Lesson Reflection
For this lesson, we specifically looked at the impact of the plastic bag on the environment. Before beginning the artmaking activity, students researched the area known as The Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. This area of man-generated debris may seem far removed for our land-locked state of Kansas, but the rivers and waterways that lead to the oceans are filled with plastic
bags and other debris that ultimately gets carried out to sea. Our plastic bag mandalas hope to create awareness of this area of trash and help to foster environmental stewardship in the community.
Plastic became the material we used in our final artwork, but before we could be begin assembling the pieces of plastic bags, we needed to create a design. Students used discarded coffee grounds and charcoal to create preliminary mandala sketches. The use of non-traditional materials is a major theme of artist Vik Muniz. Students were shown a short clip of Muniz at work creating the Pictures of Garbage series and employed his process in their own work. Repeated shapes and line filled the circular mandala shape with unique radial designs. This quiet reflective drawing activity had the students so engaged I was almost tempted to remind them they didn't need to stay silent! Well, their focus paid off. I was so impressed with their designs that I made the decision to go from creating one large mandala to multiple mandalas in order to showcase their design strengths. Next, the students gathered in pairs and selected design elements from each preliminary drawing to use in the final work of art. With the help of guides students cut segments, shapes, and pieces out of plastic and assembled them together with clear tape. The finished works of art turned out great with each mandala showing individual personality! We concluded the lesson by watching a Public Service Announcement created in California. It's smart, humorous message reached this age of students as they began to ask new questions about the use, re-use, and the potential ban of plastic bags. During the final reflection, students also provided thoughtful answers to our essential questions: How does trash impact your life and the life of others? What message can art say about our environment?
The Majestic Plastic Bag, 2010. http://vimeo.com/14221747 Graphic Novel about The Great Garbage Patch
For this lesson, we specifically looked at the impact of the plastic bag on the environment. Before beginning the artmaking activity, students researched the area known as The Great Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. This area of man-generated debris may seem far removed for our land-locked state of Kansas, but the rivers and waterways that lead to the oceans are filled with plastic
bags and other debris that ultimately gets carried out to sea. Our plastic bag mandalas hope to create awareness of this area of trash and help to foster environmental stewardship in the community.
Plastic became the material we used in our final artwork, but before we could be begin assembling the pieces of plastic bags, we needed to create a design. Students used discarded coffee grounds and charcoal to create preliminary mandala sketches. The use of non-traditional materials is a major theme of artist Vik Muniz. Students were shown a short clip of Muniz at work creating the Pictures of Garbage series and employed his process in their own work. Repeated shapes and line filled the circular mandala shape with unique radial designs. This quiet reflective drawing activity had the students so engaged I was almost tempted to remind them they didn't need to stay silent! Well, their focus paid off. I was so impressed with their designs that I made the decision to go from creating one large mandala to multiple mandalas in order to showcase their design strengths. Next, the students gathered in pairs and selected design elements from each preliminary drawing to use in the final work of art. With the help of guides students cut segments, shapes, and pieces out of plastic and assembled them together with clear tape. The finished works of art turned out great with each mandala showing individual personality! We concluded the lesson by watching a Public Service Announcement created in California. It's smart, humorous message reached this age of students as they began to ask new questions about the use, re-use, and the potential ban of plastic bags. During the final reflection, students also provided thoughtful answers to our essential questions: How does trash impact your life and the life of others? What message can art say about our environment?
The Majestic Plastic Bag, 2010. http://vimeo.com/14221747 Graphic Novel about The Great Garbage Patch
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