Skip to main content

Learning Resources

We create art activities, tutorials, and lessons for all age levels.

Art of Empathy Curriculum

Use Social and Emotional Learning as a framework to guide four lesson plans. Each lesson includes close-looking questions and an art activity based on an object in SAM's collection. Aligned with Washington State Social-Emotional Learning Standards, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom

Ecosystem Trading Cards Art Activity (Spanish)

Draw and learn all about diverse plant life and artworks using this instructional art activity handout during self-guided School Tours or before you visit the Olympic Sculpture Park. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards, Next Generation Science Standards.

view now

Spanish

Olympic Sculpture Park

Ecosystem Trading Cards Art Activity (English)

Draw and learn all about diverse plant life and artworks using this instructional art activity handout during self-guided School Tours or before you visit the Olympic Sculpture Park. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards, Next Generation Science Standards.

view now

English

Olympic Sculpture Park

Ecosystem Trading Cards Art Activity (Chinese)

Draw and learn all about diverse plant life and artworks using this instructional art activity handout during self-guided School Tours or before you visit the Olympic Sculpture Park. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards, Next Generation Science Standards.

view now

Chinese

Olympic Sculpture Park

Ecosystem Trading Cards Art Activity (Vietnamese)

Draw and learn all about diverse plant life and artworks using this instructional art activity handout during self-guided School Tours or before you visit the Olympic Sculpture Park. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards, Next Generation Science Standards.

view now

English

Olympic Sculpture Park

Exploring Calder's Process Lesson Plan

Use these looking questions to guide an art activity inspired by the artist Alexander Calder. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, home, classroom

Calder in Motion Bibliography

Recommended reading related to artist Alexander Calder.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, home

Find, Sketch, Share Art Activity (English)

Follow the in-gallery art activity prompts to identify and draw works of art that resonate with lived experiences as part of self-guided School Tours at any SAM location. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

Find, Sketch, Share Art Activity (Spanish)

Follow the in-gallery art activity prompts to identify and draw works of art that resonate with lived experiences as part of self-guided School Tours at any SAM location. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

Spanish

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

Find, Sketch, Share Art Activity (Vietnamese)

Follow the in-gallery art activity prompts to identify and draw works of art that resonate with lived experiences as part of self-guided School Tours at any SAM location. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

Vietnamese

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

Teaching with Graphic Novels Bibliography

Recommended reading for integrating illustration, storytelling, and graphic arts into life and classrooms.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Activity (English)

Follow along with a SAM Museum Educator to make portraits based on Jung Yeondoo's "Bewitched #2 Seoul" in this instructional six-minute video. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Activity (Spanish)

Follow along with a SAM Museum Educator to make portraits based on Jung Yeondoo's "Bewitched #2 Seoul" in this instructional six-minute video. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

Spanish

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Activity (Vietnamese)

Follow along with a SAM Museum Educator to make portraits based on Jung Yeondoo's "Bewitched #2 Seoul" in this instructional six-minute video. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

Vietnamese

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Spotlight (English)

Practice close-looking and respond to looking questions with this six-minute video exploring how Jung Yeondoo, a contemporary artist from South Korea, brings together ideas of identity, clothing, and storytelling in his portrait photography. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Spotlight (Spanish)

Practice close-looking and respond to looking questions with this six-minute video exploring how Jung Yeondoo, a contemporary artist from South Korea, brings together ideas of identity, clothing, and storytelling in his portrait photography. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

Spanish

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Art Spotlight (Vietnamese)

Practice close-looking and respond to looking questions with this six-minute video exploring how Jung Yeondoo, a contemporary artist from South Korea, brings together ideas of identity, clothing, and storytelling in his portrait photography. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standard, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

Vietnamese

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Imaginative Portraits Lesson Plan

Pair this lesson with the Imaginative Portraits Art Activity and Art Spotlight videos to engage with concepts of identity, close listening, and self-expression through a portraiture exercise in the classroom or during self-guided School Tours. Aligned with National Visual Arts Standards, English Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Emotions and Art Lesson Bibliography

Enhance lessons on empathy with reading and online resources that connect art and emotions for many ages and teaching contexts. Aligned with Washington State Social-Emotional Learning Standards, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Figuring History: Kerry James Marshall on "Vignette (The Kiss)"

Hear from Kerry James Marshall on the painting he created for "Figuring History: Robert Colescott, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas" at Seattle Art Museum. Learn about the scene that inspired him and how it fits into his larger body of work as well as art history.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum

Modern & Contemporary Art Bibliography

Recommended reading for students and educators to unpack deeper understandings of modern art and how it relates to contemporary issues.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Lift Every Voice: Responding to Lawrence's Struggle Series

Watch Seattle Public School students and Delbert Richardson, founder and curator of the American History Traveling Museum: The Unspoken Truths, share insights in this nine-minute video on Jacob Lawrence’s "Struggle: From the History of the American People." Created in partnership with South End Stories and Mr. Santos Creations and aligned with National Core Arts Standards: Visual Arts.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Make Your Move: Responding to Cunningham's Retrospective

