Schools and Teachers Programs
School Group Museum Lessons and Art-Making Lessons
PAFA offers interactive, skill-based Lessons for Pre-K through 12th grade students, led by trained art educators. Grounded in the collection of American art from the 18th century to the present, each lesson is centered on developing visual thinking skills and using language to understand works of art in PAFA’s galleries and discuss essential questions of the selected theme. Lessons are one hour long and meet significant goals in National Common Core curriculum standards.
School and Community Partnerships
PAFA provides supplemental educational programming to support student learning, parental engagement, and visual literacy initiatives for predominantly bilingual audiences in the Feltonville and Kensington neighborhoods of Philadelphia.
Student Docent Program (Grades 7-12)
The Student Docent Program is a partnership between PAFA and select schools in which 7–12th grade students are trained to become tour guides for their classmates during a museum visit. Over the course of several weeks, Student Docents hone their observation, critical thinking, leadership, and presentations skills while learning inquiry-based tour strategies.
Teacher Education and Professional Development Programs
We offer professional development programs aligned with the themes of our lessons and your curriculum. Participating teachers receive 3 hours of Act 48 credit. Contact us for fees and availability.
School and Teacher Programs at PAFA are funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Hearst Foundations, with additional generous support from the 1830 Family Foundation, the Amaranth Foundation, and the Connelly Foundation.
Contact Us
PAFA offers programs for artists and art lovers of all ages and skill levels who want to learn about and make art.