Stop 1: Mt. Hood
Props: triangle telescopes/toilet paper rolls with triangle inscribed within; a flashlight that the children can use to point out shapes. 

Can you remember what shape has three sides? Yes, a triangle. Can anyone see a triangle in this painting?

Mountains are often shaped like a triangle. What other forms in nature are triangles (pine trees)? 

How many colors can you find in this painting? Most of the colors are dark greens and browns because they are colors found in forests. 

Some places are known for their association with specific colors.

And some things in nature are famous for their shapes.

Forests are often green and brown. What colors are found in the desert? How about the ocean? 

Introduce concept of landscape, a painting that shows what a place looks like.

Stop 2: Tiffany

Props: Mosaic kit, peacock

This isn’t a photograph but you can still tell what birds they are because the artist was very clever.

This is made of lots of little shapes. Can you name some of the shapes you see? [discussion] One shape has a very cool name: heXagon. Can you hear that X? [use flashlight or laser pointer to find shapes]

This is a mosaic. A mosaic is made of small pieces of tile or glass or stones. This one is made out of glass.

Introduce mosaic kits. Ask them to find triangles, squares, hexagons. Let children make their own mosaic.

Ask what colors they see? Are they colors you would see in a forest? Probably not, the shiny and iridescent colors are found on peacock feathers.

Animals are all different colors. Can you name some animals and their colors? (cow, zebra, lion, gold fish...)

Stop 3: Egungun or other mask 

Prop: Cowrie Shells

We need some shape detectives here! What shapes can you find? Let’s take turn pointing to them with a flashlight.

Most of the colors in African masks come from the color of the material they are made from. Can you point to some brown wood in this gallery? How about white shells?

Some colors come from paint. Can you see some green paint on this Egungun mask? How about red/orange? How about silver?

Sometimes animals are painted colors they do not usually have. Can you find the bull/oxen with red on it?

Stop 4: Picasso, Two Girls Reading

Let’s look at this for a minute. Sit quietly and just look.

Now, tell me what you see. What is happening in this painting and who is in it? Two girls! You are right! What color are they? Blue and green, right!

Take a look at your arms. Do any of you have blue or green arms? Why do you think an artist would paint people with such funny color skin? Picasso was very creative and just used the colors that he liked.

Now let’s look at the shapes. What shape are the girls faces? One is a diamond shape, right! Do any of you have pointy diamond-shaped faces? ... this artist is being creative again.

Sometimes artists are more interested in being creative and making something that is beautiful or funny or silly than realistic.

Stop 5: Chinese Guard Tower

This is a very tall tower. It is a model of a real tower. People would stand at the top of the real tower and look out to see if anyone was coming into town.

It is made out of clay and it is painted. What color is the clay? What color is the paint.

What shapes can you see in this model building. Now, slowly and quietly, turn around and look at the building we are in. What shapes can you see here? 

Alternatives: Gilliam; Picchvai; Japanese woodblock prints; Monet; Mitchell; Nevelson