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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Learn Every Day About Our Green Earth

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Learn Every Day About Our Green Earth

Trying to encourage recycling in your classroom? Try a fun song! This simple song and craft activity from Learn Every Day About our Green Earth will inspire your young learners to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Make this small addition to your classroom and make a big impact on the world! 

Materials:

  • globe
  • pictures of the Earth (rivers, landscapes, and so on)
  • butcher paper
  • crayons or markers
  • paper circles (2 per child)
  • glue and glue stick
  • pictures of people from all over the world
  • magazines or clip art
  • small pieces of trash: plastic, paper fliers, and newspaper

What to Do:

1. Whenever anyone does anything that helps our Earth, break into song. Celebrate taking care of our Earth!

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" by Sandra Nagel (Tune: "Three Blind Mice")

Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
.
Our Mother Earth we love her so.
Our Mother Earth we love her so.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Reduce, reuse, recycle.

2. Set out the butcher paper and give each child two large paper circles.
3. Set out the rest of the materials and encourage each child to make one version of the Earth based on what it would look like if everyone recycled and another based on what the Earth would look like if no one recycled.

Instructions

1. Line up chairs, pillows, or carpet squares in two rows. These will be the "boat."
2. Ask the children to sit on a chair, pillow, or carpet square. Explain that they
are going for a ride in the "opposite boat," and will be traveling to a land
where everything is opposite!
3. Begin the journey by telling them that the boat is rocking on the waves.
Pretend that the boat is going through a storm and have the children rock
back and forth quickly. (This will get them in the spirit of adventure!)
4. Soon, tell them they have arrived at the land of opposites. Ask them if they'd
like to get out of the boat for a "swim." Tell them that although people swim
under the water, in the land of opposites, where would they swim?
5. Explain that they are "swimming" to the "opposite island." Ask them questions
as they walk around the pretend land. What color is the snow on Opposite
Island? Do birds swim and fish fly? Do they run slowly and walk quickly?
Encourage them to make up their own opposites.
6. Have everyone get back in the boat and travel back to the real world where
things are normal.
More to do Art: Give each child a piece of paper and crayons. Have them draw something
from the opposite world. Then, encourage the children to hold up their drawing
and tell what is different about their opposite picture.

Elevate your lesson planning: Download this easy activity today!

Make the most of your instructional time with this fun and adaptable activity. Crafted from our experts in early childhood theory and best practice, this downloadable resource offers play-based activities that will help your students reach learning objectives.