Recycler Art

The Ministry of Education now has/now is pushing ecological standards for schools. My school decided today was the day to take a step forward on attaining the ecological certificate (certificates are everything in this country). A few of the teachers worked together to put on a workshop about how to create new paper out of old. As usual, a picture is worth 1,000 words, so here are 20,000 words!

The kids loved the first step of ripping up paper into small pieces.

One boy was joyously ripping up his English notebook from last year. Not sure how I feel about that- Thumbs up for recycling, Thumbs down for 4th grade English.

Of course we had to take a break from ripping paper for a little "photo with Sara" time! I can't attend any event with my students without this happening. These are some of my fantastic fifth graders- for real, some of my favourites!

Look at all that paper!

Had to play around with the camera settings a little.

Two of my 5th grade boys. The one in light blue is one of the funniest kids I have ever met, but 98% of his funniness isn't planned.

Two of my 6th graders reading about how to make new paper from old.

The school Director making some new paper.

One of the 1st grade teachers making paper.

Dip the screen in the watery paper pulp.

Lift the screen out and flip the paper onto a sheet to dry.

Sponge off the extra water.

One of my 6th graders making her paper.

Sponge off the extra water.

Scoop up some of that paper pulp.

One of my fifth graders getting ready to flip her paper.

Flip that paper!

The finished product