Background Information
“It may be hard to imagine that before 1970, a factory could spew black clouds of toxic smoke into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal. They could not be taken to court to stop it. How was that possible? Because there was no EPA, no Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act. There were no legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect our environment.
In spring 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force this issue onto the national agenda. Twenty million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities, and it worked! In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”
Craft Idea: Nature Collage Suncatchers
Help kids celebrate our environment through a craft that uses natural or discarded materials. Using natural elements like leaves, twigs, or grass helps us appreciate the beauty of our Earth. And upcycling – reusing something no longer in use to give it a second life – is an important way to protect the environment. Upcycling benefits the planet by reducing trash in landfills and the demand for new materials, which in turn minimizes land, air, and water pollution.
Some supplies you might use:
- Collected natural items like flowers, leaves, twigs, etc.
- Something to act as a frame: paper plate with center cut out, mason jar lid, cardboard shape with center cut out, actual frame, etc.
- Contact paper
- Scissors
- Optional: markers, pen, Scotch tape
1. Gather your natural items by going on a nature walk and collecting beautiful things!
2. Cut out the shape of your frame from contact paper. It might help to use marker or pen to trace the outline of your frame.
Optional: Decorate your frame.
3. Stick the contact paper on the back of the frame. Put on a flat surface, sticky side facing up through the frame opening.
You might need to use regular tape to help the contact paper stick!
4. Place your nature items on the sticky contact paper. When you find an arrangement you like, press the items down firmly.
5. Hang or lean your suncatcher in a window to catch the light!
Other ideas
https://www.artbarblog.com/celebrate-earth-day-40-ways-to-use-nature-and-recylables-in-art/
https://artfulparent.com/celebrate-earth-day-with-recycled-art-projects-for-kids/
https://www.kitchencounterchronicle.com/how-to-make-seed-bombs-for-earth-day/
https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/make-a-milk-carton-bird-feeder
Learn more!
FOR KIDS
Picture Books:
Ducks Overboard!: A True Story of Plastic in Our Oceans-Markus Motum
Here We Are-Oliver Jeffers
The Ocean Gardner-Clara Anganuzzi
To Change a Planet-Christina Soontornvat
The Water Princess-Susan Verde and Georgie Badiel
We Are Water Protectors-Carole Lindstrom
Chapter Books:
- Big Tree-Bryan Selznick
- Greta’s Story: The Schoolgirl Who Went on Strike to Save the Planet-Valentina Camerini
- Heroes of the Environment-Harriet Rohmer
- History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment-Kate Messner
- Judy Moody Saves the World!-Megan McDonald
- Wildoak-C.C. Harrington
- What a Waste-Jess French
Websites:
- https://kids.earth.org/
- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day#:~:text=That’s%20why%20each%20year%20on,happier%2C%20healthier%20place%20to%20live.
- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/nature/kids-vs-plastic
FOR ADULTS
- https://www.earthday.org/
- https://environmentamerica.org/center/articles/ideas-for-earth-day-this-year/
- https://onetreeplanted.org/blogs/stories/best-ways-celebrate-earth-month?_pos=5&_sid=26f21232c&_ss=r
- https://www.pbs.org/parents/protecting-our-planet
- https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/15-ways-to-celebrate-earth-day-with-kids