Sustainability Teaching Resources
Make teaching sustainability easy this school year with printable worksheets, activities for kids, lesson plans and more — all created by teachers for your primary classroom.
This teaching resource collection is aligned with the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priority to help your students build a more sustainable future!
Each resource was designed to help your students understand how they can implement sustainable practices in the classroom and at home.
Our teacher team has carefully reviewed and curated each resource to ensure your students will be armed with information on everything from composting to conservation, as well as how to reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and repair.
Tackling this topic for the first time in your classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Sustainability? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Sustainability is a cross-curriculum priority in the Australian Curriculum and for a good reason. Primary school is an important time to begin talking to students about sustainability as we can instill these practices early and make them into lifelong habits. But explaining this concept to kids can be tricky.
Here's a kid-friendly sustainability definition we like to use to explain its meaning to our students:
Sustainability is the ability to meet someone's current needs without hurting the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs.
On a more technical level, sustainability represents a holistic approach to addressing environmental, social and economic challenges in a way that supports long-term well-being and resilience.
This often includes practices such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving natural resources, and promoting social equity.
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Human Impact on the Environment-Research Project
Uncover how humans positively and negatively impact the different biomes around the world with a guided research project.
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What is Pollution? Guided Note-Taking Worksheets
Provide your learners with an organised note-taking method with a pack of Pollution note-taking templates.
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What Can We Recycle? Cut and Paste Worksheet
Remember what to recycle with a cut-and-paste worksheet.
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How Do We Use Natural Resources? Concept Map Worksheet
Help your students uncover the ways that humans use natural resources with a concept map.
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Renewable Energy Word Search
Review science vocabulary terms with an engaging renewable energy word search.
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How is Plastic Recycled? – Recycling Worksheets
Explore the process of recycling plastic with a printable recycling worksheet.
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Match It Up! Natural Resources – Worksheet
Match natural resources with how they are used with the help of this worksheet.
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Our Natural and Built Environments - Poster Pack
Poster with definitions and examples of natural and built environments.
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Environmental Awareness Flip Book - Earth Day Activity
Use this flip book to build awareness of actions that are good and bad for the environment.
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National Tree Day – Environment Word Search
Print a word search to use on National Tree Day or Earth Day to help your students learn about conservation.
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Recycling Craft - We Recycle Because...
Write about why we recycle and create this recycling craft to display in the classroom.
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Conservation T-Shirt Challenge
An engaging, creative task where students design their own t-shirt promoting the conservation of the Amazon rainforest.
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I Promise To... Earth Day Flip Book Craft
Make a promise to protect the planet with a printable Earth Day flip book.
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Energy Saving Reminders
Inspire your students to conserve electricity with these energy-saving reminders that can be placed around the classroom.
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How We Use Natural Resources Printable Book
Read and learn about how we use natural resources with a printable mini-book.
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Natural Resources Task Cards - Journal Writing Prompts
Integrate science and writing while responding to specific scenarios regarding natural resources with this set of 24 journal task cards.
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My Ecological Footprint Worksheet
A worksheet which will have the students evaluate their ecological footprint and compare it with the class.
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Ecological Footprint Draw and Write
Help your students be more eco-conscious by having them complete a carbon footprint worksheet.
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Being Water Wise - Saving Water Poster Project
Learn and demonstrate knowledge about water conservation with a "Being Water Wise" poster project.
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Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources – Crossword Puzzle
Reinforce science vocabulary with a renewable and nonrenewable resources crossword puzzle.
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Natural Resources Task Cards
Answer questions about natural resources and their uses with this set of 16 task cards.
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Natural Resources – Exit Tickets
Assess student understanding of natural resources with this set of exit tickets.
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Natural Resources Vocabulary Worksheets
Practise and review vocabulary terms associated with natural resources with this worksheet pack.
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Classroom Practices to Promote A Green Future - A Teacher's Guide
An 18 page teacher's guide on how to drive a sustainably friendly classroom!
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Recycling Word Search
Build your students’ vocabulary around the topic of recycling with this recycling-themed word search.
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National Tree Day – The Green Bridge – A Science Investigation
A science investigation embedded in a real-world context, where students design a habitat to meet the needs of specific animals.
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Natural Resources Mini Book
Learn about natural resources with this printable mini-book.
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Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources – Board Game
Answer questions related to renewable and nonrenewable resources with this printable board game.
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Student Lunch Box Audit - Reducing Waste Project
An investigation that will have students calculating the waste produced from their lunch boxes, creating a plan of action to reduce their waste and reflecting on their results.
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Energy Saving Tips for the Classroom – Poster
A poster displaying some helpful tips for saving energy in the classroom.
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Sustainability Quote Poster Number 8
"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." - Edward Everett Hale
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Classroom Energy Audit Worksheet
An investigation that will have students observing the energy usage in their classroom and proposing action to reduce energy waste.