Learning at the Aga Khan Museum A Curriculum Resource Guide for Teachers Grades One to Eight INTRODUCTION TO THE AGA KHAN MUSEUM The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada is North America’s first museum dedicated to the arts of Muslim civilizations. The Museum aims to connect cultures through art, fostering a greater understanding of how Muslim civilizations have contributed to world heritage. Opened in September 2014, the Aga Khan Museum was established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Its state-of-the-art building, designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, includes two floors of exhibition space, a 340-seat auditorium, classrooms, and public areas that accommodate programming for all ages and interests. The Aga Khan Museum’s Permanent Collection spans the 8th century to the present day and features rare manuscript paintings, individual folios of calligraphy, metalwork, scientific and musical instruments, luxury objects, and architectural pieces. The Museum also publishes a wide range of scholarly and educational resources; hosts lectures, symposia, and conferences; and showcases a rich program of performing arts. Learning at the Aga Khan Museum A Curriculum Resource Guide for Teachers Grades One to Eight Patricia Bentley and Ruba Kana’an Written by Patricia Bentley, Education Manager, Aga Khan All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be Museum, and Ruba Kana’an, Head of Education and Scholarly reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any Programs, Aga Khan Museum, with contributions by: form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without prior consent of the publishers. • Vanessa Barnett, Arts Instructional Leader, Toronto District School Board • Rob Mewhinney, Program Coordinator, Instructional Leader, Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Social and World Studies and Humanities, Toronto District School Board Kana’an, Ruba, author • Byron Stevenson, Instructional Leader, Social and World Learning at the Aga Khan Museum : a curriculum resource Studies and Humanities, Toronto District School Board guide for teachers, grades one to eight / Patricia Bentley and Ruba Kana’an. Edited for educational content by: ISBN 978-1-926473-06-2 (paperback) • Christine Jackson, District-Wide Arts Coordinator, 1. Aga Khan Museum (Toronto, Ont.)--Guidebooks. Toronto District School Board I. Bentley, Patricia, 1946-, author • Vanessa Barnett, Arts Instructional Leader, II. Aga Khan Museum (Toronto, Ont.), issuing body Toronto District School Board III. Title. • Rob Mewhinney, Program Coordinator, Social and World Studies and Humanities, Toronto District School Board N6264.C3T668 2015 • Alexandra Holland, Curriculum Development Manager, 709.17’67074713541 Aga Khan Academies C2015-905678-0 All graphics developed by Patricia Bentley First published in Canada in 2015 by Cover Image: Detail of Episode from the Story of Haftvad Aga Khan Museum and the Worm 77 Wynford Drive Folio 521v from a Shah-Nameh (Book of Kings) Toronto, Ontario produced for Shah Tahmasp I M3C 1K1 Signed by Dust Mohammad, Tabriz, Iran, ca. 1540. Opaque www.agakhanmuseum.org watercolour, ink, gold, and silver on paper, 45 x 30 cm, AKM164 Printed in Canada by Friesens Design by Damian Salter ISBN 978-1-926473-06-2 All images copyright the Aga Khan Museum except where indicated Copyright © The Aga Khan Museum, 2015 Contents 4 How to Use This Guide 7 Section One: Introduction 7 The Aga Khan Museum 9 Frequently Asked Questions About Islam, the Aga Khan Museum, and Islamic Art 12 The Arts of Muslim Societies: Cultural Connections 15 Section Two: Art-Based Learning 17 Art-Based Learning: A Description 17 Curriculum Expectations 18 Graphic Tools 19 A Map Showing Sites of Origin 20 A Label of a Museum Object 22 The Creative Process 23 Section Three: Learning with Aga Khan Museum Resources 25 How to Use This Section 27 Grades One to Three 43 Grades Four to Six 77 Grades Seven and Eight 99 Section Four: Lesson Plans 101 Grades One to Three: A Visual Arts Collaborative Project 113 Grades Four to Six: A Drama Project 125 Grades Six to Eight: A Project Combining Science and Art 135 Grade Four: A Social Studies Focus on Clothing and Objects in Paintings 149 Grades Seven and Eight: Using Visual Arts as Inspiration 157 Section Five: Glossary and Additional Resources Contents How to Use This Guide Learning at the Aga Khan Museum: A Curriculum Resource Guide for Teachers, Grades One to Eight gives teachers ideas and resources for using the Aga Khan Museum collections, exhibitions, and performing arts programs to teach core competency skills in Arts, Sciences, Mathematics, Literacy, and Social Studies while fulfilling specific expectations in the Ontario Ministry Curriculum. As a teacher, you can use this Guide in the classroom and access other resources such as high-resolution images on the Aga Khan Museum website. You can also use the Guide as additional help in the galleries during a class visit to the Museum. The Guide is divided into five sections: Section One: Introduction gives a general introduction to the Aga Khan Museum and ways to understand its core mission, vision, and values, as well as a brief background on the significant cross-cultural exchanges that have always characterized the history of the arts in Muslim civilizations. Section Two: Art-Based Learning describes the ways teachers can use works of art — whether visual or performing arts — to foster learning and understanding with their students. Section Three: Learning with Aga Khan Museum Resources gives examples from the Aga Khan Museum Permanent Collection, or from performances in the Museum’s auditorium, to illustrate the method of art-based learning for specific school grades. This method involves posing questions and conducting activities that engage students in active inquiry. Section Four: Lesson Plans includes lesson plans that demonstrate step by step how to use the Museum’s resources to fulfill the Ontario Curriculum requirements. Section Five features a glossary of terms and a list of resources for further exploration. 4 How to Use This Guide .