Enrichment Lesson Plan
By. Breanna Boddy
Lesson: Earth Day Length: 45 minutes Grade Intended: K-5
Date: April 22nd
Description: Dreamers will create bird feeders out of recycled materials and decorate them
with an Earth Day theme.
Objectives: Dreamers will learn about the three R’s and how to incorporate them into their
lives. Dreamers will make bird feeders to help them understand “reusing” products.
Materials:
25 small milk cartons (donated from Mapleton school district’s nutritional services.)
Paint and paintbrushes for decorating
Scissors
Bird Seed
25 bags (for bird seed to take home)
25 pieces of string for hanging
Teacher Preparation:
Cut slits into cartons to help them cut a hole.
Draw rectangles for cutting on cartons
Hole punch top of cartons to put yarn through.
Cut pieces of yarn 30 inches long
Prepare paint and other decorations
Bag birdseed
Activity:
4:30pm Introduction
Adult asks Dreamers what they know about Earth day
Adult explains how what earth day is all about.
- Show what pollution can do to the earth with pictures. Explain how polluting the earth can
hurt us and animals - what can each one of us do to help? Explain the three R’s. Introduce
the activity: So today, we will be making homemade bird feeders! We will be re-using milk
cartons by transforming them into bird feeders! This activity will help all keep the earth clean
because we won’t be wasting these milk cartons, and we will be feeding birds in the
process! Explain why birds are important for our earth: It is important that we take care of
our birds because they do a lot for this earth and us! Does anybody know some of the
things that birds do for us? – They help pollinate flowers and distribute seeds giving us plants
and food.
4:35pm
-Pass out newspaper and have kids cover tables
-Adult passes out one milk carton and pens per dreamer
-Dreamers write their names on the bottom of the milk carton
4:40pm
-Pass out scissors
-Have dreamers cut out the pre-drawn rectangle
4:45pm
Pass out yarn and have them tie it around the hole punched hole.
Walk around and help students.
4:50pm
Adult passes paint colors and utensils to dreamers
4:55pm
Adult explains that each student must decorate their milk cartons using
the paints handed to them. The students are to paint their favorite
outdoor scenes on the milk cartons. (Give them ideas like Mountains,
flowers, sunsets, oceans, trees, forests, animals etc.)
5:15pm
Dreamers line up to go wash their hands
5:20pm
Clean Up
(Leave cartons to dry overnight)
5:25pm
Reflection
What do birds do for our earth?
How did our activity today fit into the three Rs?
How can we help to make our earth cleaner in the future?
5:30pm
Line Up
Dreamers can pick take home the bird feeders and baggies of
birdseed the next day of dreamers.
Milk Carton Instructions:
1. Cut a hole in the milk carton that is big enough for the bird to put its head in and eat..
2. Hole punch top of carton for the yarn to go through. Tie the yarn.
3. Paint the carton.
4. Hang on tree or house
5. Pour bird seed in the carton
Resource:
http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/institute/lesson-clearinghouse/474-Milk-Carton-BirdFeeder.html