Honoring Earth Day: Ideas for Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. Below are some activities and resources, designed to promote awareness of environmental concerns and provide ideas for active participation and involvement.
Nature Appreciation
These exercises may be used in the classroom to sensitize students to their natural surroundings and experience nature from a sensory perspective.
- Write open-ended questions on index cards designed to elicit memories and preferences about nature (What is your favorite animal, flower, bird? Would you rather go to the forest or the beach? Why?) Place the cards in a hat. Allow each student to pick a card and respond to the question.
-
Pass a
natural object (pine cone, sea shell, etc.) around the circle. Each student mentions a characteristic of the object based on touch/smell/possibly hearing. - Take a nature walk: Stop to smell, touch and listen.
Environmental Awareness and Response
Eco-Friendly Practices for the Classroom:
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Conduct Science or other classes outdoors.
- Have children bring own towel to use during the week instead of paper towels.
- Have children collect their own garbage in cloth bags for 1 day and then combine the trash of all students.
- Brainstorm ideas for cutting back on paper in classroom.
- Allow children to choose environmental project to research and present, hold a trash-a-thon.
http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/classroom_tips.htm
Audio Resources
NPR: Drought Threatens Navajo's Crops, Culture (All Things Considered Audio Broadcast)
Grades 4-12
Examines the impact of climate change on the traditional farming economy as well as the culture of the Navaho people in New Mexico. Droughts in the southwestern United States and global warming are causing rapid change in the culture of the Navajo nation: "All Things Considered" audio broadcast. Droughts in the southwestern United States and global warming are causing rapid change in the culture of the Navajo nation: "All Things Considered" audio broadcast. Droughts in the southwestern United States and global warming are causing rapid change in the culture of the Navajo nation: "All Things Considered" audio broadcast.
Books
Rachel Carson, Pioneer of Ecology
by Kathleen V. Kudlinski 
48 pages, Ages 7-11
Available from Seedlings in contracted braille
Dream The Forest Wild: How Children Saved a Rainforest
by Sue Memhard with Jim Crisp
Story may be read to children and then discussed. Book is designed to be illustrated by students and sold to raise money for the rainforest or school. Art project could be modified for students who are blind or visually impaired.
http://www.childrenoftheearth.org/Navy%20Pages/childrens_rainforest.htm
