Light Up Our World: Building Energy Art For Everyone
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
Art
Grades 5-8
30-60 Minutes
Materials Needed
- • Recycled/repurposed materials
- • Scissors
- • Glue, tape
- • Markers, crayons, colored pencils, pens, paints
- • Pieces of scrap paper
- • Images or videos of installation art
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
You can find an introduction to Goal 7, as well as the Targets & Indicators, Objectives, and Action Planning Resources on the Goal overview page.
See Goal 7 Overview
Welcome students to an exciting art class. Explain that they will use their imagination and creativity to explore a really important idea: Global Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy. This goal focuses on making sure everyone, everywhere, has access to energy that is affordable (not too expensive), reliable (always there when you need it), and clean (good for the planet, not polluting). Emphasize that this means lights for homes and schools, clean ways to cook food, and power for devices, all without harming the earth.
Show some images that contrast energy challenges with clean energy solutions.
Examples:
Energy Challenges
- Energy Poverty, World Economic Forum
- Cooking Over a Fire, University of Queensland
- Polluted City, IQ Air
- Polluted City, The Atlantic
Clean Energy Solutions
- Clean City, KJZZ
- Child Reading Under a Solar Lamp, Little Sun
- Wind Turbines, Caltech Science Exchange
- Solar Panels Installed, SDG Action
Open a discussion with guiding questions like:
- How do these images make you feel? What emotions come up when you see homes without lights, or smoky cooking fires indoors? What about sparkling solar panels or giant wind turbines?
- Think about your own day. How do you use energy from the moment you wake up (lights, charging devices, toast for breakfast) until you go to bed (reading light, TV)? What would your life be like without it?
- Why is it important that energy is not just available, but also affordable and clean for everyone, everywhere?
- Do you think art can be a powerful way to make people think about energy and our planet?
Introduce the art style of Installation Art. Explain that Installation Art is a special kind of art that fills a space or room, making you feel like you can walk inside the artwork. Tell students that artists use all sorts of materials, sometimes even light or sound, to transform a place and make you think and feel differently about something. Explain that today, they will all become energy artists, working together as a class to build one big, amazing installation that shows the power of clean energy and a bright future.
Show selected visual aids of Installation Art pieces.
Examples:
- Waste Labyrinth or Plastic Island by Luzinterruptus: Focus on how they use many recycled plastic bottles/waste to create glowing, immersive spaces, highlighting pollution in a visually striking way.
- The Weather Project by Olafur Eliasson: Focus on how he uses light and mist to create an immersive, atmospheric experience, evoking natural phenomena.
- The Work of Daniel Popper: Focus on large, impressive structures that light up or integrate with nature, showing power and beauty.
- The Work of Chihuly: Focus on immersive, vibrant environments that can inspire transformation of a space with art and light.
Facilitate a discussion about the art, asking guiding questions like:
- What do you notice about how these artworks fill the space? Do they make you feel like you could walk inside them?
- What kinds of materials did these artists use? Do you see anything that looks like it was recycled or repurposed?
- How do these artworks use light or color to create a special feeling?
- How do these artists use art to express a big idea, like about nature, or light, or even pollution?
1
Tiny Spark
Say: Imagine a tiny, tiny spark of energy. What color is it? What shape is it? How does that tiny spark feel? Give students a few moments to imagine. Say: Now, quickly make a tiny scribble or drawing on your paper that captures that spark.
2
Bright Sunbeam
Say: Now, imagine a powerful, bright sunbeam. What colors are in that sunbeam? What shape would it be? How does that sunbeam feel, warm, strong, bright? Give students a few moments to imagine. Say: Now, quickly make another quick scribble or shape on your paper for the sunbeam.
3
Whirling Wind
Say: Imagine the energy of whirling wind, moving unseen but powerful. What colors would represent wind energy? What kind of lines or shapes would it make? How does it feel, fast, breezy strong? Give students a few moments to imagine. Say: Quickly sketch that feeling onto your paper.
4
Flickering Candle
Say: Finally, imagine a small, flickering candle flame, bringing gentle light. What colors do you see in the flame? What kind of shape does it make? How does the gentle light feel? Give students a few moments to imagine. Say: Quickly capture that image on your paper.
1
Start With a Challenge
Present a simple, relatable energy challenge, then, go around the room and have each student present an idea for what happens as a result of that initial challenge. Imagine a home or school that has no electricity at night. What's the very next thing that happens because of that? Example Chains: No electricity at night → (Student 1: Can't read books) → (Student 2: Can't do homework) → (Student 3: Fall behind in school) → (Student 4: Feel sad/frustrated). Cooking food on smoky fires → (Student 1: Hard to breathe) → (Student 2: Gets sick/coughs) → (Student 3: Air gets dirty outside) → (Student 4: Trees cut down for wood). Cars make a lot of smoke → (Student 1: Air pollution) → (Student 2: People get sick) → (Student 3: The Earth becomes dirty) → (Student 4: Hard to play outside).
2
Follow the Reaction
Encourage students to offer the next immediate consequence of the previous idea. Write their responses on the board, drawing arrows to connect them and forming a chain.
3
Introduce a Solution
After a few "challenge" ripples, ask: Now, what's a smart solution to stop this problem, or make things better? Write in the solution ideas.
4
Positive Ripples
Ask; What are the good things that happen because of this solution? What positive changes ripple out? Write these positive effects, continuing the chain. Example chain continued: No electricity at night → (Student 1: Can't read books) → (Student 2: Can't do homework) → (Student 3: Fall behind in school) → (Student 4: Feel sad/frustrated) What's a Solution? (Student 5: Give them solar lamps) Positive Changes (Student 6: Can read at night) → (Student 7: Do homework) → (Student 8: Learn more) → (Student 9: Feel proud) → (Student 10: Go to college). Facilitate this process, ensuring all students have a chance to contribute ideas to the evolving chain. Remind them to think about both the challenges and the hopeful solutions related to energy.
1
Set Up Installation Space
Explain that the entire class will now work together to build one large, cohesive art using ideas from the brainstorm. Dedicate a specific area in the classroom (e.g., a large table cluster, a corner, a section of the wall) for this installation. Divide students into 3-5 small groups. Each group will be assigned a specific Energy Zone or Story Section of the overall art installation, inspired by the brainstorm. Examples: The Challenge Zone: Showing problems like no lights, pollution, expensive energy. Solar Power Section: Showing how the sun helps, solar power. Water Power and Saving Zone: Showing clean water energy, smart energy use. The Bright Future: Showing happy people with clean energy, strong communities.
2
Create Group Sections
Provide each group with a selection of recycled materials and art supplies. Instruct groups to: Build their section: Create sculptures, structures, or collage elements for their assigned Zone or Section, using the recycled materials and decorating them with the art supplies. Connect Ideas: Ensure their section visually represents the ideas, feelings, and actions from the brainstorm related to their assigned zone. Think about connection: Emphasize that their individual group's art piece will connect to other groups' pieces to form the larger class installation. They should think about how their section might physically or visually flow into the next, and can discuss with other groups while creating their piece (e.g., arrows, pathways, shared colors).
3
Circulate and Guide
Circulate among the class, offering guidance and encouraging creative use of materials. Ask guiding questions like: How are you using this cardboard to show a problem with energy? Can you make this plastic bottle look like a spinning wind turbine? What colors will you use to show clean energy? What about polluted energy? How does your sculpture make me feel the idea of [clean air/darkness/etc.]? Are you thinking about how your piece will fit into the overall class story when we put it all together?
1
Assemble Installation
Explain that the class will now assemble all the group sculptures/mini-installations together in the designated area to create one grand, collective energy art installation. Physically help arrange the pieces to tell a story from the Challenge Zone through Solutions to The Bright Future.
2
Begin Tour
Explain: We will now go on a guided Grand Energy Art Tour for our class's amazing installation. Move slowly and quietly through the designated space (or around the central display). Listen as each group briefly explains their section, and think about how all our art connects to tell the story of Global Goal 7.
3
Group Presentations
Lead the tour, pausing at each groups section. Have each group briefly explain their part of the installation. Example: This is our [Energy Zone/Section Name]. We used [materials] to show [ideas/feelings] from our brainstorm. We think it helps tell the story of [challenge/solution]. Ask the rest of the class guiding questions like: What do you see in this section that connects to energy challenges or solutions? What message does this part of our art tell you? Guide the transition from one section to the next, emphasizing how the different parts (challenges, solar, wind water, efficiency, future) connect to form a complete picture of Global Goal 7.
4
Conclude Tour
Conclude the tour by having everyone stand together in front of the entire installation, taking a moment to appreciate their collective creation.
Have students reflect on their learning experience through discussion or writing.
1
How did building one big art installation together as a class help you understand Global Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy in a new way?
2
What did you learn about the importance of energy being affordable, reliable, and clean for everyone?
3
Which artworks or ideas from your classmates made you think or feel the most about energy, and why?
4
What does our activity tell us about how we can all work towards Global Goal 7?
5
What's one small action you feel inspired to take this week to save energy or promote clean energy?
- Observe consistent and enthusiastic involvement in all phases of the lesson, including the warm up, brainstorm, whole-class art creation, and class discussions.
- Understanding of the core concept of affordable and clean energy (access, renewables, efficiency, challenges, solutions), as demonstrated through the symbolism, emotions, and message in the contribution to the class art installation and verbal explanations.
- Originality and effort in creating the section of the collective installation. Look for evidence of connection to Global Goal 7 (does the section clearly represent ideas related to energy challenges, solutions, or energy for everyone, fitting into the overall narrative?), use of recycled materials (are recycled/repurposed materials used creatively and thoughtfully?), and showing emotions/feelings (are there attempts to use shapes, colors, and arrangement to convey a message or emotion about energy within the section?).
- Ability to work effectively within the small groups, contributing ideas, respecting diverse approaches, and collaborating cohesively to build a part of the unified class installation.
- Ability to articulate learning and personal connections during the reflection and summary discussion.
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