Gaylord Nelson and How Earth Day Got Started
Provided by: The Kid Should See This|Published on: April 27, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Type: Videos
Subjects: Biology, Civics, History
Authors: The Kid Should See This, PBS Wisconsin Education
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This animated video provides information about Gaylord Nelson, the politician and environmental activist who invented Earth Day.
- Students will learn about Nelson's lifelong mission, beginning in Clear Lake, WI, to protect the environment and spread awareness about environmental issues.
- This resource also includes teaching resources, including a teacher guide and Slides presentation.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- Students will learn how environmental ideas started entering into the American consciousness and were translated into legislation during the 1970s.
- The video description contains a variety of helpful links to learn more about Gaylord Nelson and Earth Day.
Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with the following terms: civics, government reform, social justice, conservation, and teach-in.
- This resource also includes a Google Slides presentation with audio and a lesson plan to use with the video.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Social studies classes can use this video and lesson plan to discuss the role that the government plays in monitoring the environment and keeping it healthy.
- History students can expand on the timeline of significant environmental policies and link them to other historic events at each time.
- Science classes can prepare a presentation on Earth Day and present it during a school assembly in order to get the school community excited and prepared for the holiday.
- Other resources on this topic include this lesson plan on creating an environmental-awareness mural, this activity on making plantable seed paper, and this media literacy activity on the government's role in protecting natural resources.
This 4-minute video produced by PBS does not have any specific science to verify. However, it provides an important look at an environmental champion, Gaylord Nelson, who is responsible for Earth Day. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
