RESOURCES + ART CLASSES + TUTORIALS
Materials for the Arts Online Education Page – #MFTAONLINE
CREATIVE REUSE LESSON PLANS – FREE
We are pleased to share our Creative Reuse Lesson Plans, inspired by Joy Suarez, for teachers to incorporate into their online curriculum. These low or no budget projects can be used across multiple subject areas, learning styles and ability levels.
All are free for your use.
3D VIRTUAL TOUR OF MFTA – FREE
With many staying at home during quarantine, we wanted to bring MFTA to you. You can now enjoy a self-guided 3-D tour of the 35,000 square-foot Materials for the Arts facility. Explore our warehouse and view the myriad of unique items on the shelves at MFTA. Learn about creative reuse through projects and activities in our classrooms. Tour the MFTA Gallery’s latest exhibition, Contemporary Reuse 2020. Take a sneak peek into our artist studio and see the works of MFTA Artist-in-Residence, Tijay Mohammed.
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Using a video conferencing application like Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Webex, a MFTA Teaching Artist can teach directly to your students. We begin with an introduction about Materials for the Arts and the reusable materials in their spaces, and then go into a hands on art activity for your students.
Limited Free Field Trips Available.
ONLINE ART CLASS –
VIRGINIA’S PENDANT NECKLACE
Activity : Inspired by Ancient Egyptian Amulets, found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this lesson teaches participants about amulets and pendants, how to make beads out of used aluminum foil, how to turn plastic wrap into rope, and how to use packing tape as an alternative to glue.
Author : Virginia Hoffman
Ages : 4th Grade – 8th Grade
ONLINE ART CLASS –
EDYTA’S LADY BUGS
Activity : Make dynamic lady bugs in Edyta’s Lady Bug Lesson, using unwanted materials from your own space! Young participants will practice tracing circles, gluing, placing, tearing, and cutting found paper.
Author : Edyta Halon
Ages : PreK – 2nd Grade
Documents: LadyBug_Art_Class.PDF
ONLINE ART CLASS –
PAPER PUPPET PALS
Activity: In this environmentally conscious lesson about Creative Reuse, participants will take unwanted objects, clean waste, and materials from their homes and create art projects and puppets.
Author: Collaboration
Ages: 3rd – 7th grade
Documents: Puppets_Art_Class.PDF (Elementary)
Puppets_Art_Class.PDF (Middle)
ONLINE ART CLASS –
VIRGINIA’S SEA CREATURES
Activity : In this no-glue lesson, students will use tape and flat resources from their spaces to create a Creative Reuse Sea Creature, while learning about ways to help our environment by keeping materials out of land fills.
Author : Virginia Hoffman
Ages : PreK – 2nd Grade
Documents: Virginia_Art_Class.PDF
ONLINE ART CLASS –
EDYTA’S CREATIVE CHARACTERS
Activity : This colorful and creative lesson focuses creating “Characters” from magazines, newspapers, and found paper in our spaces. Younger learners learn how to assemble before gluing, while older participants will be challenged by telling a visual story through their artwork.
Author : Edyta Halon
Ages : 2nd Grade – 5th Grade
ONLINE ART CLASS –
PAMELA’S FABRIC + PAPER JEWELRY
Activity : Pamela teaches us how to make fabric + paper beads using the found materials in our spaces! This thoughtful lesson is truly a lesson in “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”
Author : Pamela Isaac.
Ages : 5th Grade – 12th Grade
ONLINE ART CLASS –
PAMELA’S PAPER FLOWERS
Activity : Celebrate Spring! In this fun lesson, participants will learn how to make flower sculptures using the discarded paper in their spaces. This dynamic lesson will spruce up your spaces for the warmer weather.
Author : Pamela Isaac
Ages : 3rd Grade – 7th grade
ONLINE ART CLASS –
PAPER TUBE BEADS
Activity : Create a large statement necklace with leftover paper tubes! This dynamic lesson is inspired by Pamela’s Fabric Bead Lesson, and teaches students how to cut and decorate paper rolls for huge bead necklaces. Focused on learning for little hands, this lesson is for Pre-K through Elementary learners.
Author : Virginia Hoffman, inspired by Pamela Isaac
Ages : PreK – 3rd Grade
ONLINE ART CLASS –
HARRIET’S NO SEW MASKS
Activity : No sewing required! Use this step-by-step video to create your own face masks, using fabric scraps and glue.
Author : Harriet Taub
Ages : 4th Grade – Graduate School
ONLINE ART CLASS –
OMAR’S COMIC BOOKS : EPISODE 1
Activity : How to Create Your Own Comic | Lesson 1| Story and Thumbnail Sketches: MFTA Education Associate, Omar Olivera, will show you how to create your own comic book from the beginning sketch to ink and coloring.
Author : Omar Olivera
Ages : High School
ONLINE ART CLASS –
OMAR’S COMIC BOOKS : EPISODE 2
Activity : How to Create Your Own Comic | Lesson 2| Pencils and Boarders: MFTA Education Associate, Omar Olivera, will show you how to create your own comic book from the beginning sketch to ink and coloring.
Author : Omar Olivera
Ages : High School
ONLINE ART CLASS –
OMAR’S COMIC BOOKS : EPISODE 3
Activity : How to Create Your Own Comic | Lesson 3| Inking and Perfecting: MFTA Education Associate, Omar Olivera, will show you how to create your own comic book from the beginning sketch to ink and coloring.
Author : Omar Olivera
Ages : High School
ONLINE ART CLASS –
PLASTIC PORTRAITS
MFTA Director of Education, John Kaiser, will show you how to your own plastic portraits using materials from around your home.
Author : John Kaiser
Want to learn more?
P-CREDIT / + 30 / A+ / CTLE HOURS
COURSES FOR EDUCATORS
Take your educational career to the next level with MFTA’s studio-style Professional Development courses and workshops.
Our classes provide educators with the insight and tools to integrate the arts across the curriculum. MFTA’s unique approach to Creative REuse which combines hands on art making with supporting your students’ growth.
Friends of Materials for the Arts provides funding for additional educational programs, public outreach initiatives and supplemental donation pickups. The partnership between the Materials for the Arts and Friends enhances MFTA’s ability to expand and strengthen its mission and vision.