Using the Going Green Song (Animated Music Video), students learn all about ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle and so much more through a catchy video!
Plant a tree, grow a future
Sixth graders learn that Arbor Day began in Nebraska in 1872, when J. Sterling Morton encouraged people to plant trees on the treeless plains. Today it's celebrated nationally on the last Friday in April. Kids connect the holiday to science: trees take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, hold soil in place, give animals homes and keep cities cooler. Many classes also measure trees and estimate their age. The big moment comes when students realize one tree helps an entire ecosystem.
Older students love connecting a holiday to real science and real action.
Start the day with a going green song and ask students to jot down every way it says we can help the planet. Use their list to start a discussion about why trees matter.
Why it works: words set to a repeating melody are easier to recall than the same words spoken (Wallace, 1994).
Try it withGoing Green Song (Animated Music Video)SongsOpen it →Groups measure the trunk's circumference about 4.5 feet off the ground and use a growth chart to estimate its age. It's real math and science outdoors.
Why it works: the U.S. Department of Education's guide for teaching elementary math recommends moving from hands-on objects to drawings to numbers.
Students brainstorm a way to help trees at school, like planting a seedling or recycling paper. They write a short proposal and present it to the class.
Why it works: using clear, consistent math words out loud is one of the U.S. Department of Education's recommendations for elementary math.
Get outside and get creative.
Teacher favorites right now: Going Green Song (Animated Music Video).
National Arbor Day in the United States is the last Friday in April. Some states celebrate on a different date that fits their best planting season.
J. Sterling Morton started Arbor Day in Nebraska in 1872. He encouraged people to plant trees on the open plains.
Trees give off oxygen, take in carbon dioxide, hold soil in place and give animals homes. They also give shade that keeps areas cooler.
Tree measuring, leaf identification, ecosystem webs and green projects work well. They connect the holiday to science and real action.
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