7 Earth Day Activities for Middle and High School Students

Earth Day is the perfect time to bring environmental science to life in your classroom. Whether you teach middle school or high school, students love Earth Day activities that make the day meaningful.

Earth Day, celebrated every year on April 22nd, is more than just a date on the calendar. This day is a great opportunity to teach students about environmental responsibility, sustainability, and the small actions they can take to make a big impact on our planet.

Here are seven great ways to celebrate Earth Day that don’t break the bank or involve you designing a garden at your school!

1. Earth Day Trivia Card Scavenger Hunt
   My favorite no prep activity, the Earth Day Trivia Scavenger Hunt, is a fantastic way to reinforce Earth Day learning while keeping students engaged. Hang 30 trivia cards outside school or in your hallway and classroom! Then challenge your students to find hidden fact cards that cover important topics like renewable energy, biodiversity, and recycling. Not only do they have fun moving around searching, but they also walk away with valuable knowledge!

2. Eco-Friendly Science Experiments

• Have students test the pH levels of rainwater and discuss acid rain- get water samples from creeks, ponds and rainwater. This experiment is a little more involved and takes some preplanning, but it is worth it if you can get the supplies. Teach Engineering has a great lesson here.

• Set up a mini composting station in your room and examine decomposition over time.  Details can be found here on Teach Starter (TES).

  3. Upcycled STEM Challenge
  Give students a box of recyclable materials and challenge them to create something new! You need to start collecting materials at least one week in advance. Cardboard boxes, empty water bottles and clean wrappers can all be used. (Be sure not to have any food materials that could trigger an allergy.) This activity is perfect for encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and discussions on waste reduction.

  4. DIY Seed Bomb Project
  Get hands-on with a simple seed bomb activity using clay, soil, and native wildflower seeds. Grab some seed packets from your local garden store and check out the easy DIY steps from This activity from “Julie Measures” is a great way to discuss plant life cycles, pollination, and the importance of biodiversity.

  5. Bird Data Collection

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/ is an outstanding organization that takes backyard bird watching seriously! They have a link just for educators that has lesson plans and additional resources for K-12 teachers! Their well-known citizen science bird count is  fantastic way to teach your students about data, patterns and biodiversity. Here is the link for more information. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/ebird-6-8/

6. Solar Oven Pizza Box-

Show your students how we can harness the energy of the sun to make smores! Science Buddies has a great lesson, along with a video to take you step by step through this project. While this does require some preparation and purchasing of items, check to see if parents or your Home & School Association would consider making donations to your class!  Build a Pizza Box Solar Oven.

7. Outdoor School Clean-Up-

Share the importance of taking care of our planet starting right outside your classroom door. Have your students wear gloves and go around your schoolyard and property picking up any trash that they find. Share prior stories from the Great Global Clean Up to motivate your students.

To make these lessons truly impactful, encourage students to take action beyond the classroom. Have them research local environmental projects, participate in a litter cleanup challenge, or brainstorm ways to make your school more sustainable.

Earth Day is the perfect time to blend fun, hands-on learning with science standards. Whether it’s through an Earth Day Scavenger Hunt, a STEM challenge, or a earth day experiment, your students will walk away with a greater appreciation for our planet and a sense of responsibility for its future.

What are your favorite Earth Day classroom activities?

Drop a comment and let’s share ideas!