1. Justine Schultz
Recycled Papers Lesson Plan
Elementary Level with Severe to Profound Disabilities
To Know: Declarative Vocabulary To do: Procedural Materials and Resources
Students will:
Think critically on how
we affect our Earth as
we create new things.
Identify processes in
art-making that
coincide with those
found in other
academic studies
(specifically Earth
Science).
Review:
• Recycle
• Change
New Terms:
• Paper pulp
• Paper sizing
• Carbon
footprint
• Earth-
conscious
Students will:
Identify “change” in
nature and enact
change through several
art processes to
repurpose old paper
scraps into new sheets
of paper.
• Construction paper
scraps
• Collected papers for
recycle (newspapers,
junk mail, shreds, etc.)
• Cornstarch (approx. 1
tsp per roasting pan
station)
• Immersion blender
• 9”x12” framed screens
(6—1 per student)
• Aluminum roasting
pans filled halfway
with water (6—1 per
student)
• Small plastic buckets
(6—1 per student)
• Towels (6—1 per
student)
• Add-ins: dried flowers
and plants, glitter, etc.
• Drying rack
MSC Objectives:
Standard II.2.2.b: Communicate a variety of reasons for creating artworks, i.e., feelings, experiences, events,
places, ideas.
Standard II.2.4.b: Describe the origins of selected technologies, processes, and materials used in the visual arts.
Standard II.4.2.a: Identify similarities between the visual arts and other content areas.
Essential Questions:
• Where do our art materials come from?
• How can we be more efficient with our use of materials?
• How do we keep Earth-Conscious when we create?
Lesson Objective: Students will learn about the paper-recycling process and use a variety
of materials to create new sheets of paper.
Introduction/Motivation/Discussion: “Where does paper come from?” Students will study how our materials
come from Nature and how we can be mindful of our usage of new
materials from the Earth.
“What are several ways we can recycle what we have already taken
from the Earth?” Students discuss a variety of answers using their
specific communication devices as necessary.
“Why is it important for us to be mindful of our impact on the Earth?”
Teacher Demonstration: • Tearing paper into small pieces—placing into small plastic
bucket
• Demonstrate “fill line” for paper scraps
• Add water and use immersion blender to create a “paper pulp”

2. Justine Schultz
• Add the pulp to the roaster pan (half-filled with water) and add
cornstarch for “sizing”
• Lay out towel in preparation—lower framed screen into the
water so that the indented part of the frame is up—slowly pull
frame up through the top of the water as the pulp locks into the
frame—allow the water to strain off until it is simply dripping
• Place frame onto towel with the pulp side down (so flipped
from how it came up out of the water)—carefully remove the
frame and sandwich the new paper between layers of the towel
—press to soak up additional moisture
• Allow paper to sit for a few minutes until it is sturdy enough to
pick up and move to the drying rack
Activity/Work Period: Students work to create their pulp bases and take turns with the
immersion blender. As students wait for the blender, they can choose
from a variety of “add-ins” for their paper (glitter, dried plant material,
etc.). Time-allowing, students may make a variety of colored paper
pulps and strain off new sheets from the pans of their fellow students.
Clean up (5 minutes) Students will strain off remaining paper pulp from the water and reserve
it in their plastic buckets (for me to take care of). Students will collect
remaining torn pieces of paper and reserve them in a pile for incoming
classes. Students will wring out their towels and hang them to dry away
from the work area.
Accommodations: Students will work hand-under-hand as needed to tear the paper.
Students with very tight tone and students with erratic movements will
look on as an adult blends the paper. Non-verbal students will use
VODs to answer in discussions.
Closure/ Summary: “With our new sheets of paper, we can create even more art—whether it
be through painting, drawing, cutting, folding, you name it—and it will
all be more Earth-conscious as we have repurposed old scraps to make
these new sheets. How can you apply what you’ve learned today to
other areas of your life in order to lighten your carbon footprint on the
world?”