The twelve months have so many observances, you might not be aware that April is Keep America Beautiful month; in other words, it’s officially a reason to take advantage of the nice weather and do some good in the community with your students.

Here are a list of resources to get you started from Education World and beyond.

Turn a Community Clean-Up Into a Lesson Plan 

Of course, one of the best ways to “Keep America Beautiful” using classroom efforts is by organizing a community clean-up. But rather than just being willy-nilly about it, Education World has a lesson plan for you to reference in order to turn the efforts into an even more meaningful project.

This reason includes three different lesson plan ideas and suggestions gear up for the activity, including ideas like having students write reactions to the event and evaluating student participation.

Plant a Classroom Garden

Plant some in-season veggies with the help of your class to create a classroom garden. Nothing better than embracing the outdoors and planting

Many experts agree that planting is a therapeutic activity for children that encourages a healthy relationship with nature--a surefire way to get children wanting to keep America beautiful forever,

And even aside from that, teaching children how to plant their own food also provides them with a healthy outlook on food, showing them that the joy of growing and eating food that is good for the body. 

Here’s a list of veggies in season right now:

• Lettuce
• Chard
• Radishes
• Collard greens
• Mustard greens
• Carrots
• Kale
• Spinach
• Peas
• Spring Mix
• Beets
• Potatoes

Teach About the Importance of Climate Change Science

Surprising statistics have come out recently indicating many science teachers are teaching the wrong information about climate change science!

Since being informed about climate change science is an important part of ensuring that the next generation of influencers are informed, take a little time this month to give students a little run-down on why it’s important to care about the Earth.

Some resources to use:

NASA’s Climate Kids

The National Center for Science Education

National Science Teachers Association

Let us know your suggested resources in the comments.

Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor