Showing posts with label Earth Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth Day. Show all posts

5 Earth Day Activities for Adults

5 Adult Activities for Earth Day

Looking for something to do around the office to celebrate Earth Day? These 5 Earth Day activities for adults will help you have a fun and enriching celebration. When is Earth Day? Earth Day is April 22.

This post contain Amazon Affiliate Links. 
If you click and make a purchase, I may get a small commission. Thanks for that!




  • In the Fall of every year, Indianapolis, Indiana has a day of community service. Indy Do Day is a mini vacation from the office. We think incorporating something like this into an Earth Day celebration would make an awesome experience. Get the whole office on board. Plant a community garden or better yet, make it personal. Find local senior citizens in need, and do some yard work, gardening, or recycling for them. Find a way to give back to your community that will have an impact on the environment.


Earth Day Activities for Adults
Indy Do Day activities are perfect for Earth Day. Photo from Indydoday.com
  • Another, simple way for adult co-workers to celebrate Earth Day is to go on hike! Sure, you'll get some complaints. Plan ahead, and make it a field trip of sorts. Make sure everyone comes prepared with water, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, and bags to collect any trash you find along your journey. 
Everyone needs the fresh air. It is a great way to bond with your office mates. You'll feel like you are playing hooky, but use the time to brainstorm ideas to make the office more green.

simple way for adults to celebrate Earth Day
A hike is a simple way for adults to celebrate Earth Day.

  • Have you ever been to a recycling plant? We have. It is a very interesting experience. Most people are surprised to discover all of the different things that can be recycled. Find an incentive (maybe a gift card) and then ask your co-workers to bring in some recyclable items- not trash! Think real recyclables like an old, broken, bronze lamp, metal scrap, old appliances... Collect all the aluminum cans from the office and take them with you (rather than letting the recycling truck pick them up as usual).

Now, take a caravan to your local recycling plant! We go on Saturdays and have to wait in a long line. They pay with a receipt that you cash out at an ATM like machine. After you go, you'll understand why so many people offer free pick up of old appliances. You might even want to become a dumpster diver.


The cash for junk is pretty impressive, especially when you think about it being trash that you saved from going into a landfill!


Get Cash for recycling metal.
Get cash for metal at Ray's Recycling plant.

What about that gift card? Award it to the co-worker whose junk brought the most coin! What? You think they don't deserve it because they already got a big payoff? Use the money you earn from recycling to donate to a save the earth cause.




  • Get a group of adults involved in Earth Day activities by volunteering in a preschool, shelter, or nursing home. Find some fun Earth Day crafts like the ones below, and take the day off while you educate and enrich the lives of others. 

Help children grow an indoor garden.

Make an Earth Day Pin Craft.


Whatever you choose to do, have fun, and make a difference!


Recommended:

Christmas Games for the Office Party

Ways for Kids to Celebrate Earth Day

Visit a Nature Park

When Rivers Burned: The Earth Day Story 

Earth Day - Go Green Adult Organic T-Shirt

Earth's Water Supply Lesson Plans for Elementary

Elementary Lesson Plan on Earth's Water Supply for World Water Day

Where do we get water? How does it get to our faucet or in our water bottles? This lesson and curriculum on the water supply and water cycle will answer these questions. Scroll down for quizzes, science experiments, companion art projects, and more Earth's Water Supply Lesson Plans for Elementary students. When is World Water Day? When is Earth Day? Keep reading!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, if you click and make a purchase, I get a small commission. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on!


Earth's Water Supply Lesson Plans for Elementary Homeschooling



Earth's Water Supply Lesson Plans for Elementary
Where do you get your water?

World Water Day is March 22. Earth Day is April 22. 
Arbor Day is often also April 22 or the last Friday in April, depending on the state. 

First things first,  watch this short video on clean water. We recommend "Flow" and "Tapped." Here is a very good, free excerpt from Tapped. "The Story of Bottled Water" is also good and free to watch. Netflix has a similar film about the Nestle Corporation Water

the story of bottled water
The Story of Bottled Water.

Now, watch this video on how water is cleaned and used via the sewage treatment plant. This excerpt from, "Big River" teaches how water is filtered for nitrates. 


The Nitrogen Cycle from PBS is an interactive learning chart. Also, print and read this downloadable Nitrogen Cycle brochure from Stem Sims. It has quizzes and articles to help you learn more indepth about the cycle of Nitrogen!

If you want to learn more about big business watch GMO vs. NON-GMO. This is a full length documentary.

