Estimated Time Required :
Depending on the grade level, time can vary from a half hour to 45 minutes. Older children's attention can be maintained longer and may do more sophisticated drawings and messages.
Materials :
Pencils, crayons, markers grocery bags
Directions :
The purpose of this activity is to have children contribute to a campaign to encourage recycling. It gives them an opportunity to give back to the community and for the community to see products of their learning about the environment. Children also love to see their work displayed. Children have learned about different ways to re-use and recyle. In this activity, they use store bags to promote positive environmental messages.
- Provide each child with an unopened paper grocery bag so they can work on a flat surface.
- Children decorate bags with pictures and messages that promote recycling and caring for the environment. You will be amazed at the creativity children display!
- For safety reasons, do not have children put their names on the bags.
- Return the decorated flattened paper bags to the store.
- The store will use the decorated bags to pack customers' groceries and spread the word about saving our environment.
- Children are excited when they see their decorated bags from their school!
Preparation :
Teachers solicit local grocery stores to donate new paper bags to their school.
Additional Information :
- This school-wide Earth Day activity was part of a collaboration with other teachers in my school.
- While this lesson suggests appropriateness for K-3, it can be adapted for higher grade levels, as well.
Creator :
Submitted by first grade teacher Marie Sciretta
