Be an agent for change! Increase your knowledge of the wide world of plastics while repurposing (upcycling) single-use plastics into an amazing piece of art.
In the Plastic Sculpture Challenge, you will build awareness and knowledge on both the positive and negative impacts of single-use plastics and find ways to recycle or repurpose plastic.
Use plastic you find to create your art sculpture on a theme or message you’d like to use. Examples of plastics you could use: cups, bottles, bags, bottle caps, take-out containers, pieces of old toys and anything made of plastic that you find in your house or yard.
Join the challenge today!
Don't just build your sculpture, build your knowledge! Work through these activities to become an agent for change.
Explore the many ways you encounter plastics in your home and life on a daily basis. Use the checklist to see what you find in your home, then consider ways to reduce your plastic use. Save your collected materials to use in the following activities.
Time needed
- One day to collect your plastics
- 15-30 minutes to do the activity and discuss what you did
Do and learn goal
Analyze how your family uses plastics and identify ways to reduce your plastic use.
Background information
Each year, 22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes, according to research by the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Great Lakes hold 90% of North America’s fresh surface water. Plastic takes hundreds of years to degrade, and even then it’s never really gone. It breaks down, causing harm to animals and wildlife, and can eventually be ingested by humans. Single-use plastics make up a large percentage of our waste.
Plastic is always present in our daily lives! It is a strong and useful material. For instance, plastic is critically important to protect health care workers. Disposable plastic gloves, face shields, and packaging for sterile medical equipment are plastic products that keep health care professionals and patients safe.
It’s important for us to be aware – and be smart consumers – of when plastic is necessary and when it’s not. Each of us can think about the choices we make and how we can take actions that reduce our use of single-use
plastics.
Materials needed
- Household Plastic Log, How Plastic-Free Can You Be?
- Pen or pencil
- Collected materials (Save your plastics in a bag or container; you’ll use them in Challenge Activities 2 - 4.)
Think about it
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What types of plastics do you think we will collect today?
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How many items will we collect today?
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How full will our collection container be at the end of the day?
Do it!
- Complete the Household Plastic Log, How Plastic-Free Can You Be?
- Examine the assortment of plastics you collected.
- What item(s) did you find you collected the most, the least?
Reflect: Think about the challenge
- How much plastic did you consume?
- Were you surprised?
- What unnecessary plastics did you use – and what is a good alternative?
- Would you get the same results if you tried this again? What makes you say that?
- What would you recommend to someone else who wants to do this project/activity?
- What did you learn in this project/activity?
Apply
- What action(s) can you take to reduce your plastic use? Choose one action to take!
- Estimate how your household checklist might change if you did this again in one week/one month. What would be different?
Learn more!
For simple ideas of how to reduce your plastic use you can watch one of the following videos:
- 10 Simple Ways To Reduce Plastic Use - For Kids!
- How to stop plastic pollution in 8 simple steps (for older youth)
Science and engineering practices
These are the skills used by scientists and engineers:
- Plan and carry out an investigation
- Analyze and interpret data.
This lesson is adapted from The Alliance for the Great Lakes. (2020, April 22). How plastic free can you be? Earth week challenge.
Explore different kinds of plastics that are used in daily life. You will use your senses: sight, touch, smell and hearing to analyze the properties of various plastics. Use materials collected in Challenge Activity 1 for this and subsequent challenges. If you haven’t done Challenge Activity 1, please collect a variety of plastic items. These can be from your recycling bin or what you have around your home.
Time needed
- 30-40 minutes to do the activity
Do and learn goal
You will discover and identify different types and properties of plastics using your senses.
Background information
Plastic is one of the most widely-used materials in society, valued for its strength, durability and flexibility. We find it in everything from drink cups and bags, to chairs and car parts, and from toys to clothing to medical devices. Chemically, plastics are made up of polymers, compounds formed from long, repeating chains of smaller molecules. These long, chain-like molecules tend to form strong, dense and flexible materials. Plastics can look and feel similar but can be made from different polymers. Some plastics are made from polymers that are synthetic or human-made. Most plastics are petroleum (oil) based. Other plastics are made using natural, biological sources, such as starch from plants. These are called bioplastics. For example, some cups, cutlery and packaging are made from polymers derived from corn, a renewable resource.
Materials needed
- Collected plastics from Challenge Activity 1 or collected from around your home
- Paper grocery bag
- Copies of observation sheet
- Pen or pencil
Think about it
- Can you quickly find 5 things around you that are plastic? Describe what you found. Is there another material this item could be made of, and if so, what material?
- Describe how plastic might be better or worse than another material.
- Explain what you know about different types of plastic and their uses.
Do it!
- Look at the variety of materials collected from your household plastic audit.
- Put the collected items in a paper grocery bag.
- Reach your hand into the bag without looking inside and use your sense of touch to feel and describe one object. Make sure you don’t just tell what the object is, describe the object's properties like thickness, hardness, flexibility, etc.
