Earth Day Lesson Plans: Fun, Free Earth Day Games

Earth Day is celebrated each year in April. Shouldn't every day really be Earth Day?

This game can be played in a classroom by a small or large group or by a family as they sit around the dinner table or ride in the car.

Earth Day ABC Word Game:

The earth offers us an Abundant Bounty Consistently! Play the Earth Day ABC Word game to encourage thinking and sharing about the gifts of Mother Earth. This game is played by each player naming a plant beginning with the letter A proceeding through the alphabet. Encourage players to think of fruits, vegetables, trees, herbs and flowers.

This game is intended to be fun, to reinforce alphabetical order, build vocabulary skills and to teach about new plants. It is quite all right for players to help one another or use dictionaries or garden books as a resource after giving it some thought on their own. My kids have also thought to check out the spice rack for herb names when they were really stumped. Some letters are quite easy and others are more challenging. Here are sample answers:

A- Apples, Asparagus, Avocado
B- Bananas, Broccoli, Basil
C- Cauliflower, Cedar, Cantaloupe
D- Dandelions, Dill, Daisies
E- Eggplant, Eucalyptus, Elm

One of my favorite answers from a child struggling to think of a plant that started with letter E was "ears of corn."

F- Fern, Fir, Forget-Me-Not
G- Grass, Geraniums, Grapes
H- Heather, Hazelnut, Hosta
I- Ivy, Iris, Indian Paintbrush
J- Jasmine, Juniper, Japanese Maple
K- Kiwi, Kale, Kudzu
L- Lemons, Lavender, Lilacs
M- Magnolia, Marigold, Morning Glory
N- Nuts, Narcissus, Nasturtium
O- Oak, Okra, Onion
P- Parsley, Pumpkin, Peppers
Q- Queen Ann's Lace, Quince
R- Radishes, Raspberries, Rhododendron
S- Sweet potatoes, Seaweed, Sunflowers
T- Tomatoes, Tangerines, Tulips
U- Umbrella Tree
V- Violet, Verbena, Venus's Fly Trap
W- Watermelons, Walnut, Weeping Willow
X- Xanthosoma
Y- Yucca
Z- Zinnias, Zucchini

Z is tough so I have also really admired the answer "zoo animal food."

There are so many variations of for this Earth Day ABC Word game:

In a classroom or with a large group: