get kids up and moving around outdoors. This fun activity asks students to head outside, hunt for, and illustrate nature items beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
Click on the image or button below to download a resource to help students complete this activity.
11- Collect Egg Carton Treasures
Have your students head outside and fill an egg carton with tiny nature treasures. After, students use the included templates to illustrate, label, answer questions, and write about their treasures. This is a wonderful way to take learning outside!
For a fun resource to help students complete this activity, click on the image or button below!
12- Practice Perspective Writing
Have students choose inanimate objects from the great outdoors and create a piece of writing from their perspective. Haven’t you always wanted to know what the playground slide is thinking?
For a fun resource to help students complete this activity, click on the image or button below!
13- Adopt a local park or beach
There are many parks and beaches available for school adoption. Organize a fieldtrip to visit your chosen location, and help clean up the space!
Earth Day Activities – Indoor Learning Opportunities
Read on for some of my favorite in-class activities to celebrate our planet!
14- Recycled Art Contests
Challenge students to create art from recycled materials, and host a classroom or school-wide exhibition.
15- Eco-Friendly Product Research
Assign students to research and present on eco-friendly products, such as biodegradable packaging.
16- Watch and discuss Nature Documentaries
Show documentaries that focus on different environmental issues, followed by a discussion.
The “Planet Earth” series put out by BBC Earth are some of our favorites. Check them out here! While most content is student friendly, I always suggest you watch yourself first before showing to your students, and adjust for the learners in your room.
17- Write Earth Day Pledges
Have students write pledges about what personal actions they will take to help the planet and create a pledge wall in the classroom.
18- Read Earth Day Related Stories
Picture books make great Earth Day read alouds! Check out my list of favorites here!
19- Brainstorm ways to improve your Outdoor Space
Have your students brainstorm, illustrate, and write about ways to improve their outside space. When done, students can write letters to those in charge, discussing their ideas.
For a fun resource to help students complete this activity, click on the image or button below!
20- Write Earth Day Poetry
Encourage students to write poems inspired by their commitment to the Earth and what they’ve learned about environmental protection.
Blackout Poetry is an engaging way to transform recycled pages into poetic works of art. Read step by step instructions to complete this fun activity in our complete guide!
21- Research Environmental topics
This complete Earth Day resource has students read and annotate an article on air pollution, while gathering key facts. Grab a FREE copy by clicking on the image or button below!
22- Complete a writing prompt scavenger Hunt
This FRE printable Earth Day Scavenger Hunt Activity is a great way to get your students up and moving while practicing important writing skills!
A variety of different Earth Day themed writing prompt cards have been included, as well as recording pages. To set up the scavenger hunt, simply cut out and hang the prompts up around your classroom, hallway, or outdoor space. As these prompts are all Earth Day themed, this is a great activity for students to complete outside!
Next, pass students a clipboard and the recording sheets. Have students hunt around for the prompt cards. When they locate a card, have them pause and respond to the prompt.
Grab a copy of the FREE resource by clicking on the image or button below!
Earth Day Wrap Up
These 22 Earth Day activities provide a varied and hands-on approach to learning about our environment. By engaging in these activities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship and acquire practical skills and knowledge that can inspire lifelong habits of conservation. Encourage your students to reflect on these experiences and to think about how they can continue to make a difference every day.
Interested in reading more about Earth Day Activities?
Check out these related posts!
6 Meaningful Earth Day Activities your Students will Love
Earth Day Read Alouds for Upper Elementary
Outdoor Math Activities for Earth Day
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