Earth Day Classroom Activities

Downloadable PDF of Earth Day Lesson Plan

Downloadable PDFs for Each Student Activity

Thinking before buying is the easiest way to be a planet protector. When we only buy what we use and/ or appreciate, we not only avoid disappointment but automatically reduce our carbon footprint and the number of items we place in landfills over our lifetime.

The activities below help students understand how thoughtful consumption is an upstream solution to climate change. Thinking before buying allows kids to slow down and think about a purchase’s environmental impact before spending their money or anyone else’s.

Overview

Students explore the lifecycle of everyday products and identify how responsible consumption reduces climate harm. 

They then calculate the DIMS—DOES IT MAKE SENSE? SCORE for a purchase they’re interested in making and reflect on their experiences using the calculator with an Earth Day/responsible consumption lens.

Ideal for 10-15-year-old students.

Duration: 30-90 minutes, depending on how many activities a class completes.

Materials Needed:

1. Printed ‘Product Lifecycle Cards’ (see Student Activity Downloadable PDFs)
2. Large poster paper or whiteboard (physical or digital)
3. Markers – Sticky notes or index cards
4. Internet or tablets for quick research and calculating the DIMS SCORE^® for a possible purchase.

First Activity: Warm-Up Discussion (15 Minutes)

Ask Students:

1. Where does your T-shirt come from? (Refer to the T-shirt lifecycle card in student downloads.)
2. What happens when we throw away a phone? (Refer to explainer in student downloads.)
3. How many of you have received a birthday or holiday gift that wasn’t exactly what you hoped for? (Your honesty will be rewarded!) Do you know what happened to that underappreciated gift…did it end up in the garbage?
4. Let’s define half-life and carbon footprint. (Definitions provided in student downloads.)
5. Introduce the concept of a product life cycle:
   Raw Materials → Production → Distribution → Use → Disposal
6. Draw this cycle (diagram in student downloads) on the board and explain that responsible consumption means working to reduce harm at every step.

Second Activity: Be a “Product Life Cycle” Detective (20 Minutes)

1. Divide students into small groups and give each a ‘Product Lifecycle Card.’
2. Each group draws their product’s life cycle on the card they’ve been given, poster paper, or a whiteboard if they want to be environmentally friendly!
3. They mark ‘hot spots’ where smarter choices could reduce climate impact.
4. Encourage students to brainstorm creative upstream solutions.

Third Activity: Gallery Walk and Class Discussion (15-20 Minutes)

1. Groups post their posters and walk around to view others’ work.
2. Other group students can add sticky notes (or comments on a digital whiteboard) with extra ideas.

Fourth Activity: Practice Mindful Spending with an Earth Day lens (35 Minutes)

Instructions: Students use the DIMS—DOES IT MAKE SENSE? SCORE Calculator to evaluate a purchase they’re considering. Based on their experience using the calculator, they answer the following reflective questions (available in student downloads):

1. What possible purchase did you evaluate?
2. What was the DIMS SCORE^®?
3. Did the item or experience generate a score of 8 or greater? Why or why not?
4. What surprised you about the questions in the DIMS SCORE^® Calculator?
5. How do you think thoughtful shopping habits help the environment?
6. After using the calculator, do you still want to buy this item or experience? Why or why not?
7. Can you think of an alternative that might be better for the planet (because you’ll appreciate it more, it has a longer life cycle, generates less packaging waste, etc.…)?

Individual efforts to reduce waste and emissions sometimes feel small, but if enough of us participate, they add up to meaningful progress toward lowering greenhouse gases!

To learn more about how we deliver mindful spending lessons, visit the Teacher Tab or click on the pink or blue buttons below.