Title: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Display Animals Resource: Bordalo II |
Year level: 6 Lesson duration: 60 Minutes Learning Intention: In this lesson students use waste products to create their very own Bordalo II inspired 3-D artworks representing animals that are threatened by plastic waste. Students will then apply a whole school approach to teaching and learning about Sustainability by displaying their artworks around the school to educate other members of their school community about the importance of correctly disposing of plastic waste and the environmental benefits of reducing, reusing, and recycling in relation to the effects on different animal species. |
Curriculum: Learning outcomes & Assessment
Vocabulary & Terminology: Sustainability, Waste-disposal, Waste-Management, Resource Use, Collaboration, Patterns of Living, Environmental-Footprint, Impact-Statement. Assessment of students’ learning (evidence of learning includes but is not limited to): The degree to which the student identifies how their animal is impacted by plastic waste. Presentation of an effective 3-D artwork that sends a powerful message about the harm of plastic waste. Students’ ability to source and identify reusable materials from home, school, etc., and incorporate them into their 3-D artwork. The student has chosen an appropriate animal to represent in their 3-D artwork, inspired by the focus artist Bordalo II. The students' artwork is visually appealing and effective in capturing the viewers’ attention, so as to best send a powerful message regarding the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling. |
Prerequisite knowledge and links to previous/future lessons Prior to this lesson, students will have researched the different species of animals that are negatively affected by human waste, e.g., sea turtles, seals & sea lions, seabirds, fish, whales, and dolphins, et cetera., and be able to explain how these species are negatively affected. Students can use sites such as onegreenplanet.org to access articles such as this, https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/marine-animals-are-dying-because-of-our-plastic-trash/, and conduct their own inquiry based research (One Green Planet n.d). Prior to this lesson, students will collect waste from around their school, homes, and/or streets that will be used to create their 3-D artworks. Students will be instructed to primarily collect plastic waste products, which cause the most environmental damage. Students will also have viewed artworks made by Bordalo II, such as his ‘big trash animals’ 3-D Art display before commencing this lesson. After this lesson that addresses the harmful environmental impacts of plastic waste, students will research ways that they can individually and collectively reduce waste, e.g., by replacing disposables with reusables, avoiding plastic bags, and recycling and repurposing waste products wherever possible. Students will then create a poster to be displayed besides their art creations that explain how people can more effectively manage waste. |
Preparation and Teaching Resources required Prior to this lesson, students will be instructed to collect materials destined to go to waste such as:
This lesson will also require:
Students should also view the works of Bordalo II on his website for inspiration: https://www.bordaloii.com/ This lesson will be done by table groups with each group selecting a different animal impacted by plastic waste to represent in their 3-D artwork. Tables will need to be cleared fully prior to this lesson. This lesson could be taught in most classrooms, however, would best be conducted in a purpose-built art room if available. |
THE LESSON: |
Lesson Introduction: Explanation (whole class focus): This lesson is the lesson in which students will actually get to create their 3-D artworks! After researching animal species that are impacted by plastic waste, students will use the waste materials they have been collecting to create their very own 3-D artworks in the style of street artist Bordalo II. Students will work in groups and have one hour to complete this task. Students will also designate one group member to write down on scrap paper how their particular animal is affected by plastic waste. All the materials needed should be laid out and ready to go before this lesson commences. The teacher will emphasise that their artworks will be displayed to the whole school and will contain an important environmental message regarding waste management! |
Learning activities:
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Lesson Conclusion: To conclude this lesson, the teacher will direct a gallery walk where a representative from each group will explain the materials they have used, identify the animal they have represented, and explain how their animal is impacted by plastic waste. Students should also be able to identify harmful waste materials that have been directly used in their 3-D art works. Finally, students will hand in their artwork and written impact statement to the teacher to be displayed in various locations around the school. The teacher will then explain that in the next lesson, students will consider ways that they can reduce their harmful plastic waste, and students will create a small explanatory poster to accompany their public art displays. |
Variations:
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