Earth Day Activities - Nonfiction Reading - Scavenger Hunt & Project - Writing

Are you looking for ways to incorporate meaningful Earth Day reading comprehension activities and projects that celebrate and promote a call to action to save our planet? Through a combination of a nonfiction close reading activity, a reading passages scavenger hunt, and an informative project, middle school students will deepen their understanding of Earth Day and its' impact on the United States while strengthening essential literacy skills.

This nonfiction reading unit contains 3 scaffolded activities that are designed to help students build their knowledge and then apply their new learning + research to create an informative project to educate others.

In the first activity, students will learn about the origins of Earth Day and the impact it has had on the United States in a close reading activity that comes with differentiated question options and a two-column notes organizer while building their reading comprehension skills

In the second activity, students will learn about how 10 countries across the globe celebrate Earth Day. They will work together in a scavenger hunt activity to stop the mysterious Mr. Q from destroying the Clean Water Act documents. Students will have to search and read 10 reading passages to find all 10 code words. Once all the codes have been found, they will have to use them to unscramble and create the final answer code.

In the third and final activity, students will use their new learning and research to create an informative project to educate others about the 2024 theme for Earth Day, "Planet vs Plastics". There are three project options, strong and weak models, a rubric, and step-by-step instructions included.

In addition, the completed projects can not only be used as a Earth Day project but the completed Earth Day posters can also be used as purposeful classroom decor when displaying the projects throughout your classroom or for creating a meaningful Earth Day Bulletin Board.

✍ What's Included:

• Activity #1: Earth Day Nonfiction Close Reading Lesson (Editable Materials)

1. Two Column Notes Organizer with Multiple Choice Questions
2. Two Column Notes Organizer with Short Answer Questions
3. Answer Keys

• Activity #2: Save the Clean Water Act! Scavenger Hunt (Editable Materials)

1. Teacher Set-Up Directions
2. Student Mission and Directions
3. 10 Reading Passages (Full Page)
4. 10 Reading Passage Cards (2 Per Page)
5. Answer Keys
6. Student Answer Sheets

• Activity #3: 2024 Earth Day Project (Editable Materials)

1. Project Assignment Guide with Suggest Websites
2. Project Rubric
3. Project Planning and Notes Page
4. 25+ Project Template Pages (Sketch Poster, Banners, or Social Media Templates)
5. Strong and Weak Project Samples for Each Project Option

• 2 Day Lesson Powerpoint (Editable)

• 3 Day Lesson Powerpoint (Editable)

• Teacher Guide with Tips and Important Information

❤️ Why You'll Love This Resource:
✅ SAVE your TIME and ENERGY with this LOW PREP Resource

✅ Covers MULTIPLE ELA Standards and Skills

✅ Clear Student Directions, Strong Models, and Rubrics Included

✅ Student-Centered Activity: Let Your Students Do the Thinking!
✅ Print Resources

✋ How Can You Use These Lessons?
- Reading Comprehension Prep

- Test Prep Activities
- Independent Assignment
- Group Project
- Student Presentations

- Sub Plans

- Women's History Month Learning Stations
- Create Women's History Month Door Decorations
- Create a Women's History Month Bulletin Board

Created by Stephanie M. Icenogle, The Creative Classroom ©2024

All rights reserved by author.

Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.