Welcome! We are so glad you’re here. School and teacher programs at The CJM aim to cultivate cultural sensitivity and awareness, center students' diverse voices and identities, provide enriching creative arts experiences, and share multifaceted Jewish stories
Teaching about Jewish life and creating connections to Jewish stories, people, and culture are vital to preventing antisemitism. Each of The CJM’s school programs teaches students about Jewish life in age-appropriate ways while integrating seamlessly with grade-level curriculum, and supporting teachers in creating culturally welcoming classroom environments for all students.
The CJM’s tours and resources for grades K–5 incorporate Jewish author biographies, community immigration stories, and Jewish culture and celebrations, while including space for conversation and centering intercultural connection. This approach helps dispel assumptions of otherness that can lead to biases and harmful stereotypes. Our programs for teachers and students grades 6–12 include a focus on contemporary Jewish culture in addition to discussions on antisemitism, including but not limited to Holocaust education and programming.
All of our tours meet grade-specific California state standards, and are customized to meet the needs of each classroom. The CJM also offers extensive resources and lesson plans across all grade levels that are available online for download.
We invite you to explore the resources below, or to reach out to arrange a half-hour advisory session with our education team. We welcome the opportunity to connect with administrators, teachers, and parents to best meet the needs of your class/school/district.
For questions, more information, or to schedule an advisory session, email schools@thecjm.org to get in touch.
The CJM offers interactive in-person and virtual school tours that engage students with studies of art, architecture, culture, and history. All tours center Jewish stories as a springboard from which to explore our diverse community and teach inclusion through the arts. School tours always feature hands-on art activities that introduce students to various art media and making processes.
Virtual tours are offered in the fall semester, Monday through Wednesday. In-person tours are available on Thursdays, Fridays, and some Sundays year-round. The Holocaust, Art, and Resistance Day of Learning will be offered on select dates in spring 2025; please refer to the tour page to learn more.
All CJM school tours are free of charge for Bay Area schools; availability is limited, and advance reservation is required.
Tour offerings for the 2024–2025 school year include:
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 our virtual school tour The Stories and Art of Ezra Jack Keats.
Teacher programs at The CJM are grounded in themes of uplifting diverse voices, fostering positive identity formation, and bringing Jewish life and culture into the classroom. Explore arts-based lesson plans for your classroom aligned to California state standards in our teacher resources below, and check out our teacher programs page for upcoming opportunities to connect with fellow educators and attend professional development workshops at The Museum.
CJM teacher resources connect students to current and past CJM exhibitions, and provide insight into art, history, and culture for various ages and learning modalities. These resources always include connections to art and Jewish stories, are suitable for utilizing with or without a visit to The Museum, and align with California state curricular standards.
The Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Project is an annual project presented by The CJM, Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), and the San Francisco Public Library that promotes the art and craft of original bookmaking in the classroom, inviting SFUSD students in grades K–12 to design, write, and create their own books. At the end of the project, books are honored, showcased, and celebrated.
The TAC Internship brings together high school students from diverse backgrounds for a year-round paid internship. Teens work and learn together in a world-class arts environment to experience art and artists, explore identity and culture, produce and lead meaningful public events and programs, and develop professional skills.
The TAC Anti-bias Leaders Fellowship is a year-long program that seeks to empower teens with the training and tools to become leaders in anti-bias activism in their schools and communities. Fellows meet every month and work alongside artists, leaders, and changemakers to build their leadership skills and develop anti-bias projects.
Prepare your class for field trips at The CJM with this step-by-step guide.
Major support for K-12 School and Teacher Programs is generously provided by California Bank & Trust; William Randolph Hearst Foundation; Barbara and Ronald Kaufman; The Bernard Osher Foundation; Pacific Gas and Electric Company; and Yerba Buena Community Benefit Fund.