K-12 PROGRAMS & RESOURCES

The Museum offers an array of programs and opportunities for K-12 curriculum. Because we are a university museum, or exhibitions are usually closely related to academic disciplines. This creates a perfect opportunity for schools to connect to their own curriculum.

Our docents also always prepare specialized connections in their tours that is guided by the Virginia SOL's, and match your curriculum. We strive to meet the needs of your classroom, by modifying our tours to the best of your ability, under your guidance. We also offer specialized tours for different age groups.

Another benefit is our enhanced lesson plans that are provided to you before and after an exhibition, so you can enhance the experience of your students, throughout the year. We have also just started an outreach program, where docents will come to your classroom, offering specialized programs to compliment your classroom activities. These programs are based on the Museum collection, and cover many diverse subjects.

The Museum is pleased to announce it has received a grant to provide transportation to K-12 students in the Williamsburg region.   Because of the generosity of a local Museum patron through the Williamsburg Community Trust, more local school children wil have the opportunity to visit the outstanding exhibitions we have planned for 2008 and 2009.

For K-12 teachers we offer additional specialized tours that complement our current exhibitions and connect with National and Virginia Standards of Learning and classroom curriculum.

LINE SHAPE & COLOR

The Line, Shape, and Color program assists students in their discovery of art by teaching the principles of lines, shapes, and colors and how they appear in works on display. Docents lead the exploration of the pieces by identifying the use of these principles, and then guide students to create their own works of art, using lines, shapes and colors, and gaining inspiration from pieces on display.

DISCOVERY BAG

The Discovery Bag program brings art off the wall and to the children, through the use of specially designed kits containing the same tangible objects that appear in the paintings. Together, Docents and students identify items in paintings by pulling objects out of the bags, finding the object in a painting, and discussing all aspects of the use of that object in the painting, such as why did the artist include the object and what is its purpose. Students become the art critics and historians as they apply their current knowledge of objects and add to their repertoire of analyzing and critiquing skills.

For more information on tours, or to schedule a tour, please contact our Curator of Education & New Media, Amy Gorman, Ph.D. at akgorman@wm.edu or 757.221.2703.

Muscarelle Museum of Art
Lamberson Hall
The College of William & Mary
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795