4th Grade: Illuminated Manuscripts

In 4th Grade we just finished up our unit on Art of the Middle Ages. Students learned that art of the Middle Ages was mostly religious and an expression of devout faith and devotion to the Church. We spent some time studying the beautiful illuminated manuscripts made by the monks in the monasteries. Illuminated manuscripts were ornate books filled with beautiful calligraphy, gold leaf, and illustrations of Bible stories. One especially famous illuminated manuscript is the Book of Kells. Certain pages like the one below from the Book of Kells are what inspired our next project which was to create their own page of an illuminated manuscript.

Students began by choosing one of the the 9 virtues they are encouraged to take to heart at this school (Courage, Citizenship, Leadership, Wisdom, Humility, Honesty, Friendship, Responsibility, Integrity). Once they had chosen their virtue, they brainstormed an animal that they believed exemplified that virtue the most. The first letter of their virtue and the animal they chose became the content that filled their page. After filling the page with patterns, designs, and textures, they used watercolor to bring it to life. They then gave the finishing touches by using gold and silver sharpies to add the bright highlights to sections of the artwork, making them even more like the manuscripts they studied.  Here are a few examples of exceptional student work: