Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C., with an extensive collection of American art.

Part of the Smithsonian Institution has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States.

The museum describes itself as being "dedicated to collecting, understanding, and enjoying American art. The museum celebrates the extraordinary creativity of artists whose works reflect the American experience and global connections.

One of the objectives of the program is to enhance culture knowledge about Art through the Smithsonian American Art Museum connection they make with the topics of the units. Keystone’s books include two pages at the end of each unit with this link. For instance: See next slide

KEYSTO NE D Keystone Theme Concepts Learn about Art with the Smithsonian American Art Museum Unit 1What is light? Capturing the Power of Contrasts: black or white, light or shadow, good or evil. The effects reflected on pieces of art. Unit 2How are growth and change related? Cycles of Nature: Artists explore our natural world and life cycles in their own particular way of facing change and physical growth, through sculptures and paintings and more. Unit 3How can we tell what’s right? That’s Art ?: What is art? Is it right to go beyond traditional paintings or sculptures ? Artists question themselves about art itself. Unit 4Can we think with the heart? Bonding or Braking? Feelings. Drama, human emotions through paintings, sculpture and other media Unit 5What can we learn from times of war? Citizens on the Home Front. War involves deep emotions and harsh consequences, artists use their work to try to make sense of it all through lithographs, paintings, acrylics and more. Unit 6What makes animals so amazing? Animals in Human Society. Artists have captured the animal world in many different ways of expression. As you can see, the teacher’s sensitivity will help him/her find the way to awake a sense of appreciation. Taking into consideration students’ profile, the teacher will decide length and depth of this learning aspect.

"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist, and that there are as few as there are other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit." --John Steinbeck