Plastic Oceans Sculpture
Project aim:
To create 3D, hybrid sea-creature sculptures, inspired by the ocean, to draw attention to plastic waste. To challenge children to collect and re-use plastic bottles and plastic bags for their creations.
Duration:
6 lessons, 45 mins per lesson
Suitability:
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes
Integration Opportunities:
-Science: Researching sea-creatures, developing an awareness of the impact of plastic waste coaster on ocean life and bio-diversity.
-Literacy: creative writing based on the sea-creature.
-S.P.H.,E.: active citizenship to support our environment and reduce plastic waste.
Materials:
Plastic waste: plastic water bottles, clear, blue and green coloured if possible, plastic bags, double sided tape, scissors, glue, fishing line wire, sewing needles, glue gun.
Tips:
-Invite children and the wider school community to gather a collection of used plastic water bottles and plastic bags (all washed) over a number of weeks. The plastic waste collected could come from a beach or forest clean-up or a clean-up while walking through town or city streets.
-It can be challenging for the children to work with the plastic bottles, so this is an ideal project for parents and grandparents to be active participants. (Lessons 3,4 & 5)
-While the sculptures are being created, they can be displayed as works in progress on lines across the classroom.
Useful links:
Plastic ocean crisis and educational resources:
- https://plasticoceans.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Plastic-Oceans_Educational-Supplement_vJan2108.pdf
- https://oar.marine.ie/handle/10793/1316
- Tara Donovan, artist using plastic
-Invite children and the wider school community to gather a collection of used plastic water bottles and plastic bags (all washed) over a number of weeks. The plastic waste collected could come from a beach or forest clean-up or a clean-up while walking through town or city streets.
-It can be challenging for the children to work with the plastic bottles, so this is an ideal project for parents and grandparents to be active participants. (Lessons 3,4 & 5)
-While the sculptures are being created, they can be displayed as works in progress on lines across the classroom.
Useful links:
Plastic ocean crisis and educational resources:
- https://plasticoceans.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Plastic-Oceans_Educational-Supplement_vJan2108.pdf
- https://oar.marine.ie/handle/10793/1316
- Tara Donovan, artist using plastic
3 lessons, 90 mins each + 1 lesson, 3 hours