Curated OER
Snakes: Recycled Art
Make snakes with your class to demonstrate how recycled materials are perfect for art. Learners use colorful plastic cups, pantyhose, paper fasteners, and fishing line to make articulated snakes. This project would be great when learning...
Curated OER
Making Paper: Recycled Art
The advent of paper has made a huge impact on society and we wouldn't be the same without it. This project allows learners to explore and create paper of their own using recycled materials. The how-to is all laid out, just follow the...
Curated OER
Twig Construction: Recycled Materials
Construction projects of any kind require learners to use spacial reasoning, creative thinking, and critical analysis skills. They design and make a twig/leaf structure out of natural and recycled materials. This project would be great...
Curated OER
Stamp Boxes or Jars: Recycled Art
With some canceled stamps, an old box, and some glue, learners create art from scraps. You save up or gather used postage stamps, the kids glue them onto a box or an old clean jar. All the steps needed to complete this project plus two...
Curated OER
An Imaginary Creature And Then Using Describing And Action Words for a Creative Writing Exercise
You have to collect lots of materials (boxes, bags, toilet paper rolls, etc.) for this activity to work successfully. After modeling how to create an imaginary creature out of the collection of recycled materials, let your class search...
Curated OER
Observe Earth Day with Art Projects Made from Recycled Materials
Creative hands-on art project ideas that are easy on the earth and easy on a teacher’s budget.
Curated OER
Lesson: Recycle, Repurpose, Recreate!
Before youngsters use items from the recycle bin to create unique repurposed sculptures, they should analyze some art. Here, they learn about Francis Nnaggenda, an assemblage artist from Uganda. They analyze one of his sculptures,...
Curated OER
Recycled Materials
Students examine the properties and uses of recyclable materials. For this recycled materials lesson, students are introduced to the idea that some materials can be recycled. They investigate the types of materials that can be reused,...
Curated OER
Greeting Card Boxes: Recycled Art
Greeting cards can be cute or pretty, and they end up in the trash. Turn your old greeting cards into a functional box. Learners fold, cut, and tape old cards to create small boxes that are perfect for holding paperclips, erasers, or...
Curated OER
Puzzle Piece Frames
Every class has a puzzle or two with missing pieces, don't trash them, use them for art. Great for framing a picture or self-portrait, this frame idea really comes together. Learners use old puzzle pieces to decorate a picture frame....
Curated OER
Environmental Benefits of Recycling
Fourth graders understand the benefits of recycling. In this recycling literacy lesson, 4th graders read an article and identify the main idea. Students understand the process of transfer to the landfill and discuss how recycling helps...
SF Environment
Pre-School Composting and Recycling!
You can never be too young to get involved in composting or recycling. Here is a lesson that has been made for the very littlest learners and it's all about the importance of conservation. They'll sort compostable and recyclable objects,...
Curated OER
Pop Art Pins & Magnets
Young scholars examine cereal and snack boxes and then create magnets and/or pins using the Pop Art demonstrated in these pieces. This multi-level lesson emphasizes the differences between commercial art examples and fine art examples.
Curated OER
Magazine Mosaics
Almost every teacher has a stack of old magazines lying around. Get creative and turn them into mosaics! That's right, this resource explains how kids draw, design, cut, and paste to create mosaic art from recycled magazines. Connect...
Curated OER
Egg Carton Lobsters
Who doesn't love learning about the ocean? And who wouldn't want to help create an ocean themed mural? Little learners make lobsters out of recycled egg cartons, pipe cleaners, and paint. These are then used as part of a larger 3-D ocean...
Dick Blick Art Materials
“Gawu” — African-influenced Tapestry
Here's a great way to combine environmental science with art. Kids use recycled materials to create their own Gawu, a tapestry made of discards. Although designed for special education classrooms, the activity is sure to engage all...
Curated OER
"Rapper" Art
Turn your recycled wrappers in "Rapper" Art with this creative lesson plan! Your class will create a collage using wrappers. They will also create a print plate of words or phrases to go along with their project. What a great way to...
Curated OER
Middle-East Reflections
Practice symmetry and patterns with this Mid-Eastern art project. Your class will create beautiful, reflective mosaics that will brighten up the classroom! A list of necessary materials is included.
Curated OER
Lesson: Urs Fischer: Reviving the Past Art Movements
Seven major abstract art movements are analyzed by learners in groups. Each group analyzes various works by determining which work belongs to which movement. They then read Flatland, engage in an art and literary analysis discussion,...
Curated OER
Articulated/Moveable Paper Dolls
Students create articulated/moveable dolls, that fit a specific theme, using various forms of media, including recycled paper, jewelry, foil, and other items. They may choose to display their dolls on a background.
Curated OER
Art Savers
Need a cheap way to get all those fabulous paintings, collages, and drawings home? Learners use old paper towel tubes to create a handy art transportation device.
Curated OER
Recycled Paper
Sixth graders keep track of the amount of paper they consume on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The goal of the lesson is to have them all find ways to reduce the amount they use. Everyone creates recycled paper from old newspapers...
Curated OER
Fabric Art
Do kids use problem solving skills when they create scrap art? You bet they do! After examining the art of Mary Katherine Lamb, they create their own pieces using recycled products and vintage art techniques. They watch a video about the...
Museum of Science
Recycled Paper
Watch paper form anew. Scholars take part in an activity where they create new decorative paper from used white and colored office paper. They use a blender to make a pulp slurry, then place it into molds to form the paper. They learn...