Wednesday Teacher Workshops are two-hour classes for in-service K–12 teachers dedicated to examining specific topics related to the collection and current exhibitions at the Getty Villa. Working in small groups, participants learn how to create successful, thematic self-guided lesson plans and gallery activities for their Museum visit by connecting curricular goals and content standards to works of art in the Museum galleries. Participants also learn techniques for teaching with original objects in the Museum setting.

2011–12 School Year Schedule

October 12, 2011
Athletes and Competition

Athletic training and competition were important to young men's education in antiquity. In this workshop, explore the world of ancient games and athletics with educator Elmira Adamian. Learn about the importance of beliefs and ideals related to athletes in antiquity. Gain tips for discussing how athletes and athletic competitions were depicted in sculptures, vase paintings, and other objects in the Museum's collection.

November 9, 2011
Narrative in Ancient Art: The Trojan War and Other Tales from Antiquity

Ancient art often had a close and complimentary relationship to oral tradition and storytelling. Everyday objects such as vases, oil lamps, figurines, and even monumental sculpture provided a gateway into epic tales of heroes and gods. In this workshop, educator Amber Wells demonstrates how you can teach your students to identify and interpret narrative in ancient art.

December 7, 2011
Living and Dining in an Ancient Roman Villa

The Roman sense of privacy, use of space, and approach to food and dining could be very different from ours. Education specialist Shelby Brown leads this interactive workshop, which offers you the opportunity to experience a Roman house through Roman eyes. Choose an ancient persona so you can see what it's like to explore the Getty Villa as a member of the family, a visitor, or a slave.

January 25, 2012
Music and the Oral Tradition in Antiquity

Education specialist Katharine Erickson leads this workshop focused on the ancient tradition of communicating stories through music and poetry. Discover the rich tradition and importance of poets in ancient cultures by examining works of art on view at the Getty Villa. Learn how to lead object–based discussions with your students.

February 29, 2012
Behind the Seams: Fashion and Beauty in Ancient Art

What can the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum tell us about the fashions of wealthy men and women in antiquity? Educator Eidelriz Senga leads this workshop that examines whether artists accurately represented how clothes were worn in antiquity. Learn if you should take what you see in works of art at face value, or if more lays beneath the fabric.

March 28, 2012
Not Quite White

Did you know that the sculptors of the ancient Mediterranean painted the eyes, lips, skin, hair, clothing, and accessories of their figures to make them appear as lifelike as possible? Learn more about painted marbles in this workshop led by antiquities curator Jens Daehner, who discusses the materials and techniques employed by ancient artists and shows you how to trace pigment on the surfaces of Cycladic, Greek, and Roman sculptures.

April 18, 2012
Aphrodite: Beyond the Expected

In this workshop you will explore the realm of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love, beyond her familiar aspects of desire, seduction, and feminine beauty. Led by antiquities curator David Saunders, this workshop focuses on the exhibition Aphrodite and the Gods of Love. Learn how you can discuss the artwork and themes presented in the exhibition with your students to reveal more about Aphrodite, including this complex divinity's roles as civic protectress, helper to sailors, and manipulator of mortals.