How to Use Earth Day to Teach Math and Literacy Skills

Earth Day is an annual celebration that is dedicated to raising environmental awareness. Communities around the world use a variety of celebrations from planting new trees, running 5K races, or picking up trash throughout neighborhoods. Earth Day provides teachers and parents with the opportunity to teach children how to care for the world around them. Below are five ways you can use Earth Day to teach math and literacy skills in your classroom.

How to Use Earth Day to Teach Math and Literacy Skills

As a teacher, it’s natural to use an event like this to help students practice valuable math and literacy skills. It gives me the opportunity to take learning outside the box, make it fun, and keep it engaging. Here are several activities I use to do just that.

ABC Order

Students begin learning about ABC order early on in their elementary years, and it’s an important concept that applies to many areas in life. As students progress in their educational journeys, they will need to be able to find a particular topic in a book or look through in index, both of which takes understanding alphabetical order. Using Earth Day related words, you can help your students not only work on alphabetical order skills, but also teach them important vocabulary words.

Earth Day Math

Math can be a tough subject for kids to pick up on. Incorporating grid puzzles is a fun and unique way for students to practice math skills. With the puzzles I created, they must match problems with the corresponding answer to unscramble a puzzle. The pack covers: addition, subtraction, place value, time, money, and simple fractions.

Fun Packet

Using a mixture of math and literacy skills worksheets are great for morning work, time fillers, and for overall review of previously taught concepts. The Earth Day Fun Packet includes:

• Mystery Pictures (Earth and Trash)
• Dot to Dot pages
• Color by Number
• Books Marks
• Word Search
• Mazes
• and more!

If you have early or fast finishers, then this Earth Day Fun packet is just what you need.

Earth Day Color By Code

Speaking of color by number, this pack is a fun and festive way for your students to practice addition skills. It includes facts 0-14, doubles facts, double +1 facts, and mixed practice. Presenting these concepts by means of a coloring activity are a great way to get your students excited and engaged about math practice.

Final Thoughts

Earth Day is a prime time to switch up the activities you’re using in your classroom while teaching about another important subject – how to take care of the planet and the environment around you. Consider doing some of these activities as a class, individually, or place some of the worksheets at different stations around the room. Regardless of the activity you use, make this the best Earth Day yet!

Psst… check out these other Activities for Kids!