Some of our Third Grade students have been learning about ILLITERACY. At least that, which abounded in the Middle Ages and earlier. We learned that during that time period, most people could NOT read and write. Mainly those who were wealthy and the priests of the churchs could read. There were very few books to be had, and those were HAND COPIED by scribes and monks. Can you imagine having to rewrite a whole book by hand? That is why they were called MANUSCRIPS (meaning written by hand). The scribes would elaborately decorate the pages and illustrations, as well as the first letter of each paragraph or page. Most of the time, they would use GOLD paint which, when hit by the flicker of candlelight, would light up......thus called ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPS.
This project focused on one of the students initials, which they designed, painted gold, and then decorated with personal symbols or pictures that reflected something about them. We used paint and markers for embellishments and details.
Then students chose a piece of wallpaper on which to glue their initial. THEN they glued that onto a black sheet of construction paper, decorating those edges with metallic pencils.
These turned out to be BEAUTIFUL and ILLUMINATING!
1 comment:
Would you consider teaching this lesson when you come to UNF to do your workshop in the spring?
It is the perfect lesson for integrating history and art. I love it!!
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