Before and After

Objective: Students will write a short story inspired by a work of art. 

Materials:   

  • Images of selected artwork 
  • Paper 
  • Writing utensil 

Introduce:  Show students the Milwaukee Art Museum’s collection and demonstrate how to search for artworks. Tip: select “on view” to see what works are in the galleries currently. 

Ask:  

  • What might have happened before this moment? 
  • What might happen after this moment? 
  • What in the artwork is inspiring your story?  

Activity:  

  1. Have students select a work of art from the Milwaukee Art Museums collection. This activity can also be done in the galleries. 
  1. Have students write a short story about the events taking place before or after the moment in the artwork. 

National Standards:  

  • VA:Cr2.1.2a Experiment with various materials and tools to explore personal interests in a work of art or design. 
  • VA:Re7.2.4a Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages. 
  • VA:Re8.1.4a Interpret art by referring to contextual information, and analyzing relevant subject matter, characteristics of form, and use of media 

Share your artwork with us on social media @milwaukeeart #MAMLearn or email pictures to teachers.mam.org. We’d love to see your creations!