Students and mentors in CalSERVES tutoring program had a break from the ordinary to spend some time celebrating the Earth. First, students were invited to choose a book about environmental issues for their tutors to read to them. Some favorites were Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug, The Great Kapok Tree, The Lorax, and a number of nonfiction books about reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Students then engaged in several activities that combined the Earth Day theme with literacy skills. All students helped to clean up the classroom environment at the Garbage Sight Word Pick-up and Sorting Station. Students found sight word "trash" strewn about the room, before bringing them back to read and to "sort" the words into the correct color-coded "recycling" bins. Upper-grade students had more difficult multi-syllable words to sound out.
At the SSPTU station, students practiced their decoding skills while creating words with tiles about the Earth. Students also created globes to hang on our Reading Tree, describing one thing that they love about the Earth. To better show their appreciation, students put their knowledge of the three R's to the test by reading and writing short examples of how they can reduce, reuse, and recycle in their everyday lives. Finally, students had the opportunity to start sprouting seeds, which they can later plant in a garden.
All in all, the Earth Day theme day was a success. Wright tutoring students worked on their reading and writing skills while learning what it means to "go green."
