Activity: Creative Sustainability: Social Action – Visual Arts – Years 7 & 8

Quick summary: In this activity, students will combine the skills and knowledge from previous lessons in the Creative Sustainability unit to create a final artwork that explores how we can make one small change for sustainability. They will investigate the ways that members of their community can make a positive change towards a sustainable future, and convey those messages through a mixed-media artwork, using upcycled substrate such as cardboard, paper bags or envelopes. The artworks will be displayed at an exhibition where students can share their ideas on sustainability with a local audience.

 

Faber-Castell has long understood the importance of creativity to all people, especially to young people. It is also continuously searching for environmentally friendly processes and high-quality materials to enhance children’s creative experience throughout every development phase. For more information about Faber-Castell, click here.

 

Learning intentions:

• Students know what environmental sustainability is.
• Students are able to experiment with a range of art media and traditional art materials.
• Students are able to choose effective display methods to exhibiting their artwork.
• Students understand how to enhance the meaning of their work using subject matter, art conventions and materials.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: 

Year 7 & 8 Visual Arts

• Develop ways to enhance their intentions as artists through exploration of how artists use materials, techniques, technologies and processes (ACAVAM119)
• Practise techniques and processes to enhance representation of ideas in their art-making (ACAVAM121)
• Present artwork demonstrating consideration of how the artwork is displayed to enhance the artist’s intention to an audience (ACAVAM122) 

Syllabus outcomes: VAS4.5, VAS4.6.

General capabilities: Literacy, Ethical Understanding, Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 7 & 8 Visual Arts achievement standards: Students identify and analyse how other artists use visual conventions and viewpoints to communicate ideas and apply this knowledge in their art making. Students plan their art making in response to exploration of techniques and processes used in their own and others’ artworks. They demonstrate use of visual conventions, techniques and processes to communicate meaning in their artworks.

Topic: Sustainability, Creative Thinking.

Unit of work: Creative Sustainability – Year 7 & 8 – Visual Arts.

Time required: 120 mins, plus time for an art exhibition.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity and assist with art display.

Resources required: Student Worksheet – one per student. Sticky notes, projector to show art technique videos, recycled cardboard, paper bags, envelopes or other surfaces suitable for drawing on, range of art materials including Grip Colour Pencils, Connector Pens, Fineliners, PITT Artist Brush Pens, Watercolour Pencils, Pastels, Erasers, Sharpeners.

Keywords: Recycle, upcycle, mixed media, art, sustainability, communication, change.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.