Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This searchable collection of images from the New York Public Library contains thousands of items scanned from dust jackets, documents, posters, maps, illustrated books, and more. There is no fee for classroom or research uses, but the images may not be disseminated in any form (books, articles, brochures, Web pages, etc.). Please include the citations used in the "gallery" when incorporating these resources into your teaching materials. Encourage your students to do the same and introduce them to the concept of Fair Use!

tag(s): images (263)

If you can't take your students to see Van Gogh's works in person, at least take them to the computer lab to stroll through the virtual halls of the National Gallery. Visitors can navigate through the exhibit, zoom in on paintings of interest, and read and listen to learn more about them.

tag(s): painting (54), van gogh (8)

Secondary students can use this interactive tool to experiment with the color, space, and visual rhythm characteristic of Piet Mondrian's work. Start with one solid block, then follow basic instructions to create horizontal and vertical divisions. Each rectangle can be easily resized or re-colored. A few simple mouse clicks will yield impressive results.

This page developed by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam offers some breathtaking features that will bring the artist's work to life for your students. Click on the "Van Gogh & Gauguin" link for a beautifully designed multimedia presentation that goes far beyond background information to reveal the very soul of the artist. Another must-see is the virtual 3D tour of the permanent museum collection. It requires the download of a Windows plug-in (directions are provided), but it is well worth it to walk through the rooms, learn about the paintings, and interact with other visitors (a feature that must be monitored closely if used in the classroom).

tag(s): van gogh (8)

This online exhibit of paintings by 18th century American artist Gilbert Stuart offers a virtual gallery, a narrated and illustrated story about his life as (appropriate for upper elementary students), a timeline, and a collection of interactive activities.

tag(s): artists (84)

Explore how myths and legends have taken visual form in the works of artists with this online gallery of 26 masterpieces from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Apart from the art, students can learn about what a myth actually is, and read about multicultural mythological themes. Includes a glossary, bibliography, and teaching materials.

This online gallery contains a staggering number of works of art - more than 10,000 - organized by artist, country, movement, and name. Biographical information on each artist is provided. Of special note is a "World Literature in Painting" link that thematically connects art with classic literary works.

tag(s): literature (221)

This unique online gallery provides in-depth commentary on artistic works, artists and subjects. Of particular note is the exhibit of American landscape painting from 1820-1880 which draws connections between the paintings in the collection and the literature that inspired them. Another impressive feature is the i-Map Project which provides an interactive, multimedia exploration of the works, ideas and innovations of Matisse and Picasso.

tag(s): painting (54), picasso (5)

Enter this virtual exhibit to view satellite photos of some of the world's most amazing geographic and geologic treasure. Basic maps are provided to show visitors the approximate location of each strange and awe-inspiring art form. Dramatic deforestation in the Amazon Basin, the West Fjords of Iceland, and the Lambert Glacier in Antarctica are among the breathtaking images included in the collection. Use this site to inspire your art students, illustrate a geographic concept, or enrich an environmental science lesson.

tag(s): ecology (103), landforms (39), photography (131)

This large variety of clip art images and photographs is a great resource for K-12 students and teachers. No cost is involved for educational use, but make sure that you read the site's copyright information. This site is SLOW to open, so be patient.

tag(s): air (101)

Inspire your photography students with these award-winning photographs from photo editors, web editors, and photojournalists from around the world. Organized by subject.

tag(s): journalism (74), news (228), photography (131)

The next time your students stump you with a question about an American artist, don't despair; just ask Joan! This free service, provided by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, puts you and your students in touch with art information specialists. Using print and electronic reference sources, Joan of Art, will answer your question within a time frame that you indicate. Serious inquiries, only! Don't make this resource available for general homework or class project use.

tag(s): art history (102)

The more than 12,000 works of are represented digitally on this site include paintings and sculptures created in Europe between 1150 and 1800 AD. Many of the artworks include captions as well as biographic information about the artist. Use the search engine to zero in on a particular work or artist. Choose from a selection of virtual guided tours to better understand the historical or artistic relationships between museum pieces.

tag(s): artists (84), painting (54), sculpture (18)

Art, Literature, U.S. History - Works by some of the greatest photographers of the 20th century are represented in this massive collection of powerful images documenting memorable events in American politics and culture. Project selected photos in class to introduce an event in history, inspire student photographers, or introduce a writing prompt. The sight is searchable and quite user-friendly. A fee is required to download images.

tag(s): photography (131)

Take your art students on a virtual tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with this impressive retrospective highlighting the work of Childe Hassam, one of America's leading impressionist artists. Many oil paintings, watercolors, pastels and prints are featured, depicting nostalgic views of well-known sites across America and Europe. Details of each image can be explored with the click of a mouse, and descriptive captions are provided for each work. A lengthy chronology of Hassam's life is included. Portions of this site would be quite at home in an American history class! Be sure to investigate the "Learn with Us" link which offers Learning Resources, #MetKids, a Timeline of Art History, and others.

tag(s): art history (102), artists (84), impressionism (6), painting (54)

Use this site for an in-depth study of 19th century French painter Paul Gauguin. The focus of this interactive, on-line exhibition is his extraordinary work titled "Where Do We Come From? Where Are We? Where Are We Going," a masterpiece produced during the artist's time in Tahiti. Visitors can move a virtual magnifying glass over the work and click on 15 separate segments. Each segment is augmented by background text and audio interviews with art historians. This is a high-level site for serious analysis by mature students.

tag(s): painting (54)

A bad example may be worth a thousand words. This site takes a playful and insightful approach to the best of the worst, providing visual images of "fine art" that, in some cases, defy description. Art teachers will find this to be a useful resource for illustrating what students should not emulate. Projecting this site in art class will provide rich material for discussion on style, form, and composition. Browseable sections include Portraiture, Landscape, and Unseen Forces. PLEASE PREVIEW and select images before projecting in the classroom. A few pieces in the collection are not "school appropriate."

Visual arts and social commentary come together in this site that looks at human history through the lens of artists and illustrators. Topics include graphic arts in wartime, 19th century news illustrations, and art under duress. Use this site to provoke discussion, guide reflective writing, or inspire personal artistic expression. These compelling images would make very effective anticipatory sets when projected in the classroom.

tag(s): cold war (30), world war 2 (161)

This site contains almost everything you will need to teach an "Introduction to Ceramics and Pottery" class! Browse through the formal lesson plans, handouts, worksheets, review activities, quizzes and rubrics. They are all downloadable in Word format and can be easily edited and adapted to your particular classroom needs. PowerPoint presentations and links to works of ceramic artists are included along with an on-line gallery of student work. Take your students to the computer lab to review concepts, vocabulary, and techniques with the Web scavenger hunt, "clay" crossword puzzle, or pop quiz. The site is still a work in progress, but the completed portions are worth checking out. Created by Kerry Marquis.

tag(s): ceramics (2)

Think about creating a curriculum link between art and science using this site as a foundation. Original sketches and chromolithographs of celestial events created by French-born artist and amateur astronomer E.L. Trouvelot are contrasted with contemporary photographic images from NASA.

tag(s): stars (71)