Host a small group discussion based on “The Course of Empire” by Thomas Cole. Cole painted this series of five paintings, The Savage State, The Arcadian or Pastoral State, The Consummation of Empire, Destruction, and Desolation, to depict his view of the rise and fall of an Empire taking place across the span of a… Read on

Many of the paintings were used to capture the beauty of nature while capturing a sense of what makes America unique. After viewing the exhibition, choose one image that you would like to take for yourself and that captures the uniqueness of America to you. Consider the following prompts to assist in the discussion: Which… Read on

Prepare your students for their visit to the feature exhibition by taking a closer look at four paintings in the exhibition using the background information and suggested discussion prompts included in this educator packet from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Evening for Educators.

This video is part of a collection of recorded talks with Milwaukee-area professionals who don’t work in museums, but use art in their work and lives. These live talks are inspiring, combining art with many different fields. These videos are great resources for high school teachers who might want to speak with students about different… Read on

This video is part of a collection of recorded talks with Milwaukee-area professionals who don’t work in museums, but use art in their work and lives. These live talks are inspiring, combining art with many different fields. These videos are great resources for high school teachers who might want to speak with students about different… Read on

Students will challenge themselves to live with a single work of art for a week that they DON’T like and see what happens. Have students find a work of art in the Museum that they definitely do not like. They should take a photo of that piece, write down its information from the label, or… Read on

It’s time for a game–respond to artworks instantaneously! First, print out copies of this sheet of tokens and cut out the icons. Make sure there are enough that each student has one set of tokens. At the Museum, choose a gallery with at least four artworks. Restrict your choices to FOUR works of art in… Read on

Oftentimes it takes having something be part of your life day in, day out to truly begin to understand it. Students will find ways to live with a single work of art for a week and see what happens. Have students find a work of art in the Museum that speaks to them for any… Read on

Students will think about an artwork in relation to their own life. Students receive a prompt to help them find a work of art to connect with, and then share together why that work of art spoke to them. Print out the below prompts on slips of paper: Find a work of art that has… Read on

Put yourself in another person’s shoes by “giving” a work to someone else. There are two ways to do this activity. Within your class Throw everyone’s name in a hat, from which students will draw another student’s name. Students look through the galleries for a work of art that they think the person whose name… Read on