We have a Brainpop subscription, if you go in as an individual you can pay monthly, but you have to commit to a full year. You can also get a Brainpop Jr. subscription for children in K-3. No affiliate here, we just love Brainpop.

video on the water cycle
There are free lesson plans and activities on Brainpop.

If you subscribe to Brainpop, you can watch a video on the Water Cycle and this video on Water Supply. Brainpop has a daily free video, so click over either way and learn something new. While you are there, read the info about the Water Cycle in the left sidebar. For younger kids (K-3), watch this version of the water cycle.

Lesson Plans for Earth's Water Supply


Water Cycle infographic
The Water Cycle infographic.
Review the Water Cycle infographic above. Grab some paper and markers and draw your own version of the Water Cycle. When completed, share it with classmates or family and hang it for display. To show what you have learned, draw a Water Supply infographic without the help of a cheat sheet! :)

After all you've learned, visit this water supply quiz from the EPA or this (Brainpop) quiz on the water supply. If you have a Brainpop subscription, also do the activities and fyi for water supply.

Free Water Cycle Worksheet Printable PDF.

Learn about the Scientific Method (from Brainpop) so you can start an experiment about Science Projects.


Water Science Experiments:




Just for Fun:

Need a break from all of this school work? 

Play a free online game about Water or do a Water Word Scramble



Arts and Crafts Component:



Recycle Water Bottles into flowers
Water bottle recycling craft.



Recommended Reading:



The Water Cycle: Evaporation, Condensation & Erosion (Earth's Processes)

The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor

The Magic School Bus Wet All Over: A Book About The Water Cycle



What does Non-GMO, Organic, and Fair Trade Mean?

GMO, Non-Gmo, Organic, Fair Trade? What does it all mean?

Lately, I've been getting a lot of social media marketing work from companies with a non-gmo platform. This would be a good topic for a homeschool research paper. You've heard organic and nonorganic- is this the same thing? How are Fair Trade and GMO related? Let's talk about that. Let's learn about that, okay? Enjoy!


What does Non-GMO, Organic, and Fair Trade Mean?
What does Non-GMO, Organic, and Fair Trade Mean?

Chaotic Confessions: The first time I heard non-gmo, I was all like, "Yeah, I've heard of that, I know what that is." and I did... sort of. I knew it was something an ecologically minded, environmentally friendly, bleeding heart should support, but I didn't know why- exactly. 

It is okay... you can admit it too. When you don't know something, never be afraid to ask. What is the worst that can happen? Someone will laugh at you. Guess what, most of the time they don't know the answer either, they're just trying not to get found out! I get laughed at all the time, but I also know a lot of things others don't, because I am willing to look stupid uneducated/naive. You wouldn't believe all of the amazing things you can learn, if you aren't afraid to ask!

GMO - this is how we see it, but it is really G.M.O. which stands for a Genetically Modified Organism. That sounds bad. It doesn't mean every GMO is bad. They were designed for good. That's the idea anyway, but like all things political, people seem to be either for or against them. Yeah... I'm just going to tell you the facts.

Genetically Modified Organism - Wikipedia says a whole lotta stuff! The simple answer is it is what it says it is, an organism that has been genetically modified using science and engineering techniques. In a manner of speaking, most are designed to avoid herbicides or to act as insecticides. Here is a better definition of GMO.

Glofish are genetically modified organisms. They glow, because some scientist made them glow. (My kids want one, the only reason we don't have any yet is because we are still learning to keep fish alive.)

Genetic modification involves mutation, insertion, or deletion of genes. Remember Dolly, the cloned sheep? That's weird, right? I don't know. A lot of people want to clone (or do clone) their pets. If it were legal, you know people would clone loved ones. I miss my dog.

Cloning food though, when there isn't enough? Modifying plants so they grow where they won't normally...  It seems like their heart is in the right place. 

What's the problem? The fear of the unknown, of unpleasant genetic mutations, of making cancer causing things. And then, there's the whole we aren't God thing, we won't touch that one either. Just listing it here for the whys and why nots.

So, if that is what a GMO is, then what is a Non-gmo? The opposite, of course. If you visit the Non-GMO Project, you can find products that are GMO free. Hearty Naturals 100% Organic, Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is also Non-GMO.

Is this the same as Organic and Non-organic? Well, it can be. It mostly is, but Non-organic things could be either GMO or Non-GMO depending on how they are made or manufactured. The scary part here is... some things are sometimes considered Organic, when they have direct contact with GMO's. Get it? Got it? Good!

