Upcycling for Earth Day!

Explore Earth Month projects and learn inventive techniques to maximize your creativity while keeping your environmental impact low by reusing everyday items.

We’re sharing how creators celebrate the planet by upcycling everyday materials to create impactful art. Turn ordinary objects and things around the house into cool, one-of-a-kind creations with 3Doodler project ideas.

Working for the Environment

The celebration of Earth Day began in April 1970 to push the federal government to tackle environmental issues. The response from the public was overwhelming, and in just a few short months, Congress authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA serves a vital mission to protect human health and the environment. The agency does so by developing and enforcing regulations, giving grants, conducting research, creating partnerships, and educating people about the environment.

In seeking to educate the public, the EPA provides several resources for teachers and students to explore. For example, there are tips on conserving energy at home, becoming a food waste warrior, understanding our connection to groundwater, or even making a disaster readiness plan.

These resources are a fantastic way to bring environmental issues to the forefront and bring about change.

Repurpose & Reuse Everyday Items

3Doodler is committed to inspiring creativity while working with the environment, not against it. Our plastics promise outlines our work to ensure our plastics are completely safe to use. 3Doodler Start+ plastics are biodegradable, and ALL of our plastics are certified as recyclable.

Now that you know the materials you’re using are safe for you and the environment, let’s get doodling. This round-up of projects encourages you to reuse or repurpose things around you as you create in 3D.


Flower pot with flowers - 3D pen art

Give New Life To An Old Planter

Plants and greenery are a natural way to contribute to environmental efforts. Adding them to your home can add a beautiful natural element. Pick up an old pot or vase and give it new life with a 3D design. Add simple flowers along the outside or trim with polka dots, vines, or other creative symbols. It’s a wonderful opportunity to refresh an older item for a new use!

Repurpose a Pot



Table with two 3D pen art baseball hats

Turn Cardboard Scraps Into Speaker

Cardboard is an amazing material to work with to augment your 3D creations. It’s recycling in action. Find a few pieces of cardboard and make a DIY phone speaker that rocks. Use your 3D pen to add details to the speaker in colors that complement your space. It’s a unique way to reuse cardboard and amplify the music on your phone. Time to turn up the volume!

Make a Speaker


Small blue flower on green leaf - 3D pen art

Transform Leftover Plastic

Collect doodled scraps as you create and learn to make new art with a few quick tips. From coasters to bowls and other eye-catching creations, there’s no end to what you can come up with using your plastic scraps. It’s a fantastic way to make the most of all your plastic. Play with different color combinations for your own truly unique recycled creations!

Create Beautiful Decor

Share your creations with us and tell us how you participate in Earth Month by tagging @3Doodler or #3Doodler #WhatWillYouCreate!

Fall into STEM with Lessons for K-8

Boost classroom confidence through a series of STEM lessons that enable students to work in teams and engage in critical thinking skills. Science and math concepts can sometimes be hard to understand. With a unique hands-on approach, students will grasp new ideas in no time!

The 3Doodler lessons span grades K-8 with creative exploration that will have students embracing new ideas. Combine these activities with other resources we’ve rounded up for a completely new approach to tried and true topics.

Grade K-2: Basic Needs of Plants & Animals

To survive, plants and animals have different needs, which we can break down in this hands-on lesson. Students will break into groups and explore the needs of plants and animals using the free worksheet. Working together, they will first trace or draw the symbols for the items listed on the sheet. Then, they will doodle their designs using a 3Doodler Start+ 3D printing pen. Once the symbols are ready, students can use a Venn diagram to compare the needs of the animals with the needs of plants. Students could deepen their understanding by studying the needs of animals from different habitats.

Consider closing this lesson with a video and resources from Plum Landing by PBS to see how plants and animals thrive in a city. This colorful and creative lesson will invite playful exploration of what animals and plants need to survive!

Grade 3-5: Cloud Doodles

With the change of seasons, there’s no better time to observe the science around us. A quick look up at the sky reveals many scientific observations, and for this lesson, we will be looking at different cloud types with a fun twist. By working in small groups, students will be asked to learn about four different types of clouds, study their shape, and research the weather conditions associated with each cloud. Once the research is complete, the students will create cloud doodles and then repurpose them as everyday objects, animals, or people — a poodle, a boat, or car fumes.

Extend learning with a lesson on how clouds affect climate from NASA. Students will appreciate the vital role clouds play in the water cycle and reflect on their understanding. What do you see when you look at the clouds?

Grade 6-8: Bridging the Gap

Bridges have played an essential role throughout history in providing access to routes to transport people and goods. Over time, the design of bridges has evolved from a simple slab to modern structural marvels. In this lesson, students will work in small groups to explore different bridge shapes and their structural elements.

Challenge students to create a bridge that spans 20 centimeters and test its weight-bearing ability with a small car or other materials. Gradually increase the weight to see which group built the strongest bridge. It’s a fantastic way to combine multiple subject areas, from history, architecture, and design to science, math, and engineering. Encourage the teams to reflect on what worked well, what didn’t, and how they could have improved their design.

Consider kicking this lesson off with a bit of history. The oldest surviving bridge in the United States is the Frankford Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, built in 1867. It played an important role in linking Philadelphia to cities in the north, namely Trenton, New York, and Boston. Speaking of New York, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and was the longest suspension bridge of its time. Much more to learn about the role bridges have played throughout history!