The phrase going green has become a buzz phrase for anything that has to do with conservation. Common green measures in society today include using reusable shopping bags and using cleaners that do not include harsh chemicals. It is important for children to be taught specific ways they can help the environment as well
New teachers have the benefit of going into their first teaching position fresh and with the newest teaching ideas, so what better time than to teach some green lessons? Here are some kid friendly green lesson ideas.
Going Green With the School Lunch
While not every child has control over what is packed for lunch, there are some specific tips that can help improve a school lunch that will make it more eco-friendly. First, avoid prepackaged foods and opt instead for fresh or homemade lunch foods and fruits. This cuts down on the amount of trash as well as the chemicals and preservatives used in prepackaged foods.
Children can use a reusable lunch box if they do not already, as this eliminates the paper bag waste. For students who purchase their lunch in the school cafeteria, they can be sure to purchase only the foods they will be able to eat, cutting down on the waste of excess food.
Turn this into a lesson by eating lunch in the classroom one day, measuring the amount of trash and discussing ways to improve both the health and amount of waste of each child's lunch. Repeat the lunch in the classroom with the new and improved lunches and see if students practiced the eco-friendly lunch ideas.
Encourage Creative Uses for Classroom Trash
Reducing the amount of trash in the classroom may be a matter of a single brainstorming session. Encourage students to come up with creative ideas for using common classroom waste, such as scrap paper. For example, the scrap paper could be used to paper-mache, broken crayons can be melted into fun crayon shapes, and more.
Encouraging students to come up with creative uses for the materials they commonly throw away can become a classroom game. As students actively think about what they can use the items they would normally throw away, the less trash will be collected at the end of the school day. That empty water bottle, or example, will quickly be filled with pencil shavings and a couple rocks for a unique paper weight.
Earth Friendly Crafts
When teaching students about going green, recycling and reusing materials for new projects, craft time is a great way to reinforce these ideas. Here are some great craft ideas to get started:
Recycled paper – This is a process, but is a great lesson in recycling.
Toilet paper roll crafts – Have students collect empty toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls and bring them in to create animals, trees, flowers and more.
Keepsake Box – Using scraps of paper, and old shoe box and other decorating items, students can create their own keepsake box.
The key to reusing old materials and reducing the amount of waste is creativity and thought. Encourage students to think creatively and make the world a healthier and cleaner place to live.
Related Articles:
Going Green in School - Great tips for going green at school as well as earth day lesson plan ideas.
Lesson Plans that Teach About Earth Day - Teach students what earth day celebrates. Includes some great Earth Day activities as well.
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Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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