Submitted by: Denise Pannell, Fairview Elementary in Sherwood, OH
Lesson Plan: Faux Stained Glass Windows
Grade Level: Elementary - Middle School

Materials:

8.5" x 11" (21.5 x 28 cm) white copy paper, Pencils, black Sharpie Marker, Sharpie colored markers (Permanent Markers), sheets of acetate (overhead film), black puff paint or gallery glass black leading, white pre-cut frames, Masking Tape, calendar prints/photographs of insects, flowers, birds, fish, etc.

 

Objectives: the student will:

• Show realism by drawing nature - giving more attention to the elements of art & principles of design (comprehensive arts grade 5 # 4)
• explore a variety of materials to achieve greater expression (comp. Arts grade 5 #6)
• be introduced to new art vocations (comp. Arts grade 5 #10)
• learn about the stained glass of the middle ages
  
  Encounter:
  1. Introduce the craft of stained glass making and show examples.
  2. Create a simple, yet realistic drawing on the white paper, using the space wisely. This will be the exact size of the finished project. insects with leaves are one idea.
  3. Break up the background to resemble smaller pieces of glass, but make none smaller than one inch.
  4. Plan the colors for the design using crayons, marker, or colored pencil.
  4. Lay the sheet of acetate over the drawing and trace using the black marker.
  5. Color the design on the acetate using the colored sharpie markers. Small strokes work better than large scribbles.
  6. Add the black "leading" using the puff paint. Work from the center out to avoid smearing the lines already drawn.
  7. When dry, frame and hang in window.
  

Alternate: Rose Window - Radial design.

These are the easy way.... The hard way involves using compasses and protractors with the students and would be more time consuming. Talk to your math teachers to see if they want to teach those skills. These methods still teach line of symmetry, radial symmetry, reflection and rotation - all math concepts.

Method one: Personal Symbolism - Rose window (See radial design lesson plan)

Teacher prep:

Draw an eight inch circle on 8 1/2 x 11 paper - divide into eight equal pie wedges (use protractor and ruler - each pie wedge will have a 45 degree angle. Print off enough copies for each student with some extra ones to cut up into fourths (make plenty of extras). Have a double line going around the circle on the complete circle, if desired, to add a narrow framing effect.

Size to fit your paper.

Procedures:

1. Give each student a complete circle and one 1/4 pie wedge. Students will fold the 1/4 circle along the diagonal.
2. Draw personal symbols within that 1/8 pie wedge (keep simple) Outline with permanent marker.
3. Transfer the same design to the other side of the pie wedge - keeping the paper folded. This will create the mirror image or reflection - a line of symmetry. Outline the other image with fine point marker too. Open the wedge up and see how the image is the same but opposite - a reflection
4. Line up the 1/4 circle design to the printed circle - paper clip in place. Tape the acetate to the paper with the circle printed.
5. Outline the complete pie shape with black permanent markers - or the black puffy paint.
6. Rotate the design now 90 degrees - keeping the same center point - and clip in place. continue outlining.
7. Rotate the design again - continue then rotate for the final 1/4 circle.
8. Color acetate with permanent marker or gel markers (the new gel markers should also work on acetate - they just take a while to dry). Coloring like shapes with the same color all around.
9. Fill negative spaces around the circle as desired.

Easiest method: Scissor Cut Rose Window Design

Procedures:

1. Give students the printed 8 inch circle and one circle printed on a contrasting paper (any color will do).
2. Students cut out one circle and then fold into 1/8 wedges. Make some interesting scissor cuts along the folds - and a little from the arc edge. (like a snow flake only 1/8 instead of 1/6)
3. Open cut circle and tape onto printed complete circle - rotate around to see how design looks best.
4. Tape acetate to the paper - and follow instructions above. Larger areas of the cut circle may need to have some smaller shapes added.
5. Fill the negative spaces around the circle on acetate as desired. Student like to do their name - make thick letters - and color as desired.

Alternative to colored markers: Use watercolor mixed with a bit of acrylic gloss medium. Glass paints could be used as well.