Summer Arts Integration Workshop Series
K-8 educators are invited to join us this summer for hands-on workshops led by exceptional teaching artists that seamlessly integrate arts and non-arts curriculum standards. Attend one or more sessions as your schedule permits. No arts experience is necessary.
This year’s workshops will be from June 24–26, 2025, at the Pullen Arts Center
- Choose from six workshops — attend one or as many as you’d like!
- Morning & afternoon sessions each day (9:30 AM–12:00 PM & 1:15–3:45 PM)
- Free lunch when you attend both sessions on the same day
- Earn 0.25 CEU per workshop
- $10 per session or $50 for all six
- Scholarships and stipends are available for completing 3+ workshops
Classes for the 2025 Summer Series:
MAGIC OF MAPMAKING
Tuesday, June 24, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Teaching Artist: Mimi Herman
With maps, we learn about the world through symbols, words, and yes–art! In this lively ELA, Social Studies, poetry and art workshop, you’ll explore your own life by creating a map to represent the important people and turning points that have shaped you. Then we’ll travel into the curriculum, creating maps of characters from literature, people we remember from history, scientific processes, and whatever you teach that we can make more memorable through the magic of mapmaking. Register for this workshop.
Mimi Herman is a writer, teaching artist, and co-director of the United Arts Wake County Arts Integration Workshop Series. She has led arts-in-education programs for over 25,000 students and educators since 1990 and co-directs Writeaways workshops in the U.S. and Europe.
MAKE YOUR CURRICULUM MOVE! USE MOVEMENT TO ELEVATE AND ENHANCE YOUR CURRICULAR GOALS
Tuesday, June 24, 1:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Teaching Artist: Natalie Morton
In this workshop, Black Box Dance Theatre (BBDT) founding member Natalie Morton will lead you through an interactive, creative, informative, and joyful deep dive into how the arts, specifically moving the body (aka DANCE!!), can transform your classrooms, your lessons, and you as a teacher! You will get to be the student as you experience several processes BBDT uses in elementary and middle school workshops. We will talk and move our way through math, science, ELA, ESL, physics, and more! We will write, collaborate, and share our own stories as we delve more deeply into the human side of our curriculum. Each participant will leave with new ideas, insights, and excitement for the year to come. Register for this workshop.
Natalie Morton is a founding member of Black Box Dance Theatre and a dance educator at Saint Mary’s School. She leads movement-based workshops for students and military communities across North Carolina.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Wednesday, June 25, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Teaching Artist: Leni Newell
In this fun, experimental visual arts workshop, you will learn how thinking like an artist can promote deeper understanding of science, social studies, and other subjects, while addressing different learning styles and developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. You will create viewfinders to start our visual exploration, then use the elements of art and principles of design to transform images relevant to your curriculum into exciting abstract oil pastel compositions. You will leave with a work of art, a whole new lesson, and a rubric to help you assess your students’ understanding. Register for this workshop.
Leni Newell is an award-winning professional artist concentrating on abstract mixed media and fiber arts since 1986. Newell’s work has been exhibited in galleries, museums, and juried shows across the country and can be found in numerous corporate collections.
ONCE UPON A TIME IS NOW: STORYTELLING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
Wednesday, June 25, 1:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Teaching Artist: Milbre Burch
Storytelling is the original immersive technology, teaching us how to be human in an ever-changing world. Stories activate imagination, stimulate memory, create empathy, model problem-solving, encourage literacy, impart history, depict geography, illuminate culture, generate literature, inspire artwork and encourage advances in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through story-listening, storytelling and story-making exercises adaptable to your classroom, you’ll discover ties to your science and math, social studies, ELA and arts curriculum. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll also learn public speaking strategies to build confidence, self-esteem and community-building skills in your students. Register for this workshop.
Milbre Burch is a GRAMMY-nominated spoken-word recording artist, an internationally known storyteller, a published writer, poet, and scholar, and a produced playwright. She uses storytelling to explore curriculum connections and promote empathy and communication.
SINGING THE WORDS: LYRIC WRITING IN THE CLASSROOM
Thursday, June 26, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Teaching Artist: Stuart Stotts
Music is a central part of most students’ lives; they listen, they sing, they dance. Teachers can use this natural affinity to motivate and engage students in the classroom. In this interactive workshop with songwriter and author Stuart Stotts, participants will explore song structures and patterns that students can use to write, sing, rehearse, and perform original song lyrics. We will learn basic vocal and lyric writing concepts and apply them to curricular content. This creative process helps students demonstrate their understanding of any content area while experiencing the joy of music. No musical training is necessary; only an interest in singing is required. Register for this workshop.
Stuart Stotts is an author, songwriter, and Kennedy Center teaching artist from Wisconsin. He has worked with students and teachers throughout the world since 1987.
HOW TO GET YOUR STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING ANYTHING
Thursday, June 26, 1:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Teaching Artist: Mimi Herman
If your students have a case of the drearies, this workshop will get them excited about learning. You know what else? This workshop will get you excited about teaching again! We’ll play improv games, explore irresistible centers to get your kids to fall in love with writing, chat in consultation stations with invisible microphones to help each student feel seen and heard, dance our vocabulary, and discover techniques to clear the bad moods out of any classroom. Come prepared to play! Register for this workshop.
Mimi Herman is a writer, teaching artist, and co-director of the United Arts Wake County Arts Integration Workshop Series. She has led arts-in-education programs for over 25,000 students and educators since 1990 and co-directs Writeaways workshops in the U.S. and Europe.
Arts Integration Lesson Plan Directory
Explore our searchable directory of arts integration lesson plans for Wake County educators. Developed by Arts Integration Institute participants, the directory contains nearly 100 plans to inspire and engage you and your students!
Arts Integration Lesson Plan Directory
For more information about arts integration opportunities, contact Ragen Carlile at rcarlile@unitedarts.org.
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