Watch three dancers from Baile Dior Studios respond to Imogen Cunningham's photography through movement and photography in this five-minute video. Aligned with National Core Arts Standards: Visual Arts.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Mesoamerican & Andean Art Activity (English)

Take inspiration from the ancient art of Central and South America using five in-gallery activities to design vases, shirts, or sculptures during self-guided School Tours.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum

Mesoamerican & Andean Art Activity (Spanish)

Take inspiration from the ancient art of Central and South America using five in-gallery activities to design vases, shirts, or sculptures during self-guided School Tours.

view now

Spanish

Seattle Art Museum

Mesoamerican & Andean Art Activity (Vietnamese)

Take inspiration from the ancient art of Central and South America using five in-gallery activities to design vases, shirts, or sculptures during self-guided School Tours.

view now

Vietnamese

Seattle Art Museum

School Tours: How to Visit SAM (English)

Preview the guided School Tour experience at SAM from the student perspective. Watch this video before you visit to set expectations and explain the format of visiting any of our three locations.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

School Tours: How to Visit SAM (Spanish)

Preview the guided School Tour experience at SAM from the student perspective. Watch this video before you visit to set expectations and explain the format of visiting any of our three locations.

view now

Spanish

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

School Tours: How to Visit SAM (Vietnamese)

Preview the guided School Tour experience at SAM from the student perspective. Watch this video before you visit to set expectations and explain the format of visiting any of our three locations.

view now

Vietnamese

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

DĂ­a de los Muertos Bibliography

Recommended reading for learning and teaching about the Day of the Dead and the history, culture, and art of Mexico.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Nick Cave Curriculum

Introduce students to the art and life of contemporary sculptor, dancer, visual artist, and entrepreneur, Nick Cave with this collection of three lesson plans focused on performing arts, language arts, and science. Aligned with Washington State Social-Emotional Learning Standards, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom

What is American Art? A New Installation of the American Art Galleries at SAM

Watch how the reinstallation of SAM's American Art galleries unfolded. SAM asked the question that only opened up more questions—and more possibilities. After a two-year-long exploration with artists, community leaders, scholars, and students, "American Art: The Stories We Carry," was installed in 2022.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum

Northwest Coast Native Art Curriculum

Expand your understanding of Northwest Coast Native art and culture with five activities that feature artwork information, close-looking questions, and discussion and drawing prompts, Designed for use in the galleries or the classroom and aligned with Washington State Arts Standards, National Visual Arts Standards, Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom

Race & Social Justice Lesson Bibliography

Discover books and online resources for learning and teaching about race and social justice.

view now

English

home, classroom, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park

Seattle Asian Art Museum Curriculum

Everything you need, including close-looking questions and discussion prompts, to provide an introduction to Asian art for students in the classroom or during a self-guided School Tour. Aligned with Washington State Social-Emotional Learning Standards, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom

Seattle Asian Art Museum Lesson Bibliography

Learn more about Asian art with readings and online resource suggestions for students and teachers.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

SAM Talks: Carrie Mae Weems

Beloved contemporary artist Carrie Mae Weems visits SAM! In this intimate talk, she shares her approach to photography, dissects her explorations into other disciplines, and discusses her decades-long friendship with Dawoud Bey.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, home

Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence Bibliography

Recommended reading related to artist Katsushika Hokusai.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, home

Lunar New Year Bibliography

Recommended reading for kids on the customs, traditions, food, and symbols related to the Lunar New Year.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom, home

Character Brainstorm Lesson Plan

How can characters from our own lives be represented through visual art? Practice close-looking in the classroom or during guided and self-guided school tours. Aligned with Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts, National Visual Arts Standards.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, classroom

Ikat: A World of Compelling Cloth​ Bibliography

Recommended reading related to the Ikat exhibition at Seattle Art Museum.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, home

Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic Bibliography

Recommended reading related to artist Kehinde Wiley.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, home

Northwest Coast Native Art Bibliography

Recommended reading related to SAM's collection of Northwest Coast Native Art.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, home

Jaune Quick-to-See-Smith Bibliography

Recommended reading for learning about one of the most innovative and powerful artists of her generation, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (b. 1940, citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation).

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum

Shirin Neshat: Tooba Bibliography

Recommended reading related to artist Shirin Neshat.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle Art Museum, home

Artistic Choices Bibliography

Recommended reading including advice and interviews with artists to motivate the artistically inclined and burgeoning artists.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Anida Yoeu Ali Bibliography

Recommended reading for learning about Tacoma-based international artist Anida Yoeu Ali's solo exhibition, "Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence."

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle Art Museum

Perspective in Art Bibliography

Recommended reading related to teaching and learning about the role of math in art to create perspective.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Poke in the Eye Bibliography

Recommended reading for learning about the art of the West Coast counterculture.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum

The Art of Symmetry Bibliography

Recommended reading for learning and teaching about patterns, shapes, and math in art.

view now

English

Seattle Art Museum, classroom, home

Beyond the Mountain Bibliography

Recommended reading about contemporary Chinese artists on the classical forms.

view now

English

Seattle Asian Art Museum

no resources found