Free Earth Day Worksheets for 1st Grade

Activity idea • use your own paper

Use it again

You need paper and a pencil; coloring materials are optional. Allow about 10–15 minutes, and stop earlier if your learner needs a break. This is an activity you can try today, not a claim that a matching downloadable worksheet is available.

1. Fold the paper into three sections labeled “Start,” “Try,” and “Reflect.” Read the prompt aloud and check that the learner knows what to do.
2. Choose a safe, clean item that might otherwise be thrown away. Draw a possible new use. Use labeled drawings or a few sentences. Let the learner explain an idea aloud before writing.
3. Explain what materials you would need and ask an adult before trying the design.
4. Ask the learner to explain one choice. Point to a detail in the work that supports their explanation, and choose one small improvement together.

Adapt the task

For more support, model a different example, offer two choices, or let the learner dictate. For a challenge, ask them to compare two responses and explain which is clearer. There is no single answer key for this open-ended activity: check that the response addresses the prompt and includes an understandable detail. Adapt the occasion to your family or classroom; children can choose a neutral theme.