Reduce, Reuse, and Create Art!
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, students will use art to convey a message about an issue of their choice. Students will learn about green art supplies and create their own art project out of recycled materials. They will also write a reflection on their project and display their art for others to view.
Objectives:
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Understand the issues of recyclable products.
• Understand the issues surrounding toxic art supplies.
• Complete a project using environmentally friendly supplies and recycled materials
• Present and explain their project to their peers
As a result of this activity, all students should develop understanding of:
- Personal and community health
- Population growth
- Natural resources
- Environmental quality
- Natural and human-induced hazards
- Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
Materials Needed:
• Items that could be turned into reusable art supplies (sock, newspaper, bags, jars, cans, plastic, toys, boxes, etc.)
• Reproducible #1- Reduce, Reuse, Create Art Reflection
• Access to computers or a computer with projector (optional)
Assessment:
Students will be assessed through the following activities:
• Recycled Art Project and presentation
• Recycled Art Project reflection
(Use rubrics given to you in the beginning of the year. Rubrics are also posted on the website.)
LESSON BACKGROUND
Relevant Vocabulary:
• Green Art: Art that is created through a sustainable manner and that uses environmentally friendly supplies
• Renewable Resource: A resource that is replenished at an equal or comparable rate as its consumption i.e. soybeans
• Non-Renewable Resource: A resource that is not replenished at a rate to sustain its consumption level
• Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic Chemicals: Toxic chemicals that persist in the environment for long periods of time and accumulate in cells and tissues as they move up the food chain.
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): organic chemical compounds which have high vapor pressures under normal circumstances; capable of entering the gas phase in normal conditions; participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions.
Information:
Though artistic endeavors can involve as many toxic chemicals as a chemistry experiment, students and teachers are often unaware of the hazards these materials pose to their own health and the health of the earth. Many household supplies throughout the world contain Persistent BioaccumulativeToxic chemicals (PBTs), or can generate or release PBTs into the environment when they are made, used, or discarded. PBTs persist in the environment and accumulate in tissue, increasing in concentration as they move through the food chain, posing a risk to human health and ecosystems.
Exposure to dangerous chemicals can cause acute or chronic illness in children and adults such as: headaches, breathing problems, nausea, burns, and lung and kidney damage.
A great way to solve this problem is to be more aware of the products you use on a daily basis. Another great approach is to incorporate items that might otherwise be destined for the landfill in your art projects. Using non-toxic supplies makes art education safer for students and teachers. Also, incorporating recycled materials into art projects reduces the amount of garbage in landfills, reducing manufacturing, reducing our carbon footprint, and saving money. Reusing old materials stimulates creativity, teaching you to look for new uses for old things.
Reduce, Reuse, Create Art
Reflection
Now that you’ve created your own original piece of recyclable art, write a 1-2 page reflection (12’ font, New Times Roman font, and double spaced) on your project. Consider some of the following questions to get yourself started:
• Where did you find inspiration for your project?
• What type of audience is your project aimed at?
• What do you want viewers to take away from your artwork?
• What type of materials did you use?
• Is there any significance to the items you chose?
• What did you learn while creating your art project?
• Would you expand your project at all if you had more time/resources?
Your artwork and reflection paper will be due Friday, January 10th.
Be prepared to present your work.
May the force be with you!
Mrs. Bozek