EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY AND EVERY PLACE YOU ARE

This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day.  April 22 is a national day of action.  It is a day when millions of students and millions of people in the general public examine the facts about our environmental crisis –  what, if anything, is being done about it, and what must be done, right now. Learn about the history of Earth Day by watching this video “What is Earth Day?”

Watch this video and write up a list of 3 types of smart electronics you could see making the world more energy efficient in the future. 

Watch “The Environmental Movement and the First Earth Day” clip from the American Masters series.

Explore this website that discusses the history of Earth Day.

Discuss one of the following with a classmate, teacher, or parent:

1. What factors contributed to increased interest in conservation in the 1960s?
2. What types of activities did people do on the first Earth Day?
3. How did the conservation movement change after the first Earth Day

Biodiversity is a key component of environmental health.  What is biodiversity and why is it so important? Watch this short video. 

Explore some of the most pressing issues that could impact the health of the environment here in California. What is one surprising fact you learned from the reading?

Walt Whitman was born in Long Island, New York and is known as one of America’s greatest poets. Print and read the poem “This Compost”. Read through it once, silently, all the way through without stopping. Read it a second time, highlighting and marking the poem with literary perspectives you know.

Reflection and Discussion 

• What do you think are some of the key ideas and themes from the poem.
• Complete these short reflection questions. 

How much do you know about the threats to our planet? Test your knowledge with this quiz. 

Explore the biodiversity in your neighborhood. 

Seek by iNaturalist is an app that will help you discover and identify wildlife and plants in your area.  Download the Seek by iNaturalist app to discover the biodiversity in your neighborhood. 

Use the Seek by iNaturalist app or just take a photo of a natural plant or animal near your home.  Upload your photo to this Google Form by April 29, 2020, and write a short explanation of why you chose that photo to share. (You will need to login).  Was it something new you found?  Was it something that has been there a long time but you never knew the name of it until now?  Or is it just your favorite photo?

Earth Day celebrations are taking on a whole new look this year. There are many ways to still celebrate from home.

1. Make an Earth Day window sign. 
2. Find a Digital Earth Day Event
3. Discover plants and animals in your area with Seek by iNaturalist. 
4. Take a walk around your neighborhood and observe the different sounds?  Which ones are natural vs manmade?
5. Make edible rocks, sedimentary sandwiches or dirt cups for dessert.  

Here are some unexpected consequences of COVID-19 on the environment.