Students and Teachers
GRAM offers docent-led tour experiences for youth and school groups that promote critical thinking and literacy skills while fostering an appreciation for works in the Art Museum’s collection. Through an emphasis on student centered learning and critical dialogue, GRAM tours enhance analytical skills vital to art studies, as well as all other areas of the school curriculum. Tour themes include:
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Picturing America: Social Studies Through the Eyes of Artists
Connect paintings by Thomas Hart Benton, Richard Diebenkorn, and other artists in the Art Museum’s permanent collection to the U.S. and Michigan History curriculum. Consider themes such as the American landscape, social/political structures, and westward expansion on a tour that teaches students strategies for critical literacy. -
Learning to Look: Constructing Meaning Through Observation
Analyze the formal qualities of art to gain a complete understanding of the art-making process. By identifying and discussing elements and principles such as composition, color, line, texture, scale, proportion, balance, contrast, and rhythm, students will unlock the choices artists make to tell their stories. -
Nature Revealed: Exploring the Relationship Between Nature, Sustainability,
and Creativity
Investigate the relationship between nature and the visual arts and acquire the observation skills needed to interpret and find meaning in art. Discover how works on view at the world’s first LEED Gold certified art museum, depict different responses to nature including awe, fear, control, wonder, domination, curiosity, and more. Through careful observation, students will discuss how artists have portrayed landscapes / the environment and what emotions or ideas they evoke.
Self - Guided Tours: Lead the museum experience yourself by registering your students for a self-guided tour. Explore the museum’s collection and special exhibitions at your own pace while focusing on works directly related to your group’s interests.
Activate the material covered on your tour by allowing your students to apply skills during hands on art making lessons. Studio workshops are inspired by the works of art seen on docent led tours. Students work with museum educators and learn methods for creating art in a variety of techniques and media.
Available workshops include:
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Picturing America
Learn about visual narratives and atmospheric perspective through the creation of a multi-layered landscape incorporating “visual clues” concerning past and present American culture. -
Learning to Look
Explore artist Ellsworth Kelly’s process for creating abstract reinterpretations of the environment by deconstructing images of the natural world. -
Nature Revealed
Create a panoramic landscape and mixed media artwork while learning about the properties of recyclable vs. non-recyclable materials, in the world’s first LEED Gold certified art museum.
Tuesdays:
Tours are available at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
An 11:00 a.m. workshop can be added to the 10:00 am tour.
Wednesday - Fridays:
Tours are available at 10:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
An 11:00 a.m. workshop can be added to the 10:00 am tour.
Docent-guided tours are one hour in length. Self-guided tours need not be limited to one hour. Tour requests must be received no later than 3 weeks in advance. For complete details on tour policies, group admission pricing and to request a date please download the following forms:
Designed to enhance the tour experience, GRAM’s teacher resource packets are suitable for all educators (grades K-12) and instructors of home school groups. Prepare for your filed trip by reviewing the included vocabulary lists, artist biographies, and analysis of selected works that may be seen during tours. Included activity ideas can act as simple introductions to the museum experience or provide closure after the tour.
If you would prefer the materials mailed to you, you may also contact the Education Department at 616-831-2928 or by email at edasst@artmuseumgr.org
