NAME: Violetta Cupial
OPTION:
ICO
EMAIL:
violetta.cupial@mail.utoronto.ca
Visual Arts Lesson Plan
Title: Don’t Throw that Away!: Reusing Recyclables to Grade: 1 Timing: 60 minutes (3X)
Show our Responsibility for our Earth
Overview/Big Idea:
Material Conservation; Reusing Materials, Material Conservation in our Classroom; Care for our Environment
Through this lesson students will explore the big idea of Material Conservation in art creation. Students will
begin the lesson by discussing various ways in which recyclable materials can be utilized for making art projects to avoid
classroom waste. This will be done by reading the book Don’t Throw That Away! Students will then view the work of
other artists to interpret their idea of conserving materials in art. Then students will construct bird feeders out of plastic
jugs, which have been found in the recycling bins by the teacher and students. They will cover the jugs with old
newspapers by utilizing the Papier-mâché technique. After this they will cut up old classroom sponges and make them
into different shapes to create repeating geometric patterns on their jugs. Then they will move outside and hang the
recyclable plastic jug bird feeders with seeds to help sustain their local eco-system (birds).
Student Work: Please scroll down to see an exemplar of students’ work (scroll down to the bottom of the plan).
Specific Curriculum Expectations: (at least one from each of the three Visual Art strands and other subjects if
integrated)
Visual Arts
D1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process (see pages 19–22) to produce a variety of two- and
three-dimensional art works, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts to communicate feelings, ideas, and
understandings;
D1.4 Use a variety of materials, tools, and techniques to respond to design challenges
D2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analyzing: apply the critical analysis process (see pages 23–28) to
communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and art
D2.1 Express their feelings and ideas about art works and art experiences
D3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms,
styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their social and/or community contexts.
D3.2 Demonstrate an awareness of a variety of works of art from diverse communities, times, and places
Science (Understanding Structures and Mechanisms/Understanding Life Systems)
1. Assess the impact on people and the environment of objects and structures and the materials used in them;
1.1 Identify the kinds of waste produced in the classroom, and plan and carry out a classroom course of action for
minimizing waste, explaining why each action is important
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs and characteristics of plants and animals, including humans.
3.5 Describe how showing care and respect for all living things helps to maintain a healthy environment (e.g. feeding
birds during cold winter months)
Mathematics
Overall: • Identify, describe, extend, and create repeating patterns
Specific Expectations: – Create a repeating pattern involving one attribute (e.g., colour, size, shape, sound)
Materials & Tools:
Book: Don’t Throw that Away by Lara Bergen, Empty Plastic Jugs, Old Newspaper, Paint, Papier-mâché glue: water
and flour or glue, Old Sponges, Old food containers for paint, Bucket for cleaning sponges, String for hanging plastic
jug, Images of artists to share with students via Powerpoint, An Assortment of Recyclables (glass, pop-can, plastic jug
etc.), Papier-mâché sealer (e.g. Paverpol), Bird food.
Artists/Artworks: (must also be included in the lesson)
Iner Souster “Bowafridgeaphone”
Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew Temple made out of 1, 000, 000 glass bottles
HA Schult “The Beach Garbage Hotel” and “Trash People”
Wassily Kandinsky “Composition VIII”
Quality Art Education: have you included…
V Looking at Art (by professional and amateur artists): YES
V Discussing or writing about art: YES
V Making Art: YES
-------------------------------------------------------------------V Is it also integrated with another discipline? YES: Science and Mathematics (see expectations on the first page)
(if so, you must list these expectations on first page)
Delivering the Lesson
Timing
25 minutes
Grouping
W S I
X
X
X
X
X
Warm-up/Mental Set
1. The teacher reminds the students of the plans which the class has made to help
minimize waste during the science lesson. Students are reminded of how they expressed
a concern of utilizing a lot of new paper and supplies in the art classroom and how much
waste is created. The plan the students have established is to work with more recyclable
materials in art class.
2. The teacher presents to the students an assortment of recyclables. He/she asks the
students to determine how these could be used to create a work of art. Students engage in
a think-pair-share and share their ideas about how to reuse the recyclables to recreate
them into a new art piece. Each pair of students then shares their ideas with the class.
3. The teacher reads the book Don’t Throw that Away! Students and the teacher discuss
the various art projects in the book, which have been made from recyclables.
4. The teacher presents the bird feeder she/he made from recyclables and explains that
students will make one on their own. She/he asks the students to identify the materials
and provide ideas of how they think the birdfeeder was made.
