Middle School Gothic Cathedral Art Lesson for kids - Leah Newton Art (2024)

In this middle school Gothic Cathedral project students design their own Gothic Cathedral while learning about architecture. This project covers Common Core Standards for Math and History for grade 7 which can be found at the end of the lesson.

Gothic Cathedral

Grade Level

5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades – These examples were created by 7th grade students

Objective

In this middle school Gothic Cathedral lesson, students will design a Gothic Cathedral using the design elements found in this specialized type of architecture.

Time

4 45 min lessons

Materials

• Pencils

• Black Construction Paper – Tru-Ray Sulphite Construction Paper, 12 x 18 Inches, Black, 50 Sheets – 054150
• White Construction Paper – Tru-Ray Heavyweight Construction Paper, White, 12″ x 18″, 50 Sheets
• 9×12 Watercolor paper – Canson (100510941) XL Series Watercolor Pad, 9″ x 12″, Fold-Over Cover, 30 Sheets
• Brushes – Acrylic Paint Brush Set, 1 Packs / 10 pcs Nylon Hair Brushes for All Purpose Oil Watercolor Painting Artist Professional Kits
• Liquid Water Colors – Sargent Art 22-6010 10-Count 8-Ounce Watercolor Magic Set
  • Or this mini version for homeschooling – Sargent Art 22-6210 10-Count 4-Ounce Watercolor Magic
• Kleenex for blotting paint
• Black Sharpie Marker – Sharpie Permanent Marker, Fine Point, Black, Pack of 5
• A CD for tracing

Inspiration/Artist

I was inspired to make this project after I saw this idea: Click Here

This site also had great information: Click Here

Instruction with Questions for Gothic Cathedral

Day 1

Students watch videos about Architecture to prepare you for making the Gothic Cathedral. These can all be found on Youtube:

I am an Architect – The History of Architecture:Click Here

How to Become an Architect? CareerBuilder Videos from funza Academy.: Click Here

10 Strangest Buildings In The World: Click Here

Famous buildings in the world – famous structures of the world: Click Here

How High Can Skyscrapers Go? – Cheddar Explores: Click Here

Building Height Comparison: Click Here

Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica hosts stunning light shows that are pure magic: Click Here

We discuss what we found interesting in each of these videos.

Day 2

#1

Students watch one more video, this time focusing on Gothic Cathedral Architecture. This can also be found on Youtube:

Medieval Rose Windows: Click Here

#2

Today you will begin to build your Gothic Cathedral.

Pass out the following handouts. These are critical to the authenticity of the design work of these majestic buildings. I believe it is important for students to have a frame of reference for their own drawings. Today you will just be looking at and beginning the framework.

I lead the students to answering the following questions:

• How many levels, columns and doorways do you see in each structure? (psssst…the answer is three:) )
• Discuss the symmetry and balance in each building.
• What do we know about the importance of the number three in the Catholic faith? What does it usually represent? (The Trinity)
• Where do you see Rose Windows in these structures? (Main one in center, or heart of Cathedral, and sometimes over doors and windows)
• What do you notice about the line work over the doors and windows? (It is in layers and repeats a pattern, curve or triangular points)
• Describe the areas separating each layer (Gate looking or castle looking designs)
• Explain how each top layer is arranged. (Two columns and a shorter column, triangular points, cone shapes, crosses etc.)

Nine Cathedrals in France: I created this from a handout I found here – Click Here

In the following handout, find how many shapes reflect the number three. Point out how the Trinity is woven throughout all of the design work.

Rose Window Stock Photo: I created this from a handout I found here – Click Here

#3

One the white board, draw an example illustrating the following steps they will take to create their structure. Ahead of time, pre-cut some heavyweight squares (5″x5″) for tracing. Tell them the main points that need to be included:

• Create three columns with an area of space on either side of the building, meaning, do not have the structure be flush against the side of the page.
• The Rose Window will be at the heart of the building so it needs to be somewhere in the middle-ish part of the page. It will sit in the second layer, of the three layers of the building.

#4 Draw

Using your square, find the center on the bottom of your paper. Trace the outside edges only of the square.

Then, move the square up to where you want to showcase your Rose Window. This can be anywhere in the middle area of the page within that square.

Continue tracing the sides until you find your Rose Window area and then complete the square.

Using an old CD, trace it inside of the 5″ square.

Next, you can either just use a ruler, or, have another pre-cut template that is approximately 3″ wide and however long you would like it. Again, this is a template, so I encourage them to move it along the building to create a long line. The area above the Rose Window should be taller. This can be either on just two sides, two rectangular sides and a triangular middle etc.

Since the Gothic Cathedral columns do not have any horizontal lines in them, extend these across from your square on either side. There should now be three levels to the building.

Day 3 Gothic Cathedral

Pass out the handouts again for reference. Have them recall which elements are critical to their design work. Students begin designing their buildings. I offer some smaller round objects for them to trace for smaller windows they may want to add to their structure. While they are drawing, pull students aside to begin their Rose Windows.

#1

Pre-trace a CD onto watercolor paper. Show students an example you make for reference. The key here is to create bright colors that are random and not overlapping. I even recommend that they use yellow first. Wait for it to dry before cutting it out. This way the paint can bleed outside of the circle so that no white shows when you finally cut it out. Your next step will sit on top of this colorful circle.

#2

Trace around the CD on a piece of black construction paper. Students cut out the circle and fold it four times. Depending on your students, you may want to do this ahead of time for them. Show them where they are going to cut their (snowflake-style) window. Tell them NOT to cut along the curved edge of the pie shape.

#3

Cut approximately five shapes out of the edges including most importantly, the corner tip which will serve as the center of the Rose Window. I show them that they can cut it round, or with spikes. You will need good teacher scissors for this part since the paper will be very thick.

Then unfold it. Sometimes students will find that their circle wasn’t folded tightly enough and some symmetry is off. Now is the time to go back cut those until it looks balanced.

#4

Finally, glue the black part to the colored part. Make sure the watercolor is completely dry before you cut it out and before gluing.

Day 4

Students continue to draw their designs and glue down their Rose Windows to their Gothic Cathedral. I love how dramatic the windows look against the simple black and white backgrounds! I push the students to create edging around their doors and windows for a more finished look.

Here are some finished middle school Gothic Cathedral pieces!

Common Core Standards

7th Grade – History

7.6 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Europe.

8. Understand the importance of the Catholic church as a political, intellectual, and aesthetic institution (e.g., founding of universities, political and spiritual roles of the clergy, creation of monastic and mendicant religious orders, preservation of the Latin language and religious texts, St. Thomas Aquinas’s synthesis of classical philosophy with Christian theology, and the concept of “natural law”).

7th Grade – Math – Geometry

Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them.

1. Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale
   drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
2. Computations with rational numbers extend the rules for manipulating fractions to complex fractions.
   Grade 7 K–8 Standards | 49
   50 | K–8 Standards
   7 Grade 7
3. Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more than
   one triangle, or no triangle.