Lesson Title: From Trash to Treasure

Estimated Completion Time: 1 Week

Overview
Students will collect trash and recycled objects in an effort to clean the community. They
will then use these gathered materials and repurpose them as art by creating a
sculptural collage.

Enduring Ideas/Essential Questions

How can an artists environment affect his/her art within the community?
How does making art for the community expand the creative process?
Why would an artist want to make art for the community?
Why would an artist want to use trash and recycled objects for creating art?

State Standards
NCASS: VA:Cr1.1.5: Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art-
making.
NCASS: VA:Cr3.1.5: Create artist statements using art vocabulary to describe
personal choices in art-making.
NCASS: VA:Cn10.1.5: Apply formal and conceptual vocabularies of art and
design to view surroundings in new ways through art-making.
NCASS: VA:Cn11.1.5: Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs,
values, or behaviors of an individual or society.

Lesson Objectives
The students will:
Explain how art can make a difference in the community.
Describe how an artists environment can affect his/her art within the community.
Discuss how making art for the community can expand the creative process.

Tools and Materials

Recycled Objects (Bottle Tops, Can Tabs, etc.)
Trash Collected in Community
Plywood
E6000 Adhesive
Disposable Rubber Gloves
Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes
Art Journals
Pencils

Introduction
The teacher will introduce the lesson with Prezi: From Trash to Treasure. The Prezi will
include essential questions, a YouTube video, and links to artist websites to introduce
the lesson. Some questions the teacher might ask are How can art be a service to the
community?, How can an artists environment affect his/her art within the
community?, and How does making art for the community expand the creative
process?.

Process
Day 1:
1. Review Prezi and discuss questions.
2. Discuss plan for collecting trash and recycled objects.
3. Discuss locations for final artwork to be displayed. Make a list and the teacher
can contact those locations to see who is willing to display the work.
4. Design image for sculptural collage. Image can be abstract or realistic.

Day 2:
1. Collect trash throughout community.

Day 3:
1. Sort through collected materials.
2. Paint plywood board for image template.

Day 4:
1. Glue trash and recyclables to board.

Day 5:
1. Finish gluing trash and recyclables to board.
2. Paint any areas desired.
3. Move finished artwork to location for display.
4. Students will write a reflection on the lesson.

Assessment
Students active participation is monitored throughout the lesson. They will also be
assessed on the following in their journal reflection.
How can art make a difference in the community?
Why would an artist want to make art for the community?

Artists or Works of Art Studied

Denise Hughes, https://goo.gl/rCQOAI
Pulsar Generated Inter Gilded Substitution by Robert Melee (2014), Retrieved
from https://goo.gl/FqrP9o
Vik Muniz, https://goo.gl/Kg70bS
William Massey III, https://goo.gl/XQnHpx

References

Cherry, M. (2014, February 7). School wide bottle cap mural project. [Blog Post].
Retrieved from https://goo.gl/NzxFG0.
Massey, W. (2013, September 6). Object of ma(tt)n ~ Divided mass. [Video File].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/YAUXa9Al02M.
PBS NewsHour. (2011, November 17). 'Waste land' explores artist's use of
garbage to transform lives in Brazil. [Video File]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/gInKde8FmH4.