Memorial Art Gallery
Learning to Look, Looking to Learn - Peeling Onions
Lilly Martin Spencer's "Peeling Onions" is the subject of a series of exercises that model for learners how to use the elements of art to read a painting. A series of worksheets focus viewers' attention on how Spencer uses...
Curated OER
Sam Houston in Antebellum Texas
Seventh graders identify Sam Houston, write one-paragraph description in journals of Sam Houston's role in Texas history, view three portraits of Houston, and complete portrait analysis worksheet, comparing and contrasting portraits.
Curated OER
Looking at Portraits: Portraits in Line
Students use Van Gogh's Portrait of Joseph Roulin as inspiration for their own portraits for their friends. For this portrait analysis lesson, students explore portrait art and analyze Vincent Van Gogh's use of line in his art. Students...
Curated OER
Who Do You See?
Students analyze portraits and decide on the most important aspects of their own personality. In this portraiture lesson, students identify feelings and emotions in the sitter and the creator of a portrait. After reading the poem "We...
Curated OER
The Life Masks of Lincoln
Students analyze two life masks of Abraham Lincoln. In this Life Masks of Lincoln lesson students determine which events during his presidency formed the change in Lincoln's countenance. Lastly students create a timeline of important...
Curated OER
Whitman and Lincoln
Students determine if Lincoln and Whitman ever met and write a dialogue between the two men. In this Whitman and Lincoln instructional activity, students read Whitman's poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" and connect it to the events of Lincoln's...
Virginia Historical Society
Virginia Historical Society: Heads & Tales
As part of the extensive VHS library, this section presents the portraits and biographies of five compelling individuals. As described on the site, 'their tales are told by analysis of components of their pictorially complex portraits'.