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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Articulated/Moveable Paper Dolls

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students create articulated/moveable dolls, that fit a specific theme, using various forms of media, including recycled paper, jewelry, foil, and other items. They may choose to display their dolls on a background.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magazine Mosaics

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Almost every teacher has a stack of old magazines lying around. Get creative and turn them into mosaics! That's right, this resource explains how kids draw, design, cut, and paste to create mosaic art from recycled magazines. Connect...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Egg Carton Lobsters

For Teachers K - 1st
Who doesn't love learning about the ocean? And who wouldn't want to help create an ocean themed mural? Little learners make lobsters out of recycled egg cartons, pipe cleaners, and paint. These are then used as part of a larger 3-D ocean...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Snakes: Recycled Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 4th
Make snakes with your class to demonstrate how recycled materials are perfect for art. Learners use colorful plastic cups, pantyhose, paper fasteners, and fishing line to make articulated snakes. This project would be great when learning...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Middle-East Reflections

For Teachers K - 12th
Practice symmetry and patterns with this Mid-Eastern art project. Your class will create beautiful, reflective mosaics that will brighten up the classroom! A list of necessary materials is included.
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Lesson Plan
Education Outside

Natural Dye Tie-Dye

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Up-cycle, or reprocess waste materials, into colorful tie-dye clothing or banners with an activity that uses fruits and vegetable juices as dye sources.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cool Inventions

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students explore inventions and inventors, focusing on the French-Candadian inventor of the snowmobile Joseph-Armand Bombardier. They brainstorm a list of inventions still to be created and then create their own invention from recycled...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Milk Carton Houses

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Create a village and learn about recycling at the same time! A materials list is included, as well as instructions for what you need to do to create a recycled carton village with your kids. Two great book links are included.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Note Cards

For Teachers K - 6th
This is a very simple idea, learners make note cards or stationery out of their recycled art work. Note: I have done a version of this, where I've had my special needs learners paint on card stock or watercolor paper. I then cut each...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Paper: Recycled Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 8th
The advent of paper has made a huge impact on society and we wouldn't be the same without it. This project allows learners to explore and create paper of their own using recycled materials. The how-to is all laid out, just follow the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Puzzle Piece Frames

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Every class has a puzzle or two with missing pieces, don't trash them, use them for art. Great for framing a picture or self-portrait, this frame idea really comes together. Learners use old puzzle pieces to decorate a picture frame....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stamp Boxes or Jars: Recycled Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 4th
With some canceled stamps, an old box, and some glue, learners create art from scraps. You save up or gather used postage stamps, the kids glue them onto a box or an old clean jar. All the steps needed to complete this project plus two...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Imaginary Creature And Then Using Describing And Action Words for a Creative Writing Exercise

For Teachers 3rd - 10th
You have to collect lots of materials (boxes, bags, toilet paper rolls, etc.) for this lesson to work successfully. After modeling how to create an imaginary creature out of the collection of recycled materials, let your class search...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life size figures - Moveable Murals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create life-size human figures and decorate them in a collage style with torn colored pieces of pictures from magazines. They display them around the school, creating life-size murals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art Savers

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Need a cheap way to get all those fabulous paintings, collages, and drawings home? Learners use old paper towel tubes to create a handy art transportation device. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Art of El Anasui: Creating a Mural with Discarded/Recycled Objects

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create murals that feature recycled objects. For this West African art lesson, students examine artwork by El Anatsui and his commentary on social issues. Students then create murals in the style of El Anatsui using discarded...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Bottle Flowers

For Teachers K - 4th
Students create recycled art. In this visual arts lesson, students follow the provided steps to create their flowers made from recycled water bottles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycled Robots

For Teachers K - 1st
Students create recycled art. In this visual art lesson, students use recycled products to assemble robotic pieces of art. Students also write stories about their robots.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Garbage: A Puppet's Paradise

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make puppets from recycled materials. In this puppetry and recycling instructional activity, students investigate different types of puppets and their uses. They make puppets using mostly recycled materials such as old socks,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music of Puerto Rico

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study about the musical rhythms and instruments of Puerto Rico. Then they construct their own instruments using recycled products. Students listen to different genres of music and define them. Students focus on the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Christmas Potpourri Hangers

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Students create a potpourri hanger.  In this Christmas craft lesson, students reuse materials to make a Christmas potpourri hangar for the tree or for a gift. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mixing Up Magic

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore the relationship between art and science through experimenting with color, design and recycled materials and creating their own art work.
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Activity
Other

Tape Sculpture: Tape Casting Tutorial

For Students 9th - 10th
A fun casting project to try using clear packing tape. On this site there are step-by-step illustrated instructions plus video and pictoral examples.
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Website
Other

Recycle Runway

For Students 9th - 10th
With a stress on saving and protecting the environment, these clothes are handmade from materials such as aluminum cans and glass.