Celebrating Earth Day with Middle Schoolers

Celebrating Earth Day with middle schoolers instills a sense of environmental stewardship and responsibility and cultivates an appreciation for our planet’s beauty and fragility. These students are the future leaders, so let’s empower them to become proactive advocates for sustainable practices in their communities and beyond.

What is Earth Day

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Inspired by growing concerns over pollution, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, along with activist Denis Hayes, mobilized 20 million  Americans in nationwide demonstrations. People rallied for cleaner air, water, and a healthier planet. This monumental event led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of key environmental legislation such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. Since then, Earth Day has become a global deal, bringing folks from all over together to make sure we’re taking care of this one planet we’ve got!

Celebrating Earth Day with Middle Schoolers

Here are 15 Earth Day activities you can use this week:

1. Organize a neighborhood or campus clean up. By picking up garbage, students learn the importance of not littering.
2. Do a project to learn about endangered animals. Begin by having each student choose an endangered species and then researching the habitat, food, and other needs of their species.
3. Create posters or artwork about environmental issues.
4. Organize a clothing drive, book drive, or toy drive to promote reuse.
5. Start a composting project at school.
6. Share a documentary about an environmental issue.
7. Take a nature walk around campus and appreciate local ecosystems.
8.  Plant seeds. If your school property has room, buy a few seedlings from a local nursery and have students plant them. (Better yet, have the seedlings donated.) If space is a problem, plant annual flowers around the entrance to the school. Send kids home with seedlings or small potted plants.
9. Learn about climate change. There’s no doubt that climate change is one of the biggest challenges to science this year. Have students research evidence of climate change so they can be armed against naysayers. Have groups of students research the impacts climate change has on your local ecosystem.
10. Play a trivia game to learn about Earth Day.
11. Write letters to local officials advocating for environmental policies.
12. Organize a bike or walk to school day to reduce carbon emissions.
13. Create a birdhouse or bat box to support local wildlife.
14. Create an upcycled art project from recycled objects.
15. Try a new Earth Day logic puzzle. Use clues to figure out which student created which Earth Day project.

How will you celebrate Earth Day with your middle schoolers?