This provocative mural in Bali, Indonesia highlights plastic usage and how it is ingrained in our society.
There is a brief artist statement and a list of actions that reduce plastic waste included on the site.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The gallery features many images of The Popo creating this mural.
The Popo explains the purpose of the mural in his Artist Statement.
Additional Prerequisites
Plastic pollution is a massive worldwide problem. One of the best ways to cut down on plastic pollution is simply to buy less stuff.
Students may be curious about the best ways to recycle plastic. It is important to know that the global recycling system is broken and unjust. You and your students could watch this video to learn more.
Differentiation
Students could create a drawing or painting mimicking The Popo's style. Instead of "plastic culture," students could explore "car culture," "airplane culture," "beef culture," or other lifestyle choices that have a high carbon impact.
In art class, students can analyze the mural using the following guiding questions:
Where are all the figures looking?
Why do all the figures look confused?
Which items were included in their speech bubbles? Which items were not included? Why do you think The Popo made that choice?
Why do you think The Popo included a little sailboat next to the title of the mural?
Scientist Notes
This resource portrays in-depth insights on marine ecosystem conservation and advocates for a plastic-free ecosystem. This is recommended.
Standards
English Language Arts
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
5.RI.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
7.RI.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
