Educator eNews

Sign up for email updates for educators.

For Educators

The Jewish Museum is pleased to offer resources and support to enhance Pre-K – 12 teaching and curriculum development. Hone your skills in a professional development workshop, use our curriculum materials to develop arts-based lessons, or book an online educator-led tour for your group. 

Next Previous

Pre-K-12 Groups

Experience the Jewish Museum virtually from school or home and from anywhere in the world! Schools, camps, learning pods, and other youth groups are invited to book virtual tours led by Jewish Museum educators that are arts-based, interactive, and hands-on. Pre-K —12th grade groups may explore works of art in the Jewish Museum's collection via online platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet focusing on themes including Materials in Art, Social Justice, Portraiture, and Immigration. All virtual tours include a mix of discussion and activities that incorporate materials found at home.

School Groups: Virtual tours are 45-60 minutes and cost $120 per class. A limited number of free or reduced rate tours are available for NYC public schools. Group size is limited to one class of up to 30 students.

Learning Pods and Microschool Groups: Have the Jewish Museum join your pod through customized virtual sessions. Choose from 1, 3, or 5 sessions of close-looking, discussion, and interactive activities. Sessions start at $75 for 30 minutes for up to 8 children.

To schedule a virtual visit, please fill out the Tour Request form. If you have additional questions, please contact us at schedulingcoordinator@thejm.org or 212.423.3270.

Plan a Visit

English Language Arts

The Art of Maurice Sendak

Grades: K-5

Maurice Sendak (American, 1928 – 2012), final illustration for “and made him king of the wild things” from Where The Wild Things Are, 1963, watercolor on paper. From the Maurice Sendak Collection at the Rosenbach Museum & Library, Philadelphia

Explore the work of renowned children's book author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak—subject of the 2005 Jewish Museum exhibition, Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak. In addition to examining Sendak’s best-known works, Where the Wild Things Are and In the Night Kitchen, students will consider Sendak’s influences from pop culture, his childhood in Brooklyn, and Eastern European folklore. 

BOOK TOUR

Exhibition Visit

Afterlives: Recovering the Lost Stories of Looted Art Tour

Ongoing
Grades: K-12

Henri Matisse, Girl in Yellow and Blue with Guitar, 1939 Oil on canvas The Art Institute of Chicago, Brooks McCormick Estate, 2007.290

Examine works by artists such as Marc Chagall, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Camille Pissarro that were looted from Jewish families during WWII. Students in grades 6-12 will explore the journeys of these objects as they passed through hands and sites before, during, and after World War II. Tours for K-5 students will explore the works of art in the exhibition but will not focus on the Holocaust.

BOOK TOUR

Exhibition Visit

Scenes from the Collection

Ongoing
Grades: K–12

Nicole Eisenman, Seder, 2010.

Examine highlights from the Museum’s acclaimed collection of nearly 30,000 objects in this innovative exhibition which presents antiquities, ritual objects, and visual art from around the world.  On view this fall are works by Andy Warhol, Alex Katz, and George Segal, alongside paintings, photography, and sculpture by Kehinde Wiley, Deborah Kass, and Nicole Eisenman. Tours may focus on exhibition themes of global cultural connections and shared experiences or on a specific medium or time period.

BOOK TOUR

English Language Arts

The Art of Ezra Jack Keats

Grades: Pre-K-5

Image from The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, with special permission from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

Examine the colorful illustrations and urban landscapes of Brooklyn-born, award-winning picture book creator Ezra Jack Keats.  Tours focus on visual storytelling, Keats' autobiographical inspirations, as well as his use of color and collage. The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats was on view at the Jewish Museum from September 9, 2011--January 29, 2012.

BOOK TOUR

Art: Materials and Process

The Art of Marc Chagall

Grades: Pre-K-12

Marc Chagall, "Maternity," 1950s. Lithograph on paper.

Discover the dreamlike, symbolic imagery of renowned modern artist Marc Chagall. Students will compare and contrast works of art by Chagall featured in past exhibitions with works of art in the Jewish Museum's collection.

BOOK TOUR

Art: Materials and Process

Art & Social Justice

Grades: 6 – 12

George Segal, Abraham and Isaac (in Memory of May 4, 1970, Kent State University), 1978, plaster, cloth, rope, metal, and acrylic paint. Gift of the George and Helen Segal Foundation.

