The CJM is proud to be a recipient of the 2022 Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education, awarded jointly by the California Association of Museums and the California Department of Education, for this virtual tour program.
SOLD OUT
ADMISSION: Free for Bay Area K–12 school groups through the 2022–2023 academic year
Are you looking for innovative ways to integrate arts and literacy into your K–2 classroom? The Stories and Art of Ezra Jack Keats was designed in collaboration with our teacher advisory group with precisely that goal in mind, and the tour is back this year by popular demand! This virtual field trip brings a CJM educator to your classroom over Zoom for an interactive tour of the past CJM exhibition The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats. Students will practice early literacy concepts while learning about Keats’s biography as the son of Jewish immigrants; his experiences with antisemitism on his path to becoming an artist; and his choice to portray characters of color who reflected the Brooklyn neighborhood where he lived. The tour culminates with a guided art project inspired by Keats’s illustrations. The perfect complement to an Ezra Jack Keats author study, this 70-minute experience engages students from start to finish with virtual gallery activities, hands-on art making, and time for an optional short break in the middle.
The CJM is proud to be a recipient of the 2022 Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education, awarded jointly by the California Association of Museums and the California Department of Education, for this virtual tour program.
The Stories and Art of Ezra Jack Keats is sold out for the 2022–2023 school year. Learn more about our other current school tour offerings by clicking below.
The CJM offers an array of free, downloadable resources designed to prepare students and teachers to view exhibitions, and to support your tour experience.
For questions or assistance, call 415.655.7855 or email tours@thecjm.org. Plus, for the latest updates on new programs and resources for educators, sign up for our mailing list below.
The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats was the first major exhibition in the United States to pay tribute to award-winning author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats (1916–1983), whose beloved children’s books include Whistle for Willie (1964), Peter’s Chair (1967), andThe Snowy Day (1962)—the first modern full-color picture book to feature an African American protagonist. Published in 1962, at the height of the civil rights movement in America, the book went on to become an inspiration for generations of readers, transforming children’s literature forever. The exhibition featured over eighty original works by the artist, from preliminary sketches and dummies or preparatory books to final paintings and collages, including examples of Keats’ most introspective but lesser-known output inspired by Asian art and poetry.
School and Teacher Programs are made possible by generous support from the Jim Joseph Foundation, The Bavar Family Foundation, California Arts Council, The Ullendorff Memorial Foundation, and Toole Family Charitable Foundation.
Header image: Ezra Jack Keats, “After breakfast he put on his snowsuit and ran outside” (detail). Final illustration for The Snowy Day, 1962. Collage and paint on board, 10 x 20 in. Ezra Jack Keats papers, de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, McCain Library and Archives, The University of Southern Mississippi. Copyright © Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.
Exhibition image: Ezra Jack Keats, “It was hot. After supper Roberto came to his window to talk with Amy.” Final illustration for Dreams, 1974. Marbled paper and paint on board, 13 9/16 x 20 9/16 in. Ezra Jack Keats papers, de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection, McCain Library and Archives, The University of Southern Mississippi. Copyright © Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.