Teach & Learn
Click a link from the menu on the left to explore cross-curricular lesson plans inspired by works of art on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Curious about the impact that teaching from works of art by living artists can have on your children and students? Hear from teachers, docents, parents, and students and be inspired.
We look forward to inspiring you through in-person experiences at our two museum locations soon!
Learn more about how we serve schools and teachers!
Family Guides
Experiences with contemporary art can present opportunities to talk about complex topics with our younger visitors. While we aren't yet able to have these conversations in person, we invite you to view our family guides centered around specific works of art at The Contemporary for ideas about how to navigate these topics with kids of all ages.
With Liberty and Justice for All: A Work in Progress, Jim Hodges, 2014–2016
English Family Guide
IMAGE: Jim Hodges, With Liberty and Justice for All (A Work in Progress), 2014–2016. Stainless steel, Dichrolam, acrylic, enamel paint, and LED lights. Installed, 84 x 1,737 x 10 inches. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – The Moody Rooftop at the Jones Center, Austin, Texas, 2017. Artwork © Jim Hodges. Courtesy the artist and Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels. Image © The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Lessons Inspired by Deborah Roberts: I'm
Positive & Negative Space / Character Analysis Inspired by works by Deborah Roberts
Positive & Negative Space / Character Analysis Lesson Plan
Click here to view images and learn more about Deborah Roberts: I'm, on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Look. Ask. Discuss Inspired by Deborah Roberts's Little man, little man
Look. Ask. Discuss. Lesson Plan
Click here to view images and learn more about Deborah Roberts's Little man, little man.
Lessons Inspired by Torbjørn Rødland: Bible Eye
Tantalizing Texture Inspired by works by Torbjørn Rødland
Tantalizing Texture Lesson Plan
Click here to view images and learn more about Torbjørn Rodland: Bible Eye, on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Look. Ask. Discuss Inspired by works by Torbjørn Rødland
Look. Ask. Discuss. Lesson Plan
Click here to view images and learn more about Torbjørn Rodland: Bible Eye, on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Lessons Inspired by Nicole Eisenman: Sturm und Drang
Screen Time Self-Portraits Inspired by Paintings by Nicole Eisenman
Screen Time Self-Portrait Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images of Eisenman's paintings Breakup, 2011, and Selfie, 2014.
Click here to learn more about Nicole Eisenman: Sturm und Drang, on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Found Object Faces Inspired by Relief Sculptures by Nicole Eisenman
Found Object Faces Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images of Nicole Eisenman's relief sculptures.
Click here to learn more about Nicole Eisenman: Sturm und Drang, on view at The Contemporary Austin.
Lessons Inspired by Looking Up by Tom Friedman
Figures in Action: Tom Friedman's Looking Up, 2015
Figures in Action Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Click here to learn more about Tom Friedman's Looking Up.
Look. Ask. Discuss. Tom Friedman's Looking Up, 2015
Look. Ask. Discuss. Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Lessons Inspired by Miffy Fountain by Tom Sachs
2D to 3D: Character Creations inspired by Tom Sachs'sMiffy Fountain, 2008
2D-3D: Character Creations Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Look. Ask. Discuss. Tom Sachs's Miffy Fountain, 2008
Miffy Fountain: Look. Ask. Discuss. Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Lessons Inspired by Jessica Stockholder's Installation at Laguna Gloria
Geometry: Angles, Inspired by Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples, 2019
Geometry: Angles Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images and to learn more about Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples.
Geometry: Lines, Inspired by Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples, 2019
Geometry: Lines Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images and to learn more about Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples.
Geometry: Tessellations, Inspired by Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples, 2019
Geometry: Tessellations Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images and to learn more about Jessica Stockholder's Save on select landscape & outdoor lighting: Song to mind uncouples.
Lesson Inspired by The White House Painting by Rodney McMillian
Architectures of Power, Inspired by Rodney McMillian's The White House Painting, 2018
Architectures of Power Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Lessons Inspired by Artist Monika Sosnowska
Manipulated Miniatures inspired by Monika Sosnowska: Habitat, 2016
Manipulated Miniatures Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images for this lesson.
Look. Ask. Discuss. Monika Sosnowska's The stairs, 2011
The stairs: Look. Ask. Discuss. Lesson Plan
Click here for reference images and to learn more about Monika Sosnowska's The stairs.
Support Us
While The Contemporary Austin is closed to the public, we remain committed to inspiring our community through experiences with contemporary art. We have developed virtual programming to keep Austin inspired, organized virtual art classes for adults and kids through our Art School, and built robust art-based curricula and resources for educators and the general public—all while maintaining our 14-acre sculpture park and caring for the artwork at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue so we will be ready to welcome you back in-person soon. Please consider supporting our efforts if you are able.
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