treasure from trash doc - blake.com.au · / gross and fine motor skills / hand-eye coordination /...

Treasurefrom Trash

Blake’s Topic B

ank

A2 n Treasurefrom Trash

by Tanya Dalgleish

This Topic Bank contains:n Curriculum links

n Word lists

n 28 creative activities, including puppets and masks

n Recipes

Draw, Paint and Create

2 © Blake Education—Draw, Paint and Create: Treasure from TrashThis page may be reproduced by the original purchaser for non-commercial classroom use.

hy use junk?

Students will have opportunities to develop:

/ creativity and imagination/ self-esteem/ gross and fine motor skills / hand-eye coordination/ observation skills/ concentration/ ideas through experimentation/ ability to respond to experiences through arts media/ ability to manipulate various arts media/ knowledge about the properties of various arts media / spatial awareness/ their sense of touch (tactile abilities)/ knowledge about the properties of objects including texture, colour, shape, size,

dimensions/ knowledge of other mathematical concepts such as whether objects stack or

roll, and are two-dimensional or three-dimensional/ ability to use mathematical terms such as surfaces, vertices, angles, faces,

sides, depth, mass, volume / decision-making and problem-solving abilities/ attention to detail/ respect for the artworks of others/ understanding of themselves and others, and the world around them/ social skills by working with others/ independence and the ability to make decisions by working individually/ confidence in taking risks and the ability to work towards goals/ leadership skills when working in groups.

ow to use junkStudents can start with a goal in mind or allow the artwork to takeshape as they proceed. While using ‘trash’ or ‘junk’ in creating artworks,however, suggest to students that they exploit the item’s properties orpeculiarities. For example egg cartons lend themselves to creatingcaterpillars, crocodiles, dragons, dinosaurs, monsters, frogs’ eyes, andeyes, ears and noses on puppets and masks.

Junk materials can be used to create abstract art, realisticimpressions, as well as two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks.Works can be created in response to the materials being used, or inresponse to a theme or topic (for example insects), a story or poem, oran emotion (for example sadness). Artworks can also depict conceptssuch as transition, technology, metamorphosis, cooperation, assimilationor apartheid. Upper primary students will be able to draw on what theyhave learnt from the Society and Environment Learning Areas whencreating conceptual artworks.

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For all your teaching needs visit www.blake.com.au


inks to the syllabusStudents will use junk materials to:/ explore and develop ideas/ make choices about arts elements and organise them in expressive ways/ develop arts skills, techniques and processes / interact with others.

inks with EnglishExploring text types

After some of the activities described, ask students to write:/ an explanation of how the artworks were created/ a procedural text to tell someone in another class how to create the same effects/ a personal response to the experience of creating an artwork, or to the work of a famous artist/ a description of the artwork and/or its properties (or the properties of the items used—

soft, flexible, spongy, springy, malleable, pliable)/ an opinion text which tells whether or not the student likes an artwork, or whether they

enjoyed the experience of creating an artwork, giving reasons to support their opinions/ a poem to tell the feelings or mood inspired by one of the works/ script a drama or role-play involving masks.

hat the icons mean A rating is given for each activity to indicate suggested year level suitability.

Lower primary Middle primary Upper primary

istsord

gluingassembling

constructingcreatingdesigningtwisting

squashingtearingcutting

bendingfolding

hammeringsawingnailing

attachingstickinginserting

experimenting

cooperatingthreadingweaving

commentingdecoratinglistening

collaboratingsharing

persisting

Actions

Use the following word lists as starting points forcompiling your own class word lists.



hat to useegg cartons

wrapping papercontact (clear and coloured)

uncooked dried pasta(dyed or plain)

stringribbons

boxes or cartonswoodshellsbark

driftwoodleaves

flowersstraw

iceblock sticksmatchsticks (used and

dyed)doilies

paper bagsbeadsglittersequins

aluminium foilfabric (ask wallpaper and

decorator shops for colourcharts and samples)

feltraffia

sandpaperpaper

cardboardcrepe

tissue papermagazines

newspaperscotton woolcotton buds

spongessteel woolold keys

old earrings and other

jewelleryeggshells (dyed or plain)

birdseeddried legumes

paper plates or cupspipe cleaners

corkscork tilesfloor tilesfeathersdried rice

cooked spaghettisocks

hats and other old clothespantyhose and stockings

pine conestwigs and branches

wood streamers

hessianhair

paint chart samples

leathercottonreelsfurnuts

spoolscarpet pieces

rocksplant pots

jarsaluminium foil

picture framescardboard cylinders

clayplaydough

coathangersbits from old televisions

and radiosold telephones

saucepansplastic and metal bottle

tops and jar lids

hat else you’ll needwood glue or PVA glue

clear lacquer or varnish (available in spraycans)

masking tape of various widthssticky tapehammers

nailshole puncher

rulerscotton thread and needles

paper clipsstaplerscissors

pinking sheerswool

space to store ongoing work


ctivities

You can specify which materials are to be used in collage or allow students freechoice of the range of materials available. Encourage students to consider aspectsof layout, design, balance, colour, line, pattern and shape when creating theircollage.

