For Your Students

Rooted in Jewish tradition and American democratic ideals, the Skirball’s Roslyn and Abner Goldstine School Programs illuminate the inherent value of each human being. Through vivid storytelling and participatory experiences, our student-centered cultural programs foster empathy and collaboration—essential tools for creating just and resilient communities.

All Skirball school programs are aligned with California Common Core State Standards and California Arts Standards.

Thank you for your interest in visiting the Skirball with your students!

At this time, we are accepting requests for in-person school programs for Noah’s Ark at the Skirball and Archaeology of the Near East. To receive updates about future field trip opportunities for At Home in Los Angeles, Architecture at the Skirball, or Americans and Their Family Stories, please join the mailing list(s) for the program(s) of your choice below.
Book an online program with Noah’s Ark educators for up to an hour of guided play and exploration!
Noah’s Ark at the Skirball: The Art of Imagination
Pre-K–Grade 5

Winner of the 2021 Superintendent’s Award for Excellence in Museum Education! Inspired by timeless flood stories, the Art of Imagination focuses on the ways that each of us, including the youngest members of our community, can make a difference.

Share the Skirball’s FREE online resources with others using our informational flyer.
Visions and Values Curriculum
Grades 4–12

Download a curriculum inspired by the stories and artifacts featured in the Skirball’s permanent exhibition, Visions and Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America. Drawing on Jewish traditions, these FREE lessons invite young people of all cultural backgrounds to explore their family histories, create original works of art, and become agents of change.

When using these resources as a unit of study, we suggest following the sequence outlined below.

Fabric of a Nation
Grades 7–12 | Thursdays and Fridays during the school year, 10:00–11:30 am 
Limited to 35 students and 5 adults per tour (minimum 15 students)
Learn how textiles and quilts can be tools for storytelling in the exhibition Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories and engage your students in reflective art making! Through more than forty quilts from the past five centuries, Fabric of a Nation enriches, deepens, and complicates our understanding of American history and identity.

Register Now

$100/group (fee waivers available)
Show details
Groups with more than 35 students should contact education@skirball.org.
Schools from LAUSD and all other local districts are welcome to register.
Noah's Ark at the Skirball
Pre-K–Grade 3 | Wednesday–Friday during the school year, 10:00–11:30 am 
Limited to 30 students and 5 adults per tour  (minimum 15 students)
Ignite your students’ creativity and curiosity with a voyage aboard Noah’s Ark! Inside the Skirball’s award-winning destination—featuring whimsical animals crafted from repurposed everyday objects—students learn the values of community and collaboration through hands-on experiences. Incorporating storytelling, music making, and imaginative play, Noah’s Ark educators invite students to connect with one another and work together as they bring this timeless story to life.

This program and waitlist are at capacity for the 2022–2023 school year.

Show details
Groups with more than 30 students should contact education@skirball.org. 
Schools from LAUSD and all other local districts are welcome to register.
Archaeology of the Near East
Grade 6 | Select days during the school year, 10:00 am–12:00 pm 
Limited to 35 students and 5 adults per tour  (minimum 15 students)

Connect the past, present, and future in this fun archaeological adventure! Students examine and analyze replica artifacts of an Iron Age town to develop hypotheses about the history, commerce, religion, and cultural practices of people who lived three thousand years ago. Consider what traces we are leaving behind for future generations as we become the cultural heritage protectors of tomorrow.

Note: Dig activities may be moved indoors due to weather. 

This program and waitlist are at capacity for the 2022–2023 school year.

Show details
Groups with more than 35 students should contact education@skirball.org. 
Schools from LAUSD and all other local districts are welcome to register.
At Home in Los Angeles
Grades 2–3
Celebrate the incredible cultural diversity of Los Angeles and explore the universal values of welcoming others, teaching and learning, and caring for the earth and each other. Students gain a greater understanding of cultural traditions by sharing family stories and examining artifacts from around the world. Introduce your class to the idea of tzedakah, the Hebrew word for “justice,” through a special art project that inspires young people to help care for the world we share.

This program is not available for fall/winter 2022. In the meantime, explore its themes using the Visions and Values Curriculum.
Receive updates >
Architecture at the Skirball
Grade 4
How does culture shape the spaces in which we live? And how does our built environment influence our emotions? Ponder these questions and more while discovering the art and science of architecture at the Skirball. Take a tour of our dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces, learn how the Skirball was designed to be an oasis for all, and give your students an opportunity to act as urban planners as they construct their own community-building project.

This program is not available for fall/winter 2022.
Receive updates >
Americans and Their Family Stories
Grade 5
Learn about the experiences of people who have come to the United States from around the world and the resiliency that characterizes each individual’s journey. Students learn of an American Jewish immigrant experience at the turn of the twentieth century, gain an understanding of the harrowing challenges many migrants to the US have faced—across cultures, time periods, and circumstances—and cultivate an appreciation for all who strengthen the story of our nation.

