Art Lesson: Climate Change Comic Strip
Lesson Plan
45 minutesGrades2Visual and Performing Arts
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Jessica Jozak, Sustainable Jersey for Schools
About this lesson
Students will learn about climate change problems and solutions, create a comic strip, and reflect on what they can do to make a difference.
Inquire: Students play a game that highlights climate change problems and solutions.
Investigate: Students create a mixed media comic strip about a New Jersey animal, their habitat, and climate change.
Inspire: Students reflect on the process of making a comic strip and share how they feel about making a difference.
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Suggestions
- This lesson can be taught in conjunction with a unit on biomes alongside other core subjects.
- This lesson can be used on Earth Day to promote climate change awareness.
- This lesson highlights the importance of caring for our environment in New Jersey and beyond.
- Teacher can bring in samples of comics or graphic novels to inspire students.
- Reduce the size of students’ photos when printing so that multiple images fit on each page.
- Different comic strip templates can be found in the Teacher Document, or students can create their own.
- Student comics can range in length, but will likely be between 4-8 panels long, or two pages.
- When writing text in speech bubbles, students should write the words first and then make the bubble around the text.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 3 of 3 in our 2nd grade Art Unit: Animals and Climate Change.
- Students should have a basic understanding of climate change.
- Students need access to iPads or tablets to take photos of their animal sculptures and dioramas. They will also need to print their photos.
- Teacher should assemble the following art materials: scissors, glue, markers, crayons, and magazines for cuttings.
Differentiation
- Problems and solutions to climate change can be reviewed in small groups prior to the lesson.
- To extend the lesson, students can research specific New Jersey habitats and incorporate any images and facts they find into their comics.
- When creating comics, students can draw their own panels instead of using one of the templates provided.
- Students can display all of their artwork from the unit and invite other classes to an art show.
From the scientist review
In order to demonstrate how climate change affects New Jersey's species and their habitats, this lesson empowers them to learn how to create a comic strip and offer practical solutions for conserving New Jersey's wildlife. We reviewed the lesson and it passed our scientific validity process.
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About the teacher writers
Jessica Jozak
Jessica Jozak is an elementary educator with 4 years of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a concentration in iSTEM from The College of New Jersey. Jessica holds a K–6 Elementary Teaching Certificate and serves as a Green Team Leader.
Sustainable Jersey for Schools
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future.
