ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a range of programs and object-based activities offered at a university art museum and designed to build literacy skills from pre-K through middle school. The programs described have resulted in new partnerships between the art museum and local school systems, including professional development workshops for teachers and collaborative curriculum development. For a multi-visit sequence designed for 3–6-year olds, the museum provides books to be read in the classroom in advance. At the museum, the gallery teacher introduces a work of art that relates to thematic or stylistic aspects of the book, comparing the familiar illustration to the relevant work of art. Another three-visit program is designed to support literacy skills in students grades 2–8. Students are introduced to basic principles of visual literacy, looking closely at works of art and working together to build satisfying interpretations grounded in visual evidence. In each gallery lesson, students are asked to speak, listen, read, and write while exploring the elements of storytelling. The last program described focuses on the creative process. Collaboration with a local independent bookstore enables the museum to introduce nationally recognized authors and illustrators to approximately 200 students annually.