- Will it fly? Gently throw objects across an open room, use the same starting point, overhand or underhand, etc. How far did the items go? Which one(s) flew the farthest? Why do you think this happened? What can you do to make your results different?
- Will it float? Fill a large container with water. Put the various objects in the water, one at a time. Do they float or sink? Can you make some sink by changing something about the object?
- Think of other ways you could sort things. Challenge someone else in your home to sort them using your criteria.
Reflect: Think about the challenge
- What are the similarities and differences between the plastic pieces?
- Discuss some common properties of the different plastic items.
- What is something new you learned today?
Wow, you found a wide variety of properties of plastics! These properties are what make them so useful as well as a source of litter to our earth. Thinking about how we use plastics every day helps us remember that we need to be careful in our use and disposal of plastics.
Apply
- Adopt a Drain MN is an easy thing a family could do to keep trash/plastics and leaves/grass out of the waterways and wetlands. There is an interactive map where you can put in your address and it tells you if there is a drain you can adopt in your area.
- If you don’t have a storm drain near your home, you could try “plogging.” Plogging, also known as picking up trash while jogging, is a combination of the words “plucking” and “jogging.” (You don’t have to jog to participate. Just pick up trash outside!)
Learn more!
- Watch the video, The Big Sort, to see what happens in a recycling center.
- Paul, M (2015). One Plastic Bag. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Millbrook Press. The inspiring true story of how one African woman began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community. Hear the author read this true story.
Science and engineering practices
These are the skills used by scientists and engineers:
- Ask questions and make observations.
- Plan and carry out investigations.
- Analyze and interpret data.
Sources
Stevenson, A., Henderson, J. (Eds.) (2017). Be a 4-H scientist! Materials in a green, clean world. A 4-H STEM curriculum for grades K-2. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
Stevenson, A., Henderson, J. & Mondl, A. (Eds.) (2020). Sustainable Polymers: Plastics of the Future for a Green, Clean World - A 4-H STEM Curriculum for Grades 3-5. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
You will categorize plastics based on the U.S. 1-7 plastic numbering system. Use materials collected in the Challenge Activity 1 for this and subsequent challenges. If you haven’t done activity 1, please collect a variety of plastic items. These can be from your recycling bin or what you have around your home.
Time needed
- 40-45 minutes to do the activity and discuss what you did
Do and learn goal
You will understand the Resin Identification Codes (RIC), U.S. plastic numbering system and discover which numbers are recyclable in your community.
Vocabulary
- Recycle: To collect and process materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turn them into new products.
- Reduce: To limit the amount of plastic used in daily life.
- Reuse: To use an object again for the same purpose it was originally intended.
- Repurpose: To use an object for a new purpose.
- Refuse: To say no to purchasing or using specific products with plastics, often single-use plastics.
Background information
As different types of plastic have different properties, the ways we make, use, dispose of, and recycle them vary.
The Resin Identification Code (RIC) outlines seven numbers to identify types of plastics based on their composition.
Plastic materials derived from petroleum do not easily degrade in the environment. Petroleum plastics can take hundreds to thousands of years to degrade, especially when buried underneath other trash in landfills.
Plastic trash that does not make it to landfills often ends up as litter (pollution) in the environment. Plastics in the environment that break down from sunlight sometimes release harmful chemicals that may find their way to water sources. For both animals and humans, this type of pollution can result in illness.
Some plastic materials are intended for a single-use. Once a plastic object has served its purpose, it must be disposed of in a responsible manner. We can reduce our dependence on petroleum-based plastics by recycling, reducing, reusing, repurposing, refusing, as well as choosing plastics made from renewable resources. One approach is to refuse to purchase single-use plastics,
including straws, bags, and bottles, thus significantly decreasing excess plastic waste.
Another approach to decrease our dependence on petroleum-based plastics is to use bioplastics. Bioplastics are alternatives to petroleum plastics. They are generally made from renewable resources like corn or potatoes and can degrade through natural processes.
Materials needed
- Collected plastics from Challenge Activity 1 or collected from around your home.
Think about it
- What characteristics (properties) of plastics did you discover in Challenge Activity 2?
- Describe what you know about different kinds and types of plastics.
Do it!
- Pick up one of the items you collected in the Challenge Activity 1.
- Look for the Resin Identification Code (RIC) on the bottom of the item.
- Identify the RIC on each plastic item you collected. Designate a different place in the room for each RIC number. See how fast you can sort the objects by the number either as an individual or a relay team.
Reflect: Think about the challenge
- Describe some of the similarities and differences of the plastics with each of the RIC's.
- Which RIC did you have the most of, least of, why do you think that is true?
- If you can’t recycle a plastic object and you choose not to throw it into a landfill, describe what you could do with the object.
- What is something new you learned from the activities today?
