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NO MORE PLASTIC (Plastic Sculpture)

SUBJECTS Visual Arts
GRADE LEVEL Junior (4-6) / Intermediate (7-8) / Senior (9-12)
PLEDGE

Resources Needed:

This lesson was developed and contributed by Holly Little.

  1. No More Plastic by Alma Fullerton
  2. Various pieces of plastic (e.g. bottles, containers, etc)
  3. Tape, glue, string, and other crafting materials

Introduction:

1. Read the book, No More Plastic by Alma Fullerton.

2. Ask students if there has ever been a time when they saw something that really made them stop and think. What was it? Why was it so impactful?

3. Discuss how/why Isley’s plastic sculpture made people finally stop and think about their use of plastics.

4. Brainstorm other creatures who are affected by plastic in their waterway habitat (ocean, pond, etc). Create a class list of these creatures.

Lesson:

1. Either as a whole class, or in groups, decide on a creature from the list created to represent.

2. Using pieces of plastic, create a sculpture representing that creature (similar to Isley’s whale sculpture). *Note: avoid use of paints or substances that would make the plastic unable to be recycled when this project is over.

Follow Up Activities:

1. Display the sculpture(s) for other classes to see.

2. Include facts or posters around your sculpture(s) to help educate others.

3. If multiple classes participate in this lesson, a school-wide display could be created in a central location (library, stage) where classes could walk through an immersive underwater/pond/waterway experience made out of plastic. You could add sound and lights to enhance the experience.