Explore ways that artists address social and political issues and even advocate for change through their works of art. Students examine art made in response to historical events and movements; to intolerance; to representations of gender, identity, and race; and to social conventions and customs.

BOOK TOUR

English Language Arts

Signs and Symbols

Grades: 3-12

Hanukkah Lamp, India, end of the 19th-20th century.

From the six-pointed star to eagles and lions, symbolic imagery can convey personal, cultural, and historic meaning.  Students decode and discuss these powerful symbols as they appear in art, including paintings and ritual objects.

BOOK TOUR

Art: Materials and Process

Materials in Art

Grades: Pre-K-12

Harriete Estel Berman, Alms Container, 1999.

Students compare works of art in a variety of media and consider the choices artists make. Tours may explore art from ancient to contemporary, from paintings and photographs to sculptures created from lightbulbs and other everyday objects.

BOOK TOUR

History and Global Studies

Immigration Past and Present

Grades: 3-12

Maurycy Minkowski, After the Pogrom, c. 1910.

Art can offer new perspectives on the experiences of immigrants by focusing on themes such as assimilation and collective identity.  Through close looking and discussion, students reflect upon the personal and communal experience of immigration and make connections between historical movements and contemporary issues.

BOOK TOUR

History and Global Studies

Remembering the Holocaust

Grades: 6-12

Abshalom Jac Lahav, Anne Frank, 2007.

Students discuss, interpret, and establish connections between the events of World War II and works of art and artifacts related to the Holocaust.

BOOK TOUR

History and Global Studies

Number the Stars

Grades: 3-5

Michael David, Warsaw, 1980, pigment and wax on Masonite. The Jewish Museum, New York.

Elementary school students reading Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars focus on issues of resistance and hope through an exploration of age-appropriate works on view.

BOOK TOUR

Ritual and Ceremony

Festivals of Light

Grades: Pre-K- 4

Rod Baer, Every December, Hanukkah Lamp, 1995.

Explore the role of light in the Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa holidays and view the Museum’s spectacular collection of Hanukkah lamps. Groups may request to focus solely on Hanukkah.

BOOK TOUR

Ritual and Ceremony

Ceremonial Objects

Grades: K-12

Reddish Studio: Naama Steinbock and Idan Friedman, Menorah (Candlesticks United Hanukiyah), Hanukkah Lamp, 2011.

Examine ritual objects and related paintings, exploring how artists merge artistic style with function. Students learn about Jewish culture and ceremonies through an examination of traditional objects. 

BOOK TOUR

Identity

People and Portraits

Grades: Pre-K-5

Reuven Rubin, Goldfish Vendor, 1928.

Consider how artists depict people, using the gestures, facial expressions, and body language of their subjects to communicate ideas and emotions.  Compare and contrast works in different media to explore how artistic choices impact the viewer’s experience.

BOOK TOUR

Identity

Art and Identity

Grades: 6-12

Raphael Soyer, Dancing Lesson, 1926.

Students consider personal, collective, and cultural identity through an examination of paintings, sculptures, or photographs. Tours may address issues of assimilation, stereotypes and discrimination, and heritage.

BOOK TOUR

English Language Arts

Objects Tell Stories

Grades: K-12

Wedding Sofa from North Germany, possibly Danzig (Gdansk, Poland).

Students examine works of art and cultural artifacts in the Jewish Museum’s collection as primary sources to learn more about their historical and artistic contexts and the stories they reveal.

BOOK TOUR

English Language Arts

Writing Through Art

Grades: 3-12

Ken Aptekar, I Hate The Name Kenneth, 1996.

By analyzing works of art, students gain insight into how art can inspire creative writing and how writing can be a powerful means of engaging with the visual world. Tours may focus on poetry, narrative, and language development.

BOOK TOUR

Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Civilizations

Grades: 7-12

Bottle, Eastern Mediterranean, 2nd-3rd century C.E, free-blown glass.

The past comes alive through a close examination of original artifacts from ancient communities. Students consider pottery, mosaics, and glassware as evidence of societal change and daily life in ancient times.

BOOK TOUR

Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations

Archaeology

Grades: K-6

Horse Figurine, Israel, 1000-586 B.C.E., clay: hand-formed, incised, and fired. The Jewish Museum, New York, purchase: gift of the Betty and Max Ratner Collection, 1981-223.

Students make connections between past and present, explore artifacts from ancient cultures, and learn about the tools that archaeologists use for excavations.

BOOK TOUR

Tours for Remote Learners and Homeschool Students

Enhance your at-home learning experience by exploring a monthly theme—including Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations, Immigration, Identity, and more—through educator-led virtual tours of the Jewish Museum's collection and exhibitions. Students in grades 3 through 8 who are homeschooled or learning remotely are invited to sign up for arts-based, interactive, and hands-on tours that make connections to school curricula.

Programs run from 2-3 pm and are divided by grade level: Grades 3-5 meet one Monday per month and Grades 6-8 meet one Tuesday per month. Join us every month or pick and choose which months work best for you. All virtual tours include a mix of discussion and activities that can be done using materials found at home.

Cost: $10/session

To sign up for a session, visit TheJewishMuseum.org/RemoteLearning. If you have additional questions, please contact us at schedulingcoordinator@thejm.org or 212.423.3270.

Virtual group tours are available for Learning Pods or Microschools. Tour descriptions and booking information may be found here.

Professional Development

Educator workshops provide content knowledge and practical strategies for engaging students with original art and artifacts. Through presentations by scholars and educators, guided exhibition tours, and hands-on studio activities, workshops introduce teachers to the Jewish Museum’s collection, exhibitions, and related themes, and explore strategies for integrating art into classroom curricula. Professional development workshops are recommended for educators who work with elementary, middle, and high school students

Special education teachers may register free of charge for all workshops by calling 212.423.3270.

Specialized Workshops for Schools

Gallery and studio workshops can be created for educators from a specific school. These workshops introduce teachers to exhibitions and explore strategies for integrating art into classroom curricula. Themes include Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations, Identity, Objects as Primary Sources, Materials in Art, and more.

Fees start at $450 for 3 hours with up to 20 teachers. Please call 212.423.3270 for more information.

See all upcoming events for educators here.

Professional development workshops are made possible with endowment support from the Kekst Family Fund. Additional support is provided through public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with City Council and Council Member Mark Levine.

Teaching Resources

Discover the Jewish Museum’s resources for elementary through high school educators and download curriculum materials. Discover the Jewish Museum's resources for elementary through high school teaching and learning. Two types of downloadable resources are available: focused lesson plans highlight a single work of art, and comprehensive curriculum materials explore a theme through related works of art and objects. Both sets of resources include discussion questions, hands-on activities ideas, and links to the Museum's online collection.

Curriculum guides are made possible by a generous grant from the Kekst Family.

Portraiture & Identity

This resource was developed to help elementary through high school educators guide students in an exploration of identity based on portraiture in the Jewish Museum’s collection.
Download Introduction Download Unit 1: Self-Portraits Download Unit 2: Friends and Family Download Unit 3: Photography Download Unit 4: Historical Figures Download Unit 5: Women Download Unit 6: Politics Download Unit 7: Teens Download Unit 8: Cultural Identity Download Glossary
Listen to Kehinde Wiley Audio Tour

Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H.A. Rey

Margret and H.A. Rey’s children’s books about America’s beloved monkey Curious George hold a special place in the hearts of both children and adults around the world. This resource for educators is designed to complement and enhance a classroom study of the Reys’ Curious George stories.
Download the Guide

Narrative in Art

This resource features works of art with narrative components, and highlights connections between visual art, English Language Arts, and literacy. Consider how artists use visual elements to weave together stories with all the familiar components: characters, setting, plot/scenes, mood, and tone.
Download the Guide

Objects Tell Stories: Jewish Holidays

This resource presents ideas for exploring the Jewish holidays through art and artifacts by highlighting ten unique objects from the Jewish Museum’s extensive collection.
Download the Guide
Listen to Jewish Rituals Audio Tour

Immigration Experiences in Art

Explore the topic of immigration with diverse works drawn from the Jewish Museum collection. Consider how art can offer new perspectives on the experiences of immigrants by focusing on themes such as assimilation and collective identity.
Download the Guide

Teaching the Holocaust through Works of Art

To understand the significance of works of art and artifacts, it is important to understand their political, historical, and social context. This resource can be used to supplement and enhance ongoing studies in history, art, and literacy, through the lens of World War II and the Holocaust.
Download the Guide

Ancient Civilizations and Archaeology

Supplement and enhance your students’ ongoing studies in ancient civilizations and archaeology using artifacts in the Jewish Museum collection. Consider how artifacts can be used as primary source material to shed light on life thousands of years ago, particularly in the ancient Near East.
Download the Guide
Watch Video

Common Core

Jewish Museum School Programs address and develop many of the skills outlined by the Common Core Learning Standards (CCSS) and enhance classroom curricula by engaging students with primary sources – in the form of original artworks and artifacts – through close observation, discussion, and interpretation. Below are examples of the ways in which guided museum visits foster skills outlined by the CCSS; these skills are markers of students who are career and college ready.

