Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas

Resources

The museum has a number of educational resources that can be used in the museum while others are available for loan to schools, early childhood programs, social service organizations, and home school groups.

Curricula

Museum staff has developed curricula that can be downloaded and used in the classroom. The following are links to the full curricula and units.

An Eye on Our Town

Edited by Kathrine Walker Schlageck
Designed by Shawn Harris
Publication funded by the Kansas Arts Commision

• Photograph as Document and Art
• Pictorial Maps
• Gone: Photographs of Abandonment on the High Plains

The Prairie Through New Eyes (PDF)

Edited by Kathrine Walker Schlageck
Designed and Illustrated by Wendy D. Briel
Publication funded by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation

Beyond OZ: Children’s Book Illustrations from the Region Literacy Crate Curriculum Material (PDF)

Literacy Crate Curriculum Material
Written by Kathrine Walker Schlageck
Funded by a MetLife Foundation Museum Connections Grant
Click here to view the Beyond Oz Online Gallery

Early Childhood

Beyond Oz: Literacy and Visual Literacy Crate I – This crate is designed for early childhood and includes books by Kansas and regional illustrators, activities, and a curriculum guide with art projects. Funded by Metlife Foundation.

ARTStart Poster Set – Featuring art from the museum’s permanent collection this set is designed to address cognitive skills related to other areas of the curriculum, art concepts, critical thinking, interpretive skills, and physical skill development. A curriculum booklet includes booklists, black and white art, and project ideas. Funded by the Kansas Arts Commission.

Music, Math, and Art Box – This curriculum focuses on developing skills and integrating music, math, and art. Concepts include shapes and geometry, color and emotion, musical instruments, rhythm and patterns, symmetry, opposites, and counting. Art reproductions, books, and instruments are included in the box. Funded by the Kansas Arts Commission.

Latino Art, Language, and Culture Units – Units are designed to introduce children ages 2-6 to Latino art and culture as well as Spanish art vocabulary. Units include art and art reproductions, books, and project ideas. Units are: Molas of the Kuna Indians of Panama; Nearika (yarn paintings) of the Huichol Indians of the Sierra Madres, Mexico; weaving from the Zapotec Indians of Mexico and other Latino blanket traditions; Dia des Los Muetros (Day of the Dead); Arpilleras/Peruvian quilt paintings; Alebrijes (painted wooden animal) from Oazaca, Mexico; Fiestas; and masks of Mexico. Funded by the Kansas Arts Commission.

Family Resources in the Museum

ARTote – Enhance your museum visit with an ARTote available at the information desk. Topics are on line, shape, form, color, and texture and the tote bags contain books, games, gallery activities, and guide sheets to special works in the galleries.

ARTQuest – ARTQuest Family Guide to the permanent collection will enrich the viewing of art on view. Funded by the Bramlage Family Foundation

Exploration Station – This station contains a wide variety of activities and books related to each temporary exhibition and thus there is always new and topical information and activities. Check current exhibitions to see the present topic. Funded by the Smithsonian Community Grant Program of the MetLife Foundation.

Newsletters

An early childhood and family newsletter is published several times a year. It includes the early childhood class schedule and ideas for projects to do at home. Contact the museum to be added to the mailing list. . Prior early childhood newsletters are available here

Teachers’ Resource Center

The museum has a variety of educational resources for loan including videos and DVDs, art posters, curriculum boxes, books, and artist’s files. The museum is a Lending Affiliate of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and has a significant number of their programs available.

Resource Center materials are available to schools, social service organizations, volunteers in the picture person program, and home school groups. Materials are available for one week and must be picked up and returned to the museum by the borrower.