McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Daria Rymarzak | April 5, 2022

This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

More than a billion people, representing 193 nations, participate in honoring Earth Day every year, making April 22 the most celebrated civic observance in the world. Since the establishment of Earth Day, environmental conservation has become a hot topic. Most recently, at the 2021 Glasgow Climate Change Conference, participating nations pledged to engage in the collective effort and adopt the Glasgow Climate Pact, turning the current decade into a time for climate action. Earth Day is so much more than just a date.


DID YOU KNOW?


  1. The idea of designating a special day to celebrate our planet originated in 1969. Senator Gaylord Nelson was prompted to establish Earth Day after witnessing a large oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
  2. There is a specific reason why April 22 was chosen – it was supposed to encourage student participation as it fell between most students’ spring break and final exams. The first Earth Day was celebrated a year later, in 1970.
  3. It was not until 1990 that Earth Day became a worldwide event, and in 2009, the United Nations gave it a new name – International Mother Earth Day.
  4. The first Earth Day was recognized by 20 million Americans, which at that time represented 10% of the U.S. population!
  5. Over the years, Earth Day has led to the passage of numerous environmental laws in the United States, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and National Environmental Education Act. Many countries adopted similar changes, and famously, the United Nations designated Earth Day to sign the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016.
  6. Earth Day has also been responsible for the establishment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with many countries soon adopting similar laws.
  7. Over 95% of primary and secondary schools in the United States observe Earth Day each year!
  8. Earth Day has triggered numerous civic campaigns, including the Climate Literacy Campaign, National Civic Education Program, Educators Network, Green Schools, and many more.
  9. Each Earth Day has a theme. In 2011, A Billion Acts of Green was chosen, aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Around the globe, many countries took up the challenge – in Afghanistan, 28 million trees were planted as part of the Plant Trees Not Bombs
  10. 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the Earth Day movement.


As educators and professionals, we have an obligation to educate ourselves about climate support and instill this knowledge and values into future generations. Did you know that over three billion students still lack much-needed climate education? A large body of literature and research has emphasized an array of benefits environmental education brings to primary grade students:


“Environmental education is about hope and change. There is a mountain of evidence that suggests EE is a powerful way to teach students. Over 100 studies found that it provides transformative learning opportunities that bring tremendous results and engage young people in the world around them in meaningful, collaborative ways. There is no doubt that environmental education is one of the most effective ways to instill a passion for learning among students.”


Dr. Nicole Ardoin, Stanford University


WHAT CAN YOU DO?


  • Show children how to respect the environment by teaching them simple habits:
  • Place a recycle bin in the classroom, and explain to the children that it is to reuse and recycle materials.
  • Encourage children to pick up trash found on the playground and in other outdoor spaces.
  • Turn off unneeded lights and water. Remember to explain to your students why it is so important!
  • Have your students help with the classroom pet and plants. Show children how to gently handle a class pet to avoid hurting it, or ask them to help you water plants.
  • Insects are good for the environment; therefore, explain the vital role they play in the natural world’s ecosystems.
  • Support climate literacy and education. Incorporate environmental education into your curriculum – there are tons of useful resources available. Some of these are listed below.
  • Become a catalyst for change – nominate your school to become a Green Ribbon School.
  • Organize a school cleanup. Invite local families and community partners to help clean the school building or a local park. You can even register your event!
  • Become a social media advocate – use your own platform to encourage others to engage in Earth Day activities.


USEFUL RESOURCES:

Learn about Earth Day 2022

Learn more about the Glasgow Climate Change Conference – October-November 2021

Read about Benefits from Environmental Education – Key Findings

Join the Illinois Green Ribbon Schools Program

Register a cleanup

Earth Day 2022 Action Toolkit – Social Media


CURRICULUM RESOURCES:

Environmental Literacy for Illinois – A Framework

Kids for Conservation® – March 2022

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources – Grants for Schools

The Benefits of Environmental Education for Toddlers

Earth Day Schools

Daria Rymarzak is a Report Specialist at the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. She is pursuing a doctoral degree in community psychology at National Louis University’s College of Professional Studies and Advancement. Daria earned a baccalaureate degree in psychology from Roosevelt University and a graduate degree in child development and early childhood administration from Erikson Institute. She is interested in supporting initiatives leading to integrated early learning and child development systems, connecting early childhood practice with policy and research, and the functioning and effectiveness of community-based coalitions addressing the importance of the early years.

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The AI-Enabled Administrator: Reclaim Valuable Time

By Dr. Neal Green • February 8, 2026
Tools: Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, Perplexity Spaces Overview The evidence is clear that early childhood professionals' most significant challenge is a lack of time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, when used strategically, can give administrators some of the time they desperately need, allowing them to focus more on their staff and the children and families in their care. This approach aligns with the foundational goal of strengthening leadership effectiveness and program impact (Abel, Talan, & Masterson, 2023). When I scan the AI landscape of available products and platforms, it becomes overwhelming. There are so many options that it is impossible to keep up with every new development. Focusing on a limited number of AI tools backed by organizations with strong infrastructure and fiscal stability is a wise place to start your AI journey. McCormick Institute for Early Childhood’s (MIEC’s) upcoming professional development sessions will focus on three AI tools. These include Gemini Gems, NotebookLM, and Perplexity Spaces. Think of Gemini Gems as your customized AI assistant that you "train" to follow your rules and meet your goals. Gemini Gems are the right tool to tackle Internal Operations . NotebookLM is perfect for creating Family Support resources that stick. NotebookLM is a powerful AI tool that uses only the documents or other resources you add to generate specific, focused output. Perplexity Spaces is a fantastic choice to address Marketing demands. Like many AI tools, you can toggle back and forth between open web searches and focused documents that are specific to your work. Gemini Gems: The “Specialist Teammate” Gemini Gems allow you to create templates you can use repeatedly for agendas, HR policies, and more. If you have used AI in the past, you know that writing an effective prompt takes time, and they can easily get "lost" if you use AI often. Gems removes that challenge and lets you save your most effective prompts without having to rewrite them every time you use Gemini. It is up to you to decide if you want to create several smaller Gems to tackle common challenges you face or create larger Gems that encompass large swaths of your work. For our purposes, we will focus our Gem work on Internal Operations, addressing Program Administration Scale (PAS) Item 9: Internal Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). Imagine using a Gem to turn messy staff meeting notes into professional minutes with clear action plans in minutes or less! NotebookLM: The "Walled Garden" NotebookLM is an excellent tool for Family Support for your center, addressing PAS Item 17: Family Support and Involvement (Talan & Bloom, 2011). After uploading documents and resources, such as your parent handbook or community referral lists, to your Notebook, you can create several resources that parents/guardians of your center students will love. Just a few of the impressive features available with NotebookLM include audio (podcast) summaries, video summaries, and reporting functions with templates or the option to create your own report with metrics that matter most to you. Perplexity Spaces: The "Research Librarian" Perplexity Spaces is a perfect AI partner for Marketing your early childhood education (ECE) program, addressing PAS Item 18: External Communications (Talan & Bloom, 2011). You can build your own centralized repository, with control over branding to ensure consistency and present a professional, current image. Adding specific instructions to your space eliminates the need to format documents constantly and saves valuable time. The consistency that a Perplexity Space offers in this regard allows you to upload messages that are the "voice” of your brand. Your marketing efforts are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also enable you to track trends at similar centers in your area, helping you assess the competition. Strategies for Success: Audit your Internal Communications: Identify one repetitive task, such as creating staff meeting agendas (PAS Item 9), and automate it with a Gemini Gem. Curate your Family Resources: Gather three to five existing documents to "feed" a NotebookLM project for more responsive family support (PAS Item 17). Standardize your Brand: Use a Perplexity Space to ensure all public relations tools project a consistent, professional image (PAS Item 18). Reflection Questions: Which administrative task takes the most time away from your interactions with staff and families? How might centralizing marketing materials (branding) impact the professional image to prospective families? Table 1: AI Tools for ECE Professionals
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