For example, your organic milk from your free range cow was fed a GMO grain or even a GMO grass. So, although your milk isn't processed in a non-organic way, the cow ate genetically modified food. That can't be right? Can it?

The idea behind organic is that it is all natural. You find an apple tree never treated for bugs, the apples aren't as big because it also isn't genetically modified in any way = Organic.

When mothers are breastfeeding, they are told not to take certain medications, because the medication may find its way to the milk supply... If your cow eats a chemical, you eat a chemical.

That's a brief, easygoing definition of GMO vs. Non-GMO and Organic vs. Non-Organic. You should Google for more information.

Now, on to Fairtrade. People who tout organic and non-gmo also tout fairtrade products. What is Fairtrade? It is based on international trading practices and people who create products from marginalized countries. It works to help sustainable development and improved trading conditions. No children working for 5 cents an hour or day to make our clothing. No woman from a third world country tricked into selling her handmade goods for pennies on the dollar. The true definition is more complicated than that, but you get the idea. Respect others, respect the Earth. Compassionate Essentials is a fair trade market selling handmade jewelry.

Ahh... did you catch the word sustainable up there? Have you heard the word sustainability and wondered what it means? It seems like such a big, scary word, but it is really simple. Sustain means to keep going, to comfort, to help, to assist, to support. Help yourself to live, support yourself by growing a garden. Sustain the environment by recycling. Go green! Sustainability? Will it be able to continue without being completely destroyed? If you grow an organic garden vs. a massive farm plot that utilizes GMO's, you can save our natural resources. If all the factories and technology are destroyed will you be able to sustain your life and that of your family? Recycling helps save trees. Get it? Got it? Good!

You may also want to visit Green Rainbow Revolution, a company dedicated to offering Non-GMOs.

Recommended Reading:

Fair Trade

Seeds of Deception


Pin-it Online Scavenger hunt ~ 4/23/2012

Join our Preschool Scavenger Hunt on Pinterest







And the Winner is (4/16)...  Sleepy Mom! Be sure to visit her blog and help enter the world of blogging.

Remember to Win it you must leave a comment on this blog post after completion of the hunt. Below this post is a divider bar on the left side you will see the words "Tell us your two cents" click here to leave a comment. Any comment will do :-)

We have several pinners but less than 10 are entered in the drawing each week!!!  


Leave a comment on Pinterest to be added as a collaborative pinner under the purple tack.


Most pinned (145 repins) pinned by Jennifer O. from the blog Housing a Forest Dancing Oobleck ~ Kid Science - Cornstarch.



My favorite pin, pinned  by Carole McIntire (9 repins) from the classroom of Carole McIntire: Earth Day or Arbor Day Classroom Bulletin Board.  



This week's keyword search topics are:
Cinco De Mayo Crafts
Kid Science ~ Sponges
Things to do with Clothespins
Easy Fairy Tale Costumes


Organic Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

Healthy Organic Strawberry Smoothie Recipe Kids Like

Kids like shakes. If only they knew healthy yogurt smoothies are just as good. This healthy, organic, strawberry-raspberry smoothie recipe is fun to make at home and delicious too. Enjoy!


Healthy Kid-friendly Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Healthy Kid-friendly Strawberry Smoothie Recipe.



Healthy Kid-friendly Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Cascadian Farm sent us coupons and a little book of 
recipes to made our Strawberry Smoothie.

Blend the Strawberry Smoothie.
Blend the Strawberry Smoothie.

To Make a Strawberry Smoothie at Home you will need:

Fresh or Frozen Strawberries and Raspberries
Crushed Ice (We tweaked the recipe.)
Plain or Vanilla Yogurt.
Whip Topping (Added that too...)

Cascadian Farm Spa Smoothie Recipe 



So good, kids will love to drink smoothies.

Fun Try It:

We also made a Smoothie with Frozen Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri Mixer, Frozen Strawberries, and Vanilla Yogurt. Tastes great, but the Mixer is sweetened with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Grown-ups can add the rum for a little extra kick. :)




Recommended Reading:

Kids' Fun and Healthy Cookbook*

Kids Creative Chaos Cooks (Kitchen Kids Book 1)*


















ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Earth Day: Friendly Spinach Stuffed Manicotti Recipe to Cook with Kids

Celebrate Earth Day with green friendly recipes, like this Spinach Stuffed Manicotti.

Happy Earth Day! This is so good, your kids will enjoy it. Yummy frozen spinach manicotti. Enjoy!

Spinach Stuffed Manicotti for Earth Day.

Earth Day: Friendly Spinach Stuffed Manicotti Recipe to Cook with Kids
Kid's love mixing the ingredients.


