“I appeal to all people everywhere to raise their voices. Speak out on behalf of this planet, our only home. Let us care for Mother Earth so she can continue to care for us as she has done for millennia.”

-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Earth Day falls on April 22^nd of every year.  It is recognized worldwide and honored with many events to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now celebrated in more than 192 countries each year. I’d like to share a poem I wrote in recognition of Earth Day.  Your thoughts, as always, are welcome.

It’s Time to Give Back

Mother walked along the seashore with her son.
The boy stopped to cool off in the water.
“This ocean was put here for you,” said Mother.
“To bathe you and nourish you and let you enjoy her embrace”

Mother walked through the forest with her daughter.
The girl stopped to cool off in the shade of a tree.
“These trees were put here for you,” said Mother.
“To feed you and teach you and give you a home.”

Mother walked across a meadow with her children.
The kids lay down to rest and gazed at the sky.
“The sun and air were put here for you,” said Mother.
“To warm you and refresh you and give you life.”

The children and Mother came upon an open field.
Heaps of trash, piles of debris, mountains of waste,
All lay where her land used to be.
The children, ashamed, bowed their heads and began,

“Mother, you have given us everything, from land to the sea.
You have fed us, clothed us, healed us if need be.
Consumed in our ways, we lost our path.
We need to do more – it’s time to give back.”

It’s Time to Give Back by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

In recognition of Earth Day, here are a few great reads to start up a conversation in the classroom – today or any day.

Big Earth, Little Me by Tom Wiley

Go Easy On Energy
by Lisa Bullard

Tyler is an energetic six-year-old who has been learning about energy use in school. Follow Tyler and his dog Pete throughout the day as they point out the ways people use energy and electricity, the problems that energy use creates for Earth, new sources of energy, and several ways to use less energy on a daily basis. Tyler invites readers to help conserve energy as one way to save the Earth.

Look out for Litter
by Lisa Bullard

Trina, an energetic six-year-old, learns about litter from her father. She tells readers about what she has learned during a trip to the beach, while pretending to be a pirate. Trina discovers many ways to prevent litter and reduce waste. She invites the reader to help him save Earth.

 
 
 

Look out for Litter
by Lisa Bullard

Online resources for lessons on Earth Day: http://mrsbrinkmansblog.blogspot.ca/search/label/Earth%20Day http://ateachableteacher.blogspot.ca/2014/04/free-earth-day-fold-snip-books.html