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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Earth Day poems using KidPix

Students will learn about Earth Day and their responsibility to the earth by creating Earth Day poems using KidPix.

A lesson plan for grade 1 English Language Arts and Science

By Michele Tipton

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • learn about Earth Day
  • understand the importance of Earth Day
  • learn ways they can help the earth
  • understand the importance of reuse, reduce and recycle

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 days

Materials/resources

  • Earth Day and recycling books
  • computers with KidPix software

Technology resources

  • Computer for each student (if possible)
  • Kids Pix software
  • Color printer
  • Windows on Science laser disk system

Pre-activities

Students will need to know about recycling, how to take care of the earth, what they can do to help keep the earth clean. Students will need this information to create a poem on the computer that embraces these elements.

Activities

Day 1

Introduce Earth Day and recycling by reading Gail Gibbons book about recycling. Discuss the book.

Day 2

Use Windows on Science laser disk to show students the section on recycling, what can be recycled, reused, and reduced.

Day 3

  1. Divide into two groups. Each group goes around the school to pick up trash.
  2. Come back together and share what type of trash was found. Then sort through the trash and place it in containers labeled “recycleable” and “not recyclable.” Discuss ways to reuse or ways we can.

Day 4

Send notes home requesting students bring in a lunch to eat that is trashless. Example, sandwich wrapped in a cloth, drinks in thermos, real silverware instead of plastic, cloth napkins, put lunches in a box instead of a paper bag, etc. Then, have an Earth day picnic and see if we can for one day have no trash to throw away.

Day 5

  1. Open KidPix. Stamp “EARTH” on students’ papers, and then have them think of something that starts with each letter of the word ‘Earth.’ E=earth, A=animals R=recycling, T=trash, H=help.
  2. Then have students create a border by stamping earth symbols around the page.
  3. Also, use stamps to stamp pictures for the examples.

Extra Activities

  • Home project: students create something from nothing. Take some trash you would normally throw away and make something out of it. Put creations on display.
  • Create a hat using trash and have a parade.
  • Collect cans and take them to a recycling center for money. This is a good school wide project.

Assessment

  • KidPix picture
  • observations
  • journals
  • questioning

Supplemental information

Comments

This unit is a collection of ideas I’ve tried over the year that I enjoy as well as the kids. It is a fun and exciting unit. Our grade level saw the idea for the trashless lunch and we have this event each year.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 1

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.06: Compose a variety of products (e.g., stories, journal entries, letters, response logs, simple poems, oral retellings).

Science (2005)

Grade 1

  • Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations and make observations to build an understanding of the needs of living organisms.
    • Objective 1.04: Identify local environments that support the needs of common North Carolina plants and animals.