Back to School: Teacher's Guide to Eco-Friendly Crafts

Your children aren't the only ones rushing around to get ready for the hectic, busy back-to-school season. Around the country, thousands of hard-working teachers are preparing their classrooms for the coming influx of students in the fall.

As you read this, teachers-especially those who teach children in the lower grades-are preparing class timelines, class schedules, and the requisite classroom crafts. That last bit is what I would like to focus on. Children LOVE to express themselves through hands-on crafts and artistic projects, but I have one gripe with all of these school crafts: They're hardly the model for good, environmental stewardship.

Many classroom crafts use tons of paper and non-recycled art supplies. But that doesn't mean the eco-conscious teacher needs to abandon school craft projects. Instead, I would like to encourage teachers to use renewable, recyclable art supplies for their classroom crafts. Kids can still get their hands messy creating masterpieces for mom and dad, and teachers can use it as a valuable opportunity to teach the importance of taking care of the planet.

A Teacher's Guide to Eco-Friendly Crafts and Green Classroom Projects

With a little creativity, this back-to-school season can be a great time for teachers to teach their students about the wonders of the natural world, and why it is important for us to protect it! Use these eco-friendly craft ideas as ways to jump start discussions about your kids.

1. Green Classroom Crafts: "Re-Make Craft" Day!

Instead of using new craft supplies, have your students bring in a shoebox of re-usable items found around the house. For example, milk containers and orange juice jugs can be refashioned into practical bird feeders that can help bring the wild world a little closer to your students' eager faces. Such re-use of old items saves them from being thrown into the trash (and clogging our nation's landfills) while turning them into useful objects!

2. Green Classroom Crafts: Recycled Paper Crafts!

Instead of giving your classroom sheets of new paper, use scratch paper. Better yet, bring in stacks of old comic strips, Christmas and birthday cards, scraps of art paper, newspapers and junk mail. Let them cut-up these pieces of paper to create designs and cards. Reusing old holiday cards and redecorating them makes a festive, original card that can be used for any occasion.

3. Green Classroom Crafts: Recycled Mosaics!

Give your children a sheet of cardboard (recycled cardboard, of course: You can pick up cardboard boxes from pretty much any store that gets items shipped in) and pieces of colorful paper, old magazines, newspapers and any other flat objects. Have them re-arrange and glue the pieces onto the cardboard for an imaginative mosaic using 100 percent recycled material.

Is Your Classroom Project Environmentally Conscious?

Show your students that even the smallest actions matter when it comes to fighting global warming and saving the planet from pollution. Using green craft ideas is fun, saves money, and lets your children be truly creative. Even if you don't want to commit fully to a recycled craft idea, incorporate elements of it by using recycled paper, etc. Every little bit counts! Children can be especially enthusiastic about the green movement and the earth; you can let them express such enthusiasm artistically with these green classroom craft projects for the back-to-school season.