5th Grade - Gothic Architecture

Okay- so this have got to be my FAVORITE new project of the year.

I saw someone post a picture on Pinterest from Artsonia where a CD was a rose window and then the Cathedral was drawn behind it.  I was like "DUH!!!! What a PERFECT project for using CD's! How have I not thought of this? GENIUS!"

I have been waiting for what feels like months for clay to be over and such to try out this idea.  I finally had the perfect moment to start this with a group of 5th graders!

I first spent about 45 minutes of planning the lesson trying to find an interesting/short/information video on Rose Windows to show my students.... man was that a task.  I could find short boring videos, or interesting documentaries - but nothing that fit my whole criteria... well, that is until I found this:


Okay - so it isn't exactly perfect and I managed to talk over the part where the guy says "bloody hell" and then I skip the part about the commission for a new rose window.  (I am okay with mentioning religion when it comes in context of art/architecture - but I didn't feel it was necessary to bring in the modern religious icons.)

The thing I love about the video, other than the accents, is that it shows rose windows, a brief history, and even a few ruins.

So, after the video (or before if I remember) I give a little history - set the scene for these mammoth buildings.  I try to explain to the kids that these are not 'just stained glass windows' but that these are THE WINDOWS.  It is hard to really explain a life to kids where there is no real visual stimulation - there were no billboards, signs, advertisements, ipads, tvs, photographs and such during the time when these were built.  People were not use to seeing images at all let alone on such a GRAND scale.  I then show some stills of these cathedrals and point out how little the people are, or the chairs on the inside.  It is hard to describe how LARGE these structures are without a point of reference.

After I get done talking at them (which I try not to do - but sometimes it is necessary), we discuss what they notice about the rose windows while looking at some still photographs. -- Round, symmetrical, colors, patterns go around the center.... etc.  I then explain to them that they are going to create their own Rose Window.

They can either:
A) Start right away - but there is NO erasing sharpie so they will have to problem solve their mistakes.
B) Get a scrap sheet of paper and practice a few designs.

I hand out CD's and Sharpies and let them go.

The next time they come we look at a slide show of Gothic Cathedrals - complete with Rose Windows.  After a few photos I put up the picture shown below with 6 Cathedrals side by side.  I ask the students to look at them.  Compare, contrast the different buildings.  What do they have in common, how are they different?  They discuss these things at their table, we share a few as a class -- 3 door sections, LOTS of arches, steeples (though not always symmetrical), rose window in the middle, 3 layers (doors, middle, steeple), recessed doors.

Next, I pass out 'stone' colored construction paper with a handout containing pictures of the Cathedrals we just looked at.  Students use these pictures to help them make their own Gothic structure.  They draw with pencil, trace with Sharpie.

Then, the last we do is some shading to give the Gothic structures some pizazz.  I explain about the sun making shadows and how that helps us understand depth and shape.  We discuss that depending on where our light source, the sun, is will determine where our shadows go.  I show them how to take a black colored pencil and draw a shadow on the left or right side every line on their paper (excluding where their building and sky meet).  (Some struggle with this idea more than others - but its all good).

At this point if students want to be done - okay.  If they want to go above and beyond I have them go in with a white oil pastel and do the same on the opposite side of each line and color the sky in with a sky color.

These are spectacular to look at!  I love how each one looks completely different.

Amazing!

Radial Name Designs - EMPHASIS - 5th Grade

This is a project I use to do when I had 5th grade a few years ago - now that I have fifth grade again it was time to brush it off.  I like this as a first project for 5th graders because, 1) The formatting stretches their brain at the beginning of the year, 2) It's complicatedly simple, and 3) Everyone can succeed with this AWESOME looking project and it sets them up for a good year.

To start out we talk about formatting - what does formatting mean?  Where have they heard "format" before?  Often I get students who say they have seen the word 'format' on the computer when they are writing in 'word'.  We jump off that to explain what format means!

I explain to them that they will be formatting their name into a triangle - I show them with my name.  I pass out triangles, pencils and send them on their way.  Most students after a couple of tries can get it - a student or two may need some one on one help.

After they format their name into the triangle they trace it with a sharpie.  Next, they get a square piece of paper (12in) and fold it in half, unfold, half the other way, unfold, then diagonal corners - if they do this correctly they will get 8 triangles the same size as their paper!  So fancy how I planned that! ;)

This part is the longest part - they then trace their name into each triangle.  After it is all traced they have to decide if they want a pattern, what colors, any designs?!  I required them to have EMPHASIS on one of the triangles.  I gave them relatively free reign on this project with the only requirements being: 1) one triangle had to have EMPHASIS and 2) the only white that is showing is where it's part of the design!

Radial CD Designs -- All Grades (examples of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th)

About a year ago a paraprofessional in my building came to me asking if I had any need for CD's.  I of course said YES!  Turns out she burns radio shows on to CDs for her husband, because his truck radio is broken.  They didn't want to throw them away, but also had no use for them after he listened to the show.

So, throughout the year she brings me stacks of CDs and I keep them in my room till the end of the year.  The last couple of years we have decorated CDs as a one day art project.

One year we learned about Keith Haring and how he drew on all sorts of surfaces - shoes, cars, walls, buildings.... ect.  The students then modeled their CD after his work.

This year I decided that we were going to make radial designs on both sides and then use them as the base for a windsock.  To start the project I drew three different options on the board and asked the students which one they thought was a radial design.  We did some brainstorming, some thinking, and slowly they worked out which ones didn't make sense and were not 'radial'.  After they figured out which one of my examples was a radial design I drew out some more asking if it was or was not a radial design.  Once I felt they understood what their target was, I sent them on their way with Sharpies and CDs.

All these results are from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade students and are diverse as the students who made them!  Some students chose words, other patterns, and even some pictures with dinosaurs, volcanoes and trees!  They always surprise me with their creative and personal thoughts!

2nd - Radial Sun Designs

I modified an old lesson of mine - 3rd grade Radial Sun Window Clings for the 2nd grade Original Works fundraiser.  Instead of doing these on plastic window clings the students followed the same basic steps, but on a piece of 8.5x11 piece of paper.

The students learned/practiced:

- Radial Design
-Concentric Circles
- Shape
-Pattern
-Line
-Hot and Cold Colors

Lesson:  Students were given different sized round objects to trace in the middle(ish) of their paper.  Once the students do 2-3 concentric circles they fill each layer with simple shapes.  Many students will do a pattern of shapes.  We discuss how the shapes have to go all the way around the circle to make it a radial design.

Once the student fills the circles in with shapes and does a row of shapes around the last circle they draw lines across the paper in the background.  The students and I talk about different types of lines and how far apart they might choose to make their lines - they will need to color it!  

After all the drawing is done students trace with a permanent marker. 

Now comes the fun part.  The students and I review hot and cold colors.  The hot colors belong in the sun, or concentric circles and the cold colors should be in the sky - or around the concentric circles.

When students are coloring we emphasize not seeing any white since white is not hot or cold, and how they should color in and around their shapes instead of over top!

This is one of my favorite projects.  All the students succeed, the colors are bright, and they are stunning when they are completed!

Radial Sun Window Clings (3rd)

After a long snowy winter the students and I were itching for some sun, so we decided to try and lure the sun out from behind the clouds with some radial sun window clings.

Students Learned/Practiced
--Radial Patterns
--Warm/Cool colors
--Using permanent markers

I first explained what radial meant then they helped me design a sun with radial patterns. Next they traced the shape of their window cling on a piece of paper and designed their own radial sun.

The students then taped the window cling over their design and traced their patterns with a black sharpie. After outlining the students colored their suns keeping warm colors on the inside and cool colors for the background.

This assignment was successful for each and every student no matter their skill level. When they were completed I put them up in the art room windows until they went home with the students!