Key West Museum of Art and History
At the Custom House
Elementary Student Activities
OBJECTIVES:
- To introduce students to the historical significance of the Key West Custom House.
- To expose students to a variety of artistic mediums and art history.
- To expand students' knowledge of Key West history and its preservation.
VOCABULARY:
- architecture
- gallery
- restoration
- U.S. Customs
- U.S.S. Maine
- Spanish-American War
- preservation
- artifacts
PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES:
- Engage students in a discussion of early Key West history and the Spanish-American War.
- Research Key West history of the late 1800's (*See Book List/Web Site List).
- Expose students to a variety of architectural styles, including Roman architecture.
- Introduce students to a variety of art mediums (Please check our exhibit schedule for information on current shows.)
MUSEUM VISIT:
At the museum, students will learn a general background of the Key West Custom House and its restoration. Changing exhibits will allow groups to see a variety of art mediums in the first floor galleries and in the halls throughout the building. The history rooms and children's gallery on the second floor will expose students to local history and the people and events that have shaped the city of Key West and the Florida Keys.
POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES:
- Write a news article about your trip. Be sure to include the "5 W's": Who? What? When? Where? Why? A photograph with caption can complete the headline news!
- Compose friendly letters or postcards for a friend or relative to share their learning experiences.
- Design a brochure telling about the many interesting artifacts and history learned at the Key West Museum of Art and History. Students can then be encouraged to add colorful drawings with informative captions!
- Have students capture their local surroundings and neighborhoods by sketching the scenes on brown paper bags, as Mario Sanchez once did. Add colorful paint to finish the folk art!
- Allow students to explore and imitate the forms of art displayed in the galleries.
- Design an advertisement for the newly restored Key West Museum of Art and History at the Custom House, using facts and colorful language.
- Groups can continue research of Key West history and create their own "Mini-Museum" (characters and artifact displays) at school to share with other classes.
- Create an Acrostic Poem using the letters from the museum site:
C
U
S
T
O
M
H
O
U
S
E
WEB SITES:
Historical Chronology for Key West and Florida Keys
A Short History of Florida
Florida Kids
Best of the Florida Keys
BOOK LISTS:
Yesterdays Key West, Yesterdays Florida Keys by Stan Windhorn and Wright Langley
Key West Companion by Christopher Cox (*Teacher Reference)
Historic Communities (book series on life in 1800's) by Bobbie Kalman
