6 Rs Creative Workshop

Overview

This 50-minute lesson engages Year 9 students with the principles of sustainability focusing on the 6Rs: Reuse, Reduce, Repair, Recycle, Rethink, and Refuse. Through hands-on, collaborative design activities linked directly to the National Curriculum for Art and Design (England), pupils will explore how sustainable thinking can influence creative practices and design solutions.

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National Curriculum Links

• Art & Design KS3 (Years 7–9)

  • Pupils should:
    • Understand and apply the principles of sustainability in art and design (NC ref: KS3 Art & Design - Develop ideas: investigate and analyse starting points, demonstrating a critical understanding of artists, craftspeople, and designers).
    • Create innovative and purposeful designs through problem-solving and exploration of materials (NC ref: KS3 - Take risks, experiment and explore media and techniques).
    • Reflect on their work and the impact of their creative decisions on environment and society.

• Cross-curricular links

  • Geography (Sustainability themes)
  • Citizenship (Environmental responsibility)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Explain the meaning of each of the 6Rs in relation to art and design.
2. Evaluate how sustainable choices can affect design processes and outcomes.
3. Collaboratively design and prototype an innovative product or artwork incorporating at least three of the 6Rs.
4. Reflect on the environmental impact and ethical considerations of their design solutions.

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Resources

• Variety of scrap art materials (paper off-cuts, fabric remnants, plastic packaging, cardboard, broken objects)
• Sketchbooks/notebooks and pencils
• Recycling and waste guidelines printed sheets (local context if possible)
• Large sheets of butcher paper or flipchart paper
• Colouring tools (markers, crayons)
• Craft tools: scissors, glue, tape, string, needles and thread for fabric

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (5 minutes) – Interactive Discussion & Brainstorm

• Begin with a quick fire question: “What do you already know about sustainability in art and design?”
• Introduce the 6Rs with brief definitions and examples relevant to everyday life and creative work.
• Write the 6Rs on butcher paper displayed in the classroom: Reuse, Reduce, Repair, Recycle, Rethink, Refuse.
• Ask students to shout out quick ideas of how each could be applied in their own designs or artworks. Teacher notes key ideas.

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2. Main Task (35 minutes) – 6Rs Collaborative Design Challenge

• Put students into 6 groups of 5 and assign each group a focus: either 2 or 3 of the 6Rs (ensure all 6 are covered among groups).
• Each group must:
  a) Brainstorm and sketch a creative product or small artwork using scrap materials provided, integrating their assigned 6Rs.
  b) Physically begin a prototype or model on DIY sustainable principles (for example, a small functional design such as a pencil case made from reused fabric, a poster reducing waste messages using collage from recycled paper).
• Encourage experimental and critical thinking: How does choosing one ‘R’ change your design?
• Circulate the room to support and prompt: “How does your design make people rethink their habits?”, “How can you refuse unnecessary waste in this product?”

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3. Reflection & Feedback (8 minutes) – Gallery Walk & Discussion

• Each group displays their sketch and prototype on a table or wall section.
• Students circulate to view and leave written comments on post-it notes, focusing on which Rs are most effectively used and how design choices address sustainability.
• Gather the class and briefly discuss:
  • Which Rs were easiest or hardest to incorporate?
  • How can these creative ideas influence real-world design and consumer behaviour?

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4. Plenary (2 minutes) – Exit Ticket

• Each student writes:
  • One new thing they learnt about sustainability and the 6Rs.
  • One way they will rethink their own use of materials in creative work.
• Collect exit tickets for formative assessment.

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Assessment & Differentiation

• Formative assessment: Observations during group work, student contributions in discussion, sketchbook reflections, exit tickets.
• Differentiation:
  • Support offered through scaffolding questions and examples.
  • More able students encouraged to integrate multiple Rs and complex problem-solving.
  • Practical, kinesthetic approach suits a range of learning styles.

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Extension Ideas (for homework or subsequent lessons)

• Research a local or global designer who uses sustainable practices linked to the 6Rs.
• Develop a personal sustainable design manifesto inspired by the 6Rs.
• Plan a community upcycling art project using materials students bring from home.

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This lesson plan marries innovation with robust curriculum requirements, immersing students in active learning that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and environmental responsibility through the lens of the 6Rs.