As young learners grow, it's important to start opening up  their sense of responsibility towards the world around them. One of the best ways to do that is by teaching them about environmental awareness from an early age. Kids Academy has  engaging, interactive classrooms, where children can explore Earth friendly topics through videos, quizzes, and games, created to create curiosity and responsible action.

To quickly introduce your kids to the topic, show them our video explaining what Earth Day is and how we celebrate it. 

Today’s Daily Knowledge Boost is a group of  lessons that explore sustainability,  the importance of natural resources and what we can do to help the  planet.These topics will build science knowledge and help kids understand that even small actions can have an impact.

All lessons are accessible via the Kids Academy Classroom platform. Educators and parents can use ready made lessons, assign them to learners, and track their progress easily.

Lesson 1: Natural Resources

In this lesson, students are introduced to the basics of what natural resources are and why they’re essential. Through colorful visuals and child-friendly explanations, children learn to distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources, and reflect on how they’re used in everyday life.

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Activity Overview:

• Types of Resources: Children watch a short lesson to identify different natural resources such as water, air, and soil.
• Natural Resources Worksheet: Learners identify which items are natural resources and which are man made in a drag and drop activity.
• Natural Resources Water Worksheet: Children will review the many ways we use water in daily life. 
• Natural Resources Soil Worksheet: Review the natural resource soil. Children will identify the ways people use soil in everyday life.

Brain Break

Get your learners up and moving with this Save the Earth running brain break! Students will move their bodies and think about ways to protect the Earth. 

Lesson 2: Natural Resources 2

This lesson will help  children identify natural resources and understand how we use them in everyday life. Like in the previous lessons, learners will explore  water, soil, trees, and oil, learning the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources.They’ll practice sorting items based on the natural resource it came from and our need for it.

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Activity Overview:

• Class Supplies and Natural Resources Worksheet: Children will name the objects they see around them, and identify the natural resource it is created from. 
• Man-Made or Natural Worksheet: Students match each item to whether the natural resource is man-made or natural. 

Brain Break

Students can sing along in this brain break and review what natural resources are and how we need them. 

Lesson 3: What Do Plants Need?

This lesson helps learners understand the basic needs of plants: sunlight, air, water, and soil, and why it’s important to protect these resources in nature. Students are guided  to think about what happens when those needs aren’t met.

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Activity Overview:

• What Do Plants Need to Grow Worksheet: Students will review what plants need to grow and then circle each resource needed.
• What is Photosynthesis Printable: Intrigue your child with a diagram about how trees and plants can make their own food using the air around them.
• In the Garden Coloring Page: Have students utilize their prior knowledge and connect the scene on the page and color what they have seen grow in their everyday life. 
• Plant Fun Worksheet: Learners can stay engaged with a fun maze where children can identify the things we need to do for plants to grow strong and healthy.
  
  

Brain Break

Take a break and review what plants need to survive. Learners will get their bodies moving while still thinking about plants and their necessities. 

Lesson 4: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink

This lesson goes beyond just teaching the “3 R’s” it introduces students to a fourth concept: Rethink. Children explore how they can make better choices for the environment, from recycling paper to reusing containers and rethinking everyday habits.

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Activity Overview:

• Recycling Video: A story style video teaches the 4Rs through relatable scenarios.
• Recycle Maze Worksheet: Students will learn how and what to recycle with this fun activity where they help a boy find his way to the right recycling bin. 
• Recycle Sort  Worksheet: This engaging worksheet will have students sort between glass/plastic and paper items.
• Reduce,Reuse, Recycle, Rethink Worksheet: Review what recycling is and identify who is helping out the planet or not.
   

Want to go deeper? Explore this thoughtful article with your learners: Ecological Awareness: Raising Earth-Friendly Kids. It provides extra insights and tips for raising children who think critically about their environmental impact.

Lesson 5: Scarcity

This economics themed lesson introduces  scarcity and helps students understand why it's important to use resources wisely. It creates the foundation for sustainable thinking and responsible decision making. Children will learn about  resources being limited and the importance of conserving them. 

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Activity Overview:

• Scarcity and Conservation Video: Children explore examples of scarcity using kid friendly situations.
• Natural Resources Coloring Page Worksheet: Have fun coloring a fun outdoor scene that displays many of our planet's natural resources.
• Natural Resources: Water Worksheet: An engaging worksheet where learners can review the many ways we use water in our daily life. 
• Water Scarcity Worksheet: Learners are reminded of the many things we use water for on a daily basis. This worksheet can teach more about the importance of water. 

Bonus Lesson:  Earth Day Fun

For hands-on ideas DIY Earth Day ideas, check out this article: Earth Day Activities for Kids. It has many fun crafts, science experiments, and eco friendly games to celebrate our planet!

Whether you’re introducing new simple science concepts or motivating  kids to make a difference, these lessons offer a meaningful way to engage children in environmental education. Want more like this? Don’t miss the curated collections in our Classroom series: Explore More Lesson Collections in Our Classroom Blog Section!