Join middle and high school teachers from throughout Maryland for this latest offering in the Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries series.

While the Renaissance is often defined as a period of European rediscovery of Greco-Roman antiquity, it was also a time of rich interaction between European and Islamic cultures. Cultural and economic transactions in science, technology, and mathematics prevailed throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, influencing and transforming the fine arts of both societies. The 2005 institute will use the tangible interchange of scientific and mathematic knowledge between Europe and Arabia as a foundation for a broader study of how cultural exchange influences the arts. Teachers attending the institute will increase their knowledge of arts integration as they create lesson plans that use the arts to teach other core subjects such as reading, science, literature, or social studies.

This eight-day residential program offers a core curriculum of lecture/discussion sessions, hands-on performance classes, and collaborative lesson-planning workshops, all led by advanced scholars and artists in a variety of fields. Additional activities include a trip to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, performances, library research, technology training, and presentations of participants’ newly developed interdisciplinary lesson plans.

Residency Requirements

July 18-21: On-campus residency is required.
July 22-24: On-campus residency is optional. Participants must attend all scheduled activities, including weekend events, in order to earn MSDE credit. Applicants who wish to stay on campus for these three nights should check the appropriate box on the application form.

Accommodations and food will be provided on the University of Maryland campus.

Cost

Enrollment in the program is free of charge to all Maryland public school teachers, and includes tuition plus room and board. A non-refundable application fee of $30 does apply.

MSDE Credit

Participants who complete the entire program, including the follow-up sessions, will be eligible to receive 5 MSDE Continuing Professional Development credits. Credits will only be awarded after the spring follow-up session.

Lesson Plans

At the institute, teams of teachers will create a set of interdisciplinary lesson plans around a common topic. On the last day of the program, teachers will present their new plans formally to the entire institute. Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries will then archive the plans on its website for the benefit of participants and teachers around the world.

Follow-Up Sessions

Follow-up sessions in the fall and spring will allow participants to share their experiences implementing their lesson plans and to attend additional lecture/discussion sessions. At follow-up sessions, teachers will provide assessments of their lesson plans and supplementary materials, which will be added to the web archive where appropriate. Attendance at follow-up sessions is mandatory for those participants seeking MSDE credit.

To Apply

Teachers are urged to apply in interdisciplinary teams of 2-4, representing different arts disciplines at their schools, as well as other disciplines, such as social studies, English, math, science, and the romance languages. Individual applicants will be placed in teams at our discretion. Please indicate whether you are applying individually or as a member of a team. Click here for a printable version of the application. Applications should be mailed to:

Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries
Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies
0139 Taliaferro Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

For more information, please keep checking this website or contact Andrew Nelson at the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies, telephone 301-405-6832, e-mail alnelson[at]umd.edu.