Ideas for Joyful Learning During School Closures: Protecting the Earth, From a Distance
At-Home Learning: PBS SoCal and KCET, in partnership with LAUSD and in collaboration with California PBS stations, are offering broadcast programming with digital resources that adhere to California’s state curriculum.
Wednesday, April 22 marks the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in the United States. While it won’t be possible to participate in typical Earth Day celebrations like tree-planting and beach clean-ups, there are still ways you and your family can give back to the planet, from a safe distance. Our theme this week is all about the Earth, and how we can encourage children to respect the planet and learn how to protect it. The education team at PBS SoCal and KCET has shared some resources and activities to get outside, inspire creativity and help you and your family learn more about this big, beautiful place we call home.
Bonus: Find out more about the history of Earth Day and additional eco-friendly activities to do with your family in this post from PBS SoCal’s Early Learning Specialist (and Earth-enthusiast), Suzie Hicks.
Here’s this week’s schedule to help add a few ideas to your child’s learning routine at home:
Ideas for Early Learners (Pre-K-3rd grade)
Check out Left Brain Craft Brain’s Tasty Global Warming Lesson for Kids and make Earth Toast! This is a great way to talk to children about global warming in a fun and delicious way. You’ll paint the earth on a piece of toast using some milk dyed with blue and green food coloring. Watch how toasting your bread turns the earth dryer and browner — just like global warming is doing to our planet. Top with butter, cinnamon sugar, or jam. Talk to your kids about simple ways they can reduce global warming such as conserving electricity, recycling and using less water.
Take a nature walk outside. Have elaborate conversations about what your kids notice outside, helping them name and describe it in detail. If you see a bird, repeat the word bird every time you see another one. Repetition is key for children who are developing early language skills. Talk about the colors and shapes that exist naturally in the world around you.
- Try out TinkerLab’s idea for a Rainbow Photo Scavenger Hunt. All you need is a camera and the willingness to explore! First, find things that are the color red, then orange, then yellow and so on until you find something in every color of the rainbow. It is a beautiful way to see the world through your child’s eyes — and you might end up with some lovely photos.
Collect cardboard tubes and boxes from around the house to make a Cardboard Tube Marble Run. Tape the cardboard pieces to a wall to create a giant maze for a marble or small ball. This activity can be a great way to encourage recycling and reusing of everyday household objects that would otherwise end up thrown away.
Ideas for Older Children (4th Grade-12th Grade)
According to The Department of Agriculture, over 1/3 of available food goes uneaten. With stories of empty grocery store shelves filling the nightly news, this is a great time to talk with your kids about how cutting down on food waste saves money and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
- Listen to this NPR Life Kit episode about reducing food waste. Talk with your kids about how your whole family can reduce waste in your home.
- Experiment with food scraps! As a family, try and regrow vegetablesfrom leftover scraps from meals. Many vegetables can regrow from inside a home! No need for a big backyard to grow your own food.
Learn about native plants from the Theodore Payne Foundation! Native plants are good for the environment, save water and support wildlife. Take a virtual tour of native plant gardens in Southern California, or identify flowers and plants in your neighborhood using the Native Plant database.
Turn this new knowledge into a fun art project by pressing flowers! Go for a walk with your children to identify native plants and flowers you would want to press. Remember to be thoughtful about how many flowers you take — use moderation when collecting wild plants and try not to damage other flowers when picking yours. After the flowers have been pressed and dried, turn them into art, or create a card you can send to a family member. Find out how to press flowers here.
Be a citizen scientist! The Earth Challenge 2020 app is a way for you to help scientists collect data about air pollution levels and plastic in your neighborhood. Go for a family walk and collect information on the app about trash you see on the street.
- Before picking up the trash you see on your walks, make sure you and your family are following safety guidelines (e.g. wearing a mask and gloves before picking up trash and staying at a safe distance from other people). Read this article on Neighborhood Clean-ups for tips on safe practices.
PBS Digital Studios has got you covered when it comes to thoughtful content around climate change.
- Hot Mess dives into the impacts of climate change and how we can build a better future for the planet.
- Above the Noise has a playlist focused on the environment that dispels misinformation and breaks down debates over how best to protect the planet!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=1dvdG78FnlI
Also, check-out these KCET original documentary series that explore our planet and how we can protect it.
- Tending Nature shines a light on the environmental knowledge of Indigenous peoples across California by exploring how the state's Native peoples have actively shaped and tended the land for millennia.
- Earth Focus investigates stories about our changing environment and how communities are adapting both locally and internationally.
More Resources
- Tune in to PBS KIDS programming on your local PBS SoCal channel for curated educational content for children in Pre-K through 3rd grade. Tune in to KLCS for content targeted toward 4rd-8th graders and KCET for content geared for 9th-12th graders.
- Visit PBS LearningMedia for free PBS KIDS standards-aligned videos, lesson plans, and other resources about Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Social-Emotional learning.
