Earth Day Is The Perfect Time For Science

April brings us Citizen Science Month and Earth Day—that means it’s the perfect time to get outside, explore nature, and even help real scientists with their research! You don’t need to be an expert, just someone who enjoys spending time outdoors and making discoveries. This collection of activities offers opportunities to connect with nature, whether you’re designing your own frog species or tackling urban flooding challenges. These projects aren’t just educational, they’re genuinely fun and meaningful ways to develop your skills as community scientists and environmental stewards.

Plus, you can join the One Million Acts of Science Challenge happening right now. More than 500,000 people just like you are recording nature observations, sharing photos, and helping scientists gather important information. Because science isn’t just something that happens in labs—it happens everywhere, and everyone can be part of it!

Take A Hike: Exploring Nature With Kids
Use these tips to safely explore the great outdoors on a family hike while building your observation skills. All ages, 15 minutes to 1 hour, Life Science

Build Pitfall Traps To Observe Insects And More
Learn to make a simple pitfall trap to safely capture, observe, and identify arthropods like insects and spiders. No bugs were harmed in the making of this project! All ages, 15 minutes to 1 hour, Life Science

Birding As A Gateway to Environmental Education
Get tips and tricks for exploring birding and environmental education with learners in this story about the For The Birds! program. Grades 3 to 5, 15 minutes to 1 hour, Environmental Science

Make A Home For Microbes To Understand Their Behavior
Build a home for microbes as you create a Winogradsky column, a simple ecosystem for bacteria and other microorganisms. Grades 6 to 8, Multi-day, Life Science

Make Ancient Ink With The Help Of Oak Tree Parasites
Bring history to life through biology and chemistry as you make iron oak gall ink (just like Leonardo da Vinci). Grades 6 to 8, 1 to 2 days, Chemistry

Investigate Biodiversity As You Design A Frog
Design a frog species of your own as you learn about the many ways frogs and toads adapt to their environment. All Ages, 15 min to 1 hour, Environmental Science

Down The Drain: How Water Journeys Through City Sewers
Investigate how water travels through city sewers and impacts the environment. Then, experiment to address urban flooding and pollution. Grades 3 to 8, 15 min to 1 hour, Life Science & Earth Science

Engineering A Fix For The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Students will consider the impact of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the environment and marine life—and design a waste-catching device. Grades 6 to 8, Multi-day, Engineering and Technology

Environmental Justice: Evaluating Zip Codes And Pollution Burdens
Who bears the pollution burden? Use data to determine the pollution burden for a community and the systems that contribute to environmental injustice. Grades 9 to 12, 1 to 2 hours, Environmental Science

Mission Rehydrate: Water For A Thirsty Planet
Discover how astronauts recycle water on the International Space Station, then build and test your own filter to address real-world environmental issues. Grades 6 to 8, 45 to 90 minutes, Environmental Science

Mission Sensor Watch: Cool Your Community
Investigate climate science using ECOSTRESS imagery from the International Space Station. Then, hunt for heat islands and design solutions to cool your community. Grades 6 to 8, 45 to 90 minutes, Physical Science

Rewards And Neurotransmitters: How Games Can Affect Your Brain
Discover the ways reward systems like games, puzzles, and escape rooms can encourage positive or negative behaviors. Then get involved in great community science projects that use games to help neuroscience research. Grades 6-8, 15 minutes to 1 hour, Life Science

• Science Friday’s Earth Day Spotlight features great stories to inspire you to make Earth Day every day.
• Visit SciStarter for projects or check out Science Friday’s curated list of Community Science activities and media. Whether you teach kindergarteners or high schoolers, there’s something to spark inquiry and wonder in everyone.
• This downloadable list of Science Friday Resources for Community Science features hands-on activities for all ages, exciting reporting, and science stories that will engage and inspire anyone.
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