Background Information

Educator content information: Did you know that the plastic bodies of Faber-Castell connector pens are made of recyclable plastic? When they run out of ink you can pop off the gold end, remove the ink and throw them in the recycling bin. But even better than recycling - they can be reused. Because of their clippable design, connector pens can be used to make creative sculptures and objects.

Plastic is an amazingly versatile material and we use it every day in many different forms. But we also throw away vast quantities of plastic, and when it gets into the natural environment it can cause problems. The life of a plastic object can be extended by finding other ways to use it before putting it in the bin.

In this activity, we will look at how we can reuse old pens (including connector pens) by turning them into sculptures. Children will also go for a walk outside to collect natural materials to use in their sculptures. Children will then create their own sculptures using a combination of pens and things from nature.

Ages 3 - 5

Part A: Before the activity

Gather as many used marker pens as you can. If you have Faber-Castell connector pens you could use these. You may want to get your colleagues on board and pool your pen collections. In our experience, services often have tubs of pens - many of which have run out of ink. This is a great way to use those pens that don’t draw anymore. The more pens you have, the more ambitious children can be with their sculptures.

Step 1.

To begin the activity, invite children to respond to the question “What do artists make?” Suggested answers include:

Art
Paintings
Drawings
Sculptures

Encourage children to share their knowledge of art and artists by asking them the following questions:

I wonder where we can go to see art?
I wonder if we know any artist?
I wonder if we are artists?

Step 2.

Explain to children that today, they will get to be artists because they will be making sculptures!

If not already addressed in the discussion in the previous step, ask children if they know what a sculpture is. Explain that sculptures are a kind of art. Some art is flat and you can hang it on a wall (like paintings and drawings). But some art is not flat - it sticks up and out and you can look at it from all sides. These kinds of artworks are sculptures.

Step 3.

Explain to children that the sculptures that they will be making today will be made out of some unusual materials.

Provocations:

I wonder what artists do?
I wonder how we can make art?
I wonder if we like making art?

Possible lines of development:

Explore some art around your service.
Explore art online (try WikiArt).
Invite parents or guardians who are artistic to share their art with children.

Part B: Things That Are Broken

Step 1.

Invite children to consider the question "What do we do with things that are broken?" Suggested answers include:

Fix them
Throw them away
Put them in the recycling bin
Turn them into something else

Step 2.

Hold up a connector pen or marker pen so children can see it. Explain that even when we take good care of things, they don’t last forever. Explain that once the ink in a pen runs out it’s no good for colouring in anymore.

Ask children what they could use this pen for after it runs out of ink. Suggested answers include:

Put the plastic part in the recycling bin
You could use pens as parts of new games or in things you make
If you have a connector pen you could clip it together with other pens to make things (children may even come up with specific things that could be made, like toys or pencil holders)

Step 3.

Explain to children that instead of throwing things away, we can sometimes turn them into something new. This is called reusing.

Explain that connector pens are particularly good for reusing because they can be clipped together to make shapes. If you don't have connector pens you can still bind marker pens together with Blu tack, tape or rubber bands to make shapes.

Explain that one of the unusual materials in the sculptures they will be making today will be used pens.

Provocations:

I wonder why things break?
I wonder where things go when they get broken?
I wonder if we can fix things that are broken?

Possible lines of development:

Identify things in your room or service that need repairing and work with children to repair them.
Identify everything in your room that is made of plastic. Extend this by also looking for wooden, fabric, glass and paper objects.

Part C: Things From Nature

Step 1.

Explain to children that as well as pens, their sculptures will include things from nature.

Ask children what things they might find in nature that you could turn into a sculpture. Suggested answers include:

Twigs
Gumnuts
Pebbles
Leaves

Step 2.

Explain that soon, the class is going to go for a walk outside to collect some of these natural items. Then they will then come back into the room to make their sculptures using the natural items and pens.

Remind children that they will need to be respectful in their choices of things from nature. For example, if they find a stick that has an insect of animal living under it, they should carefully replace it. Remind children that the garden is there for everyone to enjoy so they should only collect things that have fallen on the ground (not picking flowers, etc.).

Step 3.

Select four children to carry the containers then invite children to move outside to an area where they are likely to find some things from nature to collect.

Put the containers on the ground. Encourage children to begin collecting things and to put them in the containers. Encourage children to choose a range of things with different shapes, colours and textures.

Step 4.