Body of the Lesson (Step-by-Step)
Note: Students are already knowledgeable in how to make paper-mache glue and
how to cover objects with paper-mache. Students understand what repeating
patterns are.
X
X
25 minutes
X
Process of
about 120
minutes
X
X
X
X
X
10 minutes
X
X
1. The teacher shows students professional works of art, which have been created with
recyclables materials or out of what would be considered trash. The teacher asks for each
image: What do you see? What material(s) did the artist use? What is the big idea the
artist is trying to make by using these materials? Students discuss each question posed in
a think-pair-share and then share their answer in a group setting.
2. Each of the students returns to their art group stations (3 students per station). Each
art group station has all of the materials for the lesson. The teacher explains that the
students and the teacher will be completing the project all simultaneously as the teacher
will be modeling each part of the project. Students help each other in each station.
3. Project steps: Part 1 of the process: Mix the water and the flour together to make
X paper-mache glue (students may also use regular glue). Tear old newspapers. Coat each
piece of newspaper by paper-mache glue and coat the entire plastic jug. As the papermache is drying, students cut various shapes out of old sponges, which they will use to
decorate the jug bird feeder by creating various repeating patterns. Students then paint
the entire jug with the color they would like.
Part 2 of the process: Review shapes by discussing the Kandinsky piece. Repeating
X geometric patterns are also reviewed with the students. Once the jug bird feeder is
painted and dry the students decorate the painted jug bird feeder with repeating patterns
by using their various sponge shapes to apply paint. The teacher helps each student cut
out a hole big enough for a bird to enter and eat the seeds. The teacher sprays the bird
feeders with a sealant (outside) and helps the students attach a string hanger. The
students and the teacher hang their bird feeders outside on the trees in the schoolyard.
4. The teacher asks the students: What benefits could a bird feeder have in the natural
environment for the animals? What needs do birds have to stay alive especially during
the cold months when the ground is frozen?
Closure:
1.The teacher and the students review what materials and techniques were used and what
was the big idea of the art project.
2.The teacher also discusses with the group of students what connections they can make
to science and mathematics. Science: reducing waste in the projects we create in our
classroom, and what do different species need to live on especially during the cold
months. Mathematics: we can apply our mathematical knowledge of patterning to
decorate our art.
Reflections (what worked/didn’t work and what changes are needed for next time)
What worked: The students displayed a great sense of motivation for this project. They were excited to complete
the project and see their birdfeeders hung outside.
What really worked was the fact that because the birdfeeders were hung outside, the students were able to display
them to the whole school and also show the feeders to family members who were picking them up from school at
the end of the day. Students were proud to have their project be in such an open display area. Also, the successful
part of the project was that it established in students the concern and responsibility for other living things. Daily,
the students would check if the bird feeders had enough food to feed the birds and they were excited to fill the
birdfeeders with food again. Students would work collaboratively to check and add food to the feeders, which
helped students in developing teamwork skills and greater sense of community. In addition, students were able to
establish a connection with the natural world as everyday they would sit by the classroom windows and observe
the different kinds of birds that would come to their birds-feeders. Another aspect of the project, which
contributed to its success, was that this project was teacher guided as well as requiring small group work. In this
manner, students were able to work at the same pace and help each other as well as have constant modeling and
help from the teacher. This allowed the students to accomplish a challenging art project, as each student being in
grade 1 would have a difficult time completing the task independently. With teacher guidance and peer support,
students were able to successfully complete all of the necessary steps in the process to create the birdfeeders.
What did not work: The challenge for this lesson was the fact that there was not a sink in the classroom.
Students would have to utilize a bucket with water for rinsing tools and their hands. Also, because the project took
time to complete, students were a bit discouraged because they thought that they would be able to complete the
project in a quick manner. Many times, I had to remind the student that their hard work would pay off once we
would be finished with the project. Motivating the students consistently was necessary to complete the project.
Next time: For projects in the future, I would promote student independent work to avoid having to guide them
through every aspect of the project. This would allow them to express their ideas and abilities artistically to
encourage greater responsibility and satisfaction with their work. It would be beneficial to allow them to choose to
use recyclable materials to create whatever they conceived as this could motivate their interest in the project and
maintain their interest longer.
*Grouping: W = Whole class; S = Small group; I = Independent
Exemplar of Students’ Work
-
a student’s birdfeeder hanging
inside the birdfeeder is bread for the birds, the students put inside.