This Month in History: April
Extend your social studies instruction with informative and inspiring content from HMH®, The HISTORY Channel, and the Center for Civic Education. Each month we bring you videos, articles, and current events designed to build cultural awareness, media literacy, and a deeper understanding of significant historical figures and events.
Classroom Resources from HMH
Earth Day
April 22
Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22. It is a day to celebrate the environment and raise awareness about its problems. Earth Day is not an official, national holiday, but it is celebrated around the world with events in schools and parks.
Gaylord Nelson, a senator from Wisconsin, founded Earth Day in 1970. Nelson wanted to pass legislation to protect the environment, and he decided to raise awareness about the issue using some of the strategies of the Vietnam War protesters. He organized a gathering of 20 million people who spent the day cleaning creeks, recycling tin cans, and learning how they can help protect the environment.
Related Links
Earth Day (External Link)
Explore Earth Day Network's site to find Earth Day events around the world. Includes information on ways to help protect the environment.
Earth Day Events (External Link)
Learn more about the history of Earth Day.
Energy Department (External Link)
Understand the mission of the Energy Department and its efforts to develop and deploy energy efficient solutions.
Classroom Resources from The HISTORY Channel
Earth Day
Founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues, Earth Day is now a globally celebrated holiday that is sometimes extended into Earth Week, a full seven days of events focused on green awareness. Visit HISTORY online to learn more about Earth Day, watch videos about global warming and explore climate change.
Related Links
Read about the history of Earth Day (External Link)
Learn about the first Earth Day ((External Link)
Students Take Action
from the Center for Civic Education
The Students Take Action service-learning feature relates stories of students who have participated in the Center for Civic Education’s Project Citizen program, which encourages students to take part in state or local government and learn how to monitor and influence public policy. Help your students become active and engaged citizens in their own communities with these resources.
Students Take Action
Reforesting Land
Students Take Action
Working to Improve the Environment
Inspiring a Village
Working to Create New Laws
Students Take Action
Working to Improve the Environment
Students Take Action
Reforesting Land
Students Take Action: Working to Preserve the Past
Students Take Action: Working to Preserve the Past
Students Take Action: Preserving History
Helping the Elderly
Helping the Elderly
Educating the Public
Educating the Public
Working to Change Government Policies and Practices
Providing Emergency Care
Students Take Action: Writing a Law
Students Take Action: Working to Fight Crime
Students Take Action from the Center for Civic Education
Establishing Smoke-Free Zones
Students Take Action
Restoring School Recess
Students Take Action from the Center for Civic Education
Working to Change School Policies
Students Take Action
Righting a Wrong
Students Take Action
Working to Improve Community Health
Students Take Action
Encouraging Safe Exercise
Students Take Action
Working to Promote Health and Fitness
Students Take Action
Restoring School Recess
Students Take Action
Creating A Library