Make an organic salad with kids.
Pair it with an organic salad.


Organic Recipes for Earth Day to make with kids


Recommended Reading:


I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (Little Green Books)*

What does GMO mean?

Fair Trade Lesson Plans



This Earth Day, Grow a Memory: Activity for Preschoolers

Easy Activity to Celebrate Earth Day with Preschoolers

As a little girl, trips to McDonald's were rare. Today, it seems to be a staple in the little's diet. I wonder if they will remember their favorite Happy Meal prizes as I do.

Once upon a time, Mickey D's gave out tiny little peat pots and sunflower seeds; the gift that kept on giving. My Dad and I went home, planted those seeds, and later transplanted them into our backyard gardenFor years, we had a row of giant sunflowers. I even entered them in a 4-H contest. Sweet memories... you can make yourself. Enjoy!

Earth Day Preschool Activity Grow a Daisy
Just add soil, water, sunlight, and love.
This is a great project to pair with our Daisy-Head Mayzie Activities.


Recommended:

Daisy the Donut Fairy*

Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden*

Earth Day Recipes

Daisy Hat Craft



Celebrate Earth Day Organically with these Activities: Grilled Chicken and Raspberry Salad Recipe

Raspberry and Grilled Chicken Recipe for Earth Day

This Earth Day, celebrate with organic and green friendly recipes. Let the kids help make dinner with this easy grilled chicken and raspberry salad recipe. Enjoy!




Grilled Chicken Raspberry Salad Organic Recipe for Earth Day activities
Click Photo for Free Printable Recipe from Cascadian Farm.

Earth Day. What a fabulous day to celebrate life. This year, Cascadian Farm sent us an awesome gift pack to help us celebrate organically. The main thing I want to say is, YUM!



Earth Day: Celebrate with a Cooking Lesson for kids.

I love the honey granola cereal, chocolate chip granola bars, and the to die for raspberry fruit spread.

They sent us a picnic basket with water bottles and yummy recipes to try. We chose to make the Grilled Chicken and Raspberry Salad with Spa Smoothies and Spinach Manicotti




Marinate Chicken in Pomegranate Red Wine Vinegar
 and Raspberry Fruit Spread.



Arrange on plate. Why, yes, that is a styro-foam plate. Not Earth friendly you say?  I use them, wash them, and re-use them for lots of craft projects. We try...


Happy Earth Day!  Note the Earth Friendly Tickle Me Crown and Necklace.

This weekend, we moved into our new home on five, amazing acres (in which I have high hopes for self-sustainable farming) we'll have a picnic next to the pond with the awesome basket they sent.






Recommended Reading: 

I Can Save the Earth!: One Little Monster Learns to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (Little Green Books)*

Hip Moms Go Green
Very Berry Smoothie Recipe and Organic Garden Party  

For Such a Time as ThisEarth Day Picnic  

In the Kitchen with AudreyWhat's for lunch? 

Cascadian Farms and Snack Girl's:  Healthy Blueberry Muffins














ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Easy Earth Day Pin Craft or Celebrate Multicultural Week for Kids / Teens

Make a cool Earth Day pin to celebrate your next multicultural program! 

Made with wooden buttons and yarn, even teens will enjoy this cute multicultural craft project for kids. Its got personality!


Easy Earth Day Pin Multicultural week easy craft for kids and teens to celebrate
Just paint wooden buttons and circles in different skin tones.

Pin is made from a small wooden circle sold by the bag in craft stores. A gold pin back also sold by the bag in craft stores, Wooden Button Beads, Yarn, Tempera or Acrylic paints, Hot glue or Tacky Glue.
  • Paint your circle to look like the Earth with beautiful blues and greens.
  • After it dries, glue on the wooden buttons - as many as you like - we chose 3.
  • Give each bead "hair" from yarn or embroiderery thread (craft doll hair scraps work too!) 
  • Use permanent markers to draw on faces, freckles, expressions.
  • Remember to make each one different; paint the beads different skin tones.
  • Lastly, affix the pin to the back with hot or tacky glue.

Kids can wear this in honor of a Multi-Cultural week or to celebrate Earth Day!



Wood Craft Cute Earth Day Multi-cultural pin
Backing of multicultural, Earth Day pin.

Change it up and put a magnet on the back for your locker or fridge. 


Recommended Reading:


The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling (Little Green Books)*


More Earth Day Activities for Kids

Earth Day--Hooray! (MathStart 3)*


Earth Day (Robin Hill School)*