Lesson Plan: Geometric Stained Glass

Grade: 4
Subject: Visual Arts/Math
Topic: Transformations

Materials: index cards, large white paper (11×16), pencil, scissors, colored pencils/markers/crayons, ruler

Introduction:

Show the class some pictures of stained glass (modern or historical), and ask them about stained glass they have seen. Point out that it is composed of areas of bright color adjacent to each other. Show the prepared example piece and demonstrate the steps of the activity using a large cardboard cutout shape on the chalkboard.

Part 1:

1. Draw a simple shape on an index card and cut it out.
2. Fold the large piece of paper in thirds (demonstrate how to do this)
3. On one section of the white paper, trace the cutout shape several times, without turning it (translation). Make the tracings overlap.
4. Color in the outlines in various bright colors.

Part 2:

1. Using the same cardboard shape as for the previous lesson, cover the second section of your paper with tracings that are reflections (turn the shape over).
2. On the last section of the paper, use tracings that are rotations (turn the shape around a corner).
3. Color in with bright colors
4. Color the background a dark color.

Make sure students write their names on both the paper and the cutout.

Comments:

This class had just begun a Math unit on transformational geometry, which I was also teaching. This art lesson is a simple activity that combined the two subjects, and let me show the students that the math they were studying could be used in more ways than just doing homework. The students produced some very nice “stained glass” although there was the expected trouble of lost cutout shapes, students changing their minds about their project halfway through and wanting to start over, and so on. At my associate teacher’s suggestion, I wrote all the instructions on chart paper for the students to refer to as they worked.