In the classroom:
The inspiration for this project borrowed closely from the work of Girak, Lummis, & Johnson’s (2019) study entitled “Creative reuse: The impact artmaking has on raising environmental consciousness”. In their study of twenty upper primary school students, they concluded that students developed a greater awareness of their carbon footprint in the process of making art out of recycled and repurposed materials. Therefore, whilst a unit of work involving the creation of art using recycled and repurposed materials could be used with primary school students of any age group, it is especially pertinent to those in the upper levels of primary school who have been proven capable of learning about and understanding the broader implications associated with reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. The Victorian Curriculum and Reporting Authority’s (VCAA) (2021) cross curriculum priority ‘Learning about Sustainability’ explains that:
“Through making and responding in The Arts, students consider issues of sustainability in relation to resource use and traditions in each of The Arts disciplines. The Arts provides opportunities for students to express and develop world views, and to appreciate the need for collaboration within and between communities to implement more sustainable patterns of living. In this learning area, students use the exploratory and creative platform of The Arts to advocate effective action for sustainability.” (VCAA 2021)
Unlike in other jurisdictions, such as NSW and Tasmania, the Victorian curriculum does not include a specific document relating to Environmental Education/Sustainability through the Arts (Everett et al. 2009). However, a Design and Technologies content descriptor for grades 5 & 6 in relation to Sustainability states that students should: “Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use” (VCDSTC037) (VCAA 2021). This could easily be extrapolated for use in the creative arts classroom and form the foundation for an inquiry based learning unit. This project proposes that as a research inquiry unit students could create their own pieces of art, either for functional or aesthetic purposes, by using materials that were otherwise destined to be thrown away. Throughout this process students, especially those in the upper year levels of primary school, are encouraged to engage with the inquiry questions featured on the first page of this website:
1. How can I reduce my waste (e.g., how can I reduce, reuse, and recycle more effectively)?
2. What are the environmental consequences of generating too much waste?
3. What additional environmental issues are of importance to me and how can I express these through my (upcycled) artwork?
4. What role can I personally play in protecting the environment and contributing to a more sustainable world?
Students could also be encouraged to follow their own interests in relation to Sustainability and create their own inquiry questions relating to concerns they have about the environment. Hopefully, through engaging with and creating art works such as those displayed on this website, students can be inspired to generate questions of their own and begin to think about the environmental consequences of overconsumption and the potential impact they can have in contributing to a better future.
The inspiration for this project borrowed closely from the work of Girak, Lummis, & Johnson’s (2019) study entitled “Creative reuse: The impact artmaking has on raising environmental consciousness”. In their study of twenty upper primary school students, they concluded that students developed a greater awareness of their carbon footprint in the process of making art out of recycled and repurposed materials. Therefore, whilst a unit of work involving the creation of art using recycled and repurposed materials could be used with primary school students of any age group, it is especially pertinent to those in the upper levels of primary school who have been proven capable of learning about and understanding the broader implications associated with reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. The Victorian Curriculum and Reporting Authority’s (VCAA) (2021) cross curriculum priority ‘Learning about Sustainability’ explains that:
“Through making and responding in The Arts, students consider issues of sustainability in relation to resource use and traditions in each of The Arts disciplines. The Arts provides opportunities for students to express and develop world views, and to appreciate the need for collaboration within and between communities to implement more sustainable patterns of living. In this learning area, students use the exploratory and creative platform of The Arts to advocate effective action for sustainability.” (VCAA 2021)
Unlike in other jurisdictions, such as NSW and Tasmania, the Victorian curriculum does not include a specific document relating to Environmental Education/Sustainability through the Arts (Everett et al. 2009). However, a Design and Technologies content descriptor for grades 5 & 6 in relation to Sustainability states that students should: “Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use” (VCDSTC037) (VCAA 2021). This could easily be extrapolated for use in the creative arts classroom and form the foundation for an inquiry based learning unit. This project proposes that as a research inquiry unit students could create their own pieces of art, either for functional or aesthetic purposes, by using materials that were otherwise destined to be thrown away. Throughout this process students, especially those in the upper year levels of primary school, are encouraged to engage with the inquiry questions featured on the first page of this website:
1. How can I reduce my waste (e.g., how can I reduce, reuse, and recycle more effectively)?
2. What are the environmental consequences of generating too much waste?
3. What additional environmental issues are of importance to me and how can I express these through my (upcycled) artwork?
4. What role can I personally play in protecting the environment and contributing to a more sustainable world?
Students could also be encouraged to follow their own interests in relation to Sustainability and create their own inquiry questions relating to concerns they have about the environment. Hopefully, through engaging with and creating art works such as those displayed on this website, students can be inspired to generate questions of their own and begin to think about the environmental consequences of overconsumption and the potential impact they can have in contributing to a better future.