Teachers, save “Roots and Shoots: School Action Project” to assign it to your class.

Teacher Notes (not visible to students)

This activity guides third graders through reflecting on a Roots and Shoots group project: noticing a school environmental need, planning a small action, carrying it out, documenting it with photos, and discussing results. Use this with classes that have just completed or are in the middle of a school improvement project (e.g., planting, recycling, litter cleanup, water-saving reminders). Prepare simple supplies (clipboards, pencils, camera or tablet access) and set clear safety expectations for any outdoor work. For each open-ended response: a high-quality answer for the personal connection page explains a real observation (what the student saw), why it matters, and one clear idea for action. For the photo upload page, a strong submission includes at least one clear photo showing the student or group doing the action, a short description of what is happening, and one sentence about the difference it made. For the partner activity, a high-quality recording or drawing shows cooperation, states the made-up or real action, and one sentence about why it helps. Teachers should look for clear, relevant details and evidence of reflection rather than length.