This program is not available for fall/winter 2022. In the meantime, explore its themes using the Visions and Values Curriculum.
Receive updates >
Noah’s Ark  Flood Stories
Pre-K–Grade 3 | Tuesdays at 10:00 am (PT)
Limited to 30 students (minimum 10 students)

Experience timeless flood stories from cultures all around the world! Told by our dynamic Noah’s Ark educators, each story invites students to travel through huge storms, create safe shelters, and celebrate new beginnings. Using themes from the stories as a jumping-off point, your students will take part in imaginative storytelling and be empowered as changemakers.

Register Now 

$50/group (fee waivers available)

Show details
Groups with more than 30 participants should contact education@skirball.org.

Any group able to join during scheduled program times is welcome to register for this online program. Participants do not need to be local.
Noah’s Ark Videos
In this series of engaging YouTube videos, meet our Noah’s Ark educators, listen to their interpretations of cultural flood stories, and create mindful moments to practice compassion and imagination.

Stream on YouTube.
The Art of Storytelling
Welcome Chapter
Aboard Noah’s Ark, we tell flood stories from around the world. Although certain elements are unique to each story, they all share overarching themes: huge storms, safe shelters, and new beginnings. Just as important as telling stories is listening to young people share their own stories. This lesson does just that!

Download the lesson plan.
Community Council
Storm Chapter
Council is a dynamic practice that invites participants to share their memories and feelings with others. Use this simple yet powerful discussion format in your classroom as a daily reflection, restorative practice, or way to come together after a shared experience.

Download the lesson plan.
Story Collector
Storm Chapter
Everyone is a storyteller. At the Skirball, we use storytelling to make connections across cultures, build strong communities, and carry on traditions from one generation to the next. In this lesson, students will connect with loved ones and role models, learn from the experiences of others, and become recorders of their own family and community histories.

Download the lesson plan.
Re-Discovered Animals
Ark Chapter
The animals on board Noah’s Ark are made from recycled materials that reflect the personality of each creature. In this lesson, students will explore the concept of symbolism as they construct their own animal sculptures using found objects.

Download the lesson plan.
Noah's Ark from Head to Tale
Ark Chapter
The animals on board Noah’s Ark are handmade from everyday objects like bottle caps and bicycle parts. What stories might be found in these repurposed materials? In this lesson, students will use their imaginations to write first-person narratives about inanimate objects.

Download the lesson plan.
Taking Action Together
Rainbow Chapter
Each of us can make a difference. In this lesson, students will reflect on their community’s needs and create a service-learning action plan for the greater good.

Download the lesson plan.
Cards of Kindness
Rainbow Chapter
Create messages of hope and gratitude for others in your community. Show your students how they can brighten someone’s day through letter-writing, poetry, and the visual arts.

Download the lesson plan.
Self-Portrait Collage Activity
Lesson Extension | Re-Invented Animals
Build upon the Re-Discovered Animals lesson plan with this coloring and collage-making activity developed by Los Angeles artist Stephanie Mercado. Combine Mercado’s illustrations with meaningful photos and a personal statement to create a self-portrait that explores your relationship to nature and the world.

Download the lesson extension.
Welcome to the Skirball
Introduction
Learn about the Skirball Cultural Center, our essential Jewish values, and the exhibition that inspired this curriculum. This introductory resource highlights eight objects from the Skirball’s permanent collection that can be referenced throughout the unit of study.

Download the introduction.
Build Community
Lesson 1
Through close-looking and interpretation, learn about a person from the past and consider what they cared about. Then engage in writing and discussion activities to identify a list of shared classroom values.

Download the lesson plan.
Honor Memory
Lesson 2
Meet Reva! Listen to the true story of one family’s journey from Eastern Europe to the United States more than one hundred years ago. Learn about this period in history, then make connections to life today.

Download the lesson plan.
Seek Learning
Lesson 3
Conduct an interview to discover the experiences and memories of a loved one or role model. Then create a work of art that can help carry these stories from one generation to the next.

Download the lesson plan.
Pursue Justice
Lesson 4
The Hebrew word tzedakah means “justice” and draws on the importance of caring for one another, as well as being fair, respectful, and welcoming to the people around us. In the spirit of tzedakah, identify a need in your community and make a plan to effect change.

Download the lesson plan.
Collage-Making Activity
Lesson Extension | Honor Memory
Build upon the Honor Memory lesson plan with this collage-making activity developed by Los Angeles artist Stephanie Mercado. Combine Mercado’s illustrations with family photos and personal artwork to express the memories, values, and ideals you carry wherever you go.

Download the lesson extension.