Understand Other Perspectives and Cultures
The Museum’s collection comprises nearly 30,000 works of art from countries including Argentina, China, India, Iran, and Israel. Students discuss the convergence of cultures and make connections to their own lives.

Build Strong Content Knowledge
Engaging students with art and artifacts spanning thousands of years, Museum visits build on classroom units of study with themes such as Archaeological Dig, Ancient Civilizations, Remembering the Holocaust, and The Immigrant Experience.

Respond to the Varying Demands of Audience, Task, Purpose, and Discipline
Students deconstruct how artists use color, line, and symbolic imagery to convey meaning to the viewer. They later consider similar artistic choices when creating their own works of art.

Comprehend As Well As Critique
Museum visits are organized around themes to facilitate access to complex concepts. Students use discussion, writing, and art-making activities to express their own ideas and to construct meaning.

Value Evidence
Museum educators encourage students to make observations and develop hypotheses through examination of primary sources (original art and artifacts). Students cite visual evidence during inquiry-based discussions to support interpretations.

Demonstrate Independence
Gallery exercises and studio art projects encourage students to hone problem- solving skills, use their imaginations, and explore their creativity. Jewish Museum educators use inquiry methods to create a forum in which students discuss their interpretations and share their opinions about works of art. Students learn to debate ideas and think critically.

Movies that Matter: Film Screenings for Schools

Middle and high school students are invited to view award-winning documentaries that examine current social issues such as representation and identity, immigration, and civil rights followed by Q&A sessions with filmmakers.

Sign up for email updates on upcoming programs.

Follow these steps to sign-up and participate:
 
> Register your class for a film screening.
 
> Share the screening link with your students. Watch as a group or individually.
 
> Join a live virtual Q&A via Zoom.
 
> Utilize a discussion guide to make thematic connections between the film and works of art in the Jewish Museum’s collection.

Register by emailing moviesthatmatter@thejm.org. Read about the Movies that Matter series on our blog. 

Movies That Matter is made possible through the generosity of the Nissan Foundation, the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc., the Moses L. Parshelsky Foundation, Deborah and Michael Rothman, and Con Edison. Additional support is provided through public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and Council Member Peter Koo and Council Member Dromm.

School Partnerships

Educational experiences for grades Pre-K through 12

The Museum works closely with public, private, Jewish, and special education schools to develop dynamic visual arts programming for Pre-K through 12th grade students and teachers.  Two long-standing partnership programs, ArtPartners and Chaverim, provide free, art-based instruction to students at New York City public schools and Jewish day schools.  Led by teaching artists over multiple visits at both the schools and the Museum, school partnerships are designed to make connections between in-class learning and the Museum’s collection and exhibitions.  Participating students build their visual arts vocabulary, consider art within cultural and historical contexts, and experiment with various art materials through studio art activities. 

For more information and inquiries about school partnerships, please contact 212.423.3270 or schoolprograms@thejm.org.
The Edgar M. Bronfman Center for Education’s school programs are supported by endowed funds established by the Bronfman Family, the Muriel and William Rand Fund, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, Rosalie Klein Adolf, the Kekst Family, and Mrs. Ida C. Schwartz in memory of Mr. Bernard S. Schwartz.

Generous support is provided by the Samuel Brandt Fund, The Leir Charitable Foundations, Kekst Family, Capital One, Epstein Teicher Philanthropies, Gray Foundation, J.E. and Z.B. Butler Foundation, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc., Alice Lawrence Foundation, the Nissan Foundation, Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, Con Edison, Moses L. Parshelsky Foundation, Deborah and Michael Rothman, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, Pamela and Richard Rubinstein Foundation, Elias A. Cohen Foundation, Inc., Frederic R. Coudert Foundation, Henry E. Niles Foundation, Kinder Morgan Foundation, and other donors.

Educational Programming is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Council Member Mark Levine, Council Member Barry Grodenchik, Council Member Peter Koo, and the City Council.