With Earth Day upon us on April 22nd, there are many ways you can make it both fun and informative. Helping children develop a connection to the ecosystem is critical in today’s age. It’s both about learning and experiencing, and with new tools to help teachers ‘go green’ in the classroom, it’s the perfect opportunity to educate about the environment. There are many ways and suggestions to have an ideal classroom set up, but here are some basic ideas to help go green:
1. Add common houseplants to your classroom, such as non-toxic plants like ferns, cat grass, bamboo, spider and zebra plants. Taking care of a plant is a great way to have young children to learn accountability for tasks and appreciate the well-being of a living thing.
2. Make cleaners in the classroom for a eco-science day. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant; add one-part water to one-part vinegar for a natural all-purpose cleaner. Combine baking soda and water to make a cleaning spray that you can use on mildew and dirt.
3. If your school doesn’t have a recycling program, this would be a great way to show those you teach on how to create and implement an idea. Contact your school district, or even your city to have recycling bins delivered. Encourage your students to deposit plastic bottles and other recyclables into the bins, and educate on what is recyclable and what is waste.
