Earth Day 2026 Teaching Resources
Teach your primary students about Earth Day in 2026 with printables, worksheets, activities, crafts and more about being kind to planet Earth and the importance of sustainability.
This collection of teacher-created resources for maths and science teachers and other primary subjects touches on a variety of eco-friendly themes, including sustainability, environmental impact and recycling. Most resources are curriculum-aligned and editable, so you can differentiate work for individual students, and each has undergone rigorous review by an expert teacher on the Teach Starter team.
Teaching Earth Day for the first time this year, or need a quick guide to the 2026 holiday? Read on for tips from our teacher team!
When Is Earth Day 2026?
Earth Day is held on the same date each year, which means this year, the holiday will be on the 22nd of April 2026. This is a Wednesday.
What Is the Theme of Earth Day 2026?
Following the Earth Day theme — chosen annually by EarthDay.org — can help you focus your lesson planning to save time and have the greatest impact on your students.
The 2026 theme is Our Power, Our Planet, opening the door to talk about renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal and tidal, to generate clean electricity for everyone.
How Do You Explain Earth Day to a Child?
Depending on the year level you are teaching this school year, explaining the state of our planet can be a challenge. So, how do you touch on the importance of being green and sustainability in kid-friendly ways?
First, you may want to consider why it's so important that our students learn about Earth Day in the first place. Earth Day is an important opportunity for children to learn about the environment, the importance of conservation and sustainability, and to understand their role as active citizens.
Among the issues that kids are learning when you teach about Earth Day in the classroom:
- Environmental education: Learning about Earth Day helps students understand the importance of protecting the environment and preserving natural resources for future generations.
- Climate change: Understanding the impacts of climate change and how to reduce carbon footprint can be started in elementary school, and have a real impact as kids grow up
- Active citizenship: Children learning about Earth Day are learning about how they can make a difference in their own community, such as recycling, conserving energy, and protecting endangered species.
- Interdependence: Learning about Earth Day also helps children understand that everything in the world is interconnected and how our actions can have a direct impact on the planet.
- Encouraging curiosity and creativity: Earth Day promotes curiosity and creativity in children, leading them to want to explore and learn more about the world around them.
What Can Students Do on Earth Day?
This collection is full of activities you can use with your students this Earth Day, and here are some things primary schools can do to mark this important annual event:
- Get Planting at School — If you don't already have one, you might use Earth Day as an excuse to create a school garden and teach your class about the benefits of planting fresh plants, flowers and trees.
- Clean-Up Litter Around the Community — Organise a clean-up event to pick up litter in the school's community.
- Amp Up Recycling Efforts — Encourage your students to do more to keep rubbish out of landfills by setting up recycling stations around the school or in your classroom.
- Conserve Energy — You may be fresh off of Earth Hour, but you can still educate students about energy conservation and encourage them to turn off lights and unplug electronics when they're not in use.
- Enjoy Nature — Organise a nature walk around the school or in a nearby park. Your class can learn about different types of plants and animals while they enjoy fresh air.
- Bring in a Guest — Invite an expert to speak to the class about environmental issues and what kids can do to help.
- Get Creative With Reuse — Your class can make artwork using recycled materials and learn about how these items can be transformed into something new and beautiful.
- Experiment — Conduct a science experiment in your science classes related to an environmental issue, and learn about how we can make a difference.
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Comprehension Worksheets - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Read to learn about the Great Pacific Garbage patch with a printable reading comprehension worksheet pack.
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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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Develop a Habitat - Garden Project
A project-based assessment task for students to demonstrate their understanding of how habitats can be preserved and protected in and around where people live.
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Sustainability Activity - Caring for the Environment
Promote sustainable living with a sustainability sorting activity.
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How Can We Help Our Planet Mini Book
Help your students learn about how to keep our planet clean with a printable Earth Day book.
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Save the Planet - Kids Mini Book
Teach your students to reduce, reuse, and recycle with a printable Save the Planet kid's book.
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Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Poster and Worksheet
Explore how to reduce your carbon footprint with this poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
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How to Save Water Poster and Worksheet Pack
Teach your students ways to save water with a printable poster and worksheet pack.
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Amazon Rainforest Facts - Reading Passage
Read and learn about conservation with a reading passage and comprehension worksheet on the Amazon Rainforest.
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink and Repair - Brainstorming Sheets
Brainstorm All the Ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle with a pack of printable brainstorming worksheets.
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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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Overfishing – Infographic Poster and Worksheet
Explore overfishing and its effects on marine environments with this eye-opening infographic poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
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Happy Earth Day Colouring Pages
Give your students these fun Earth Day colouring sheets to promote sustainability and conservation.
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What Are Natural Resources? PowerPoint
A teaching presentation that explores what natural resources are and where they come from.
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Earth Day - Acrostic Poem Template Pack
An acrostic poem template to use in the classroom to celebrate Earth Day and National Poetry Month.
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Earth Day Comprehension and Cloze Worksheets
Enhance your students' comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills with this nonfiction Earth Day passage and accompanying activities.
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Rubbish Bin Posters - Rubbish, Recycling and Compost
Posters outlining what can be put in the different types of bins.
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Wildlife Conservation Vocabulary Words
Build academic vocabulary with a printable Wildlife Conservation Vocabulary word wall.
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Earth Day Mobile - Craft Template
Inspire your students to reduce, reuse, and recycle with a fun Earth Day craft project.
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Deforestation – Infographic Poster and Worksheet
Read and learn about deforestation with an engaging infographic and comprehension worksheet.
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Building Sentences Earth Day Worksheet (F-1)
Build and write sentences about Earth Day with a printable Earth Day Worksheet for Foundation Year.
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Earth Day Write the Room - Kindergarten/Foundation
Help your young students learn and write about Earth Day with an Earth Day Write The Room Kindergarten Activity Pack.
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Earth Day Activity Wheel
Encourage students to get involved in environmental responsibility with this collection of 8 Earth Day activities that focus on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences.
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Why Should We Compost? Poster
Use this poster set to explain why it is important to compost food scraps.