Earth week 2021 think global, act local
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TEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
earth week 2021
think global, act local
2021 is shaping up to be a year of positive climate action. President Biden is making bold
climate commitments. Companies are setting ambitious climate goals. World leaders will
be re-evaluating their country's carbon emissions targets at the upcoming UN Climate Negotiations.
As budding citizens of the world, it is important that our kids are informed and ready to embark on their
own mindful eco adventures.
Earth Week at Fairmeadow aims to:
• introduce kids to different eco topics
• inspire kids and families to think about their own action and how daily action at home and in their community
can add up to create a better, brighter planet and future.
• build community spirit
The week’s themes are:
• Monday, April 19th: Global warming and how it’s affecting people all over the world.
• Tuesday, April 20th: Explore how climate affects communities differently.
• Wednesday, April 21st: Uncover our own plastic use and how it impacts our world.
• Thursday/Friday, April 22nd and 23rd: Eco action starts right in our community and school garden.
• Saturday/Sunday, April 24th and 25th: Understand how our choices affect the health of ecosystems.
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TEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
Monday, April 19
Think Global: Global warming and how it’s affecting people all over the world.
Conversation Starter:
Did you know Earth Day was inspired by the student anti-Vietnam War movement in 1969 and a California oil spill? The
event was the brainchild of Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson. He did it to bring environmental protection onto the
national agenda. As a result, April 22, 1970 was chosen as Earth Day! Let’s learn more about Earth Day to kickstart our
Earth Week celebrations!
• Q: Do you know why the Senator chose that date?
• A: He knew that the weather would be nice enough across the United States that kids could celebrate the day
outside in nature.
• Q: How many people do you think marched on the streets on the rst Earth Day?
• A: 20 million Americans! At that time, that was 10% of the population. Today, more than a billion people in 182
countries celebrate Earth Day.
• Q: Earth Day activism has prompted the US government to pass legislation like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and
even the Endangered Species Act. What do you want to do this week to encourage others to protect our planet?
Teacher Resource: Earth Day eco magazine for kids lled with fun eco puzzles and inspiring stories of kids taking eco
action.
Family Resources:
Age Type Link to Resource
Family Guest Speaker, Tim Guinee: actor and climate activist presentation on global implications of climate
live online event change.
Free, signup is required
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Family Article History of Earth Day
Family YouTube Video PBS Kids: Earth Day
K-3 YouTube Video Weather vs Climate: Crash Course Kids
K-3 Book The Lorax
4-5 Ted Talk Video The Disarming Case to Act Right Now on Climate Change by Greta Thunberg, climate
activist and co-founder of Fridays for Future
4-5 Ted Talk Video Why You Should Be a Climate Activist by Luisa Neubauer, climate activist and co-
founder of Fridays for Future
4-5 Ted Ed Talk Climate Change: Earth’s Giant Game of Tetris by Joss Fong
Video
Parents Book How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change by Harriet Shugarman
Listen to a brief interview with the author here.
Parents Book The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis by Christiana Figueres and Tom
Rivett-Carnac
3TEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
Tuesday, April 20th
Environmental Equality: Explore how climate affects communities differently.
Conversation Starter:
There are many things in life that must be shared - materials and space in a classroom, roads, parks, and buses in our
community, and air and water in the world. But not everyone, whether in our community or in the world, always gets an
equal share.
• Are there things in our classroom that everyone has to share? What are some things we can do in class to make
sure that everyone gets a turn?
• What are some things that you share at home? What can you do at home to make sure that everyone gets an
equal opportunity?
• What do we all need to thrive?
• Why do environmental problems challenge some people’s ability to thrive more than others?
• How could decision I make here in Palo Alto affect people in other parts of the world?
Teacher Resource: Learning to share things and consider the needs of others can be dif cult and requires compromise
and problem solving. Use the above suggested questions to have a discussion with your students.
Family Resources:
Age Type Link to Resource
K-3 Game Go Fish!
K-3 Book “The Water Princess” by Susan Verde & Georgie Badiel
All YouTube Video What is Environmental Justice?
4-5 Article What are Climate Refugees?
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fi4-5 YouTube Video Environmental Justice, Explained
4-5 Quiz Climate Change Quiz
5 Book “How to Change Everything: The Young Human's Guide to Protecting the
Planet and Each Other” by Naomi Klein
Parents Resources & Activities What do we all need to Thrive?
Parents Ted Talk TEDxGreatPaci cGarbagePatch - Van Jones - Environmental Justice
Parents Collected Resources PA Equity Challenge - Day 12 - Environmental Equity
Parents Book List Top Children’s books on the Environment
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fiTEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
Wednesday, April 21st
Plastic Pollution: We'll uncover our own plastic use and how small changes can make a BIG difference.
