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Brown Bag Kites
Students observe and discuss kites. They create a kite out of recycled materials, such as paper bags, paper scraps, leftover glitter, and buttons.
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A Waste Not Picture Frame
Students reuse old puzzles with missing pieces by painting the remaining pieces and using them to make a picture frame. They embellish the frame with other recycled items.
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Sorting
Students practice sorting books. In this sorting lesson, students play the Flood Game on the PBS web site. With knowledge of the sorting system used by libraries, students sort small numbers of books using categories devised by their...
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Sports Cardboard Relief Sculpture
Students study the artwork of Frank Stella and create a piece of art that represents a sport.
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Pot Of Gold Craft
Students create "Pot of Gold" containers using recycled baby food jars, ribbon, pom poms, tissue paper, and kraft glue. This Art lesson is ideal for elementary classrooms, but can also be adapted for a small service project at the High...
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Glue-On Pumpkin Faces
Students make Jack-O-Lanterns --- without the carving ---in this Halloween lesson ideal for the early-elementary classroom (including pre-Kindergarten).  If computers are available the lesson can be adapted so that the students create...
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Shamrock Man
Students create "Shamrock Men" using construction paper, pre-cut patterns, glue, and scissors in this lesson that celebrates St. Patrick's Day.  The lesson was originally create for a Special Education class but could be adapted for...
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Blessing Boxes
Pupils create "Blessing Boxes" to show what they are thankful for in this Art instructional activity ideal for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The materials needed include empty (and clean) milk cartons, brown construction paper, and magic...
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Painting Without a Brush
Students demonstrate how to finger paint.  For this finger painting lesson, students use various painting tools and their fingers to create a unique art piece.
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Penguins, Penguins, Penguins
Students create "juice bottle penguins" using paper mache, water-based paints, water, and recycled juice bottles.  This lesson is intended for early-elementary students and is great as a post-activity for a lesson or unit on Penguins or...
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Have Fun With Paint
Students explore different painting techniques. In this visual arts lesson, students use various materials to create different textures in their paintings.  Students use wax paper and foam boards to create unique art pieces.
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Marigold Sculptures
Students design paper sculpture. In this visual arts lesson, students follow the provided steps to create their own marigold sculptures from paper products and paint.
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Make a Paper Mache Bowl
Students create a paper mache bowl. In this paper mache lesson plan, students use wallpaper paste, newspapers, and paint brushes to construct a paper mache bowl. Students decorate their bowl with unique designs.
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Make Your Own Trashasaurus Rex Sculpture
Students explore environmental awareness through reusing materials. In this environmental awareness lesson, students use trash to create a "trashasaurus," a large dinosaur sculpture made from waste. Detailed structure and papier-mâché...
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Lesson 11 - Potable Water
Students investigate the meaning of potable water and water reuse. They define water quality and quantity problems. They complete worksheets, a quiz and design a poster.
Teaching Tolerance
Fairness Fair
How can we create a more fair world? Chances are, class members have some ideas! After reading a text about fairness, individuals create skits around the ideas of fairness. Extend the learning and make their presentations a...
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The Flat Stanley Project
Students read the book Flat Stanley. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students participate in earth-friendly activities based upon the book.  This lesson includes ideas such as using recycled paper to make a "paper pal."
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Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home
Pupils explore how recycling helps save trees and protect the environment. For this environmental concern lesson, students color a handout of animals that live in forests. Pupils discuss how recycling paper can save trees and set up...
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Glass Jar Sand Painting
Learners make their own colored sand out of salt or sand and tempera paint. They create sand art in recycled babyfood jars, by arranging layers of the different colored sand. They also decorate the jars.
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Card Boxes
Students build gift boxes using recycled christmas cards, ribbon, glue, and hole punchers in this Holiday Art instructional activity for the middle level classroom.  Six christmas cards are needed for every box and the instructional...
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Garden Tag
Young scholars create mini "gardens" in recycled clothing boxes. They recycle old seed and flower catalogs and "plant" cut-out flowers in their gardens.
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Christmas Potpourri Hangers
Students create a potpourri hanger.  In this Christmas craft instructional activity, students reuse materials to make a Christmas potpourri hangar for the tree or for a gift. 
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Toilet Paper Tube Turkey
Students create "toilet paper tube" turkeys in this Thanksgiving Day art lesson for the early elementary classroom.  The lesson suggests using toilet paper tubes, construction paper, googly eyes, scissors, and glue to create each turkey.
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Sorting
A lesson plan on classification and sorting is here for you. Elementary schoolers participate in an interactive computer game in which they sort books by theme. They take a trip to the library to observe and discuss how books are sorted,...