Brought to you by Blue Apple
Engage students with FREE lessons connected to current events with Blue Apple Timely Topics. Each topic offers a series of four 15-minute mini-lessons designed to boost curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.
With threats to our planet constantly in the news, it’s no wonder that kids today are worried about their world. As teachers, we can help students appreciate our incredible planet while empowering them to take action to care for it. Sound like a big project? It is. But these free 15-minute mini-lessons can help. With Earth Explorers Timely Topic lessons from Blue Apple, you get four free activities that teach kids about our Earth in an open-ended, exploratory way. Do one or do them all … the choice is up to you!
Lesson 1: Learn About Earth Using an Interactive World Map
- What it’s all about: Using an interactive world map, students click on different areas and animals to learn about Earth’s different biomes.
- Why kids will love it: Everyone loves a virtual adventure! And this resource contains multiple virtual topic explorations for each of the planet’s biomes.
- Don’t miss: The Scavenger Hunt! It’s fun to click around, but this gives your students more of a structure. Plus, it has fun questions like “Which animal forms groups called ‘waddles’?” and “Which animal has a stomach that’s often half full of sand?”
Lesson 2: Create Found Art
- What it’s all about: Upcycling! Students collect trash items from home or around the classroom or school to create a piece of art.
- Why kids will love it: Who doesn’t enjoy turning trash into treasure?
- Don’t miss: The Found Art inspiration resource for kids who are stuck.
Lesson 3: Explore Hazards to the Planet’s Health
- What it’s all about: Students explore the perils our planet faces with an interactive adventure.
- Why kids will love it: Your students are looking for answers about what’s happening to the environment. They’ll find many of them here.
- Don’t miss: Tons of student-friendly, curated resources to allow students to follow their curiosity about any of these hazards to our home!
Lesson 4: Take Action by Creating a PSA or Writing a Letter
- What it’s all about: Students select from three open-ended options for taking action for our planet.
- Why kids will love it: It’s reassuring for young people to know that they’re not powerless. Here they get concrete ideas of what they can do to help.
- Don’t miss: The public service announcement is a great, outside-of-the-box option for sharing what students learned.
Ready to try these activities? Download the Earth Explorers Timely Topic lessons.
And be sure to check out all of Blue Apple’s free Timely Topic lessons available as well. New lessons are added all the time!
