Field Trips

Rose Window (Radial Design)

Grade Level:
Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
State Standards:
NATIONAL/STATE STANDARDS:
Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts.
Creative Expression and Communication.

Recognizing and creating radial designs to identify cultural artifacts.

Objective(s)

Students will be able to recognize and create radial designs, and identify specific cultural artifacts that utilize radial designs.
 
Visual Art Standard: Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts
Benchmark: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.
 
Visual Art Standards: Creative Expression and Communication
Benchmark: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques, and processes by using them expressively and skillfully. 

Materials

Materials in this plan include wax paper cut in circles, watered-down glue, watercolor brushes, colored tissue paper cut into small squares, buckets, black construction paper cut in squares, scissors.

Procedure

Direct Instruction (5 to 10 minutes): The instructor will have students look at the bicycle gears in the Wright brothers' bicycle shop. Students will be asked to identify elements of the designs in each gear. As part of this conversation, students can identify and define the terms 'symmetry' and 'radial design.'
The instructor will then show the group photographs of rose windows, and ask students to compare the designs in the windows with those of the bicycle gears. After comparing and contrasting the two forms, students will be asked to create their own rose window.

Individual Work Period (20 minutes): The instructor may need to demonstrate some of these steps. Students will cover a circle of wax paper with cut tissue paper squares. The tissue paper can be glued using brushes to spread watered-down glue. Once the entire sheet of wax paper is covered, the students will cut a rose-window design out of the construction paper.

Fold the black square into a triangle. Take one bottom point and fold it between the top and opposite bottom points. Fold the opposites side over this angle, keeping all sides even. The result should be a triangle with three separate points sticking out of the top.

Cut the top points off in the shape of an arc. You want the shape to result in a circle. You can test your success by opening the shape, and refolding it to proceed. Cut shapes out of both sides. The more cuts you make, the more interesting your design will look. Students may need to practice on a few separate sheets before mastering the process and finding a design they like. For large groups and short periods of time, some folding and cutting may take place before students arrive.

Glue the construction paper on top of the tissue paper. If possible, wait until the tissue paper has dried, but this is not necessary. Student names can be written on manila tape and placed on the back of the wax paper, or written in white color pencil on the black construction paper.
Dried rose windows can be stacked and pressed under books to flatten out, and then be placed in a glass window for display.

Clean-Up (5 minutes): All wet materials will need to be stored on a drying rack similar device, brushes should be washed out, and used glue dumped or poured into a container.

Assessment

The success of this project can be ascertained through the quality of the artwork. The instructor can also ask a series of questions regarding the objectives of the lesson to determine how well students have comprehended the material.
 
Alternatively, the rubric below can be used to rate each child's performance during the working period. 
 
Art Rubric  
Category  Possible Points  Earned Points 
Craftsmanship  20   
Time on Task  20   
Following Assignment Guidelines  20   
Use of Materials  20   
Clean Up  20   

Park Connections

Social Studies – The group can explore the role of churches and church ornamentation in Europe.
 
History - Students might also explore the evolution of industry in America. The Wright brothers built the bodies of their bicycles from scratch. Compare their production process with contemporary bicycle production, and with the introduction of the assembly line in automobile production. How did the assembly line revolutionize American industry? Who was responsible for this dramatic change? What connection did he have with the Wright brothers? 

Extensions

The instructor can assist students with folding and cutting as needed, or ask a responsible peer to assist students with special needs. If paraprofessionals are available, they can work alongside these students.

Additional Resources

The Rose Window, by Painton Cowen

Vocabulary

Symmetry - a composition in which two sides are equally balanced.
Radial design – a composition in which equal parts spread out from a central point.
 

Materials

Last updated: March 25, 2020