Quick summary: Students will explore the relationships between the arts and the environment. They will look at the relationship some artists play in raising public awareness about sustainability and environmental issues. Students then create an artwork made from recyclable materials including old mobile phones.
Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in MobileMuster. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change. Take part in the Schools Recycling Right Challenge for Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week. Register your lesson or other activities today!
- Students consider how art and our environment intersect;
- Students will see how artists can play a key role in bringing awareness to environmental issues;
- Students will have created their own artwork made of recyclable materials.
Australian Curriculum content description:
Years 9 and 10 Visual Arts:
- Manipulate materials, techniques, technologies and processes to develop and represent their own artistic intentions (ACAVAM126)
- Plan and design artworks that represent artistic intention (ACAVAM128)
- Analyse a range of visual artworks from contemporary and past times to explore differing viewpoints and enrich their visual art-making, starting with Australian artworks, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and consider international artworks (ACAVAR131)
Year 9 English:
- Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts (ACELY1739)
Year 10 English:
- Analyse and evaluate how people, cultures, places, events, objects and concepts are represented in texts, including media texts, through language, structural and/or visual choices (ACELY1749)
Topic: Consumption, National Recycling Week, Mobile Muster, Up-cycling.
Time required: 2 – 4 lessons
Digital learning opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities, TED Talk given by Chris Jordan, Turning powerful stats into art
Homework and extension opportunities: Ask students to find examples of other environmental artists. Students should review the artists and identify how they communicate their ideas.
Keywords: Recycling, waste, arts, environment, up-cycling, sustainability.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.