[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ro4TqIBrA[/youtube]

Video condensed from “Planet Earth,” a 2006 TV series produced by the BBC Natural History unit.

Plant a tree. Snap a selfie for NASA. Calculate your ecological footprint. There are countless ways individuals — including students and teachers — can have a positive impact on the planet.

The theme of Earth Day 2015 is It’s Our Turn to Lead. Whether it’s urging Congress to fund environmental education, signing a climate petition to reduce carbon emissions, or adjusting your home hot-water heater, small steps can lead to big change.

This year, teachers can download a free Climate Education Week Toolkit (April 18-25) that contains  activities, contests, videos, and lessons aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core. Or check out the resources and environmental science curriculum on Earth Day Network’s educator network.

Celebrate Earth Day’s 45th anniversary by finding events in your state. Families can Spring into Green in Los Gatos, Calif., recycle with students in Shaumburg, Ill., or taste seaweed in Stoneington, Maine. As part of Earth Day’s Billion Acts of Green, Mississippi State University’s Sustainability Institute and geosciences department is sponsoring a contest for K-12 students to find creative ways to reuse and recycle styrofoam containers. Meanwhile, fans of Will i Am, Mary J. Blige and other pop stars can catch Global Citizen’s Earth Day concert on the National Mall from 11:45 to 7 pm EDT on April 18. www.youtube.com/globalcitizen/live

Don’t forget to check out eGFI’s list of sustainability sites and activities for incorporating sustainability into your classroom.

Every day can be Earth Day!

Filed under: Class Activities, Lesson Plans, Special Features, Web Resources

Tags: Class Activities, Climate, Curriculum, Earth Day 2015, Education Policy, Environmental Education, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, NGSS, Resources for Teachers, sustainabilty, Web Resources