Whether you call it March equinox, vernal equinox, or spring equinox, all three signal the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. If your students are excited about longer days, warmer temperatures (and the countdown to summer break!), capitalize on their interest with science and ELA lessons that are sure to make for a happy first day of spring in your classroom

• Discover the science behind the spring equinox
• Prepare for spring with ELA activities

[Discover the science behind the spring equinox](id-sci)

Why do we have seasons? What affects the amount of sunlight we get in different seasons? Help answer these questions and others your students might have with engaging science lessons:

Explore what an equinox is

In the northern hemisphere, the spring equinox typically happens between March 20 and March 22 each year. Students can discover what an equinox is and why its arrival can vary each year by diving into articles on topics like:

• The etymology of the word “spring” and how the meaning has changed over time.
• Why the hours of daylight and darkness are almost equal during the spring equinox.‍
• Plants’ evolution strategies to survive and reproduce from season to season.

Unravel what causes the seasons

Spring is more than just the equinox. It’s also characterized by plant growth, specific weather patterns, and changes in daylight hours. Students can learn more about why we have seasons and what causes these changes by exploring resources like:

• An article that explains the science behind changing seasons.
• An infographic that shows how the Earth’s tilt affects the change of seasons in different hemispheres.
• An article explaining why the northern and southern hemispheres have flipped seasons.

Determine the differences between butterflies and moths

Butterflies and moths both come out in the springtime. And because they look similar, it may be easy to mistake one for the other. Students can learn more about each species' defining characteristics with this lesson:

• Assign an article that provides an overview of the different physical and behavioral characteristics of butterflies and moths.
• Share an article about the ways insects use sensory organs to find food and places to lay eggs.
• Have students complete a Venn diagram as they read to keep track of the shared and unique characteristics of moths and butterflies.

Discover how Earth’s creatures change in the spring

We often associate spring with growth and change. Students can uncover why plants, animals, and other creatures evolve during this period each year.

• Explore why monarch caterpillars get aggressive when they don’t eat enough during the spring.
• Read about the vital role earthworms play in our ecosystem.
• Learn more about why we change clocks for daylight saving time—and if this also affects creatures like insects and animals.

Meet insects that come out in the spring

Caterpillars and earthworms aren’t the only creatures to make themselves known during the spring months. Have students meet other buzzy, crawly creatures they may see outside this spring.

• Discover how ants use adaptation methods to survive in extreme environments.
• Learn how bees navigate their environment at night using visual cues from their surroundings.
• Review the different ways insects breathe.

Celebrate the arrival of spring with STEAM projects

Get students engaged with some hands-on STEAM activities to celebrate the first day of spring:

Make a cloud in a cup

Spring can be one of the rainiest seasons in different parts of the world. Show students how rain clouds work with this interactive experiment:

• Read about six different types of clouds and what they can reveal about the weather.
• Discover how precipitation—like rain, snow, hail, and sleet—forms.‍
• Create a cloud in a cup using a glass, water, shaving cream, and food coloring.

Try an egg drop challenge

Thanks to Easter, we often associate eggs with spring. Take this association to the next level with an egg drop experiment:

• First, have students read about a bug’s life cycle to see how they grow from eggs to insects.
• Then, read about how scientists have solved the debate of whether the chicken or the egg came first.
• Finally, using what they’ve learned about different kinds of eggs, ask students to create an egg safety device to protect an egg from a high drop.

Dive into more seasonal videos

If your students are itching to learn about more fun science topics this spring, spark their interest with fun seasonal videos on topics like:

• How seeds become plants.
• Giant insects in the world around us.
• How to grow your own plants.

Have a room full of students who prefer to read? Check out our spring articles collection instead!

[Prepare for spring with ELA activities](id-ela)

See how authors capture the beauty of spring through fiction, nonfiction, and verse with these engaging ELA spring activities:

Devour poetry about spring

Get into the spirit of the new season by sharing spring poetry selections like:

• “Spring Morning” by Marion Strobel
• “Instructions on Not Giving Up” by Ada Limón
• “The Spring Has Many Silences” by Laura Riding
• “Solstice” by Caroline Starr Rose
• “Lines Written in Early Spring” by William Wordsworth

Share seasonal paired text analyses

Help students learn about themes across texts and build critical literacy skills by adding spring paired text analysis activities to your lessons.

“Spring and Autumn” and the Changing Seasons

Add diverse perspectives to your lesson by asking students to analyze the following text pair:

• Share the fictional Japanese story “Spring and Autumn” by Angela McAlister.
• Assign a nonfiction article that explores the characteristics of the four seasons and how they vary in different regions.
• Have students complete a Venn diagram while reading the two texts to compare and contrast how each represents seasonal elements.

“Persephone” and the Science of Seasons

The ancient Greeks believed that Persephone caused the change of the seasons. With this paired text analysis, students can learn more about what ancient cultures believed and what science can prove.

• Assign the Greek myth of Persephone as retold by Angela McAllister, where students can learn how ancient people thought gods controlled the life cycle on Earth.
• Share a nonfiction article about the scientific principles that cause seasons to change.
• Ask students to complete a paired text analysis worksheet while focusing on the guiding question, “How do the genre and style of each text impact the author’s message?”

Investigate the world of bugs and insects

Assign a timely research project and let students dig into the wild, wonderful world of bugs! To help conduct research for their essay, students can reference resources like:

• A video that lets students get up close and personal with insects.
• Articles that explore the job duties of an entomologist, or a person who studies bugs.
• Articles that show how different types of bugs eat, breathe, and protect themselves in nature.

Adapt the lesson using Newsela Writing and ask students to write an informational essay using what they’ve learned about bugs!

Teach students about spring holidays

Spring is full of religious and cultural holidays that celebrate hope and new beginnings. Teach students about some of them, like:

• The Jewish holiday of Passover
• The Christian holiday of Easter
• The Hindu holiday of Holi‍
• Iranian New Year, known as Nowruz

Explore even more with Newsela’s subject products

Use Newsela’s knowledge and skill-building products to keep students engaged with timely content all year. If you’re not a Newseal customer, sign up for Newsela Lite and start your 45-day free trial!