Provide students with a variety of background textures and colours such as bark,cardboard, coloured paper, contact paper, aluminium foil or chipboard.

When you limit the number of items which students can use in their collage, youwill be able to assess their creativity and originality. For example give everystudent a sheet of art paper, a square of aluminium foil, a circle of red paper, apiece of string, a strip of black card such as corrugated card, scissors and glue. Askstudents to use some or all of the materials provided, in any way they wish, tocreate an artwork. Advise students that they are not allowed to use any othermedia.

Some students will attempt to represent familiar things such as a house andflowers, while others will simply glue the shapes intact. Other students will cut andpaste and create patterns using line and colour and shape, or tear and wind and wrapand paste part of each item, so that their constructions partially hang off the artpaper. The variety in students’ responses will amaze you.

Encourage students to experiment with tearing, folding, rolling, scrunching andoverlapping the elements in their collages. If students have unlimited access toavailable materials, they may decide to use paint, magazine pictures and words, orwrite words and poems onto their collages.

Display and discuss the results.

ollage

Musical instruments can be made from any number of junkmaterials—anything that makes sounds can be called aninstrument. For example students can make the following:�an empty tin covered with greaseproof paper becomes a drum�blocks of sand paper to rub together�metal bottle tops nailed to wood to bang and rattle�shakers (containers with seeds, nuts, legumes, rice, or stones)�sticks for banging and tapping�bottles containing different amounts ofwater to tap.

usicalinstruments



Cardboard cylinders can be used to make rocket ships. Rolland staple a semicircle of cardboard into a cone shape, andattach to one end of the cylinder. Attach red cellophane tothe other end to represent flames at the base of the rocket.Variation: Make the cardboard cylinder into a spy or pirate telescope.Paint and decorate the cylinder, and tape cellophane over each end.These cylinders are also useful for making animal bodies and limbs.

ardboard cylinders

Collect eggshells. Wash the

eggshells and then dye them

in batches of different

colours. When dry, ask

students to glue the

eggshells to cardboard in

interesting patterns.

ggshells

Place a sheet of clear contact on the table for each student. Askstudents to arrange leaves, petals, glitter, coloured paper andother materials on top of the contact. When finished, placeanother sheet of clear contact over the top. Variation: These contact flower arrangements can be used as

insets when making greeting cards. Fold a piece of cardboard inhalf to make a card. Cut a heart shape out of the front cover ofthe card. Tape a piece of the flower contact insidethe front cover of the card, so it is visible throughthe heart shape.

lacemat

Arrange flower petals and small leaves inside two pieces of waxpaper. Place a tea towel over the pieces of wax paper and iron. (Onlya teacher or other responsible adult should use the iron.) Waxsheets will stick together to create effective wrapping paperfor a gift, or hang the floral paper in front of a window for apretty effect.

Variation: Paint the paper with liquid starch and arrange the petalsand leaves. Place a second sheet of wax paper on top. There is noneed to iron the sheets because the wax papers will sticktogether as the liquid starch dries.

Variation: Press flowers between blotting paper sheets and placeunder heavy books for approximately four to five weeks. Use tomake greeting cards, collage pictures, or arrange inside photoframes for a gift.

ax paper flowers



Have students cut out pictures from magazines or wrappingpaper. Glue onto boxes. Cover each box with a coat of PVA gluemixed with water, and let the coat dry. Apply three morecoats of the PVA mix, allowing time for each coatto dry. The decoupage forms both a decorative andprotective coating on the box.

ecoupage

Use a smooth styrofoam tray (available with some fruit and vegetable purchases) to create aprinting plate. Have students cut the curved edges off a tray to create a flat rectangularsurface. Ask students to use a felt-tip pen and sketch a design onto the smooth side. Carve thesketched design by pressing firmly into the tray with a iceblock stick or biro.

Pour a small amount of ink into another container and coat a sponge roller (brayer) withthis ink. Roll the ink over the printing plate. Place a sheet of paper on top of the printingplate and press smoothly over the surface. Carefully peel off the print.

rinting

Give each student a paper plate and have them create dinner

on the plate using whatever materials are available. Students

might like to make pizzas using triangle shaped paper, with

rolls of red and yellow crepe paper to represent tomato and

cheese, and small circles of pink to represent salami. Students

may choose to make hamburgers, roast meat and vegetables,

spaghetti bolognaise or vegetarian dishes.

Students may even wish to glue some

plastic cutlery to their plate.

inner art

Mix different-coloured powder paints with

dry sand. Ask students to use glue to ‘draw’ a

design on art paper—squeezing from a squeeze

bottle is best. Sprinkle the sand

mixture onto the glue. Shake off

any excess mixture. Allow to dry.

and picture




Have students create model constructions of modern or historical places (such asthe Sydney Harbour Bridge, medieval castles or the Taj Mahal), places fromliterature or fantasy places based on students’ imaginations. Encourage studentsto use cartons, boxes, cardboard cylinders, cardboard, iceblock sticks,matchsticks, masking tape and any other junk items available.

Students can assemble their constructions and then papier-mâche over the topbefore painting and decorating. (Remind students to allow the final layer of paper todry completely before painting.) Ask students to explain their construction to others.Encourage students to include details such as what they were attempting to create,their method of working, whether students felt they achievedtheir goals, any problems encountered and the solutions theyreached, and what they would do differently next time.

onstructions

Make fancy dress hats, hats for drama androle-play, or hats for special occasions suchas Easter, using junk materials. Decorate oldhats, or make hats from cardboard and cutdown cartons and boxes. Wine cask cartonsare a good size to fit students’ heads, andyou can cut two holes for eyes. Paint thehat, or cover it with coloured contact orcoloured paper. Attach decorations whichare appropriate for the hat, such asribbons, cylinders, feathers, paperplates or jewellery.

ats

Measure and cut out a piece of paper which is

sufficient to cover the sides of a clean jam jar.

Use a hole punch to make holes in the paper

and decorate, paint or colour the paper. Glue

the paper around the outside of the jar. Place

a small candle inside the jar. Only a teacher or

other responsible adult should light the

candle. Observe the effect created by the

light shining through the holes.

anterns



Turn an unwanted box into a jewellery box. Paint the outside of the box.

Cover the inside floor of the box with a plush fabric such as velvet—cut to

size and glue down. Decorate the lid of the box with sequins, beads and

glitter, or cover with dried pasta and then spray-paint in shiny gold or

silver. Variation: The same method can be used for recycling old photo

frames.

ewellery box

There are a number of simple ways to create jewellery from junk:1. Simply thread old beads, or pieces from broken jewellery, on a piece ofstring or wool to create a new necklace. 2. Cut a shape suitable for a brooch, for example an oval, from cardboard. Decorate

one side of the shape and attach a brooch pin to the other side. (You can buybrooch pins from craft supply stores.) Alternatively, decorate bothsides of the shape, punch a hole in the top and thread with wool,string or raffia to create a necklace.3. Thread dyed pasta tubes onto a length of wool for a necklace. Alternatepasta with leaves, patty pans and coloured/shiny cardboard shapes forvariety.

4. Create papier-mâche beads by winding strips of thin paper covered with PVAglue around a knitting needle. Make sure the end of the paper issecurely glued, then pull out the knitting needle. When beads aredry, paint and thread onto leather strip or wool to make a necklace. 5. Create a papier-mâche bangle by cutting a cardboard strip to length for a wrist.Make sure that it will fit over the wrist, then staple the ends of the cardboardtogether. Put layers of your papier-mâche mixture (paper, glue andwater), onto the bangle. Use plain tissue or toilet paper for the finallayer and then coat with PVA glue. Allow to dry and then decorate.

ewellery


Empty an egg of its contents usingthe method described in theCollage eggs activity. Mixcontainers of different coloureddyes.

Cut out a few small pieces ofmasking tape and stick to theeggshell. (The masking tape willprotect the parts it covers fromabsorbing dye.) Place in thecontainer with the palest coloureddye, for example yellow. Allow theshell to absorb enough colour.Remove the eggshell and dab dry.

