Earth Day can sometimes feel surface level… reduce, reuse, recycle. And while those lessons matter, they’re only one piece of a much bigger picture. Meaningful Indigenous Earth Day Activities for the classroom invite students to go deeper.
When we weave Indigenous perspectives into our Earth Day activities, students begin to understand:
- The land is not just a resource; it’s a relative.
- Caring for the Earth is an everyday responsibility.
- We make choices today that impact the next seven generations.
That’s where thoughtful Earth Day Crafts and Land Acknowledgement Activities make all the difference.
1. Earth Day Writing Craft – “Be a Good Ancestor”
If you’re looking for a meaningful and engaging Earth Day activity, this Indigenous Art inspired Earth Day craft connects beautifully with the book Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince and Gabrielle Prince.
This resource helps students explore what it truly means to care for the Earth for future generations.
EARTH DAY CRAFT INCLUDES:
☘︎ Handouts to support understanding of Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince and Gabrielle Prince.
☘︎ Interactive Earth Craft (4 templates)
☘︎ Indigenous Art featured throughout
☘︎ Earth / Conservation writing prompts
☘︎ Conservation sorting activity
☘︎ Earth Day writing reflection questions
Students reflect on questions like:
- What does it mean to be a good ancestor?
- How can we protect the Earth for those who come after us?
- What small actions can we take every day?
The final craft makes a powerful bulletin board display with headers like:
☘︎ “CARING FOR OUR EARTH”
☘︎ “THE EARTH NEEDS US”
Why teachers love this Earth Day craft:
It blends literacy, reflection, Indigenous perspectives, and art into one cohesive activity. Students aren’t just colouring the Earth; they’re thinking about their role in protecting it.
Check out our Earth Day craft today!
2. Land Acknowledgement Writing Craft
Earth Day is also the perfect time to deepen students’ understanding of land acknowledgements. When students feel connected to the land, land acknowledgements become more than words, they become meaningful.
This Land Acknowledgement writing craft pairs beautifully with Earth Day Activities or can stand alone as a reflective classroom experience.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACTIVITY INCLUDES:
ꕥ 5 writing crafts (mountains, tree, sun, feather + cloud)
ꕥ 10 Earth Day writing prompts
ꕥ Student reflection on their relationship with the land
ꕥ Outdoor learning connection
ꕥ Appreciation of the Earth we live on
Bulletin board headers include:
ꕥ “GRATEFUL TO LIVE ON THIS LAND”
ꕥ “RECONCILIATION STARTS WITH LEARNING”
Students respond to prompts such as:
- I am thankful to live on this land because…
- I feel connected to the land when I…
- I show respect for the land by…
These Land Acknowledgement Activities help students move from simply reciting a statement to truly understanding their responsibility to the land.
Why it matters:
If students don’t feel connected to the Earth, they won’t care about protecting it. Earth Day is the perfect moment to build that connection.
Find this Land Acknowledgment activity here!
Outdoor Education + Earth Day = A Natural Fit
Any Outdoor Education activities can naturally become powerful Earth Day Activities.
Consider:
- Nature walks with reflection journals
- Observing seasonal changes
- Learning about local plants and animals
- Discussing traditional ecological knowledge
- Creating art inspired by the land
When students go outside, even for 20 minutes, they begin to see the Earth as something alive and worth protecting. I have 60+ outdoor education activities for your classroom, find them here!
Why Indigenous Inspired Earth Day Activities Matter
Earth Day did not begin in Indigenous communities, care for the Earth has always been part of Indigenous ways of knowing.
When we thoughtfully incorporate Indigenous perspectives into our Earth Day Crafts and Land Acknowledgement Activities, we:
✔️ Center respect for the land
✔️ Encourage long-term thinking (future generations)
✔️ Support reconciliation through learning
✔️ Help students build gratitude and responsibility
These lessons aren’t just for April 22nd. They are values students can carry all year long.
Creating Classrooms That Care for the Earth
Indigenous Earth Day Activities for the classroom don’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. When we combine reflection, art, writing, and land-based learning, we create powerful moments for students that go far beyond a single day in April.
Whether you choose:
♥︎ The Earth Day Interactive “Be a Good Ancestor” Craft
♥︎ The Land Acknowledgement Writing Activity
♥︎ Any of our Outdoor Education resources
♥︎ Or our Land Acknowledgement lessons
You’re helping students understand something bigger than a holiday.
You’re helping them see that they belong to the land and that the land depends on them, too.
Let’s create classrooms where Earth Day is not just celebrated… but lived.
