Lesson 1 - LearningThroughMuseums

Lesson 8
A Visit to the Art Museum
Summary
In this lesson, students visit the art museum to view works of art from the MAPS curriculum.
The lesson prepares them for the visit and provides a structured activity to enhance learning in the
classroom after the visit 1 . Students learn vocabulary and skills necessary to read works of art and will
write an expository essay. Students will see art from a variety of geographical regions and cultures and
design a museum of their own based on their experience.
Featured Artworks
Teacher-guided museum visit:
The teacher works with the Art Institute staff liaison to select works of art for students to view in
the museum. Works of art included in the MAPS curriculum are recommended.
Docent-guided museum visit:
Docents offer an “Art from Many Places” tour that introduces students to works of art from
different parts of the world and different time periods. Teachers should notify docents ahead of
time by phone that they are using the MAPS curriculum and to be sure to include some artworks
from the MAPS lessons in the tour.
Illinois Benchmarks
Reading and Writing
1.B.2a: Establish purpose for reading: survey materials; ask questions; make predictions;
connect, clarify, and extend ideas.
1.B.2c: Continuously check and clarify for understanding (eg. In addition to previous skills,
clarify terminology and seek additional information).
1.C.2b: Make and support inferences and form interpretations about main themes and topics.
1.C.2e: Explain how authors and illustrators use text and art to express their ideas (e.g., points
of view, design hues, metaphor).
3.B.2a: Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping,
outlining, drafting).
3.C.2a: Write for a variety of purposes and for specific audiences in a variety of forms
including narrative (e.g., fiction, autobiography), expository (e.g., reports, essays),
and persuasive writing (e.g., editorials, advertisements).
5.A.2a: Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan.
1 Ideally, this lesson should come later in the school year, after the students have covered the four regions of the United States.
If accomplished in sequence, students may have the opportunity to see some of the works of art in the museum they have learned about
in the classroom. However, the lesson is broadly conceived and can work at any point in the school year.
122 • Lesson 8: A Visit to the Art Museum