Stained Glass Window Art

For our final art class, my partner Robert Stahl and I presented an art lesson that was about Stained Glass artwork. The students’ assignment was to create their own stained glass art using tissue and construction paper.

We began the lesson by stating that our lesson today will be based off from ancient European artwork. Then we went over a PowerPoint containing facts of the origin and use of Stained Glass art in Ancient Europe. As we presented the PowerPoint, students were required to write three facts about Stained Glass Art on a note card that would be presented with their artwork. After we had discussed the important vocabulary of the lesson, we demonstrated to the students how to safely use an X-acto knife and glue the tissue paper onto the construction paper; the students started doing their artwork project.

To begin the assignment, the students first chose one of the four patterns that we had provided for each student. (Since our presentation was near the Christmas holidays, we decided to have students do their artwork based off Christmas items/scenes; such as, candle, bells, nativity scene, and Christmas tree). Once the students had chosen a pattern, we helped them staple the pattern on a piece of construction paper. The students then carefully cut out the inside space of their patterns using an X-acto knife. Once all the inside spaces were removed, the students began to glue tissue paper on their pattern. They were required to use at least two different color schemes (e.g. warm and cool colors). When the artwork was finished, the students wrote their name on the back and handed it in for grading.

The following photo is my example of stained glass art. I used cool colors on one bell and warm colors on the other bell; this naturally also gave my artwork complementary colors.

An extension activity with this stained glass art would be when students learn about the four seasons. The students would choose a scene (this would be provided by the teacher) from each of the season. Depending on the age group, children may be too young to properly use an X-acto knife; as a result, the teacher may have to do the precise cutting. When all the negative spaces are cut out, the children would use tissue paper to create colorful spring, summer, fall and winter scenes. When finished, the artwork would be displayed on the classroom windows.

We displayed the students’ artwork in a lighted glass case in the hallway near the art classroom. We used a Christmas/winter background and decorations to set up our display. The following photos are our stained glass artwork display.

Here is our Stained Glass Art Lesson Plan:

Teachers: Jonathan Stahl, Robert Stahl

Lesson Title: Ancient Europe and Stained Glass Windows Art.

Grade Level: 4^th Grade

Developmental Characteristics: The class has been studying a unit on Ancient European history, specifically culture. To reinforce what they have learned they will create stained glass window art. Another purpose of this lesson is for 4^th graders to create art by arranging various shapes and colors. 4^th graders will typically select and arrange objects to satisfy their compositional design needs. Students will also demonstrate their ability to make precise cuts on tissue and construction paper to create their artwork. 4^th graders typically have improved eye-hand coordination which will help them in this task.

National Visual Art Standards:

Standard 1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.

d. Students use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

Standard 4: Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and culture.

a. know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures.

Objectives:

Art Production: The students will use an exacto knife in a safe and responsible manner while creating their artwork.

Artistic Perception: The students will be able to identify and list two different color schemes in their own artwork.

Art History: Student will be able list three stained glass window history facts from PowerPoint to display with their artwork.

Art Materials: tissue paper, construction paper, note cards, scissors, glue stick, and exacto knife for each student.

Instructional Resources:

· Stained Glass History PowerPoint

· Examples of stained glass tissue paper artwork

· Grading Rubric

· Color Scheme Handout

Vocabulary (Elements and Principles of Art):

· Organic shapes: Shapes that are not regular or even, using a combination of edges that are curved or angular (often found in nature).

· Geometric shapes: Two-dimensional shapes created by exact mathematical laws; oval, circle, square, triangle, and rectangle.

· Color Schemes: Color is divided into groups based on the way they are placed on the color wheel: warm colors, primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, analogous colors, etc.

Procedure:

Anticipatory Set (Motivation): The teachers will show short PowerPoint of the history of stained glass windows. Students will list three facts about the history of stained glass artwork on a piece of paper to display with their artwork.

Step 1. The teachers will show examples of stained glass artwork that was created with construction and tissue paper.

Step 2 (Instructional Input): The teachers will inform students that they need to use at least two different color schemes in their artwork (Ex. Warm colors, cool colors, primary or secondary colors, etc.). The teachers will provide students with a handout that gives a definition of each of the different color schemes.

Discuss organic and geometric shapes and the different color schemes.

Step 3 (Modeling): The teachers will model how to cut with an exacto knife in a safe and responsible manner.

Step 4 (Guided Practice): The teachers will show students how to create stained glass tissue paper artwork.

1. Begin by having students staple their pattern onto a piece of construction paper of their choice.

2. Cut out pattern with exacto knife and/or scissors.

3. Using a glue stick, glue tissue paper on the back of stained glass construction paper pattern.

Step 5: The students will create their own stained glass artwork with construction and tissue paper.

Step 6 (Display): The stained glass tissue paper artwork will be displayed in a lighted, glass artcase. Each student’s stained glass history fact note card will be displayed alongside their artwork. The lighted artcase will give the artwork a stained glass look. A Christmas theme border will be used to give the case a finished look.

Check for Understanding: The teachers will review the rubric and grading procedures to help students understand what is expected of them.

Closure: Ask students to volunteer to show their stained glass artwork and point out the color schemes, organic or geometric shapes used.

Clean Up: The students are responsible to clean their own work area.

Student Evaluation: Students will evaluate their own artwork by comparing it to the criteria on a rubric.

Integration: This art project could be used in a science project specifically when studying why leaves change color. They could create stained glass artwork of colorful autumn leaves.

Teacher evaluation:

· Did students use at least two of the nine color schemes in their artwork?

· Could students identify two color schemes in their artwork and list them on a rubric?

· Students included three stained glass facts from the PowerPoint (on a piece of paper) which will be displayed with their artwork.

· Did students use scissors and exacto knife in a responsible manner?