The Great Museum Caper: Landscapes of the North
Teacher Worksheet: Grades 3-5
THE GREAT MUSEUM CAPER
This activity corresponds to the Art of the North Gallery and the Alaska History Gallery.
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITY
Ask students to research famous historical art thefts. Some examples are the theft of
Edvard Munch’s The Scream painting from the National Gallery in Norway, Peter Paul
Ruben’s Aurora painting from the Fine Arts Museum in Spain and Leonardo da Vinci’s La
Giaconda (Mona Lisa) painting from the Musée de Louvre in Paris. To learn about these
and other art thefts, visit:
www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/vc_majorthefts/arttheft/NSAF/011773
As a class, choose one of the following children’s books about art mysteries to out loud:
§ Brezenoff, Steven, Chasing Vermeer
§ Jacobson, Rick, The Stolen Smile
§ Koningsburg, E.L., From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
§ Nielsen, Anna, Art Fraud Detective: Spot the Difference, Solve the Crime
§ Wenzel, Angela, 13 Art Mysteries Children Should Know
AT THE MUSEUM
In the Art of the North Gallery, have students use the cards in the student worksheet to
choose which artwork they think is most expensive, most beautiful, most famous, most
mysterious, most liked, and most disliked. Ask students to write their name on the cards
and place them in front of the artwork they think best fits in each category. As a class,
have students explain why they selected each piece of art. Discuss the similarities and
differences between the students’ choices. For example, was one painting universally
liked or disliked? If time permits, use the additional worksheet to evaluate objects in the
Alaska History Gallery.
POST-VISIT ACTIVITY
Have students choose one of the categories from the At the Museum activity and
create a work of art to match. (For example: Create a work of art that looks expensive).
Have students write an artist statement as to why and how they created the work they
did and how it represents their chosen category. Use the students’ artwork to create an
art exhibition in the classroom.
CORRELATION TO STANDARDS
Arts A.4, C.1, D History D.2
Please note this trip sheet is a pilot program of the Anchorage Museum’s Education and Public Programs Department.
We encourage you to submit your feedback and comments about this trip sheet to [email protected].
Name:
Date:
STUDENT WORKSHEET
1. Cut or tear out the boxes below into six individual cards. Write your name on the
back of each card. Look around the Art of the North gallery and select works of
art that you think best fit each category. On the front write the title and the
name on each card. Be prepared to share why you chose these artworks.
MOST EXPENSIVE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST BEAUTIFUL
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST FAMOUS
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST MYSTERIOUS
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
FAVORITE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
LEAST FAVORITE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
2. Cut or tear out the boxes below into six individual cards. Write your name on the
back of each card. Explore the Alaska History Gallery and select objects that
best fit each category. On each square write the title, artist and cultural group
associated with the work. Be prepared to share why you chose these objects.
.
MOST EXPENSIVE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST BEAUTIFUL
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST FAMOUS
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
MOST MYSTERIOUS
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
FAVORITE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
LEAST FAVORITE
TITLE: ______________________________
ARTIST: _____________________________
WHY: ______________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________