mini lesson for a faux stained glass window project based on Cinderella

1. Stained Glass Slipper
Julia Tessler
Section 001

2. • Big Idea: Meaning and Objects
• Grade Level: 3rd
• Time: 2 hours, over two days

3. Students will be able to exhibit an
understanding of the significance of stained
glass through history and in art by
interpreting the stories the windows tell,
and creating their own stained glass
window that tells the story of Cinderella.

4. • Cinderella story/movie
• Stained Glass Windows
• Stained Glass Art of Louis Comfort Tiffany
• Blown Glass Art of Dale Chihuly

5. • For Guided Activity:
– Cinderella story or movie
– online images of stained glass
– paper and pencil/pen

6. • For Individual Art Project:
– paper
– pencil or pen
– piece of clear plastic
• Clear Acrylic Sheets from Dick Blick
• Clear plastic photo frames
– black permanent marker
– black puffy paint
– bottled glue
– dishwashing liquid
– food coloring
– brushes
– plates

7. • Students watch or read Cinderella
• Talk about the glass slipper and its significance
• Discussion about stained glass windows throughout history
– used in Medieval times in churches
• possibly the same time period Cinderella was set in
– since few people could read, they served to tell stories of scenes from the
Bible
– during the Renaissance, wealthy people wanted to have stained glass in
their homes
– became an art form

8. • Artist – Louis Comfort Tiffany
– he began as a painter
– used the technique of opalescent glass
• stained glass with many blended shades and hues of each color
– nature inspired him
• preferred to create landscapes or nature scenes
– he created not only windows, but also lamps, chandeliers,
and other works that could be displayed in the home

9. • Stained glass windows often tell a story
– look at pictures of stained glass windows
and think of the story it is telling, then
share our thoughts and stories as a class
• in pairs or small groups, make a list of
important objects and symbols in the story of
Cinderella

10. • making a stained glass window which will tell the story of
Cinderella by featuring the slipper and other objects and
symbols from the fairy tale that each individual student thought
were important
• during the activity, I will keep pictures up on the screen of
stained glass windows, and from the story of Cinderella

11. • Procedure
1. Draw the slipper on your
window using black
permanent marker
• if you would prefer,
draw on paper first,
then trace onto the
window
2. Around it, draw a few of the
other important objects and
symbols from your list
3. Fill any empty space with
geometric shapes
4. Paint over the permanent
marker outlines using the
black puffy paint
1. Let dry (overnight)
2. Paint inside of the black
lines using the paint
• be sure to use all
different colors or
experiment with using
different shades of
warm/cool colors,
depending on the variety
of colors you have
3. Let dry

13. Informal
– During guided activity
• student participation in discussion
– During individual activity
• walk around and observe
• ask questions to check for understanding

14. Formal

15. • draw window design on paper first then trace
onto plastic
• use glass paint from a craft store
• paint a jar, pot, cup or something else
• attach string or clips to hang them on the
window of the classroom
• for students with disabilities or difficulties:
– create stencils of shapes they might want to use
(stars, moons, a clock, a dress, a pumpkin, etc) and
let them trace
– do the black paint for them if necessary

16. • Hang the stained glass windows on or near the
windows of your classroom so the light can
shine through them
• Give students time to look at each other’s
projects and make note of what they each
chose to include & focus on – what the
important parts of the story were to each
individual student
• Discuss other styles of glass art
– Dale Chihuly blown glass

17. Dale Chihuly – blown glass

18. • Stained Glass History
http://medievaleurope.mrdonn.org/stainedglass.html
http://www.life123.com/hobbies/glass-mosaics/stained-glass/stained-
glass-history.shtml
• Louis Comfort Tiffany
http://www.morsemuseum.org/louis-comfort-tiffany
• Stained Glass Jars Craft (recipe for paint)
http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Special_Occassions/Chri
stmas/stainedglassjars/stainedglassjars.html
• Dale Chihuly
www.chihuly.com