School Tours to AWE

School Tours

Programming highlights include: 

• Curriculum-based educational programming that features interactive and inquiry-based activities that meet your classroom’s needs 
• Programming is also available with Museum Windsor (Chimczuk Museum and Baby House) 
• We encourage active learning, collaboration, discovery, and play through hands-on activities.

Program 1: Current Exhibitions

Explore current exhibitions with an AWE educator. They will participate in a BINGO treasure hunt through the second and third-floor galleries while learning about the artists and their artistic practice. In the studio, students will create a work of art inspired by what they learned in the gallery.

Themes: artmaking, creation, imagination, contemporary art 

Program 2: Collaboration and Imagination

Inspired by current exhibitions, students will create their own miniature passports, which they’ll use to explore the gallery and collect badges. In the studio, they will participate in “Ready, Set, Draw,” a fast-paced drawing exercise, and collaborate on a group activity called “Traffic Jam.” This program encourages creativity, discovery, and exploration through playful activities.

Themes: art-making, creation, imagination 

Program 3: What is an art gallery?

During this interactive tour, students will get a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in an art gallery. They will participate in a treasure hunt through current exhibitions to find hidden artworks. In the studio, students will build their own miniature, three-dimensional art gallery, complete with tiny works of art including paintings and sculptures.

Themes: art-making, creation, imagination

AWE in Classrooms (digital offerings and in-school programs)

AWE in the Classroom harnesses the power of art to create unique educational offerings in a diverse range of curriculum areas. AWE in the classroom programs combine the current Ontario curriculum with exhibitions and artworks from AWE’s collection. Programs are packaged with teachers in mind and come with creative activities for the classroom, video content, templates, presentations and more. 

Option 1: In-Class Programs

In-class activities by an AWE educator are offered Monday to Friday from 9am – 3pm for grade 2 to 12 in your classroom. Book visits by email or online at least 2 weeks in advance to secure your preferred dates and times. Contact [email protected] for more information.  

Programming highlights include: 

• A 45-minute, artist-led activity in your class 
• $8 per student  
• All art-making materials and instruction provided by an AWE Educator   
• Curriculum-linked worksheets with links to AWE’s digital guides  

Option 2: Virtual Field Trips

Visit AWE from the comfort of your classroom!  

Virtual field trips offer students and teachers an engaging way to explore AWE’s collection remotely. An AWE Educator will join live from the gallery, presenting selected works from our permanent collection and connecting them to themes of wellness and art literacy.  

• Grades 1 – 12            
• $8 per student           
• Technical Requirements: A good WIFI connection, webcam, sound, projector, MS TEAMS  
• Materials: paper and mark-making tools (pencils, markers, crayons)  

Option 3: One-Sheet Lesson Plans

Looking for one-sheet lesson plans to integrate into your course outline? AWE’s got you covered with comprehensive lessons with local ties to help students make connections to their surroundings. Connect the arts to history, social sciences, math and more. For a one-time fee, students and teachers will have unlimited access to these curriculum-based lesson plans.  

• Grades 3 – 12 
• Cost: $500 per school (one-time fee) 
• Downloadable PDF resources

SHSM | Specialized High Skills Major

Art Windsor-Essex invites high school students to an immersive, 2-hour SHSM program designed to bring them behind-the-scenes of a public art gallery. Through this hands-on learning experience, students will gain insight into the inner workings of a public art gallery, engage directly with AWE staff, and develop new skills in printmaking. 

• Grades 9 – 12 
• In person at AWE  

Learning Objectives

• Discover how a public art gallery works and its role in the community.  
• Explore printmaking techniques in the education studio.  
• Reflect on the experience with a self-assessment and short quiz.  
• Receive a certificate recognizing your participation!