Pop Art
15-30 min
Ages 5+
What Will You Learn?
Soda. Pop. Coke. Whatever you call this sweet, fizzy nectar, recycling bins are overflowing with its containers. Have you ever picked one up and studied it?
Look at all the glorious curves, the shades of clear and green. These mass-produced vessels can have much more value than the nickel and dime deposits you get in some states. Plastic bottles can last for hundreds of years. That durability, paired with our easy project ideas, will help you craft long-lasting household objects.
We’ll show you how to convert these plastic pieces into soap dishes, wrist cuffs, and more.
Bottle Manipulation
Step 1
Mark your bottle. Start with a clean, dry bottle. Using a nonpermanent marker, mark the areas of the bottle you’d like to use. It helps to cut extra, then trim the bottle when you’re done.
Step 2
Poke a hole. Make a hole in the bottle with a tack, outside the area you’d like to keep.
Step 3
Cut and craft. Take your scissors and push them into the bottle through the hole you just made. Cut around your bottle, separating the top from the bottom where you marked your guideline.
Step 4
Decorate. To decorate your plastic treasures, use permanent markers, stickers, ribbon, and anything else you can get your hands on.
Trinket Dish
Step 1
Punch holes around the top of your container, about ½” apart.
Step 2
Take two 16″ pieces of ribbon and weave them in and out of the holes. End with a bow.
Soap Dish
Step 1
To cut a nice wavy line, take your nonpermanent marker and make a line around your bottle. Take your hole punch and punch holes at the points where the wavy line is lowest.
Step 2
Next, take your scissors and follow the wavy line, cutting to the places where you punched holes.
Step 3
Decorate — following the wavy curve along the top looks great.
Vase
Step 1
Cut off the top 2″ of your bottle.
Step 2
Decorate.
Photo Cuff
Step 1
Cut 2 flat bands from 20-oz bottles to 1½”×6½”. Tape one plastic band to the table with the curved side facing down.
Step 2
Cut out five 1″×1″ squares from photos, magazines, or even your favorite fabric. Tape or glue them to the band, spacing them about ¼” apart. You can decorate your band with permanent markers.
Step 3
Place your second band on top of the first, sandwiching the picture squares into the center.
Step 4
With clear tape, tape across the top of the plastic band, with half the tape hanging over. Hold both plastic bands together and fold the tape over to the other side. It helps to have a friend hold the plastic bands while you fold the tape over. Then, use another piece of tape, and tape the other side.
Step 5
Take a piece of colorful tape, like electrical tape, and tape over the clear tape.
Step 6
Take your scissors and round the corners. Now that you know how to make your own pop art masterpieces, get recycling and start crafting
What's Next?
When you’re ready for even more DIY plastic recycling projects, be sure to check out the Plastic Pizzazz book (replayground.com).
About the Magazine
Looking for some projects to fulfill your crafty needs? Look no further! Snag a copy of our sister publication, CRAFT, and delve into a world of DIY delight! From decorative issues, seasonal and event issues, with arts of all types, these mags will quench your crafty thirst! Find it in the Maker Shed.
Materials:
- Plastic soda bottles, 20oz or 2-liter
- Thumbtack
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Non Permanent marker
- Optional: Permanent markers, paper punch, ribbon, tape or glue, electrical tape, pictures
Depending on the project, you’ll need:
- For the Trinket Dish Use the bottom 2½" of a 20-ounce bottle.
- For the Soap Dish You’ll need the bottom 3" of a 2-liter bottle.
- For the Photo Cuff Use 1½"×6½" bands from the center of two 20-ounce bottles.
- For the Vase Cut the top 2" off a 20-ounce bottle.
Printable PDF: Pop Art PDF
Maker Camp Project Standards
Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)
National Core Arts Standards
The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school. These standards provide goals for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts with cross-cutting anchors in Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting through art. The Anchor Standards include:- Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
- Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
- Refine and complete artistic work.
- Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
- Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
- Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
- Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
- Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
- Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
- Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
CCSS (Common Core State Standards)
The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA).Geometry
- Grades K-2
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1 Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.2 Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.3 Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, "flat") or three-dimensional ("solid").
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.5 Model shapes in the world by building shapes from components (e.g., sticks and clay balls) and drawing shapes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.B.6 Compose simple shapes to form larger shapes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.1 Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.G.A.2 Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.
- Grades 3-5
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.3 Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry.
- Middle School
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.G.A.4 Represent three-dimensional figures using nets made up of rectangles and triangles, and use the nets to find the surface area of these figures. Apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.1 Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.2 Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.G.A.3 Describe the two-dimensional figures that result from slicing three-dimensional figures, as in plane sections of right rectangular prisms and right rectangular pyramids.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.1 Verify experimentally the properties of rotations, reflections, and translations.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.3 Describe the effect of dilations, translations, rotations, and reflections on two-dimensional figures using coordinates.
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.A.4 Understand that a two-dimensional figure is similar to another if the second can be obtained from the first by a sequence of rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations; given two similar two-dimensional figures, describe a sequence that exhibits the similarity between them.
NGSS MS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
- MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
- MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
NGSS HS.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
- HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
- HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
- HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
NGSS K-2 Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
- K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
- K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.- 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
- 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
