Earth Rocks! Notable SAFARI Montage Earth Day Resources

Earth Day, celebrated every year on April 22, commemorates the emergence of the modern environmental movement in 1970 by recognizing the many things that we can all do to help keep the Earth clean and healthy. To help kickstart your Earth Day lesson planning, we’ve compiled a list of SAFARI Montage resources that provide background information about Earth Day and offer ideas for making our world a healthier place.

NEW! Brain Breaks in the Classroom: Earth Day Exercises for Kids! - This video from Go with YoYo presents Earth Day-themed exercises in which children spin like Earth and move like an animal. Hosted on YouTube. Grades PreK-2.

NEW! Gaylord Nelson: A Vision for the Earth - This video presents a brief biography of environmentalist Gaylord Nelson, who was governor of Wisconsin from 1959 to 1963, served in the United States Senate from 1963 to 1981, and founded Earth Day in 1970. Hosted on the YouTube Channel: PBS Wisconsin Education. Grades 3-6.

NEW! Sesame Street: Dear Earth: Earth Day Song with Elmo and Friends - This video from Sesame Street presents an Earth Day Song that celebrates the planet for its ability to support life and asks children to promise to take care of it. Hosted on YouTube. Grades PreK-1.

Earth Day (Schlessinger Media)?- Students will learn the story behind the first Earth Day in 1970, the great idea of U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, and the increasing support that this special day has received since then. Discover some different ways to celebrate Earth Day -- from recycling to composting to planting trees. English/Spanish. Grades K-4.

Earth Days: The Seeds of a Revolution (PBS)?- American Experience traces the dawn and development of the modern environmental movement, from its origins in the 1950s and the 1962 publication of Rachel Carson's ''Silent Spring'' to the first Earth Day in 1970 and the political action that followed. Using personal testimony and rare archival footage, the program explores humanity's complex relationship with nature, along with the revolutionary achievements and missed opportunities in the history of eco-activism. Grades 7-Adult.

Sid the Science Kid: The Dirt on Dirt (The Jim Henson Company) - In an Earth Day themed episode, Sid wants to know what makes dirt so dirty. At school, Sid and his friends discover that dirt is really important to the Earth because it helps things grow, and it's also filled with tiny rocks, pieces of leaves, and even living things like bugs and worms! Grades PreK-1.

Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures: Happy Earth Day (Janson Media)?- The kids learn about Earth Day, as well as the causes and effects of pollution. Betsy, Billy and friends learn that they can help by picking up trash and recycling. Grades PreK-K.

The Magic School Bus: In The Rainforest (Scholastic)?– In celebration of Earth Day, the kids surprise Ms. Frizzle with a cocoa tree from the Rainforest Rental catalog. When the tree's cocoa bean harvest falls short, it's time for a tropical field trip. The whole class is hot on the trail of how cocoa pods, mud puddles and tiny bugs all play a part in the rainforest's ecosystem. Based on the best-selling book series by Joanna Cole with illustrations by Bruce Degen. Grades PreK-5.

Schoolhouse Rock! Earth (Disney Educational) - Children will learn about the environment and ''green'' topics in this musical program. Twelve animated songs introduce students to ecological concepts and issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, energy and resource conservation, the importance of the rainforest, water pollution, ecosystems, renewable energy sources and carbon footprints. Grades K-8.

Earth and You (Visual Learning Systems) - What are some of the things everyone can do to help the planet? This program explores a wide variety of practical, easy-to-accomplish tasks we can do to make Earth a healthier place. Pollution prevention, natural resource use and recycling are some of the key ideas highlighted. Grades K-3.

If You’re a Kid: Earth Day Remix (Harry Kindergarten)?– Presents ''If You're a Kid (Earth Day Remix),'' a song about ways to ''go green'' and protect the environment. Grades PreK-2.

Adam Rome: Earth Day 1970: The Teach-In that made the Green Generation (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History)?- Historian Adam Rome discusses the first Earth Day teach-in in 1970, how it came about, and why it can be seen as an important event in the history of the environmental movement in the United States.?Grades 7-Adult.