Celebrating environmental dates on the Peruvian school calendar is an excellent opportunity to promote ecological awareness among students. Every year, on March 22 (World Water Day) , September 1 (Tree Day) , and June 5 (World Environment Day) , schools in Peru carry out creative activities that combine learning, art, and community action.
These dates not only strengthen the sense of environmental responsibility, but also help to fulfill the educational objectives of the Ministry of Education (MINEDU) regarding environmental education and sustainable development.
Importance of environmental dates in the school calendar
The Peruvian calendar includes more than a dozen ecological events that are commemorated in classrooms with projects, fairs, and contests. Among the most important are:
March 22 – World Water Day: promotes the responsible use of this vital resource.
June 5 – World Environment Day: seeks to encourage the protection of the natural environment.
September 1st – Tree Day: promotes reforestation and the care of green areas.
Each one can be developed with interdisciplinary activities that integrate science, art, communication, mathematics and citizenship.
School activities for World Water Day (March 22)
World Water Day invites us to reflect on the importance of water resources and how to care for them in our communities. Here are some activity ideas for schools:
1. “Water is Life” Fair
Students can create stands with models, experiments, or infographics that show how water gets to our homes and how to avoid wasting it.
2. Poster or mural competition
Promote a school competition where students create posters about water conservation, using recycled materials or mixed techniques.
3. “Let’s take care of the water at home” campaign
Each student records their water-saving actions for one week. The results are then presented in class, raising collective awareness.
4. Experiments on the water cycle
Use simple materials to help children understand how water evaporates, condenses, and falls back as rain.
School activities for Tree Day (September 1st)
Tree Day is an ideal occasion to promote reforestation, connection with nature, and environmental responsibility. In many regions of Peru, schools join community planting campaigns.
1. “Plant a tree, plant life”
Organize a day of planting native trees (molle, tara, capulí or eucalyptus) in coordination with the municipality or ecological associations.
2. Adopt a tree from the school
Each classroom can adopt a tree on campus. The students are responsible for watering and caring for it throughout the school year.
3. Ecological mural
Create a mural with dried leaves, branches, or flowers, where students represent the value of trees in the life of the planet.
4. Poems and songs to the tree
Encourage literary creativity with poems, décimas or songs that express love for Peruvian nature.
School activities for World Environment Day (June 5)
World Environment Day is one of the most anticipated dates of the year. Schools often organize themed weeks dedicated to recycling, air quality, and Peruvian biodiversity.
1. School Ecological Week
For one week, each grade develops a theme: recycling, biodiversity, clean energy, pollution, etc. It can conclude with a green fair or ecological parade.
2. Parade with recycled costumes
Students create costumes with recycled materials (bottles, paper, cardboard) and parade representing environmental messages.
3. Eco-school: green classroom
Transform a classroom into an eco-friendly educational space with information panels, natural plants, and sustainable materials.
4. “My School Without Plastic” Campaign
Challenge students to spend a week without using single-use plastics. Then measure the results and reward the most committed classrooms.
Alternative text: School fair for Environment Day in Peru.
Integrated projects for the entire school year
A useful strategy for teachers is to integrate these three important dates (water, trees, and the environment) into a cross-curricular project . Some ideas:
“Guardians of the Planet” Project : each grade is in charge of a thematic axis (water, trees, recycling) and a final fair is coordinated.
Organic school garden : promotes the cultivation of plants, aromatic herbs or vegetables.
Environmental brigades : groups of students who supervise the correct use of resources in the school.