1. Topic: Art Projects Using Recycled Materials
2. Objectives:

Student will be able to work with different mediums and produce works of art.
3. Materials Needed:
1. Scissors, tape, glue, paint, markers, colored pencils, string, etc.
2. Recyclable materials: old magazines, colored paper from recycling bins in other rooms,
egg cartons, glass, cardboard, soda cans, etc.
3. Work gloves for students wishing to work with glass or soda cans
4. Permission slips signed by parents to work with glass, etc.
5. Rubric handouts for students (linked below)
4. Strategies:
Background: At the beginning of the unit set up several recycling bins in classrooms
typically used by the students throughout the day and encourage them to recycle their
trash and bring in recycling materials from their homes. Be sure to wash the bottles,
etc. before allowing the students to work with them. Also bring in some additional
materials/recycled items for the students to use. Any recyclable materials that students
can find are permissible for use. Collect these materials from the Music teacher, whose
class used some of them to make musical instruments earlier in the day.
Send a note home to parents a few days in advance to explain that students will
be working with glass and metal so that if parents wish to object to their students
working with such materials, they have enough time to contact you. It may be wise to
have a permission slip due to the complications that could arise from working with glass
and aluminum, but be sure to mention the cautionary measure you are taking to keep
students from harming themselves or others. A sample is provided at the end of the
lesson plan.
Introduction: Hang up examples of sample or past projects to give students ideas on
what they can make. Ask students what they think each project was made out of. Allow
for several or numerous answers before telling them what each is actually made of.
Explain that sometimes, art can be made out of items that people would normally not
consider artistic and that today they will be using recyclable materials to create art
projects.
Lesson Steps:
1. Pass out the rubric for the project and explain to students that they may make
any project they want, but their project must include all the requirements on the
rubric. Explain to them that they will need to present their projects to the rest of
the class, using the description that they write to explain their project. Write the
requirements of the gallery explanation/description on the board for them and
remind them to copy the necessary parts down so that if they don’t write it in
class they will be able to write it at home and know what to include. The
requirements are:
i. Title of the work
ii. Artist’s name
iii. Materials used
iv. Explanation of work, inspiration, or meaning
2. Give students the entire period to work, and walk around giving feedback and
answering questions.
3. If there is time at the end of the period, allow students who are finished to
present their projects to the class. Those who are not finished must finish their
projects as homework and present them in the next class period.
Lesson Closure: Have students clean up about 5 minutes before the period is over.
Remind them that their projects will be displayed around the class and for parents to
see on the Parents’ Night at the end of the unit.
5. Assignment: If students do not finish their art projects in class, they must finish them as their
assignment and write a gallery explanation (Title of the work, artist’s name, materials
used, and explanation of work, inspiration, or meaning) The project and explanation will
be presented in the next class period.
Extension: Student may create color-by-number pictures that have to do with recycling,
or draw pictures that have to do with recycling.
6. Evaluation: Art Project (Rubric)
Student Name: ____________________________________
CATEGORY 6
4
2
0
Plan/Effort
Plan is creative
with all necessary
materials and
procedures needed
to create project.
Student worked
diligently for entire
class period, or
until finished.
Plan is creative
with most of the
materials and
procedures
needed to
create project.
Student worked
diligently for
most of the
class period.
Plan provides
some of the
materials and
procedures
needed to create
project. Student
worked diligently
for only part of
the class period.
Plan used only a
few of the materials
provided, and
needed many
outside materials
that were not
accessible. Student
did not work
diligently during the
class period.
Creativity
Object is creative Object is
and uses mostly
somewhat
recycled materials creative and
most materials
are recyclable.
Object is a little
creative and at
least half of the
materials are
recyclable.
Object is not
creative and more
than half of it is not
recyclable.
Aesthetic
Aspect
Project was eye
catching and was
artistically
attractive.
Project was
well put
together, and
nice to look at.
Project was well Project was poorly
planned, but not constructive and not
put together in an pleasing to look at.
attractive manner
Presentation Student was
prepared, showed
their project, and
stated all the
required aspects
from their gallery
description.
Student was
somewhat
prepared,
showed their
project, and
briefly stated
the required
aspects.
Student was not No presentation.
prepared, project
was not fully
done, and briefly
explained some
of the required
aspects.
Description
Report does
Does not include No report
fully explain
all information
each aspect of required.
the project, but
each aspect is
reported on.
Total: ___/30
Described their
project, how they
came up with it,
and why they
chose to make it.
Explained what
materials they
used and how they
made their project.
Dear Parent(s),
This coming Tuesday, the art class will be making art projects out of recyclable
materials. Some of these materials include aluminum cans and glass bottles. Students will be
allowed to cut these cans and bottles to make their projects if they so choose. Work gloves and
safety goggles be provided to students and they will be strictly supervised when using these
materials. However, a permission form is provided below in order to ensure that each parent is
aware that their student will be using these materials and approves of this activity.
Those students whose parents do not allow them to use these materials will still take
part in the activity but rather will use materials such as cardboard, paper, or plastic bottles.
Thank you for your time and attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Miss Hoekstra
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I, _______________________ give permission that my child ____________________________
be allowed to use the glass and aluminum materials provided in art class to make art projects.
Signed: _______________________________________