Since 1997, the Korean Studies department has engaged children in various presentations and Korean folk-art activities through visits to NYC preschool, elementary, middle, and high schools. These programs are designed to help students make social, cultural, and historical connections. School visits are offered at no cost to the school. Please see below for the various types of school visits offered by The Korea Society. Visits are subject to teaching artist availability and funding. For more information, please contact Luz Lanzot.
Brush Painting & Calligraphy, 40-50 minutes
Introduce students to the ways Koreans use art to convey ideas. Students participate in Korean ways of depicting nature using traditional brushes, ink, and rice paper. Subject matter includes Korean calligraphy, landscape, and commonly depicted flora and fauna. Students also make comparisons to Western approaches of painting and calligraphy in terms of methods, materials, and content. This activity is well suited to elementary, middle, and high school students in art classrooms.
Munjado (Korean Pictorial Ideograph) Painting Workshop, 50 minutes
Illustrate the influence of Confucianism on Korean art. Munjado are Korean pictorial ideographs, a combination of a single hanja or Chinese character representing a Confucian virtue, and a symbol from nature, such as an animal or plant. These ideographs were often painted on silk screens or panels and served as reminders of the principles by which one should live. Confucian virtues are considered a cornerstone of Korean culture and this workshop would allow students to participate in a hands-on activity in order to understand this marriage of art and philosophy. Students are provided with paper, brushes, and paint, as well as a presentation of examples of Munjado. This activity is best for middle and high school students and could be used both in art classrooms and in Social Studies to discuss religion/philosophy.
Once Upon A Time In Korea: Storytelling & Crafts, 40-50 minutes
After reading a Korean folk tale, depicted using puppets, children can then create their own animal puppet and mask. Students are provided with construction paper, crayons, feathers, googly eyes, and other craft supplies to design a unique puppet or mask. This activity works best with preschool and elementary students.
Pojagi (Korean Wrapping Cloth) Workshop, Two 2-hr segments
Pojagi, with their distinctive geometric patchwork design, often combining vivid colors, have become one of the most widely recognized and appreciated of all traditional Korean textile arts. While often used for wrapping gifts, pojagialso were commonly employed in everyday life for carrying, covering, and storing objects. Due to these multiple uses, pojagi were one of the most widespread items in Korean households of all social classes. Using silk fabric, thread, and needles, the workshop allows students to learn about this beautiful aspect of Korean culture and create their own unique pojagi. Middle and high school students would be best suited for this workshop; however, this activity can be modified for younger students using construction paper and glue. Due to the complex nature of patchwork, this workshop will be conducted afterschool in 2-hour-long segments.
Traditional Dance Workshop, 2hrs
Korean traditional dance dates back thousands of years, at least as far as the Gojoseon Kingdom around 2000 BCE. These dances are ingrained with religious and social meaning. Appropriate for all ages, this workshop can include the following folk dances: Bong San Tal Chum (Mask Dance), Kanggangsullae (Group Circle Dance), Fan Dance, Basic Salpuri (Shaman Ritual Dance), Sogo Chum (Small Drum Dance) and Beompae (Buddhist Ceremonial Dance).
On Saturday, February 4, 2012 The Korea Society’s Korean Studies department visited The Dalton School in Manhattan for the Living Folklore: Rooted in Our History multicultural festival. In the Korea Room, children learned the classic folk tale Heungbu and Nolbu, made craft puppets, practiced calligraphy, and witnessed taekwondo and drumming demonstrations. This school visit was made possible with the generous financial support of The Freeman Foundation.
On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, The Korea Society’s Korean Studies department visited The New Preparatory Middle School in Jamaica, Queens. Two classes of 57 6th and 8th graders, currently studying Korean language, were introduced to the historical and cultural significance of Korean masks. The children then painted their own unique versions of the yangban 양반 (aristocrat) and pune 부네 (young woman) masks. This school visit was made possible with the generous financial support of The Freeman Foundation.
The Korean Studies team took the exciting Once Upon A Time in Korea… storytelling and crafts program on the road this summer and fall. Stories based on traditional Korean folktales were narrated and acted out with puppets for children throughout New York City. Children learned Korean values, such as filial piety and selflessness, as well as a few Korean words for the animal characters. The team worked with the young students to make fun masks and puppets. The program venues and dates were as follows: Loves A Lot Pre-School (August 15), Baby Moves NYC (August 18), Stuyvesant Heights Montessori School (October 12), The Geneva School of Manhattan West Side Campus (November 17), and The Geneva School of Manhattan East Side Campus (November 18).
