Year 6: Byzantine Icons – Expressing Faith Through
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Year 6: How do people express their faith through the arts? – Byzantine Icons Lesson 1 Duration 1 hour. Date: Planned by Katrina Gray for Two Temple Place, 2014 Main teaching Activities - Differentiation Plenary LO: To explore messages in religious art Activities: Focus the children back on the use of colour within the paintings. Cross curricular links: Art, RE, History, Literacy Mixed Ability Groups. Briefly discuss with children what they thought the colours in the Children to examine Byzantine icons. Text mark responses to the paintings represented and why. Introduce the main topic to the children. (How do people express following questions around the image their faith through the arts?) Explain that Christians worship God Q Who do you think is being represented here? Why? Introduce the poem ‘Paint box’ to the children. Explain that it was in many ways - in dance, drama and ritual, in liturgy, song and Q How are the images used to convey meaning about this written by a 9 year old boy who has only known war since he prayer, through poetry, story, art and architecture - all these can person or religious beliefs? was born. be worship. Today, we will focus on art. Q What religious message do you think is being portrayed? Q What do you think the colours represent? Why? According to the boy’s description of the colours for peace, Q What do you think Jesus looks like? Q What do you think Q How does this art work make you feel? Why? which Byzantine icon best represents peace? Why? the mother of Jesus looks like? Q What do you think a Saint Q How do you think the artist felt? Why? looks like? Q Do you like this painting? Why? Ask children to quickly sketch a drawing of these people. RESOURCES Share and discuss with their talk partner and then as a whole EAL / SEN: Focus on one painting only and use the writing frame. class. They do not need to justify their opinions. Supported through mixed Images of Byzantine Icons from the Two Temple Place exhibition ability pairing and the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. Discuss with the children how they and where they got their ideas Writing frame: from e.g., paintings they’ve seen, the bible illustrations, what I think this painting is of… Poem – ‘Paint box’ taken from: they’ve been told etc. The picture of …. represents…. http://www.ely.anglican.org/education/schools/collective_worship/ I think the message is… christian_worship.html Discuss with the children what art is and why people make art The colour… represents… pieces. Explain that art has always been an important element This painting makes me feel… Key vocabulary: of religion. Explain that Christian figures like Jesus, Mother of I think the artist felt…. Jesus Jesus and many Saints lived before the time of cameras so I like / dislike this painting….because… Mother Mary there is no record of what they looked like. Artists have decided Saint for themselves and shown this in their work, they often have also G&T: Byzantine Icon shared messages about these religious figures by the way they Q What is similar about these icons? Message have drawn them, the colours they have used and the symbols Q What painting do you prefer? Why? Meaning that they have included in the image. Orthodox Success Criteria: Christian Introduce the term ‘Byzantine icons’ and display a range of I know what a Byzantine Icon is; Byzantine icon images to the children. Explain that Byzantine I can talk about religious paintings, commenting on style, colours icons are sacred paintings. They often depict Christ, his mother and messages; (Mary), scenes from the Bible or the lives of Saints. Usually they I understand the importance of art in religion. are elaborate, two dimensional paintings which are of great importance in Orthodox Christianity. They are used as a spiritual link between God and the worshipper. Year 6: How do people express their faith through the arts? – Byzantine Icons Lesson 1 Duration 1 hour. Date: Planned by Katrina Gray for Two Temple Place, 2014 Main teaching Activities - Differentiation Plenary Refer to http://www.iconsexplained.com/iec/byz_about_ byzantine_icons.htm for further information. Explain to the children that the icons often have a gold leaf background and are usually on wood. Q Why do you think ‘gold leaf’ is used? Focus on one of the images more closely with the children. Q Who do you think is being represented here? Why? (once children have responded provide them with the actual answer) Q How are the images used to convey meaning about this person or religious beliefs? Q What religious message do you think is being portrayed? (consider positioning of image, use of colour, symbols etc) Q What do you think the colours represent? Why? Q How does this art work make you feel? Why? Q How do you think the artist felt? Why? Q Do you like this painting? Why? Class teacher to model text marking these ideas around the image Ethnic Minority Achievement/English as an additional language learning strategies: Visuals, mixed ability pair work, questioning, modelling, writing scaffold. Every Child Matters: Enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution. Lesson 1 Resource - Images of Byzantine Icons The Kykko Mother of God or Eleousa, early 19th century, Icon. Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Virgin and Child Enthroned, 18-19th century, Icon. Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Lesson 1 Resource - Images of Byzantine Icons The Virgin of the Unfading Rose, 19th century, Icon. Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Virgin Hodegetria, 17th century, Icon. Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Lesson 1 Resource - Images of Byzantine Icons www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/saint-paraskeva Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery Year 6: How do people express their faith through the arts? – Byzantine Icons Lesson 2 Duration 1 hour. Date: Planned by Katrina Gray for Two Temple Place, 2014 Main teaching Activities - Differentiation Plenary LO: To create my own messages in religious art Activities: Share an appreciation of each others work Cross curricular links: Art, RE, History Follow the Icon Rules to create your own version of a Byzantine icon. Write a few sentences to explain the meaning behind your Explain that icons are often referred to as ‘The windows to the icon image. RESOURCES Kingdom of Heaven’. Q What do you think this means? (see the Icons information sheet for actual definition) Icons information sheet EAL / SEN: Adult support to understand the rule list. Verbally explain Icon Rules (taken from: http://www.ely.anglican.org/education/ Q What did you learn about Byzantine icons yesterday? (purpose, the meaning behind the image to an adult. schools/collective_worship/christian_worship.html ) use of colour, images, meanings etc) G&T: Investigate traditional symbols that are used to represent their Not provided in the pack: Refer to the Icons information sheet to provide further chosen religious figure. Egg yolks, vinegar and water background information about Byzantine Icons to the children Powder paints Success Criteria: Card (approx.. 30cm x 20cm) Inform the children that today they will be using their art skills to I can use appropriate colour, symbols and images to represent a Paintbrushes create their own icon. They will need to follow the Icon Rules (see meaning in a piece of religious art. Gold leaf (opt) Icons information sheet) Key vocabulary: Read through the information sheet with the children and Jesus model creating an icon painting. As you model the process to Mother Mary the children, think aloud the meaning behind the painting that Saint you are trying to convey through your chosen images and use Byzantine Icon of colour. Message Meaning Model writing a few sentences to accompany the artwork to Orthodox explain the meaning behind the represented icon. Christian Ethnic Minority Achievement/English as an additional language learning strategies: visuals, modelling Every Child Matters: Enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution. Lesson 2 Resource Icon Rules Source - www.ely.anglican.org Creating Icons in the Classroom • Icons are usually painted on board or wood – use the thickest card available. Size approx. 30 cm x 20 cm. • Draw a frame about 2 cm wide around the card – the frame represents earth, and the picture within represents heaven. The frame may be patterned or gold – it should make the finished result look like a window. • Sketch the picture using the “rules” below as guidelines. Remember to include the symbol which tells you who the person is. • Make up a mixture of egg yolks, vinegar and water. Use this mixture to make up your powder paints. This may require some experimenting to get the proportions right. (You should need no more than one teaspoon of vinegar) • When painting your icon always paint the haloes and “gold” areas last. As you probably do not have enough real gold leaf to go round, you may have to improvise with either gold paper or glitter! The meaning of the colours you use: • Red is the colour of the presence of God. Of majesty and power • Blue is the colour of humankind. Jesus should wear both blue and red, as he is both human and divine. • White means a miracle • Green is earth and growth • Gold is heaven and the place of God. Lesson 2 Resource Icon Rules Source - www.ely.anglican.org Icons - What you do And why you do it The main figure you are painting should be right at the very front of When people look at an icon they are entering into a relationship the picture, facing front, so that they are looking straight at you. with the saint, so you need to see their full face and know they are looking at you.