Sometimes learning can be all fun and games! If you only have 20 minutes or less to educate your class or Grades of Green Team about the environment, try playing our Earth Mini Activities. We have Mini Activities across each category of the environment to go with any environmental passion you might have whether that’s air, water, waste, toxins, or energy. Each Mini Activity is simple to implement, interactive, fun, and comes with downloadable resources so that you can play with all of your friends! From a toxins board game to energy Pictionary, our Mini Activities are sure to get your friends and Green Team inspired to care for the environment.

Click here to register and unlock the Earth Mini Activities. From there, check out the different choices under “downloadable resources”. Once you complete the mini-activity, click “taking on this activity” to get you one step closer to being Grades of Green certified!

Franklin Elementary from Santa Monica began its eco-friendly journey with Grades of Green back in 2013 and has continued to lead the way as green school ever since. Franklin competed in Grades of Greens 2013-2014 Trash Free Lunch Challenge. After reducing and diverting lunchtime waste by packing trash free lunches and adding in liquids, recycling, and composting bins in addition to their landfill bins, the school was able to reduce their lunchtime waste by 90%, earning them the “Above and Beyond” award.




Franklin Elementary has since taken on many of Grades of Green Activities. Not only do Frankin students pack trash free and recycle at lunchtime, but they also host an annual recycling event every year to encourage students to  recycle electronic waste.  Students are even encouraged to walk/bike/ride to school instead of driving.



In fall 2017, Franklin Elementary hosted an education night where parents and students learned different ways to reduce their everyday waste. Crayon Collection taught students how they could donate used crayons to schools in need instead of throwing them away while Grades of Green reminded students how to correctly use their recycling, composting, and landfill bins on campus.


Interested in having your school take on one of Grades of Green’s Activities? Click here to unlock Grades of Green’s 40+ Activities and receive one-on-one guidance from a Grades of Green Advisor!

Volunteers are an integral part of Grades of Green. One volunteer group in particular, the Manhattan-Hermosa Chapter of the National Charity League (NCL), has supported Grades of Green in carrying out its mission for years by assisting with outreach events, annual fundraisers, and so much more. On Thursday, Grades of Green had the pleasure of giving a little bit back to the amazing organization by giving a presentation on how NCL members can be more green at home. From recycling resources in Manhattan Beach to tips on how to save water and energy, Grades of Green covered a plethora of steps that will help the organization improve all areas of the environment! Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Elise and Emily, who are also members of NCL, spoke about their Grades of Green Activities. Their work on creating drought tolerant gardens and hosting recycling competitions truly inspired the group to care for the environment. Interested in becoming a Grades of Green Youth Corps Eco-Leadership student like Emily and Elise? Click to learn more about the program. Want to implement these activities and more at your school? Click here to register and unlock our 40+ Grades of Green Activities!

American science educator Bill Nye once said in his book Undeniable, “To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” Grades of Green Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Lila and Sienna followed Bill Nye’s advice by picking up trash at the beach and then teaching peers at their school science expo different ways to reduce waste! Each attendee who decided to take on an environmental pledge related to waste then got to add a leaf to the team’s “eco tree” display. Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Will and Marty also took on the trash theme by transforming into trash and recycle monsters! Attendees were able to ask the monsters questions about waste and recycling, and learn what an impact they can truly make. Interested in becoming a Youth Corps Eco-Leadership student and taking on an eco-activity like Lila, Sienna, Will, and Marty? Learn more about the program by clicking here. Want to implement some of these eco-activities and more at your school? Click here to register and unlock Grades of Green’s 40+ Activities!