Lesson: Faux Stained Glass - from Denise Pannell

Lesson: Miniature Clay Castles

Lesson: Gargoyle Sculptures - Paper Mache

Art in the Middle Ages and Today

A Modern Look at Heraldry and Illumination

Description of Unit

          This unit explores medieval art, focusing on Heraldry and Illuminated Manuscripts.  Students create a contemporary coat of arms and illuminated page. They will also learn about contemporary artists who combine text, symbols and images in altered books and create an altered book page of their own. The overarching ideas of art being a reflection of time and culture and artists getting ideas from other artists will be emphasized throughout the unit. The unit is ideally suited for seventh graders and will be taught in conjunction with their Social Studies unit on the Middle Ages.

Internet Resources: 
Medieval Art and culture http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/ageof.htm  
Heraldry http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/herald.htm 
Illumination http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/middle2.htm
Heraldry Shields Lesson Plan by Jackie Aust Brewer 
Illumination Lesson Plan by Ken Schwab 
Altered Book Lesson Plan by Linda Kieling

Content Standards Addressed

Visual  Arts- Grade 7

1.0 Artistic Perception
Students perceive and respond to works of art, objects in nature, events, and the environment. 

They also use the vocabulary of the visual arts to express their observations.

2.0 Creative Expression
Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.

3.0 Historical and Cultural Context
Students analyze the role and development of the visual arts in past and present cultures throughout the world, noting human diversity as it relates to the visual arts and artists.

3.1 Research and describe how art reflects cultural values in various traditions throughout the world.

3.2 Compare and contrast works of art from various periods, styles, and cultures and explain how those works reflect the society in which they were made.

4.0 Aesthetic Valuing
Students analyze, assess, and derive meaning from works of art, including their own, according to the elements of art, the principles of design, and aesthetic qualities.

4.1 Explain the intent of a personal work of art and draw possible parallels between it and the work of a recognized artist.

5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
Students apply what they learned in the visual arts across subject areas. They develop competencies and creative skills in problem solving, communication, and management of time and resources that contribute to lifelong learning and career skills. They also learn about careers in and related to the visual arts.

English Language Arts- Grade 7

Reading
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-level-appropriate words.

2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material.

Writing
1.0. Writing Strategies
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits students' awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.

History- Social Science- Grade 7

7.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe

7.8 Students analyze the origins, accomplishments, and geographic diffusion of the Renaissance.

4. Describe the growth and effects of new ways of disseminating information (e.g., the ability to manufacture paper, translation of the Bible into the vernacular, printing).

Enduring Understandings

Art is a reflection of the time and place it was created.
Art is also a force that can work to change or shape culture.
Artists often get ideas from other artists
Artists today are constantly reinventing art.

Essential Questions

Is Art a reflection of its culture or a force to form or shape culture?
How do artists use what has come before them to create new ideas?

Topical Questions

          Lesson 1- Heraldry

      1.      What is heraldry?

2.      What are common characteristics of Heraldry in the Middle Ages?

3.      How are symbols traditionally used in heraldry?

4.      How can I use modern images and symbols to create my own coat of arms?

5.      How can color be used symbolically? What are common color meanings in different cultures?

Lesson 2- Illuminated Pages and Illuminated Letters  

6.      How were books made in the middle ages?

7.      What is illumination?

8.      Who were the artists who made the books?

9.      How can design enhance the meaning of a page of text?

Lesson 3- Altered Book Pages

10. How have artists used text and images together in art?

11. How are contemporary altered book artists making new meaning in old books?

12. How can sentences be formed from random words?

Performance Tasks 

click for larger images

          Lesson 1- Heraldry (See Shields Lesson by Jackie Aust Brewer)

Materials: Newsprint, pencils chip-board, corrugated cardboard, scissors, utility knife, tempera paints (or acrylics), brushes,  glue, hot glue, (optional) wide tip gold paint markers

          Students will create a contemporary coat of arms for themselves or their family. They will write an essay explaining the symbols, images and shapes in the coat of arms and how they are significant to them. They will research traditional heraldry in the middle ages and use structured note taking and graphic organizers to record what they learn. They will keep a Synthesis Journal throughout the unit to assist them in learning the historical aspects of the material and apply it to their work. Vocabulary development will be stressed throughout the unit and VVWA cards will be used.

           Plan coat of arms on newsprint - choose symbols that represent self and family. Transfer to chipboard and/or Corrugated cardboard. Cut with utility knife and scissors.

      The coat of arms are painted chipboard. They cut each of their symbols and painted them before attaching them together with glue. That way they were able to keep it all neat. My kids have a really hard time painting neat, clean edges. Corrugated cardboard may also be used. Cut paper could be used for smaller Coat of Arms.

