Educational Resources
MoAD's Education Department serves as a gateway to deeper understanding of the Museum's mission to connect all people through the art, culture and history of the African Diaspora. The Museum's permanent and special exhibitions should be used as an entry point for visitors to explore the commonalities between other cultures and their own. The resources found on this page will enhance and inform your visit to MoAD's dynamic exhibitions.
Curriculum Guides
MoAD’s Education Department prepares Curriculum Guides to accompany each of our Special Exhibitions. Curriculum Guides are interdisciplinary and written to align with California State Content Standards for K-12 education. Each Curriculum Guide contains information and lesson plans to help students gain a deeper understanding of the topics and themes covered by our exhibitions. Curriculum Guides also contain worksheets to help teachers prepare their students for a focused museum visit.
COLLECTED: Stories of Acquisition and Reclamation
(October 7, 2011 – March 4, 2012)
Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans (Siddis) in India
(July 15, 2011 – September 25, 2011)
Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans (Siddis) in India features 32 striking patchwork quilts made by Siddi women, heirs to the culture and values of Africans brought to Goa on India’s west coast beginning in the 16th century. While they have adopted and integrated many cultural aspects of the Indian peoples with whom they have lived for generations, Siddis have also retained and transformed certain cultural and artistic traditions from Africa.
DownloadTextural Rhythms: Constructing the Jazz Tradition, Contemporary African American Quilts
(January 27, 2011 – April 24, 2011)
Textural Rhythms, curated by Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, Founder and Coordinator of The Women of Color Quilters Network unites two of the most well-known and popular artistic forms in African American culture: jazz and quilts. The exhibition includes work from some of America’s best-known African American quilters. Curriculum Guide is an interdisciplinary guide for grades 3rd through 8th, featuring varied styles of quilts.
DownloadAfrican Continuum: Sacred Ceremonies and Rituals
(March 20, 2010 – September 26, 2010)
The African Continuum Curriculum Guide examines the West African cultures which gave birth to new religions and spiritual practices in the United State and the Caribbean. The lesson plans are most appropriate for grades 6 through 12. The lessons in this interdisciplinary guide connect to national standards in art, social studies, and language arts. Download
The Art of Richard Mayhew
(October 10, 2009 – March 7, 2010)
The Mayhew Curriculum Guide examines the work of California artist, Richard Mayhew, and themes of identity, culture, and art making which Mayhew’s work invokes. The lesson plans are most appropriate for grades, 6 through 12. The lessons in this interdisciplinary guide connect to national standards in art, social studies, and language arts. Download
Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits
(April 4, 2009 – June 14, 2009)
The Let Your Motto Be Resistance Curriculum Guide examines photographs of African American leaders of resistance. The lesson plans are most appropriate for all grades, K through 12. The lessons in this interdisciplinary guide connect to national standards in art, social studies, and language arts. Lessons from the Double Exposure curriculum guide (above) connect to themes in this exhibition. Download
Decoding Identity: I Do it for My People
(January 23, 2009 – March 22, 2009)
The Decoding Identity Curriculum Guide examines the work of artists who use their work to grapple with issues of identity. The lesson plans are most appropriate for grades 4 through 12, but may be modified to accommodate other grades. The lessons in this interdisciplinary guide connect to standards in art, social studies, and language arts. Download
The Hewitt Collection of African American Art
(October 16, 2008 – January 11, 2009)
The Hewitt Collection of African American Art Curriculum Guide provides a thorough investigation of the artists and techniques featured in this powerful exhibition. The Guide is designed to help educators encourage students to become engaged with art and to make the most of a visit to MoAD. The guide features more than 20 color plates which may be used in the classroom. Lesson plans span all grades (K-12) and can be easily adapted to fit your existing curriculum. Download
Double Exposure: African Americans Before and Behind the Camera
(June 19, 2008 – September 28, 2008)
The Double Exposure Curriculum Guide examines early photographic processes and images of African Americans in photography. The lesson plans are most appropriate for grades 7 through 12, but may be modified to accommodate lower grades. The lessons in this interdisciplinary guide connect to standards in art, social sciences, and language arts. Download
AFRICA.Dot.COM: From Drums to Digital
(February 7, 2008 – June 1, 2008)
The Africa.dot.Com Curriculum Guide is an interdisciplinary guide for grades 3 through 12. The exhibition shows Africa as part of the modern digital world. This resource includes hands-on art lesson plans and writing projects connecting to language arts and social sciences. Download
Library Resource Guides
MoAD’s Education Department partners with the San Francisco Public Library to prepare Library Resource Guides to accompany each of our exhibitions. These guides will help you find books and other materials at the San Francisco Public Library related to topics covered by each exhibition.