When they have collected enough things from nature, invite the four previously selected children to pick up the containers to carry back into the room. Bring children back into the room and place the containers of things from nature on the front desk.

Provocations:

I wonder where nature is?
I wonder what parts of nature we might find in our yard?
I wonder what colours we'll find in the yard?
I wonder what shapes/textures/smells we'll find in our yard?

Possible lines of development:

Identity where all the objects you found outside come from i.e. the leaf from this tree, the flower from this plant, the pebble from this bigger rock etc.
Examine the natural objects you found closely, comparing them according to texture, weight, smell, shape, sound, colour etc.

Part D: Play

Step 1.

Distribute your used pens, the things from nature and the plasticine or playdough evenly amongst the children.

Step 2.

Encourage children to play and test different ways to connect the things together. Techniques may include:

Make a ball of plasticine, and stick things (like twigs and leaves) into it.
Bind or clip two pens together.
Wrap a leaf around a pen.
Skewer a leaf with a twig.
Balance a pebble on the end of a pen.
Stick a gumnut to a pen with plasticine.
Joining together items that are the same colour.

Provide encouragement to children as they experiment. If you see something interesting or innovative, use it as an example for the rest of the class.

Consider playing with the items and making your own sculptures with the children. This is a great way to demonstrate collaboration. Walk around the class and ask what students are doing and if they can show you how you could do something similar on your sculpture.

Step 3.

Invite children to pause their work. Invite them to turn to the child next to them so they are in pairs.

Invite one child to share a discovery with the other; for example, “look how I connected this leaf to this pen”. Invite the other child to think of something they like about it; for example, “I like the colour you used”. Now, invite them to swap, the second child sharing a discovery, and the first providing encouragement.

Point out that the children have all come up with great ways to join things together.

Provocations:

I wonder what things we could join together?
I wonder what we could make when we join things together?
I wonder what we like about the things we make?
I wonder what we don't like?
I wonder if we enjoy making these things?

Possible lines of development:

Invite children to find other examples of things that are joined together in your room/around your service.

Part E: Make

Step 1.

Remind children that they are all artists today. Encourage children to continue playing with the materials but now invite them to make the materials into their final sculptures.

Encourage children to ask each other for help if they need it. Sometimes it’s very useful to have someone hold something in place while you connect it.

Keep in mind:

A sculpture doesn’t have to look like anything from the real world; however, it can if the child wants it to.
A sculpture doesn’t have to have a function or a purpose; however, it can if the child wants it to.

Provocations:

I wonder if we can make a sculpture?
I wonder what our sculptures will look like?
I wonder what we like about our sculptures?

Possible lines of development:

Invite children to form other artworks out of other materials at your service.
View other examples of sculptures online.
Invite children to collaborate to make an artwork.

Part F: Art Gallery

Step 1.

Once children have completed their artworks, invite them to put their sculptures down on a desk or chair to display them. Make a name label for each child and place it next to their sculpture.

Step 2.

Photograph each sculpture with the camera.

Step 3.

Explain to children that soon they will have a look at everybody else’s sculptures. Explain that this is like an art gallery. Ask children “Has anybody been to an art gallery before?” Explain that because the sculptures are fragile, children need to make sure that they only look with their eyes. If they have touching hands, recommend that they keep them in their pockets or behind their backs. Explain that children need to also use their safe walking bodies and their inside voices.

Invite children to stand up and move around the room to look at everybody’s sculptures. Encourage them to say nice things about other children’s sculptures. If they see something they like, encourage children to find the artist and say “I really like your sculpture”.

Before you pack up, you may like to take a photo of all the children together holding their sculptures.

Provocations:

I wonder how we could share our sculptures?
I wonder what an art gallery is?
I wonder why people like visiting art galleries?
I wonder why we should pack up our sculptures?
I wonder how we should pack up our sculptures?

Possible lines of development:

Work with children to create a gallery of artworks. Consider including artist statements with each artwork where children describe how and why they created their artworks.
Visit an art gallery or a public sculpture in your area.
Think of some other ways you could use the materials used in the sculpture.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning, listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with a challenge and persisting when difficulties arise
Wellbeing	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Before throwing anything in the bin, think about how children could use this material for play or in an artwork.
Invite children to bring in materials from home to incorporate into activities.
Ensure your service is using the waste bins (including landfill, recycling and compost bins) correctly.
Try to repair anything broken before discarding it.

Creative Sustainability - Exploring Materials Through Sculpture

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