Earth Day STEM Activities for Middle School

Earth Day is one of my favorite days to celebrate with middle school students. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the importance of STEM and how it applies to real-world problems. Check out these Earth Day STEM activities and make an awesome plan for Earth Day!

Short on time? Grab ready-to-go Earth Day activities here!

1. Design Solutions for Environmental Challenges

Earth Day is a great time to engage students in environmental science STEM challenges. The big, real-world problems (e.g., global warming, microplastics, air pollution, deforestation, etc.) will grab your middle schoolers’ attention. Then, they’ll be ready to take action!

Want to get started right away? Here are some student-tested STEM projects for middle school that have been huge hits in my classroom:

• Design and build water filtration systems
• Create wind-powered cars (grab my ready-made Wind-Powered Car Challenge!)
• Experiment with making recycled paper

These hands-on Earth Day STEM activities let students see immediate results while understanding larger environmental impacts.

2. Explore Environmental Science Through Documentary Film

What could be better than a movie day that fully engages your students and helps them consider the beauty of nature? Here are some of my favorite movies that check all the middle school boxes.

For Nature-Lovers:

• One Strange Rock (2018): This documentary television series by National Geographic explores the unique and interconnected nature of Earth’s natural systems. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of the planet, from its formation and geology to the importance of the oceans and the impact of humans on the environment.
• My Octopus Teacher (2020): This Oscar-winning documentary follows the relationship between a filmmaker and an octopus in the South African kelp forest. Your students will observe the octopus’ life cycle and her daily struggles and triumphs in the kelp forest ecosystem. Captivating!
• The Pollinators (2019): This film explores the commercial honeybee industry and the connection between pollinators and our food supply. Honeybees and native pollinators face many threats throughout the country. Students will be inspired to do their part to “save the bees!”

Explore Human Impacts on the Environment:

• A Plastic Ocean (2016): In this eye-opening documentary, students will learn about the impact of humans on the environment. They will explore the issue of disposable plastic products and the resulting environmental and health challenges.
• The Biggest Little Farm (2018): This film follows a family leaving their big city life and creating a biodiverse, self-sustaining farm. Students will learn about the importance of biodiversity in ecosystems while becoming emotionally invested in the lives of the people and animals on this special farm.
• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019): This film is based on the true story of 14-year-old William Kamkwamba. Follow his journey to end the drought plaguing his community by bringing wind power to his town in Malawi. Students will see William use the engineering design process to create a solution to a real-world problem and the role perseverance plays in the process.

Pro Tip: Make movie time even more meaningful with my ready-to-go movie guides for each film!

3. Lead a Campus Clean-Up Challenge

Turn environmental stewardship into an exciting competition! Organize a clean-up event that combines physical activity, environmental education, and friendly competition. Here’s how:

1. Partner with your PTO or local businesses for supplies (gloves and bags)
2. Connect the activity to watershed education
3. Create team challenges: Most bags filled, most pounds collected, most unusual items found, etc.

4. Research Environmental Issues and Take a Stand

Let students dive deep into environmental issues that matter to them. This independent earth day activity for middle school combines research skills with environmental awareness:

1. Choose an environmental challenge (climate change, pollinator decline, deforestation)
2. Research potential solutions
3. Analyze pros and cons
4. Present findings through engaging posters, research papers, class presentations, and debates!

Ready to get started? Check out my ready-to-go environmental science research and writing activities!

Ready to Make Earth Day Amazing?

Don’t let Earth Day catch you unprepared! Transform your classroom into a hub of environmental discovery with these proven middle school Earth Day STEM activities.