Illuminated Manuscripts Lesson Plans

Students investigate illuminated manuscript pages from the Medieval period. In this illuminated manuscript lesson, students examine 13th century pages and compare them to modern printed works. They describe the details of an illuminated page.

Young scholars compare a 13th-century illuminated manuscript page to other manuscript pages and modern printed books. They study the different elements of an illuminated manuscript page.

Students examine a book of hours to compare it with a modern day planner. In this illuminated manuscripts lesson, students analyze a book of hours example from the 16th century. Students create their own modern day illuminated calendar.

Students create their own fairy tale.  In this book making lesson, students write a fairy tale and turn it into a book. They use decorated initials and borders to make it look like an illuminated manuscript.

Students compare illustrations from the book of hours with modern day calendars and planners. In this calendar comparison lesson, students examine "The Annunciation" by Master of James IV of Scotland before discussing the use of a book of hours. They watch a video about calendar pages in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Students compare the works to a modern calendar/planning book and then create a book of hours.

Students identify and research natural resources used in art. In this Renaissance art materials lesson, students look at examples of illuminated manuscripts and learn what materials were used to create the books. Then, students are introduced to bookmaking and some of the materials used.

Students research the renewable materials used during the Renaissance to create manuscripts.  For this natural resources lesson, students design an illuminated manuscript page using materials that would have been available during the Renaissance and are available in California now.  Level of project varies as is grade appropriate.

Students create a nameplate and an original fairy tale book using an illuminated manuscript format. In this fairy tale lesson plan, students will explain styles and techniques of illuminated manuscripts. They will also create a personal nameplate using a decorated or historiated initial, a border, and illuminations. And they write, illustrate, and illuminate an original fairy tale book.

Learners discuss and view examples of the illuminated manuscripts that were created during medieval times and into the Renaissance. In small groups, they research the resources that were used to create the manuscripts and classify them as renewable or non-renewable. this lesson includes modifications for many grade levels.

Students examine a medieval manuscript on astronomy and create their own books based on modern discoveries in astronomy. They choose a subject of modern astronomy that they would like to write and create an illuminated image about.