Caroline F., painted landscape with recycled containers.

Kathleen Sneed Petka

I am super pleased with how creative my students were in their Trash to Treasure challenge. I created this activity to inspire students to reuse materials and to find the beauty in everyday items.

There were little to no limitations on what students could use or how they could execute their works. Some created sculptures and lighting fixtures; others made objects from deconstructed egg cartons and used dryer sheets. They all enjoyed the freedom and process in choosing their own materials and sharing their progress with others.

Collecting Materials
I notified students a little over a month before the due date so they could start collecting materials. I shared some examples of what other students have done in the past and talked about using unconventional media or surfaces to make art.

I created this activity to inspire students to reuse materials and to find the beauty in everyday items.

Students collected cardboard, plastic bags, junk mail, old shampoo bottles, potato chip bags, plastic bottles and lids, and more. One student even carved from an old sweet potato that wouldʼve been thrown out. I stressed that nothing from this project should cost a penny—students could paint on discarded plastic lids from food containers or use the cardboard from shipped products as a canvas.

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