Earth Day Moon Activity | Artemis II
This no-prep Earth Day Google Slides activity for grades 7-12 takes students on a cross-curricular journey through lunar science, American history, and spoken word poetry, all tied together by one essential question: what’s so special about the moon?
Students read a science article on how the moon affects life on Earth, learn the story behind NASA’s iconic Earthrise photo from Apollo 8, respond to Amanda Gorman’s spoken word poem “Earthrise,” and zoom into the present day with NASA’s Artemis II mission.
BADGES: Editable Google Slides | No prep | Grades 7-12 | 12 slides | ELA, Science, History
CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:
History: Take students back to 1968, when astronaut William Anders captured the iconic Earthrise photo aboard Apollo 8, and explore how seeing Earth from the Moon changed the way humans thought about the planet.
Science: Discover how many of Earth’s creatures depend on the Moon for survival, from tides to teeth, through a linked science article with a built-in student reflection activity.
ELA: Analyze Amanda Gorman’s spoken word poem “Earthrise” and debate whether humans still care enough to protect the planet.
Artemis II + creative synthesis: Students explore NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed mission to fly around the Moon since Apollo 8, then design an original mission patch and explain their choices using evidence from the lesson.
THIS PRODUCT INCLUDES:
Editable Google Slides deck (12 slides) with all resources linked directly in the slides, so no printing is needed
Science article on how the Moon affects life on Earth, with student reflection prompts
William Anders / Earthrise historical context slide with a linked NASA video tribute
Amanda Gorman’s “Earthrise” poem analysis with editable discussion questions
Artemis II exploration slides with linked NASA resources and current media
“How Mission Patches Tell a Story” informational slide with real examples
Mission patch design task with a written, evidence-based reflection prompt
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Any secondary teacher who wants a meaningful, low-lift Earth Day lesson that doesn’t feel like filler
ELA, Earth Science, Environmental Science, US History, or advisory
Earth Day on April 22, or any spring lesson when you want students thinking about the planet
Strongest fit for grades 9-12, and accessible for grades 7-8 with minimal support
STUDENTS WILL:
Read and respond to a real science article using text evidence
Connect a historical event (Apollo 8) to its lasting cultural and environmental impact
Analyze spoken word poetry for tone, argument, and author’s perspective
Evaluate a real NASA mission and its significance for Earth stewardship
Synthesize their learning into an original creative product with written, evidence-based reasoning
MAKE IT YOUR OWN:
Edit the essential question and swap out the discussion questions directly in the slides. Run it as a one-day or two-day activity depending on your pacing. No printing, no prep: just assign and go.
REFUNDS:
Due to the nature of digital products, all sales are final and refunds are not available. Please review the product description and preview images carefully before purchasing. If you have trouble accessing your files, contact me at drea@deeplyhumanteaching.com and I’ll help resolve it.
This no-prep Earth Day Google Slides activity for grades 7-12 takes students on a cross-curricular journey through lunar science, American history, and spoken word poetry, all tied together by one essential question: what’s so special about the moon?
Students read a science article on how the moon affects life on Earth, learn the story behind NASA’s iconic Earthrise photo from Apollo 8, respond to Amanda Gorman’s spoken word poem “Earthrise,” and zoom into the present day with NASA’s Artemis II mission.
BADGES: Editable Google Slides | No prep | Grades 7-12 | 12 slides | ELA, Science, History
CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:
History: Take students back to 1968, when astronaut William Anders captured the iconic Earthrise photo aboard Apollo 8, and explore how seeing Earth from the Moon changed the way humans thought about the planet.
Science: Discover how many of Earth’s creatures depend on the Moon for survival, from tides to teeth, through a linked science article with a built-in student reflection activity.
ELA: Analyze Amanda Gorman’s spoken word poem “Earthrise” and debate whether humans still care enough to protect the planet.
Artemis II + creative synthesis: Students explore NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed mission to fly around the Moon since Apollo 8, then design an original mission patch and explain their choices using evidence from the lesson.
THIS PRODUCT INCLUDES:
Editable Google Slides deck (12 slides) with all resources linked directly in the slides, so no printing is needed
Science article on how the Moon affects life on Earth, with student reflection prompts
William Anders / Earthrise historical context slide with a linked NASA video tribute
Amanda Gorman’s “Earthrise” poem analysis with editable discussion questions
Artemis II exploration slides with linked NASA resources and current media
“How Mission Patches Tell a Story” informational slide with real examples
Mission patch design task with a written, evidence-based reflection prompt
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Any secondary teacher who wants a meaningful, low-lift Earth Day lesson that doesn’t feel like filler
ELA, Earth Science, Environmental Science, US History, or advisory
Earth Day on April 22, or any spring lesson when you want students thinking about the planet
Strongest fit for grades 9-12, and accessible for grades 7-8 with minimal support
STUDENTS WILL:
Read and respond to a real science article using text evidence
Connect a historical event (Apollo 8) to its lasting cultural and environmental impact
Analyze spoken word poetry for tone, argument, and author’s perspective
Evaluate a real NASA mission and its significance for Earth stewardship
Synthesize their learning into an original creative product with written, evidence-based reasoning
MAKE IT YOUR OWN:
Edit the essential question and swap out the discussion questions directly in the slides. Run it as a one-day or two-day activity depending on your pacing. No printing, no prep: just assign and go.
REFUNDS:
Due to the nature of digital products, all sales are final and refunds are not available. Please review the product description and preview images carefully before purchasing. If you have trouble accessing your files, contact me at drea@deeplyhumanteaching.com and I’ll help resolve it.