School Tours: Every Picture Tells a Story
Grades 4–12
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How are works of art like works of literature? This tour looks at paintings through a narrative lens, as unfolding stories with multiple perspectives. Students connect with works of art to create dialogue, discover dramatic tension and foreshadowing, and look for ambiguity. Participants are encouraged to develop their own interpretations and ideas using the works of art.
Looking and Learning Skills
During four to six tour stops, students engage in activities—such as looking exercises, working in small groups, sketching, and writing—that foster conversations about works of art. The following skills are promoted:
- Making and voicing careful observations
- Formulating questions that demonstrate curiosity and engagement
- Exploring the viewpoints of peers, artists, and characters in the paintings as well as physically exploring viewpoints from different vantage points throughout the Gallery
- Comparing different paintings and articulating connections between them
- Reasoning with evidence from the artworks themselves—developing narratives based on what's seen in the work of art
- Connecting tour ideas to prior knowledge and experience
Group Size: Up to 60 students
Length: 75 minutes
Meeting Location: West Building, Rotunda, Main Floor
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What is object-based teaching and learning?