Attach a few more small piecesof masking tape to exposed parts ofthe eggshell. Repeat the dyeing anddrying process, choosing a darkercolour each time. When finished,remove all the maskingtape, and there is amulti-coloured egg!

yed eggs

Stick a pin or needle into each end ofa raw egg to create two holes. Gentlyblow the contents of the egg outthrough one of the holes into a cleancontainer. (You can use the egg forcooking.) Decorate the egg in variousways.�Spray-paint the egg and attach

sequins, beads from old jewellery,feathers or glitter to the egg.�Dye the egg, then cover with glue

and sprinkle glitter.�Glue pasta and rice to the egg

using PVA glue and then spray-paint in gold, bronze or silver.

Catalogues, such as Franklin Mint, canalso provide ideas for egg decoration.Students can use examples such asthe Fabergecollection forinspiration.

ollageeggs

Create miniature scences in boxes by turning them on their sides so that the viewer

looks into the inside of the box. Paint the inside walls of the box to suit the scene being

created, such as an underwater scene, a forest, or the planet Mars. Glue collected junk

items to the inside walls and floor of the box. For example leaves, sand, rocks and twigs

would suit a forest setting. Make small animals or characters to populate the scene.

Cover the opening of the box with clear cellophane, or use coloured

cellophane to add atmosphere—blue-green for an underwater

scene, or red for the planet Mars.

Extension: Encourage students to use the dioramas as science museum

exhibits. Ask students to label the elements in their exhibit.

iorama




Glue pieces of fabric onto plastic lids. A teacher or another responsible adult can pierce ahole in each lid. Thread together to create mobiles.

Make spiders from egg cartons. Paint the carton, and include two eyes. Staple eight pipe-cleaner legs to carton. You or another responsible adult should make a hole in the centre ofthe carton. Thread thin elastic or string through hole and attach to carton with a staple.Hang spiders from scary places.

Cut bird shapes from cardboard. Colour in eyes, beaks and body feathers. Make a slot in thebody of the bird to insert folded decorated paper fans for wings. Make a smallhole near the top of the bird and thread string through the hole. Hang birds fromsticks.

obiles

Make an old shoebox into a weaving loom.Create a warp by punching eight holes ineach end of the shoebox, and threadingeight pieces of wool from end to end. Usinga ball of wool, weave it under and over thewarp to create the weft. Students can alsoweave with strips of fabric, raffia, straw,green twigs and nylon. Variation: Two tree branches or two lengthsof driftwood can replace the shoebox. Tieeight rows of fabric between thepieces of wood to make a warp.

eaving

Use aluminium and steel cans for pencilholders, plant pots, and storagecontainers. Don’t use any cans withsharp edges. Cover edges with contactor felt for extra safety. Decorate thecans in any of theways alreadysuggested.

teel can holders

Make a tree branch look like a snake.

Paint it using earthy colours. Use a

design based on a real

snake or create a new

snake pattern.

ree snake



Puppets can be used for drama, puppet theatre, role-play, storytelling, play building, poetryrecitals and other language activities. Students can create puppets for characters in literature(for example ‘wild things’ for Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are), or they can createpuppets for their own stories and plays.Have students construct puppet theatres or stages using upturned tables, with a sheet coveringthe legs acting as the backdrop.

Sock puppetsPlace old socks over students’ hands. Decide where the puppet’s mouth will be and have partnersstitch or safety pin the corners of the mouth together, so that the mouth becomes an obviousfeature. Sew on buttons for eyes, beads for animal noses, felt or fabric ears andwoollen hair. Ask students to name their puppets, and introduce them to otherpuppets and puppeteers.

Scarecrows and mascotsHave students make some life-sized people and scarecrows for your classroom. Stuff oldclothes with newspapers or rags to create the body. Stuff a pillow case for the head.(Remember to secure the stuffing so that it can’t fall out.) Paint the face and put a hat on topof the head. Name each character, and prop in a corner of the classroom asthe class mascots. Students may wish to re-create a person from literatureor make up an entirely ‘new’ character.

Shadow puppetsUse cardboard or paper plates mounted on a stick/ruler to make shadow puppets. Create ashadow puppet theatre by using an overhead projector as the light source. Place a white sheetin front of the projector. Use the puppets by placing them between theprojector and the white sheet. The puppets will cast their shadow onto thesheet. Perform a show for an audience.

Snake puppetsObtain paper bags with square and rectangular bases (craft suppliers sell coloured versions), anduse the bases as the puppet mouths. Have students form the mouth by inserting their arm in thepaper bag and pressing the base together, in a opening and shutting motion. Glue in aforked tongue. Glue on eyes and some shiny cellophane scales and students have asimple, yet effective, snake puppet.

Finger puppetsCut out a cardboard circle about 10 cm in diameter. Cut two holes at the edge ofthe circle, so that two fingers can fit through and operate as the puppets. Decoratethe fingers as puppet characters.

uppets


Making masks can be linked to:

the investigation of other cultures. Show students examples of masks from

various cultures, using library books, CD-ROMs or the internet. Discuss why

cultures have masks, and how they are used.

drama, historical and other literature, nursery rhymes and poetry.

dance and music.

Decorate the following masks according to their purpose. For example a harvest

celebration mask can be painted in earth colours and then decorated with leaves,

twigs, seeds and nuts.

Paper plate masksUse paper plates, or use a dinner plate as a template and trace it onto cardboard.

Have students hold the paper mask to their faces to mark the positions of eyes and

mouths. Help students cut out the eyes and mouth in their mask. Ask

students to tape a stick, ruler, straw or length of dowel to the back of

the card. Students use this prop to hold the mask in front of their face.

Carton masksMake a template for a mask by folding a large piece of paper in half and drawing the

outline of half a mouth on the paper fold. Draw the outline of an eye in the

appropriate position. Cut out the mouth and eye through the two layers of paper.

Open out to see the whole face. Place this template around the corner of a carton

or box, so that the fold is on the box corner. (The mask should have a solid top, so

the box may need to be turned upside down.) Draw a line across the top of the box,

joining the two top corners of the mask template. Cut the mask out of the box.

Make a hole on each side of the mask and thread elastic or string through the

holes to hold the mask in place.

asks

Layer 12 to 16 pieces of tissue paper, either in a single colour or variety of colours.Trace a circle template onto the top layer of tissue paper and, cutting through all thelayers, cut out the circle. Pierce the centre with a piece of wire and loop the end of thewire so that the tissue paper will not fall off the wire.

Using green paper, cut a base (calyx) for the flower and glue to the centre at back ofthe tissue paper flower, also securing it to the wire if possible. Wrap green stripsof tissue or crepe paper around the wire stem and secure with glue. Gently fan outthe petals of the flower by pulling the layers of tissue paper around the loop.

issue paper flowers



Materials required for papier-mâche are balloons, cardboard cylinders, eggcartons, newspaper, tissue paper or toilet paper, PVA glue, wallpaper glue mixture,scissors and masking tape.

Use an inflated balloon for the basic shape. Collect cylinders for arms and legs,egg carton pieces for noses, or fashion paper shapes and attach to balloon withmasking tape. Cover with three or four layers of the papier-mâche mix—paper,wallpaper glue and water. (Leave a small gap near the base of the balloon becausethe balloon will need to be removed later.) Use plain toilet paper or tissue paperand PVA glue for the final layer. (This gives a clear, smooth finish that is easier topaint.) When the papier-mâche is completely dry, paint the shape. Put a hole in theballoon with a pin and remove balloon through gap.Make monsters, piggy banks, dinosaurs or bird bodies.Attach paper streamers and crepe paper for tails.

apier-mâche

Woodwork is suitable for all students, although you should not allow younger

students access to more dangerous tools such as saws, and the use of hammers and

nails will need to be carefully supervised.

Students will need hammers, nails, screws, saws, screwdrivers, clamps, wood glue,

sandpaper (attached to wooden blocks for ease of use), rulers, pencils and felt-tip

pens, and junk items as available.

Use offcuts of various types of wood such as softwood or hardwood, plywood,

driftwood, firewood, chipboard or branches.

Students can nail or glue various wood pieces together and add any other junk items

to their constructions. Students can plan what they will

construct, or they can allow the pieces of wood to dictate how

the artwork will evolve.

oodwork

Students can be challenged to create an artwork, usingwhatever materials they can find, to depict a concept.Brainstorm the meaning of particular concepts withstudents. Create a concept map or semantic web onchart paper to help students understand themeaning of the concept and its implications.

epicting a concept




ecipes

Ingredients4 cups plain flour

2 cups salt8 tablespoons cream of tartar

4 cups boiling water

4 tablespoons cooking oil

powder paintglitterMethodMix ingredients together and work into a smooth and pliable dough. Store in fridge.

Add powder paint for colour and/or glitter.

lay dough (uncooked)

Ingredients2 cups cornflour1 cup salt

dye waterMethodMix ingredients and use instantly because it will harden andstick to all surfaces as soon as it is left to dry. NB: Students

enjoy the texture of goop.

oop

You may wish to make thesepaint recipes as part of aclassroom activity. Only

teachers or other responsibleadults, however, should add

boiling water to recipes!


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