Apply
Reduce single-use plastic: List three ways that you and your family can reduce your use of single-use plastics, such as shopping bags, take-out food containers or grocery items. Decide which thing you will work on together first and then help each other remember to make this happen.
Learn more!
For simple ideas on how to reduce your plastic use you can watch one of the following videos:
- Watch the video, The Big Sort to see what happens in a recycling center.
- Become inspired to create art from plastics by watching the video, Washed Ashore, giant animal sculptures made of found beach plastic.
Science and engineering practices
These are the skills used by scientists and engineers:
- Plan and carry out investigations
- Analyze and interpret data.
Source
Stevenson, A., Henderson, J. & Mondl, A. (Eds.) (2020). Sustainable Polymers: Plastics of the Future for a Green, Clean World - A 4-H STEM Curriculum for Grades 3-5. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
You will create a sculpture out of various plastics. Use materials collected in Challenge Activity 1. If you haven’t done activity 1, collect a variety of plastic items. These can be from your recycling bin or what you have around your home.
Time needed
- Sculpture creation (as long as needed)
- Sharing your sculpture (as long as needed)
Do and learn goal
- You will design your own plastic sculpture out of single-use plastics.
- You become an agent for change in your community.
Vocabulary
- Polymer: A large molecule made from chains of small repeating units. Each repeating unit is called a monomer. All plastics are polymers.
- Resin Identification Code (RIC): A number used to identify plastic based on its composition. In the U.S., there are seven RIC's which are usually placed within the “recycling symbol” of arrows forming a triangle.
- Single-use: A plastic item that is used once and disposed of after it has served its intended use.
Materials needed
- Collected plastics from Challenge Activity 1 or collected from around your home.
- A variety of adhesives, glues, string, zip ties, etc.
Background information
As different types of plastic have different properties, the ways we make, use, dispose of, and recycle them vary. To aid in sorting, the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. designed a uniform system to identify various polymer types using numbers 1-7.
Some plastic materials are intended for single-use. Once a plastic object has served its purpose, it must be disposed of in a responsible manner. We can reduce our dependence on petroleum-based plastics by recycling, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and refusing, as well as choosing plastics made from renewable resources.
Think about it
- What you have learned about recycling, reducing, reusing, repurposing and refusing?
- Describe how you've seen items made into something new instead of being thrown away.
Do It!
You are tasked with upcycling single-use plastics destined for either the landfill or recycling center and making something new!
- Think about what you would like to design and sketch your ideas for creating a sculpture. For safety, use strong adhesives in a well-ventilated space and do not use a hot glue gun as melting plastic gives off toxic fumes!
- Build your sculpture! Take your time and enjoy creating your sculpture.
Share
- Share your sculpture somewhere in your community so that others can learn about plastics and their uses. Some possible locations would be local libraries, government centers, local businesses, etc.
Science and engineering practices
These are the skills used by scientists and engineers:
- Plan and carry out investigations
- Design solutions
- Ask questions and define problems
- Obtain, evaluate and communicate information
Source
Stevenson, A., Henderson, J. & Mondl, A. (Eds.) (2020). Sustainable Polymers: Plastics of the Future for a Green, Clean World - A 4-H STEM Curriculum for Grades 3-5. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
Learn more!
Plastic is everywhere! Bottles and containers, toys and packaging… plastic makes life better AND creates a huge problem for our earth. Single-use plastics make up over 40% of our garbage. We recycle too little of what could be recycled.
Exhibit requirements
- 4-H’ers of all ages are invited to work as individuals or teams to explore the plastics issue and create an art sculpture with found plastics.
- Sculptures are to be made of clean (washed plastics) and can be any size with a maximum size of: 3 feet wide x 3 feet long x 6 feet tall.
- Must be multidimensional. Sculptures can be free-standing or displayed as needed. If a base is needed, it should be made out of thin wood, plywood, fiberboard, or similar material.
- Sculptures should include an Artist Statement (50 words or less) with:
- Name(s) of Artists
- Title of your sculpture
- A statement about what you created and why
- What materials you used.
- What you learned and how will it change your use of single-use plastics.
- How others can reduce their use of single-use plastics.
Exhibit suggestions
- Suggested materials to attach items together: zip ties, string, rubber bands, art materials, colorful duct tape or electrical tape. Strong adhesives (such as E6000 and Gorilla Glue) need to be used in a well-ventilated area with adult supervision. For safety, DO NOT use a hot glue gun as melting plastic gives off toxic fumes!
- Depending on the size and weight of your sculpture, you might consider adding wheels that lock in place or handles to your sculpture so it is easy to move.
Judging criteria
Find out what the judge is looking for in the evaluation sheet.
Two exhibits will be selected from each county fair to display at the State Fair.
Note: State fair plastic sculptures will be on display only. No judging will occur at the state fair.
Get inspired!
Check out past Plastic Sculpture Challenge exhibits below or these works of art from around the world to get some inspiration. There are endless possibilities on what you can create!
Reviewed in 2022