Turning Trash into Treasure: 2nd Grade Summative Art Projects

In unit 5 “Sharing the Planet”, second graders explored how creativity can help care for the Earth. For their summative project, students used recycled materials to create something new, useful, or meaningful. From cardboard lockers to recycled robots, each piece showed how old items can be transformed instead of thrown away.

Alongside their artwork, students shared a short presentation to explain how their creations support the environment. These messages encouraged small everyday actions, like reusing materials, to help protect our planet.

Students put a lot of thought, effort, and heart into their projects. While presenting, many felt a little nervous, but everyone did a fantastic job sharing their ideas and artwork with pride.

This project was a celebration of both creativity and environmental care, and it was inspiring to see how second graders can be thoughtful artists and Earth helpers all at once.