Made in America: Teaching 250 Years of History through the Arts
America's story has always been told through its arts: through the songs that stirred a revolution, the paintings that captured a nation's soul, the dances that crossed cultures, the plays that gave voice to the voiceless, and the images that defined each generation's vision of freedom. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026, there has never been a more powerful moment to bring that story into our classrooms.
This 15-hour asynchronous, self-paced professional learning course is designed exclusively for New York State visual arts, music, dance, theater, and media arts educators who believe that the arts are not a supplement to history, they ARE history. Through engaging video content, thought-provoking readings, interactive activities, and a culminating applied project, you will build a complete, ready-to-teach instructional unit that honors the semiquincentennial through the discipline(s) you know best. Along the way, you will explore how to integrate New York State Arts Standards with historically resonant content, and discover how artificial intelligence tools can deepen your instructional planning, support differentiation, and open new doors for student creativity and expression.
By the conclusion of this course, you will have created an instructional unit that your students can truly experience; one grounded in artistic integrity, aligned to NYS Arts Standards, and alive with the creative energy of 250 years of American identity. This is your opportunity to help the next generation understand where we have been, celebrate how far we have come, and imagine through their own artistic voices, where the nation could and should head next.
FORMAT: Asynchronous online learning
DATES: 7/6/26-7/31/26
GCRTC FACILITATOR/CONTACT: Denise Lutter, Ed.D., GCRTC Teacher Leadership Coach for Visual and Performing Arts
FEE: None. Registration is required.
CTLE HOURS: 15
REGISTRATION: https://tinyurl.com/35t6w9dr