World Nature Conservation Day Lesson Plan Ideas

World Nature Conservation Day takes place on 28th July each year. This day was created to give recognition to how a healthy environment is the foundation of a productive and stable society. This day is perfect for teaching children how to protect, conserve and manage the earth’s natural resources. 

Everyone depends on natural resources such as air, water, food, minerals, animals, trees and gas. To enable the continuation of these resources various species must continue to exist: making conservation vital. In honour of this important day, we have put together a list of our top 5 nature topics, with lesson ideas for each one. 

Our Top 5 topics

Glaciers

There are a number of informative videos that explain what and how a glacier is formed available for free on YouTube. 

Important topics to cover include:

• What is a glacier? 
  
• How does it form? 
  
• What will happen if they all melt? 
  
• How the Greenhouse Effect is causing our glaciers to melt. 
  

Children may also be interested in hearing tales of Antarctic exploration.

Click here for some more great ideas and useful handouts. 

Endangered Species

Most people love animals and so endangered animals is always a popular topic.

There are lots of amazing animals that are already extinct such as the dinosaurs, hast eagle, moa, sea cow, dodo etc. Children love learning about these animals that they will never be able to see in real life.  

There are lots of endangered species that the children can learn about. An up to date list can be found on the following website: World Wildlife 

Trees

Trees are critical for a healthy and vibrant environment. Planting trees helps make cities clean and green, but protecting the trees we already have may be even more important: large mature trees provide many more benefits than smaller young trees. 

The children can also learn how they can help to preserve the trees such as consuming fewer paper products and recycling. 

To find out more about how children can help save the tree’s visit the following websites:

http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Trees

http://goexplorenature.com/2013/04/7-ways-kids-can-help-save-trees.html 

Local wildlife

Take the class for a walk, it doesn’t have to be far it could just be around the school grounds looking for wildlife and insects. Create a list of wildlife you know can be found around the grounds and get the children to search for them and draw a picture when they have found them. 

Recycling

It is important to explain that landfills take up valuable space and some waste (like plastic bags and bottles) make their way into wild habitats or the huge swirls of trash found out at sea, with negative consequences to animal life.

How can the children help?

• Many towns and cities have a recycling program in place. 
  
• Create the same coloured bins for the classroom. 
  
• Buy products and food without packaging whenever possible. 
  
• Take your own bags to the supermarket. 
  
• Donate used toys, books, games, clothing, etc., to hospitals, shelters, day-cares, or charities.
  
• Before throwing something out, consider creative ways of reusing it.