These lessons—which can be used by themselves or incorporated into a larger unit of study—can be facilitated by a teacher, shared with parents, or followed by a student independently.

Archive of Lessons

The lessons are grouped by activity, but can also fit into many different units of study, such as identity, spaces and places, characters, art and society, artist process, and more.

Check back for new lessons added monthly.

Painting

Ruth Asawa. Untitled from Flowers. 1965. One from a portfolio of twelve lithographs (including title page and colophon). Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Inc., Los Angeles. proof outside the edition of 20. Gift of Kleiner, Bell & Co. © Estate of Ruth Asawa.
Janet Sobel: Blow painting
Rene Magritte: Juxtaposed scenes
Sam Gilliam: Create an abstract watercolor painting
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Ruth Asawa: Wash painting using everyday materials

Sculpture

Chen Zhen. Un Village sans frontières. 2000. Wood chair and candles. Gift of Marlene Hess and James D. Zirin. © 2021 Chen Zhen/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Maren Hassinger: Sculpture inspired by nature
Sophie Taeuber Arp: Make a mask
Katarina Fritsch: Actors and Directors
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Sheela Gowda: Responding to a social issue with assemblage
Chen Zhen: Construct a paper house
Rodney McMillian: Redesign a Space
Cai Guo-Qiang: Found object sculpture stories
Judith Scott: Wrapped Sculpture

Drawing

Ibrahim El-Salahi. Untitled from Prison Notebook. 1976. Ink on paper from a notebook with thirty-eight ink on paper drawings. Acquired through the generosity of Marlene Hess and James D. Zirin, Catie and Donald Marron, Alice and Tom Tisch (in honor of Christophe Cherix), Marnie Pillsbury and Committee on Drawings and Prints Fund. © 2020 Ibrahim El-Salahi / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London; Publication excerpt from Ibrahim El-Salahi. Prison Notebook, 1976. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2018.
Yinka Shonibare: Using clothing to express identity
Sonia Delaunay Terk: Design an outfit with color and pattern
Cecilia Vicuna: Create a word drawing
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Claes Oldenburg: Design a sound word
Faith Ringgold: Draw a feeling of Freedom
Zarina: Draw your memory of home
Jake and Dinos Chapman: Exquisite Corpse
Ellsworth Kelly: Observational drawing of your window
Rene Magritte: Juxtaposed scenes
Claes Oldenburg: Draw your favorite food
Joseph Yoakum: Remembered landscapes
Uche Okeke: Exploring lines
Minnie Evans: Draw and imaginary animal
Frank Stella: Composition with symmetry
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Create a comic
Amanda Williams: Color and Memory
Jose Clemente Orozco: Create an assemblage
Faith Ringgold: Illustrate events from your life
Max Beckmann: New Year’s Memories
Juan Downey: Redesign a Map
Jacob Lawrence: Documenting historic and current events
Anni Albers: Patterns
Robert Gober: Still life with everyday objects
Remedios Varo: Storytelling
Martin Wong: Drawing with Words
Willie Cole: Composition with an everyday object
Rachel Whiteread: Sketching and transforming everyday objects
SITE: Ideal community
Marc Chagall: Real and imagined places
Ibrahim El-Salahi: Depicting hope

Collage and Assemblage

Henri Matisse. The Swimming Pool, Maquette for ceramic (realized 1999 and 2005). Nice-Cimiez, Hôtel Régina, late summer 1952. Gouache on paper, cut and pasted, on painted paper. Mrs. Bernard F. Gimbel Fund. Conservation was made possible by the Bank of America Art Conservation Project. © 2020 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Florine Stettheimer: Design a costume
Lorna Simpson: Responding to Beauty Standards
Barbara Kruger: Make a statement collage
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Martha Rosler: Combined image collage
Noah Purifoy: Assemblage of everday life
Guadalupe Maravilla: Shrine for support
Sophie Taeuber Arp: Make a mask
Sheela Gowda: Responding to a social issue with assemblage
Max Ernst: Fantastical animal made of rubbings
Hannah Hoch: Make a text collage
Yayoi Kusama: Create an Accumulation
Piet Mondrian: Represent a place with lines, shapes, and colors
Jose Clemente Orozco: Create an assemblage
Romare Bearden: Neighborhood collage
Cai Guo-Qiang: Found object sculpture stories
Betye Saar: Shadowbox
Henri Matisse: Cutout
Alejandro Otero: Rhythmic collage
Jean Arp: Chance collage

Architecture and Design

Kazuo Kawasaki. Carna Folding Wheelchair. 1989. SIG Workshop Co. Ltd., Ishikawa, Japan Titanium, rubber, and aluminum honeycomb. Gift of the designer
Gilbert Baker: Design A Flag
Phyllis Birkby: Design a fantasy environment
Wolf Hilbertz: Buildings inspired by natural materials
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Ant Farm: Design a structure for animals
Malcolm Wells: Design an underground building
Sonia Delaunay Terk: Design an outfit with color and pattern
Florine Stettheimer: Design a costume
Yinka Shonibare: Using clothing to express identity
David Hammons: Design your own flag
Adidas: Design an iconic sneaker
Swiss Army Knive: Design a useful tool
Desks: Redesign your workspace
Smart Car: Design a car for the Future
Chen Zhen: Construct a paper house
Dieter Roth: Design a new kind of book
Ed Ruscha: Illustrate a Word or Sound
Kazuo Kawasaki: Design a Chair for Yourself
Anni Albers: Patterns
SITE: Ideal community

