Teacher Toolkit

Teacher Toolkit for Environmental Education

Welcome to the Take Action SC Teacher Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to be a hub of resources for classroom teachers, environmental leaders, and community educators looking to provide knowledge to the next generation of changemakers. In this toolkit, you can explore lesson planning ideas outside of the Action curriculum for a variety of other science-based content. Explore digital tools to enhance teaching in the classroom, national grant opportunities, and ideas for hands-on projects. Our goal is to offer a variety of resources to match your needs as an educator. We strive to support you as you go on to encourage sustainable habits, reduce waste, and build environmental stewardship values in your schools and communities.

Curriculum Supplement
Online Resources
The Recycle Guys
Battery Safety

Waste Reduction Guides for Schools

Click Each Guide to Learn More

Curriculum Supplement

Want lessons directly correlated with South Carolina College and Career Ready Science Standards?

‘Action’ contains 23 environmental science lessons directly correlated to the SC College-and-Career-Ready Standards of 2021. All lessons can be modified to be appropriate across all grade levels. Action lessons are designed to go beyond worksheets, facilitating hands-on activities that promote using knowledge outside of the classroom for positive change.

Contact Us to sign up for a FREE workshop. Signing up for the workshop gives you access to the Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow curriculum supplement.

Review SC College-&-Career-Ready Science Standards 2021

Online Resources

Teaching Tools

Hands-On Activities from Curriculum Supplement
  • Natural Resource “Musical Chairs” (pg. 13-18)
  • Precious Metals in Your Smartphone (pg. 23) (USGS)
  • Arts & Crafts Reuse (pg. 28-29)
  • Mini Landfill (pg. 49)
  • Charge from Change: Make a Coin Battery (pg. 73)
  • Build a Mini-Composter in a Bottle (pg. 84-85)
Digital Tools
  • iNaturalist species identifier and tracker – Be a citizen scientist, identify and learn about local plants and animals, and easily track data for a Bioblitz event
  • Seed to Spoon Garden Planner App – Visual planner, planting dates, Identification, recipes, and pest treatment
  • Project Noah Wildlife Photography and Identification – Explore wildlife species photography, wildlife holiday calendar, conservation stories from around the world, and Project Noah Nature School
  • Earth Hero Actions – Discover actions that can positively impact the environment
  • EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator – track activities and lifestyle to determine carbon footprint
  • EPA Recycle City – Games and activities about reducing waste and energy use
  • Drawdown Climate Solution Library – Visually lists climate solutions, organized by sectors and carbon sinks, helpful for older students looking for project ideas
Educator Support & Groups
More Ways to Discover Environmental Education

Financial Resources

South Carolina Grants
National Grants

Environmental Club Ideas

Sustainable Group Project Ideas
  • Consider becoming a Student Ambassador for Sustainability – could be done as a group or individually
  • Help move unused/expired goods to local food banks 
  • Start a garden
  • Design a Rain Garden
  • Start composting 
  • Upcycle t-shirts 
  • Walking billboard campaign – attach signs to backpacks 
  • Waste audit 
  • Campus clean-up (Visit Palmetto Pride for resources)
  • Design a recycling lesson for a class 
  • Eco brick project 
  • Start a cafeteria share table initiative 
  • Develop a morning announcement PSA 
  • Start a battery collection drop-off 
Club Meetings
  • Zero waste cooking lesson 
  • Tour a recycling center or sustainable garden 
  • Schedule talk with county recycling coordinator 
  • Tabling to educate other students 
  • Chalk messages 
  • Nature scavenger hunt 
  • Plant ID walk 
  • Design a recycling mascot for your club  
Events & Fundraisers
  • ‘Trash to Treasure’ upcycled Art Show
  • Host repair fair
  • Zero waste kickoff/sports event
  • Host help-sort event during lunch
  • Art supply (upcycled) drive – consult art teacher
  • Host sorting game & informational table
Creative Projects & Crafts
  • Recycled bottle terrarium 
  • Informational poster design 
  • Make a reusable water bottle charm 
  • Upcycled bottle planters 
  • Build a bug ‘hotel’ 
  • Make upcycled “reminder to recycle” cards to place on tables in cafeteria 
  • Make a rain garden
  • Visit a Repair Cafe to repair items instead of sending them to landfill
    • Find a cafe near you

Classroom Crafts

Upcycled
  • Scrap paper collage
  • Bottle cap art
  • Melt old crayons into new
  • Blend old newspaper into pulp to create new paper
  • Plastic bottle into a planter
  • Broken CD mosaic *sharp
  • Scrap paper origami
  • Milk carton birdfeeder
  • Cut scrap supplies into stamps (erasers, paper towel rolls, cardboard, etc.)
  • Paper Mache
  • Create a paper chain using recycled materials – write positive messages or eco reminders on your paper chain
  • Eco bricks
  • T-shirt tote bags
  • Tin can windchime
  • Plastic “stained glass” – cut flimsy plastic, color with markers, & hold up to the sun
Compostable
  • Plant-based dyes for tie-die
  • Leaf transfer print
  • Leaf/upcycled pinwheel
  • Leaf art or mandalas
  • Cob (mud) garden planter
  • Seed bombs
  • Dried bean or seed mosaic with air dry clay
  • Solar printing using turmeric spice
  • Watercolor earth using coffee filter (watercolor effect created by markers and alcohol drops)

The Recycle Guys Posters and Activities

Downloaded Posters

Click HERE to explore the Recycle Guys’ Poster Gallery.

South Carolina schools may request personalization to have posters feature their school’s name. This is at no cost through the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling. Please contact us for personalization requests.

Coloring Storybook

Food Waste Storybook

See All Activities & Coloring Books