Teacher Workshop | Little Kids, Big Voices: Early Learners and Civics

In this workshop, explore how portraiture, storytelling, and creativity can introduce pre-K and elementary-aged students to community, governance, and civic voice. Participants will practice close-looking strategies that build visual literacy, and they will leave with replicable art-making and writing activities aligned to Common Core ELA[AM1] and National Core Arts Standards. Whether you teach in a classroom, museum, or elsewhere, these frameworks will equip educators anywhere to engage early learners with civics through art, history, and biography. Leave with concrete tools and strategies you can implement with your students right away.

Recommended for: Pre-K through grade 2 social studies, history, civics, visual arts, and English language arts educators

Learning Goals:

· Identify strategies for using portraiture, storytelling, and biography to introduce pre-K and elementary students to foundational civics concepts

· Foster social-emotional learning by using portraiture and storytelling to help students build empathy, practice perspective taking, and reflect on their own identities, experiences, and roles within a community

· Practice close-looking techniques that strengthen students’ visual literacy, critical thinking, and observation skills through works of art

· Incorporate hands-on art-making, movement, and writing activities to teach civics through art

· Adapt object-pairing strategies for classroom discussions, writing activities, and inquiry-based learning

The Portrait Gallery strives to provide programs that are accessible to all visitors. If you have questions about the accessibility of this program, or if you would like to request real-time captioning (CART), sign language interpretation, or any other accommodations, please contact Vanessa Jones at [email protected]. Two weeks advance notice is appreciated for requesting accommodations.

Image Credit: The Four Justices by Nelson Shanks, oil on canvas, 2012. / Gift of Ian M. and Annette P. Cumming © Nelson Shanks / Clockwise from bottom right: Ruth Bader Ginsburg,/ Sandra Day O’Connor, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan