Welcome to our preschool Lesson Plan: Celebrating Earth Day today, where we are going to learn all about our wonderful planet and how we can take care of it. Earth Day is a time to celebrate the Earth and think about ways to keep it clean and healthy. We will find out, through stories, crafts, games, and songs, how even small actions can make a big difference in taking care of our planet. Let’s get ready for the exploration, creation, and celebration of Earth Day!
Theme: Earth Day
Age Group: 3-5 years
Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Objective: To introduce preschoolers to the concept of Earth Day, teach them about the importance of taking care of the planet, and engage them in fun, hands-on activities that promote environmental awareness.
Materials Needed:
- Picture of the Earth
- Earth Day-themed storybook
- Blue and green paint, paper, markers, wipes
- Recyclable items (paper, plastic, cans) and labelled bins
- Music for the song (optional)
Lesson Plan Outline
1. Introduction (10 minutes)
Activity: Circle Time Discussion
- First of all, draw all the kids into a circle and show them the picture of Earth.
- Greetings with some questions like:
- “What do you observe in this picture?”
- “Do any of you guys know what the Earth Day is?”
- Explain it in an elaborative, simple way that they will know:
- “Earth Day is when we celebrate Earth and learn the ways to be nice to the Earth.”
- “How can we care for Earth: by keeping clean, by sowing trees, and by avoiding wasting water.”
2. Story Time (10 minutes)
- Book: The Earth Book by Todd Parr or I Can Save the Earth! by Alison Inches
- Read the story aloud, using expressive voices and pointing out the pictures.
- Pause to ask questions like:
- “What can we do to help the Earth like the character in the story?”
- “Why is it important to recycle?”
3. Hands-On Activity: Earth Day Craft (15 minutes)
Activity: Create an “Earth Day Promise” Handprint Craft
- Materials: blue and green paint, white paper, markers, and wipes.
- Instructions:
- Have each child dip their hand in the blue and green paint to make an Earth painting on the paper.
- Press their hand on the paper to create a handprint.
- Once dry, at the top, write: “My Earth Day Promise” and ask the child what they will do to help the Earth – for example, “I will recycle” or “I will turn off the lights”. Write their promise below the handprint.
4. Group Activity: Sorting Recyclables (10 minutes)
Activity: Recycling Game
- Three boxes are set up and labelled accordingly: “Paper,” “Plastic,” and “Cans.”
- Hand them different clean, safe recyclable items to go through, such as paper scraps, plastic bottles, and aluminium cans.
- Demonstrate how to sort the items into the appropriate boxes.
- Describe how it helps to keep Earth clean by recycling.
5. Movement Activity: “We Love the Earth” Song and Dance (10 minutes)
Song: We Love the Earth (to the tune of “Frère Jacques”)
- Lyrics:
We love the Earth, we love the Earth,
It’s our home, it’s our home.
Let’s take care of it, let’s take care of it,
Every day, every day. - Teach the children simple actions like hugging themselves for “love,” pointing to the ground for “Earth,” and pretending to pick up trash to “take care of it.”
6. Closing Discussion (5 minutes)
- Gather the children back in a circle.
- Ask:
- “What did you learn about Earth Day today?”
- “What will you do to help the Earth?”
- Remind them that each day can be Earth Day as long as we take care of our planet.
Preschool Lesson Plan Outcomes:
- Children will understand the general concept of what Earth Day is and why it is important.
- They will learn how to care for the Earth through simple means: recycling and conservation.
- They will engage in creative, interactive activities to reinforce the lesson.
This lesson plan is designed to be fun, interactive, and on the children’s level to help them develop an early appreciation for the environment!
