5 Earth Day STEM Activities K–5 Teachers Can Use This Week

A free guide from the Maryville Center for Access and Achievement

Earth Day is one of the best opportunities of the school year to bring real, meaningful STEM learning into your classroom — and you don't need a big budget or a science degree to pull it off.

These five activities are designed for K–5 classrooms using everyday maker materials. Each one connects to common curriculum standards, sparks curiosity, and gives your students a chance to think, build, and problem-solve like real scientists and engineers.

The best part? You can use them this week.

Activity 1: Seed Bomb Makers 🌱

Best for: Grades K–3 Time: 45–60 minutes Standards Connection: Life Science — plants and their needs; Engineering Design

What You'll Need:

• Air-dry clay or modeling dough

• Wildflower or native plant seeds (inexpensive at dollar stores)

• Small bowls of water

• Newspaper or plastic tablecloths to cover desks

How It Works:

Students flatten a small piece of clay, place a pinch of seeds in the center, and roll it into a ball — creating a "seed bomb" they can toss into a garden or grassy area to help pollinators and local ecosystems.

The STEM Connection: Students explore what seeds need to grow (science), make decisions about materials and design (engineering), and problem-solve when their seed bomb falls apart (critical thinking).

Discussion Prompt: "What do you think will happen to your seed bomb when it rains? Why?"

Activity 2: Recycled Tower Challenge 🗼

Best for: Grades 2–5 Time: 45–60 minutes Standards Connection: Engineering Design; Physical Science — forces and structure

What You'll Need:

• Recycled materials: cardboard tubes, newspaper, plastic bottles, bottle caps, rubber bands, tape

• Rulers

• A small weight (like a coin or eraser) to test strength

How It Works:

Each team gets the same set of recycled materials and one simple challenge: build the tallest freestanding tower that can hold a small weight on top for 10 seconds.

The STEM Connection: This is a classic engineering design challenge rooted in real-world problem solving. Students plan, build, test, and redesign — hitting the full engineering design process in one activity.

Earth Day Tie-In: Start a brief conversation about why reusing materials matters. Ask students: "If we used these materials instead of throwing them away, what difference could that make?"

Standards Note: Aligns with NGSS K-2-ETS1 and 3-5-ETS1 Engineering Design standards.

Activity 3: Water Filter Engineers 💧

Best for: Grades 3–5 Time: 60–75 minutes Standards Connection: Earth Science — water and human impact; Engineering Design

What You'll Need:

• Plastic bottles (cut in half)

• Gravel, sand, cotton balls, coffee filters, small rocks

• "Dirty water" (water mixed with soil, food coloring, or small debris)

• Cups to collect filtered water

How It Works:

Students design and build their own water filters using layers of natural and recycled materials. They test their filters by pouring dirty water through and observing how clean the output is.

The STEM Connection: This activity connects directly to how communities access clean water — a powerful equity conversation — while putting engineering design and earth science standards into action.

Discussion Prompt: "Why do some communities struggle to get clean water? What could engineers do to help?"

Teacher Tip: This one gets messy — put down newspaper or work outside if possible. The mess is worth it. Students absolutely love it.

Activity 4: Worm Observation Lab 🪱

Best for: Grades K–2 Time: 30–45 minutes Standards Connection: Life Science — organisms and their environments

What You'll Need:

• Live earthworms (from a bait shop or garden — usually under $5)

• Plastic trays or containers

• Damp paper towels

• Magnifying glasses

• Science journals or simple observation sheets

How It Works:

Students observe live earthworms up close — watching how they move, respond to light and moisture, and interact with soil. They record their observations through drawing or writing.

The STEM Connection: Simple, powerful, and deeply engaging for young learners. This activity builds observation skills, introduces the concept of organisms and habitats, and connects to Earth Day themes around healthy soil and ecosystems.

Earth Day Tie-In: Share one fun fact: a single earthworm can process its own weight in soil every day, helping plants grow. Ask: "How are earthworms helping our Earth?"

Teacher Tip: Release the worms outside together after the activity — it becomes a beautiful moment about caring for living things.

Activity 5: Solar Oven S'mores ☀️

Best for: Grades 3–5 Time: 60–90 minutes (including cook time) Standards

Connection: Physical Science — energy and heat; Engineering Design

What You'll Need:

• Cardboard pizza boxes (ask a local pizza place to donate them!)

• Aluminum foil

• Plastic wrap or a clear plastic bag

• Black construction paper

• Tape

• Scissors

• Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows (the best part)

How It Works:

Students build a simple solar oven from a pizza box lined with foil and covered with plastic wrap. They place their s'more ingredients inside and set the oven in direct sunlight — watching heat energy melt the chocolate and marshmallow.

The STEM Connection: Students experience energy transfer (sunlight → heat) firsthand, practice engineering design as they build and adjust their ovens, and connect the concept to renewable energy.

Discussion Prompt: "If the sun can melt a marshmallow, what else do you think it could power? How might that help our planet?"

Standards Note: Aligns with NGSS 3-PS2 and 4-PS3 energy standards.

A Note for Teachers

You don't have to be a "STEM teacher" to make these activities work. Every single one of these was designed for educators just like you — curious, committed, and looking for ways to make learning meaningful for every student in the room.

If you loved these activities and want more hands-on, practical STEM tools you can use right away, we'd love to invite you to learn more about the Maryville STEM Certificate Program — a two-week in-person experience for K–12 educators this summer.

You'll leave with a full toolkit of lessons, a respected certification, and a community of educators who get it.

📅 June 1–12, 2026 | Maryville University Campus 💰 $990 | Payment plans available

👉 Save Your Seat Here

Questions? Email stem@maryville.edu

The Maryville Center for Access and Achievement supports K–12 educators to build engaging, inclusive STEM classrooms — so every student can thrive in science and tech.