Printmaking

Image: Barbara Jones-Hogu. Unite.1969. Screenprint. Publisher: Barbara Jones-Hogu, Chicago. Printer: Barbara Jones-Hogu, Chicago. 10 printed in 1969 before the edition of 100 (published in 1971). The Deborah Wye Endowment Fund. © Barbara Jones-Hogu. Courtesy of the Estate of Barbara Jones-Hogu
Max Ernst: Fantastical animal made of rubbings
Barbara Jones-Hogu: Print your message

Writing

Martin Wong. First letter home from New York (also I joined The Museum of Modern Art). 1978. Felt-tip pen on paper. Gift of the artist’s estate. Courtesy of the Estate of Martin Wong and P.P.O.W Gallery, New York, NY
Barbara Kruger: Make a statement collage
Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds: Write a six-word message
Charles White: Thank an art hero
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Salvador Dali: Write a surrealist dialogue
Charles White: Advocate for change
Lee Bontecou: Creative writing
Rirkrit Tiravanija: Make a paper hat with words of encouragement
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: Create a comic
Shahzia Sikander: Descriptive Poetry
On Kawara: Write a Daily Message
Carrie Mae Weems: Reflecting on everyday moments
Leonora Carrington: Character sketch
Faith Ringgold: Illustrate events from your life
Ed Ruscha: Illustrate a Word or Sound
John Baldessari: Repetition and Meaning
Jacob Lawrence: Documenting historic and current events
Cai Guo-Qiang: Found object sculpture stories
Chris Ofili: A to Z poem
Remedios Varo: Storytelling
Martin Wong: Drawing with Words
David Hammons: Considering community
Ibrahim El-Salahi: Depicting hope

Photography

Julio Agostinelli. Circus (Circense). 1951. Gelatin silver print. Acquired through the generosity of Richard O. Rieger
Ming Smith: Photographing Light and Shadow
LaToya Ruby Frazier: Personal Narrative
Dawoud Bey: Portrait Photography
Invisible Man
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Dorothea Lange: Take a photo that juxtaposes words and images
Cara Romero: Make an empowered self-portrait
Dóra Maurer: Create a story in five images
Ming Smith: Recreate the photograph
Gertrude Altschul: Take a Photograph of Architecture
Julio Agostinelli: Take a Photograph of Shadows
Barbara Mors: Take a Photograph of Daily Life
Jose Yalenti: Take a Photograph that Abstracts Nature
Helen Levitt: Photographs of everyday moments

Film

Guillermo del Toro: Create a stop-motion character
Jan Lenica: Design a movie poster

Math and Art

Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Create a geometric composition on a grid
Varvara Stepanova: Shape a collage
Donald Judd: Create a progression
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Anni Albers: Patterns
Frank Stella: Composition with symmetry

Art and Social Emotional Learning

Helen Levitt. New York. 1984. Chromogenic color print, printed c. 2005. Gift of Marvin Hoshino. © 2020 The Estate of Helen Levitt
Gilbert Baker: Design A Flag
Hans Hofmann: Map your moods
Frida Kahlo: Network of friends and family
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Dorothea Lange: Write a message with empathy and compassion
Njideka Akunyili Crosby: Identity collage
Rirkrit Tiravanija: Make a paper hat with words of encouragement
Guadalupe Maravilla: Shrine for support
Séraphine Louis: Connect with Nature
Marlene Dumas: Expressions
On Kawara: Write a Daily Message
Carrie Mae Weems: Reflecting on everyday moments
Amanda Williams: Color and Memory
Jose Clemente Orozco: Create an assemblage
Jacob Lawrence: Documenting historic and current events
Romare Bearden: Neighborhood collage
Helen Levitt: Photographs of everyday moments
David Hammons: Considering community
Ibrahim El-Salahi: Depicting hope

Exploring Process and Ideas

Rodney McMillian. Succulent. 2010.
Kinfolk: Envision Your Own Monument
Shambhavi: Nature and people
Josef Albers: Color combinations
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Richard Serra: Verblist charades
Dóra Maurer: Create a story in five images
Alison Knowles: Imagined Activity for an Everyday Object
Titus Kaphar: Listen and learn from the artist
Simone Forti: Cooperative Gestures
Cai Guo-Qiang: Memory drawings
Frank Stella: Composition with symmetry
Katarina Fritsch: Actors and Directors
Ming Smith: Recreate the photograph
Joseph Kosuth: Art that makes you think
Dieter Roth: Design a new kind of book
Rodney McMillian: Redesign a Space
John Baldessari: Repetition and Meaning
Juan Downey: Redesign a Map
Jean Arp: Chance collage
Judith Scott: Wrapped Sculpture
Richard Serra: Action words


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Additional funding is provided by the Ducommun and Gross Family Foundation, the Lewis B. Cullman Education Fund of The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art and by the Annual Education Fund.

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Teaching