Questions and Vocabulary for Earth Day Free-Talk Lessons

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Unlike some other special days or events that are connected to a specific place, Earth Day is for everyone everywhere. Climate change has become a big story in international news recently, so Earth Day is a good topic to focus on for free-talk lessons.

We’ve made a list of questions you can ask your student, as well as a list of vocabulary words people often use when talking about the environment. Finally, we’ve linked a few Daily News articles for students who enjoy this topic.

First, what is Earth Day?

Earth Day is held on April 22 and was started in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, a US politician, and Denis Hayes, a climate activist. The idea was to have a day to focus on the health of the planet and ways people, companies and governments can help to protect it. Though it began in the United States — mostly with university students — it spread everywhere, with people joining events and activities all over the world.

Discussion questions

Here are some questions about the environment to get your student talking. Before starting, remember that some people have very strong opinions about climate change and the science around it. You and your student may disagree on things, so if you feel a conversation is getting too hot, switch to another question to cool things down!

Have you heard of Earth Day? What do you know about it?
What (if anything) do you do to help the environment?
Do you think your city/country/government is doing enough to protect the environment?
Have there been any extreme weather events in your country in recent years?
Are you comfortable in nature or do you prefer cities and urban areas?
What is the most beautiful natural place you have ever visited?
Are EVs (Electric Vehicles) popular in your country?
Do stores in your country charge for plastic bags?
Are you or anyone you know a vegetarian or vegan? If so, is it for environmental reasons?
Do you think humans will live on other planets in the future?

Vocabulary related to the environment

You may also want to give your student a quick quiz on some of these terms and names that are common when talking about the planet and the environment. Some of these terms and many more are explained here.

Green - an adjective that means "related to the protection of the environment"
Clean energy - energy from sources that do not have negative effects on the planet, such as solar or wind power
Organic - produced without using chemicals or artificial methods
SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) - goals selected by the United Nations that are designed to promote peace and health for people and the planet
Greenhouse gas - a gas in the air that traps the sun's heat and makes the planet warmer
Fossil fuels - fuels like coal, oil and natural gas that are formed over millions of years from parts of dead animals or plants
The 3 Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Global warming - the rise of the temperature of the earth's atmosphere because of gas trapping the sun's heat
Fair trade - a system designed to support producers in developing countries by paying fair prices for their products and providing safe working conditions
Fast fashion - the business style of making trendy clothing quickly, cheaply and often in a way that is bad for workers and the environment
Minimalism - a lifestyle that focuses on having only a small amount of necessary items
Sustainability - a balance between use of natural resources and protection of the environment

Daily News recommendations

Finally, here are a few Daily News articles related to the health of the planet.

Level 5 (Intermediate): Western Diet Bad for Human Health, Environment

Level 6 (Intermediate): French Citizen Offered $4,000 to Trade Cars for Bikes

Level 7 (Advanced): Scientists Say 2021 Was Earth's Sixth Warmest Year

Level 8 (Advanced): Earth's Temperature Rising but Ozone Is Healing

That’s all for now

Your students may not know about Earth Day or think about the environment in their daily lives. But with many countries experiencing strange and unusual kinds of weather, it’s clear that the planet is changing. This is not in only one part of the world, so no matter where your student is from, it's good for them to practice discussing this topic.