Earth day is April 22nd and our Cub Scout Handbooks
arrived just in time to provide some inspiration. One of our boys is working toward Wolf rank
and the other toward Bear. Each handbook
has a required achievement that encourages scouts to take care of their
planet. So, for Earth Day we’ll be picking
up litter in our campground, planting a tree, discussing ways to conserve
energy, and reading books about protecting the environment. Join us, or try one of these Earth day ideas…
Earth's
Colors:
To make
natural earth colors, you'll need red cabbage, beets, celery tops, carrot tops,
and vinegar. Simmer each vegetable in
water. Drain, saving the liquids. Mix one tablespoon of vinegar into each
liquid, and let cool. Let the children use the natural colors and brushes to
paint a large piece of muslin or cotton fabric. Let dry and hand in the
playroom for all to see.
Trash
Collage:
Use throw
away paper, labels, scraps cut from junk mail, everything you can find that is
typically thrown away - to make a collage.
Movie:
The movie Nim's Island (now in theaters) tells the
story of a young girl named Nim, who lives on a tropical island in the
South Pacific with her father, Jack, and her animal friends.
Nim and Jack live on the island without disrupting its natural beauty. They use
solar panels to power their home, collect rain water for their household use
and grow or fish all the things they need to survive. In the movie, Nim writes to Alex asking for
her help to protect her favorite place and animal buddies. Your kids can do the
same!
Writing a letter lets them tell other people about something they think is
important. They can write to a local business, a newspaper or an elected official--such
as a city council member, a mayor, a state or federal representative, or
even the President. This is a great time to teach them about a persuasive
letter – one that tries to get someone to do something by helping them to
understand your point of view. Take your
child to see the movie (for inspiration) then have him/her pick
a favorite place or animal and write to a decision maker, expressing why they
should be protected. Teach them how to
use their words to make a difference! {mos_fb_discuss:27}
