Letter Jambalaya Program Details

The Concept

We all know how single-use plastic is polluting our planet. Let’s put it to good use instead and let kids make art with it. Even the basic supermarket shopping bag comes with a multitude of writing on it. Once you have a few bags from different stores, there is a diverse collection of fonts in different styles, sizes and colors. This is perfect fodder for graffiti and letter inspired art.

Messages of hope for the future can be made from this single-use plastic. Slogans like Clean Up the Future, Refuse/Reduce/Reuse, Don’t Ignore Science and Everyday Earth Day are always encouraged.

The Materials

Single-use plastic packaging (plastic shopping bags, plastic packaging from supermarket items such as paper towels, toilet paper, bread bags, etc), scissors and glue sticks; needle and embroidery thread for older participants.

The How

It all starts with a presentation. The visiting artist meets with the group to explain the project, read a story and show examples of what they need to collect for materials. The presentation takes less than a half hour and multiple participating classes can be scheduled one after the other. The visiting artist leaves a large bin for material collection in the classroom. The kids usually need about a week to collect the materials, longer time may be scheduled to work within the school districts schedule. 

Once the materials are collected the artist returns to guide the children through making the artwork.

Kindergarten, first and second grades get together with the artist for an hour. A few parents volunteers are usually a welcome addition to the group. Students are provided with a prepared repurposed plastic canvas, scissors and glue sticks. They cut out letters from their materials and put them together into slogans, quotes and sayings referring to Earth Day and the need to help save our planet from plastic pollution.

Third, fourth and fifth graders meet with the artist for an hour and a half, and up to two hours. A few parents volunteers are a welcome addition to the group as well. Students are provided with a prepared repurposed plastic canvas, scissors, glue sticks, needle and thread. They cut out letters from their materials and put them together into slogans, quotes and sayings referring to Earth Day and the need to help save our planet from plastic pollution. Then, with the guidance of the artist and parent volunteers, they add some simple decorative stitches to their artwork.

Alternatively fourth and fifth graders could choose to make a collaborative class banner. It is a great opportunity to bring teamwork into the classroom. They can choose one or more phrases to put on their class banner together and then break up into groups. One group will work on making the banner, another group will work on preparing the letters for their phrase and another group can concentrate on the decorative elements for the banner. Embroidery stitches may be added to the banner as well.

At the conclusion of the projects, kids can take their work home with them. If the whole school or several grades participate in the project, an exhibition can take place to show off the work for everyone to see first.