Museum Links
This page consists of several links to museums that provided resources for the elementary classroom.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
This site has an education section for teachers that includes lesson plans, categorized by subject, type of activity/response, and grade level. Each lesson plan corresponds with specific artwork and does a wonderful job at integrating art with other academic subjects. Specifically, math, social studies, and language arts are available with response categories such as aesthetic response, critical response, and historical and cultural contexts.
Example: the artwork piece "Quilt' , "Choir Screen From The Chapel of The Chateau of Pagny", and "The City" - could all be used to help students explore geometric shapes in math as well as exploring free writing in language arts where students could create a story for the art and as well as history where they can discover the who, what, where, when and why of the specific piece.
Example: the artwork piece "Quilt' , "Choir Screen From The Chapel of The Chateau of Pagny", and "The City" - could all be used to help students explore geometric shapes in math as well as exploring free writing in language arts where students could create a story for the art and as well as history where they can discover the who, what, where, when and why of the specific piece.
Smithsonian Education
This site has an education section labeled "Educators", dedicated to teachers and providing them with materials to integrate art into the everyday classroom. They have "This Month's Top 10" lessons where you have the option to download the complete lesson plan and use the provided art as a teaching resource. There are links for lessons divided by elementary, middle and high school levels, as well as by subject area. Some lessons and tools available include various types of art including artwork, poems, and songs that are made available to students.
Example: "Abraham Lincoln - The Face of War" includes two lesson plans and uses sculptures, photographs, paintings, sketches, and other ways to help teacher and students explore more into various social studies topics. This lesson alone could also extend into language arts where students write a biography or recreate war stories inspired by what they see depicted in the artwork.
Example: "Abraham Lincoln - The Face of War" includes two lesson plans and uses sculptures, photographs, paintings, sketches, and other ways to help teacher and students explore more into various social studies topics. This lesson alone could also extend into language arts where students write a biography or recreate war stories inspired by what they see depicted in the artwork.
Exploratorium
This site has much available for students to explore on various topics such as the human body, earth, the material world, etc. In each topic there are further explanantions of catgories that fit in that topic. Much information and materials are provided - pictures, collages, and hands-on workshops.
Example: "Geometry Scavenger Hunt": a classroom game for students and teachers that reinforces math. Students are given every-day geometric objects/items that they need to search the classroom for.
"Ice Balloon": a science experiment that includes all directions and plans as well as pictures that detail each step for students
"Secret Lives of Flowers": detailed photographs of flowers paired with an interactive video is used to show the scientific life cycle and makeup of a flower and other plants.
Example: "Geometry Scavenger Hunt": a classroom game for students and teachers that reinforces math. Students are given every-day geometric objects/items that they need to search the classroom for.
"Ice Balloon": a science experiment that includes all directions and plans as well as pictures that detail each step for students
"Secret Lives of Flowers": detailed photographs of flowers paired with an interactive video is used to show the scientific life cycle and makeup of a flower and other plants.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
This site has a special place for educator resources where there are lesson plans, news articles, a reference library, and digital ways for a classroom to virtually view the actual museum like there were really there. Its like taking a field trip without actually leaving the classroom! There are online activities available, cycles, different artists, biographies, culture and country categories, and divided resources for K-12, home schools, and colleges/universities. The website provides all the information needed for various subject area lessons, it is very teacher friendly, and proves to be a very basic, yet reliable resource for teachers.
Example: "Garden Antiques" - Range of pottery: this collection could be used in social studies. Students could take the opportunity to discover where and when these pieces were made, what they were made of, and by whom, integrating multiple academic subjects as well.
Example: "Garden Antiques" - Range of pottery: this collection could be used in social studies. Students could take the opportunity to discover where and when these pieces were made, what they were made of, and by whom, integrating multiple academic subjects as well.
Brookgreen Gardens
This site does not have a specific area for teachers to find lesson plans, but it does have links available and information on the history of the gardens and the various works of art that are there. These include pictures, sculptures, gardens, and even a zoo, all which are available for students to see in person as well. The site itself is not the most useful for teachers but, it is highly encouraged for teachers to use Brookgreen Gardens for field trips with their class. Subjects such as social, science, and even a stretch into math, depending on what is explored, can be integrated. Using this resource would be beneficial for all students as well as teachers. There are so many different aspects of art that can become valuable in the classroom, and the best part is, it becomes a hands on experience.