Middle School

Teacher sample by Melody Weintraub.

The Essential Questions
How can students repurpose materials to transform plastic disposables into works of art?

Objective
Students will create a drawing by envisioning a shape created from blister packaging.

Materials
clear blister packaging (pre-shaped plastic that covers a product; discard cardboard backings), glue sticks, scissors, drawing paper, pencils, color media of choice

Procedures
1. Distribute various shapes of blister packaging. These can come from school supplies, batteries, and more.
2. Students choose one of the plastic blister packs and trace the shape onto their drawing paper.
3. Ask students to explore how they could transform the shape of the blister pack into a new object.
4. Students add details and color to their object then draw an appropriate setting or background.
5. Students glue the plastic blister pack to the transformed object on the paper.
6. Students write a statement about their experience in using disposable plastic to create a work of art.

Assessment
Students are assessed by the effort and skill they use in completing the work and writing the artist statement.

Authorʼs Note: This ClipCard was inspired by a lesson idea from my colleague, Rhonda McEnany.

Melody Weintraub is a retired middle-school art educator and art education supervisor for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.