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America's Signs & Symbols--Free Program

by  Smithsonian American Art Museum

Program image

Artists use familiar icons such as the Statue of Liberty, the bald eagle, and the American flag to communicate their ideas about American culture and encourage examination of our society.

Program Rating

   based on 190 evaluation(s).
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About This Program

Cost

Point to Point: $0.00
By Request: $0.00

FREE!



Length

40-60 minutes based on your needs


Target Audience

Education: Grade(s) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Adult LearnersPublic Library: Library Patrons

Minimum participants:

5

Maximum participants:

30


Primary Disciplines

Art, Fine Arts, Language Arts/English, Social Studies/History


Program Delivery Mode

Videoconference - H.323 (Polycom, Cisco/Tandberg, LifeSize, etc...)
Videoconference – Webcam/desktop (Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, etc...)
Zoom
WebEx
Microsoft Teams



Booking Information

Offered Monday through Friday on a flexible schedule from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Programs are available from June through August on a limited basis. Register at least 4 weeks before your requested program date to guarantee best availability. We schedule programs and send confirmations about a month before your requested program date. If you would like to check on the status of your request, please contact AmericanArtEducation@si.edu. All requests are subject to availability.

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Receive this program and 9 more for one low price when you purchase the CILC Virtual Expeditions package. Learn more

For more information contact CILC at (507) 388-3672

Provider's Cancellation Policy

Confirmation of your videoconference is dependent on a successful test call. Cancellations must be submitted 48 hours prior to the scheduled videoconference. Frequent cancellations will result in the inability to register for additional programs at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

About This Provider

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Smithsonian American Art Museum

Washington, DC
United States

The Smithsonian American Art Museum, the nation’s first collection of American art, is dedicated to collecting, understanding, and enjoying American art. The Museum celebrates the extraordinary creativity of artists whose works reflect the American experience and global connections.

Distance learning programs are generously supported by the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation.

Contact:
Rebecca Fulcher
AmericanArtEducation@si.edu
(202) 633-8537

Program Details

Format

Videoconference presenters show American artworks from the museum’s collection using green screen. Through inquiry-based questions and discussion, presenters engage with participants as they explore artworks together.

Objectives

Through an active discussion of works depicting America’s signs and symbols, students will be better able to:

• Understand the difference between a sign and a symbol, as well as the use of each;
• Explore the historical context and symbolic meanings of American icons;
• Discuss the role of symbols in the expression of national identity, personal ideas, and social commentary;
• Use visual and contextual evidence to interpret artworks depicting our nation’s signs and symbols.

Standards Alignment

National Standards

Videoconferences can touch on one or more of the following standards

National

Visual Arts
K-12.7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
K-12.8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
K-12.11: Relate artistic ideas and works from a variety of sources with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding

Historical Thinking
K-12.2: Draw upon the visual data presented in photographs, paintings, cartoons, and architectural drawings to clarify, illustrate, or elaborate upon information presented in the historical narrative, and appreciate and consider past historical perspectives
K-12.4: Obtain and interrogate historical data from a variety of sources, including library and museum collections, in order to formulate historical questions from encounters with art and other records from the past

U.S. History
5-12, Era 3: Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
5-12, Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)

Civics
K-4.2: Basic Values and Principles of American Democracy

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy, College and Career Readiness

Standards have been slightly modified to expand the definition of "text" to include artworks.

Reading
R.1: Read closely to determine what the [artwork] says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific [visual] evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the [artwork].
R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a[n artwork] and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
R.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a[n artwork].
R.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
R.9: Analyze how two or more [artworks] address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the [artists] take.

Speaking and Listening
SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
SL.3: Evaluate a speaker’s [or an artist’s] point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.