Conversation Starter:
• Q: What is single-use plastic?
• A: Single-use plastic is the name for things made of plastic that we only use once. Single-use plastic makes our
lives easier but also creates a lot of trash that ends up in the oceans. This harms the planet, and our human and
animal friends.
• Q: How much plastic exists today?
• A: Every piece of plastic ever created still exists today! It weighs 8.3 billion metric tons, that’s the same weight as
10,500 San Francisco Bridges. And it can take over 400 years for plastic to decompose!
• Q: What do you think happens to plastic in the ocean?
• A: When plastic is mixed with salt water and begins to break down, it releases an odor which is similar to krill, a
popular food for sh. The enticing smell attracts sh, causing them to eat the plastic.
• Q: What do you think happens to all the plastic that’s thrown away? Hint: How would you feel if you were eating
plastic for lunch? Click on the resource to learn about how plastic enters our food system.
Teacher Resource: Download the Kat Kid Adventure Post: Plastic Pollution activity pack. To request printed copies, email
anu.ramamurty@gmail.com.
Family Resources:
Age Type Link to Resource
K-3 Ted Ed Talk Video What really happens to the plastic you throw away - Emma Bryce
K-3 Book One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
by Miranda Paul
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fiK-3 Book What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet by Jess French
4-5 Ted Ed Talk Video A Brief History of Plastic
4-5 Ted Ed Talk Video Which bag should you use? By Luka Seamus Wright and Imogen Ellen
Napper
4-5 Book Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans by
Danielle Smith-Llera
Parents Conversation Starter Kat Chat: Isle of No Good
from Kat Kid Adventure Kat Chat: Plastic Free July
Family Ocean jigsaw puzzle The Ocean Adventure Puzzle; Pre-order and use the code ECOCHAMPS on
check-out for 20% of the puzzle sale to support our school activities!
7TEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
Thursday April 22nd & Friday April 23rd
Act Local: Trash Into Treasure: Eco action starts right in our community and gardens.
Teacher Resource: Fairmeadow Elementary School are creating not so scary scarecrows to help the garden grow!.
Students are welcome to do a drive by to see what it looks like.
Did you notice what they are made from? They are made from all recycled materials! What can you do to make your
trash into a treasure?
Family Resources:
Age Type Link to Resource
K-3 Craft & Math Make a piggy bank
K-3 Craft & Science DIY Flower Hair Planters
K-3 Craft & Art Cherry Blossom Art
K-3 Craft & Music Plastic Bottle Musical Instruments
4-5 Craft & Science Plastic Bottle Pet
4-5 Craft & Science Garden Butter ies
Parents Craft Soda Bottle Organizer
Parents Book A Zero Waste Family: In Thirty Days by Anita Vandyke
Family Activity Earth Day Community Cleanup - Register early.
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flTEACHER RESOURCE EARTH WEEK: APRIL 19-25
Saturday April 24th & Sunday April 25th
Act Local: Healthy ecosystems: Understand how our choices affect the health of ecosystems.
Family Resources:
Age Type Link to Resource
K-3 Book/read aloud “What If There Were No Bees?” by Suzanne Buckingham Slade
K-3 Craft Growing Flower Craft
4-5 YouTube Video Why protect pollinators?
4-5 Article How do our food choices affect the environment?
K-5 DIY Build a bug hotel.
K-5 DIY Plant some California wild ower pollinator mix seeds
4-5 DIY Explore ecosystems by building a soda bottle terrarium
Everyone Activity Making earth friendly food choices is one of the most impactful ways to
help our planet. Here are some delicious and healthy options that are kind
to the environment.
• Locally grown seasonal fruit and veg platter
• Homemade bread
• Bean salad
• Overnight oat parfaits
• Use-it-up frittata
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flEveryone Fieldtrip We are lucky enough to live in a community with an abundance of natural
spaces to enjoy. Whether you like to hike, bike, picnic, watch wildlife or just
lay on the grass - there is something for you nearby!
Palo Alto City has this excellent resource & map.
Great local hiking areas
• The Stanford Dish
• Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
• Foothills Park
• Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
Inspiring local public gardens
• Gamble Garden
• Arizona Cactus Garden - Stanford
• Edith Johnson Park
• Rinconada Community Gardens
Beautiful places to observe nature
• Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve
• Don Edwards National Wildlife Refugee
• Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center
• Esther Clark Park
• El Palo Alto Park
• Redwood Grove Nature Preserve
Everyone YouTube Video The beauty of pollination
Parents Article Eat Green: Our everyday food choices affect global warming and the
environment
Parents Article Getting Back to the Great Outdoors
10think global, act local
this earth week and
every week!
With thanks to Fairmeadow's Earth Week Team.
For more information email anu.ramamurty@gmail.com.
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