The Spencer provides a variety of educational opportunities for K-12 students and teachers to engage with art. Teachers can participate in interdisciplinary workshops co-sponsored by university departments, utilize our online resources, schedule a tour online, or check out art objects from our Classroom Collection.
Teacher Resource
Exploring a discipline from another vantage point often leads to a new understandings. The information in this teacher resource offers an opportunity for core subject teachers to use art as a framework. The units were written by Dr. Arlene Barry, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Teaching at the University of Kansas.
Classroom Collection
The Spencer’s Classroom Collection contains 29 works of art in various media including photography, painting, sculpture, jewelry, printmaking, and ceramics. The collection is available to all area art teachers to check out and display in their classrooms.
Aaron Douglas: Teacher Resource (888 KB PDF)
These materials have been compiled as a resource for teachers and museum educators to help inform audiences about the exhibition Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist. Although the information, lesson ideas, and discussion topics are written to accommodate upper-elementary-school students, all materials may be easily adapted for any grade level.
The Gilded Age
This resource begins with a brief overview of the Gilded Age and several key points of Gilded Age art. Then for each of six works of art from the Spencer's permanent collection there is a brief description of the artist and work as well as visual and cultural/historical discussion starters.
Narrative Devices in Art
This instructional resource introduces upper-elementary and middle school students to narrative devices (methods or formats that artists use to tell stories). Discussion questions also encourage students to consider how artists manipulate elements such as time and space to enhance their narratives.
Tour Information
The Museum’s trained volunteer docents conduct guided tours which last approximately one hour and are free of charge, though donations are accepted. We encourage discussion between the docent and museum visitors.