          Lesson 2- Illumination (See Lesson Plan by Ken Schwab)

          Students will create an illuminated page with either their initial illuminated or the first letter of a short quote they choose. The designs used in the illumination will relate to the letter and meaning of the quote. Students will continue research into the Middle Ages and will view the online exhibit, "Illuminating the Renaissance" from the Getty Museum website. http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/flemish/home.html Vocabulary work and Synthesis Journals will continue to be used. They will write an essay in response to the quote, "Art is the signature of civilizations." -Beverly Sills.

          Lesson 3- Altered Book Pages (See Lesson by Linda Kieling)

          Students will turn their attention to a study of contemporary artists who work with altered books. They will write an essay comparing the contemporary embellished pages to the illuminations of the middle ages. Students will create an altered book page that includes a sentence created from the text found on the page. They will use graphic organizers and their journals for vocabulary, recording information learned, and developing found sentences.

Lesson 4- Final Essay

Finally, they will complete an essay on the idea of art being a reflection of the time and culture it was created in, as well as a force that can shape or form cultures.

Assessment-

Lessons will be scored with a variety of assessment tools including teacher observation, self assessment by students, critiques, and rubrics.

Criteria for rubrics include:

Heraldry-

Shapes, symbols and images reflect the person the coat of arms represents.
There is a balance of positive and negative shapes
The work is neat
Writing will be scored with primary trait guides focusing on meaning and organization

Illumination-

Design relates to the letter or quote
            Neat lettering and design

Altered Page

The text is used to write an interesting found sentence
            The images relate to the text

Final Essay - scored with the district writing rubric for intermediate school  

Additional Lessons:

Gargoyle Ceramic Mugs

Gargoyle Guardian Boxes

Radial Designs - Rose Windows

Tessellations Beasties

Beasties Crayon Engravings

           [IAD HOME]  [MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSONS]

MATERIALS:  8 1/2 X 11 WHITE COPY PAPER, PENCIL,  BLACK SHARPIE MARKER,  COLORED SHARPIE 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.

 
Correct my errors - but you get the idea. Size to fit your paper. I am not good at using the computer for graphics. My compass and ruler sample came out better.

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.

Easies 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.

Lesson: Miniature Cliff Castles - Ceramic
Submitted by Sherry Swanson, art teacher of Saeger Middle School at St. Charles, MO.

Grade Level: 6th - 7th grade

Materials:

• Road side rocks, hand size or a little larger with a flat surface
• White talc clay, clay tools
• Kiln
• Acrylic paints, brushes
• Reference materials on castles

Procedure: Clay is always a favorite with my seventh grade students. Because of space limitations for storage, these miniature castles are a hit with the classes. Using David Winter's success with miniature architectural models, the kids are introduced to the possibility of creating detail with clay in miniature. This is a good chance to bring in careers in sculpture.

After looking at visuals of castles, students are asked to list possible elements that they could add to a castle...such as roof tiles, bushes, steps up a hillside, bridges on moats, courtyards, etc. After selecting their own rock, and determining the best spot to locate their castle, (they may need to make a clay shim to steady the rock) they proceed to model their miniature castle. Attention is given to detail such as stone, stucco, wood grain, bushes. Because the clay will not adhere to the rock when it dries, clay is kept on 12 x 12 wall boards, with plastic to wrap, to keep it workable for the week.

After firing the clay (minus the rocks), students attach their castles and shims to their rocks with glue. Acrylic paints are used for color, so that the second lesson is a mixing of paint to create colors of grass, stone, water, dirt, etc.

Submitted by Jeanella Smalley
UNIT: Middle Ages - Sculpture
Lesson: Gargoyle Paper Mache
Grade Level: middle school - high school

Materials: Cardboard carpet tubes, newspapers, aluminum foil, masking tape, wheat paste, acrylic paints.

Last year my Art II classes made Papier Mache gargoyles.   We combined the idea of gargoyles with carved door jambs, and used carpet tubes as the armature. The students were allowed to work alone or with one other person, and added a square cardboard base and features using papier mache.   The completed projects were awesome, and several students commented it was the best project they had ever done.

Middle Ages - Elementary Level

Castles Submitted by Jeryl Hollingsworth La France Elementary, La France, SC. Jeryl's fifth grade students were studying Europe in the core classroom. She showed her students many examples of castles via PowerPoint. The students all learned the parts of a castle. Some tips on how to make the castles look 3-D were introduced. With the aid of Jay Conley's Adventures in Art Drawing Papers, the student went right to work. Students used markers and watercolors. Contact Jay Conley at: Artventure Publications P.O. Box 265 Brighton, CO 80601-0265