Recycled Treasure!
Encourage creative expression through developing artwork out of recycled objects.

Introduction
In the Maya & Miguel episode, "Every Day is Earth Day," Maya, Miguel and their friends decide to clean up an old lot for an Earth Day school project and plant a community garden. But as the deadline approaches, a rainstorm hits, turning the patch of dirt into a muddy mess. How will Maya get her friends out of the muck this time?

In this activity, your child will learn about recycling and what other uses objects might have that normally would be thrown away as trash. Your child will also be encouraged to use creativity while designing recycled artwork.

Materials:

• glue and tape
• paint, crayons, or other decorative materials (optional)
• recycled objects
• shoe box or other storage device

Directions:
Create artwork out of recycled materials to commemorate Earth Day on April 22nd and discuss how every person can make a difference on the planet. Share the importance of recycling, and how it benefits the earth by trash not entering landfills. Turn a piece of trash into a wonderful treasure!

• Over a few days, collect safe objects around your house that normally would go in the trash bin. Check that the objects don’t have any pieces that can cut or hurt a child such as broken pottery or glass. Items may include cut-out pieces from magazines, newspapers or cards, mailers, fabric, washed milk cartons, boxes and other fun items from around the house headed for the trash!
• Place special saved materials into a shoe box or another object for storing items until your child is ready to create their unique piece of art!
• Decide with your child what type of art they would like to make – a piece of sculpture, mosaic of paper pieces, or perhaps decorating a vase for flowers? What about making a mask to hang on the wall, or to later act out in a play?
• Provide your child with the tools necessary to create the piece of art including glue, tape, markers, crayons and perhaps paint.

Talk about it: After your child has created a piece of art, ask if the art has a special meaning. What did they think about when creating it? Would they like to display it somewhere special for others to see?

Take It Further: Encourage your child to learn more about Earth Day and related topics by reading these books and visiting these sites:

• Recycle!: A Handbook for Kids by Gail Gibbons (ages 4-8)
• Astonishing Art with Recycled Rubbish by Susan Martineau (ages 6-10)
• Earth-Friendly Crafts for Kids: 50 Awesome Things to Make With Recycled Stuff by Joe Rhatigan and Heather Smith (ages 9-12)
• Eekoworld (http://pbskids.org/eekoworld): A PBS KIDS GO eco-friendly site.
• For more Maya & Miguel related ideas, check out this Earth Day lesson plan: http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/english/parentsteachers/
  lessonplans/earthday.html
• Practice Earth-friendly vocabulary words with a Word Search Printable: Celebrate Earth Day!

With a Group:
Invite your child’s friends over to help clean up your neighborhood! Provide recycling bags for each child and decide together where you would like to focus the group’s attention. Perhaps a park close by that has unwanted trash? Discuss what can go into the recycle bags, and what is safe to pick up. Solicit other parents or neighbors to join in the recycling fun! Afterwards, celebrate the great job of each child, and how everyone helped to contribute in protecting the earth!