Recycled Materials in the Classroom

This list of recyclable materials can be sent home with each student to bring the items marked to use in art projects. Most of the materials listed here are used in the lessons provided throughout this website.

Paper goods

• Any kind of paper and any size white paper, brown paper, coloured paper (from printing business or from home)
• Old magazines (collage/mixing paint)
• Old newspapers (to cover working tables/papier mache)
• Old small books (printmaking and altered books)
• Paper bags, any size
• Paper cups (construction)
• Paper napkins (collage/mixed media/painting)
• Cardboard, any size or colour (printmaking/collage)
• Old manila folders (printmaking/collage)
• Cardboard cylinders, from plastic wrap, aluminium foil or fabric rolls, and big thick ones (sculpture construction)
• Boxes, any size, small medium and large, depending othe project (sculpture/construction)
• Paper doilies (collage)
• Empty match boxes (sculpture/construction)
• Tissue paper mixed media painting/collage
• Cellophane paper (collage)
• Aluminium foil (printmaking/mixed media painting/collage)
• Crepe paper (collage mixed/media)
• Sandpaper (collage/printmaking)
• Corrugated cardboard (construction/sculpture/mixed media painting)
• Old wall paper books (collage/printmaking)

Plastic goods

• Styrofoam or plastic trays (printmaking/construction)
• Old ice cube trays (paint containers)
• Ice cream containers (water/hold collage items on tables/store small items)
• Butter or margarine containers (water/small items on tables)
• Soft drink bottles (1.25ml) (to display puppets fill bottom with pebbles, kitty litter, sand or water)
• Big, thick straws (construction/3D collage)

Fabric and soft goods

Any interesting materials to dress puppets

• Tulle
• Old sheets for puppets bodies
• Calico for puppets bodies
• Old skirts, pants and tops (a few to create bodies for puppets)
• Old stockings puppets heads
• 1 old pillow or 2 cushions inserts to fill puppets heads and cotton dolls per class
• Sequins
• Rhinestones
• Buttons
• Wool
• Yarn
• Raffia
• Jute
• Ribbons
• Lace
• Hessian
• Gauze
• Fake fur
• Fleece
• Cotton balls
• Coloured Felt