Earth Day Art Project Mixed Media Earth with Plant Lesson Spring Art Activity

In this Earth Day Mixed Media Art Lesson, students create planet Earth with a plant growing from it, a symbol of growth, sustainability and care for our planet. They draw the Earth and plant, add colorful painted background stripes in tempera or acrylic paint, and finish with pencil crayon details.

It fits Earth Day, environmental awareness units, spring art and cross-curricular connections with science or geography, and makes a striking class gallery when the finished pieces hang together. The step-by-step visuals make it easy to teach while students experiment with color, composition and expression.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★★ “This project was fun and easy to do. My students were so proud of their art pieces, they turned out beautifully!” Giselle P.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (32 PAGES, NON-EDITABLE)

• Lesson Plan (2 pages) with materials list, learning outcomes, project goals and a Teacher Does / Student Does guide
• Teacher Preparation and Instruction Pages on preparing materials, introducing the project and demonstrating
• Step-by-Step Drawing Handout for students
• Circle Tracing Template Page to photocopy on cardstock
• Art Piece Demonstration Step-by-Step Slides
• Painting Technique Demonstration Pages: mixing blue and yellow, thinning paint with water, and painting vertical background stripes
• Coloring Instruction Pages for the continents, oceans and plant in pencil crayon
• Example of Completed Art Piece
• Student Assessment Rubric for creativity, effort, craftsmanship and completion

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN

Students combine line drawing, painting, color blending and mixed media while exploring environmental stewardship. The painting step introduces thinning paint with water for translucency and layering color, so the drawing stays visible beneath the paint.

HOW TO USE IT

Demonstrate the drawing and painting process with the step-by-step pages while students follow along. It suits Earth Day and spring art, environmental units, elementary visual art classrooms, sub plans and homeschool art.

FAQ

Who is this for?

Art teachers, classroom teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers looking for an Earth Day art lesson.

How long does it take?

Most classes finish in 2 to 3 class periods, depending on student age, skill level, teaching style and class length.

What materials are used?

Tempera or acrylic paint and pencil crayons. A circle tracing template is included to photocopy on cardstock.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS (10)

★★★★ “Great resource! I found it very beneficial to my students learning.” Alyssa V.

★★★★★ “Loved the step by step directions and visual aids! Easy to follow!” Veronica S.

★★★★★ “Perfect resource! I’ll definitely be using this one.” melissa C.

“Can't wait to try with students!” Rita A.

★★★★★ “Great directions! We loved our artwork! Thank you!” Elissa B.

★★★★★ “This is another fun and easy to do Earth Day project.” Angela H.

★★★★★ “I did the snowman lesson and loved it, so looking forward to doing this one for Earth Day.” Sarah B.

★★★★★ “This project turned out great!” Lori B.

★★★★★ “Thanks” Catheryn C.

★★★★★ “love it!” Janell C.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist, art educator and curriculum designer whose visual art lessons are used by teachers and homeschool families around the world. She has been featured on NBC LX and on the cover of OCO Magazine as a featured educator, and her lessons have helped thousands of classrooms bring creativity into learning.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic