Elementary School (Grades K–5)

Learning to Look

Explore and compare the basic elements of art—shape, line, color, texture, and material—through works in the Museum's collection. Lessons can focus on a particular genre, such as animals, chairs, artmaking processes, and mediums, among other related topics. Recommended for students in grades K–3.

People

Explore the decisions an artist makes when representing a figure. Recommended for students studying curricula related to portraiture, representations of leadership, character and narrative, dialogue, and other related topics.

Places

Discover the different ways in which artists represent places. Recommended for students studying curricula related to landscapes or cityscapes, community studies, contemporary environments, architecture and planning, and other related topics.

Things

Examine everyday objects and extraordinary objects. Recommended for students interested in still lifes, everyday objects, sculpture, materials, and other related topics.

Middle and High School (Grades 6–12)

Language and Art

These lessons can include a literal examination of the language, symbols, and signs of art or can focus on the interaction between literature, text, and art. Recommended for students interested in narrative and story, poetry, text in art, and art works related to literature and in developing language and writing skills.

What Makes This Art?

These lessons can focus on a particular medium, explore the work of a specific artist and his or her point of view, or examine the trajectory of modern into contemporary art. Recommended for classes studying modern and contemporary art and culture.

Materials and Process

These lessons focus on art mediums and processes represented in the works in MoMA's collection. Recommended for students interested in fine art processes (such as printmaking, photography, painting, sculpture, and design, among others), the effects of various processes in artworks, and innovations and variations in these processes.

Society and Politics in Art

These lessons examine specific works of art in relation to the social and political contexts in which they were created. Recommended for students studying curricula related to current events, politics, propaganda, the machine age, and war.

The Modern Lens: Looking at Art from 1880 to Today

These lessons follow developments over time in a particular genre of art, such as portraiture, landscape painting, or household or industrial design. Lessons explore the continuities and changes in these genres over time, consider the impact of individual artistic practices, and examine social and historical contexts. Recommended for students studying modern and contemporary art, art history, or culture.

Identity in Art

These lessons examine how specific works of art convey or are related to notions of identity by examining symbolism, the context in which the works were created, and students' own perceptions of contemporary culture. Recommended for students interested in global studies, current events, literature, or culture.

Modern Spaces

These lessons can focus on works that explore the ways in which modern and contemporary artists respond to, are impacted by, and create modern spaces. Examples can include depictions of places, installation art, design objects, and artwork related to the Museum building.

The Everyday

These lessons focus on how artists are inspired by their everyday surroundings. Works can relate to depictions of everyday scenes or to an artist's personal history and can include a variety of mediums.