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"Faux Stained Glass"

Students make a faux stained glass design using Crayola Window Crayons on wax paper.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Clear Adhesive Tape
  • Construction Paper
  • Cotton Swab
  • Paper Towels
  • Permanent Marker
  • Scissors
  • Wax Paper
  • Window Crayons

Steps

  • Step 1

    Begin the lesson with a briefDescription of what stained glass is and how it functions including the following history:

  • Step 2

    he purpose of most windows is to allow a view of the outside and admit light into a building. The purpose of stained glass windows, however, is not to allow people to see outside, but to beautify buildings, control light, and sometimes to tell a story. Many believe that stained glass was first created by ancient Egyptians and/or the Romans, both of whom largely excelled in the making of small colored glass objects. During the Medieval period, stained glass window making flourished, reaching its peak during the Gothic period, in which stained glass windows were used in cathedrals; stained glass window making continued into the Renaissance period, but declined at the end of this period. Contemporary times have seen a resurgence of interest and production of stained glass.

  • Step 3

    Share examples of stained glass with the class. Provide a variety of design samples. Include abstract, realistic and radial designs. Reference Tiffany and Chagall.

  • Step 4

    Encourage group discussion and pose questions to the group such as, How do you think they made the stained glass? Planned the design? Chose the colors? Did their design have meaning? Or was it for decoration?

  • Step 5

    When the discussion seems complete tell students that they are going to make a "faux" stained glass design on wax paper using Crayola Window Crayons. Although the designs are not on real glass, the material properties are similar. The wax paper is transparent and allows light to filter in like authentic stained glass windows.

  • Step 6

    Provide students with a 12" by 18" (31 cm x 46 cm) piece of white construction paper and a piece of wax paper of equal size. Have students draw their design on the white sheet of paper. Designs may be abstract or realistic. Encourage them to fill the surface of the white sheet of paper with distinct lines that create shapes. When complete, have students put the wax paper over their design and trace the lines with a permanent black marker. When complete, students may use the Crayola Window Crayons to fill in the black lines. Colors are easily blended with fingers and mistakes can be erased with a paper towel or Q-tip.

  • Step 7

    Display student artwork in the classroom and ask members of the class to discuss their choices in design.

Standards

LA: Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.

LA: Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate understanding of multiple perspectives through reflection and paraphrasing.

LA: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats.

VA: Formulate an artistic investigation of personally relevant content for creating art.

VA: Develop criteria to guide making a work of art or design to meet an identified goal.

VA: Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan works of art and design.

VA: Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices, following or breaking established conventions, to plan the making of multiple works of art and design based on a theme, idea, or concept.

Adaptations

Older students can study the glass art of Dale Chihuly. They can make 3 dimensional sculptures using plexiglas. The plexiglas can be gently cracked and broken into pieces. They can be painted with Crayola Acrylic Paints and glued into sculptures using super glue. Plexiglass pieces can be suspended from the ceiling using thin plastic string. They can also we affixed to the wall using chart stickers. Installations can be created with suspended sculptures and wall hang plexiglas pieces.

Students can write reports that will be displayed with the art in a group show where other classrooms are invited to visit.

Students can create a power point presentation of their work to be presented to their class.