BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:wisit2026 X-WR-CALDESC:Event Calendar METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:-//Sched.com WISIT Summer Institute 2026//EN X-WR-TIMEZONE:UTC BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T130000Z DTEND:20260803T143000Z SUMMARY:Plenary Session: Ron Ritchhart - Who are our students becoming as thinkers and learners as a result of their time with us? DESCRIPTION:Since the very beginning of the Cultures of Thinking Project at Harvard\, one question has energized our work: Who are our students becoming as thinkers and learners as a result of their time with us?  \;We’ve long believed that a high-quality education is about far more than short-term retention or success on low-level assessments. It’s about nurturing young people who are curious\, capable\, and ready to engage meaningfully with the world—successful not just in our seats\, but beyond our doors. Helping students become independent\, empowered learners requires a shift for all of us—a rethinking of both the teacher’s role and the learner’s role. It also asks us to interrupt the familiar “grammar of school” that too often prizes compliance over agency. In our opening plenary session\, we’ll come together to explore what we are noticing in our learners this year—early signs\, small moments\, and powerful indicators of their growth as independent thinkers. From there\, we’ll get practical by examining the key practices\, mental shifts\, and instructional moves that strengthen students’ learning and thinking muscles and develop both their resilience and independence.  \;\n\n\n CATEGORIES:PLENARY SESSION LOCATION:Black Box Theater - Middle School Building\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:a91d578e34180cbf1c690c571341ac8a URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/a91d578e34180cbf1c690c571341ac8a END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T144500Z DTEND:20260803T164500Z SUMMARY:Learning Groups DESCRIPTION:WISIT Learning Groups are a dedicated time each day to connect with a consistent small group of colleagues\, reflect on your learning\, and make meaning of the week together. In these sessions\, participants process ideas\, generate new questions\, and begin to translate insights into practical next steps and action plans for their own contexts. Learning Groups meet in the same room each day\, creating continuity and a sense of community. Your assigned group (indicated by a letter) will be listed on your name badge\, which you’ll receive on the first day of WISIT.\n\nLearning Group A - Middle School Bldg Room 110\nLearning Group B - Middle School Bldg Room 111\nLearning Group C - Middle School Bldg Room 214\nLearning Group D - Middle School Bldg Room 210\nLearning Group E - Middle School Bldg Room 211\nLearning Group F - Middle School Bldg Room 212\nLearning Group G - Middle School Bldg Room 112\nLearning Group H - Middle School Bldg Room 215\nLearning Group I - Middle School Bldg Room 216\nLearning Group J - Carriage House Room 103\nLearning Group K - Carriage House Room 105\nLearning Group L - Carriage House Room 106\nLearning Group M - Carriage House Room 107\nLearning Group N - Le Centre Brown - Gallery Space CATEGORIES:LEARNING GROUPS LOCATION:Various Rooms Across Campus - See Description for Room #s SEQUENCE:0 UID:f180e045d65b25004eb5c4c53136dc61 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/f180e045d65b25004eb5c4c53136dc61 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T164500Z DTEND:20260803T173000Z SUMMARY:Lunch DESCRIPTION:Build Your Own Bowl\nProteins - Grilled Fish\, Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken Thigh\, Mexican Shredded Vegan Beef\nSides & Toppings- Green Rice\, Authentic Refried Beans\, Cilantro Lime\, Jicama Slaw\, Sriracha Ranch Sauce\, Black Bean & Pineapple Salsa\, Guacamole\, Tomato Salsa\, Pickled Red Onions\, Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese\nDesserts - Sopapillas w/ chocolate sauce for dipping\nBeverages - Iced Tea & Ginger Citrus Infused Water CATEGORIES:LUNCH LOCATION:Huffard Hall - Le Centre Brown\, WIS Campus\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:cba1e35a6334c05ab04d272a0e857177 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/cba1e35a6334c05ab04d272a0e857177 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Affirmation\, Identity\, and Engagement: Helping Students S.O.A.R. in the Classroom and Beyond DESCRIPTION:How can we design learning experiences that cultivate student ownership\, deepen critical thinking\, and inspire agency? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore the S.O.A.R. Model for Engagement as a framework for promoting motivation\, inquiry\, and student-centered learning. Together\, we will examine practical strategies that shift students into active roles in their learning and consider the power of intentional affirmation in shaping identity and belonging. We will leave with concrete approaches to help students see themselves as capable\, empowered learners—ready to contribute meaningfully within their classrooms\, communities\, and beyond. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 110 SEQUENCE:0 UID:314087e7f6722b28fdef6dbf098dda47 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/314087e7f6722b28fdef6dbf098dda47 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Dance\, Move\, Breathe (Repeat!): Embodied Teaching and Learning Beyond the Screen DESCRIPTION:How can we fully engage students’ minds and bodies in the learning process\, especially in our \;increasingly screen-centered classrooms? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how dance\, theater\, and embodied play can re-center learning in the body. Together\, we will experiment with kinesthetic approaches that make thinking visible while fostering connection\, identity\, and belonging. We will consider emerging research on the impact screen-based learning \;has on students' academic performance\, while also \;and \;exploring \;practical \;ways to “skip the screen” in favor of more active\, human-centered experiences. Through social dance\, creative movement\, mindfulness\, and improvisation\, we will engage \;together \;as learners -- moving\, reflecting\, and designing strategies that can be adapted across disciplines. Come ready to move\, collaborate\, and reimagine \;learning \;that centers the body and "embodied cognition" as essential to learning\, regardless of age or stage! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Studio Sol (1st Floor) SEQUENCE:0 UID:8ea1889088854e7f2c12e3b27b61ae03 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/8ea1889088854e7f2c12e3b27b61ae03 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Designing for Agency: Building a Culture of Belonging DESCRIPTION:Every child is a citizen with a story to tell. Join us for a hands-on exploration of how our daily routines and physical materials can become a canvas for self-expression. By shifting our perspective\, we move beyond "management" and into true partnership. We will explore how to curate environments that celebrate identity and empower our youngest learners to shape their world\, ensuring every child feels the profound sense of belonging that comes from having a seat at the table. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 112 SEQUENCE:0 UID:543fe42a64d75160e61fc0ad93f03b60 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/543fe42a64d75160e61fc0ad93f03b60 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Driving School Change Through Thoughtful Leadership and Inquiry DESCRIPTION:How can school leaders enculturate thoughtful inquiry in our learning communities and what role can thinking routines play in this shift? Come and explore ways to leverage thinking routines to inspire faculty and drive positive changes in the classroom. Through the lens of school leadership\, we will delve into the practice of documenting teacher thinking and explore how this can be used to enhance classroom practices and guide decision-making. Join us as we embark on a journey to foster a vibrant culture of learning and reflection in our schools. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 107 SEQUENCE:0 UID:6dc452ce166936b43af91f16c2f6e928 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/6dc452ce166936b43af91f16c2f6e928 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Ethics & Emotions: Reflecting on and Navigating AI Use DESCRIPTION:AI is changing the way we understand teaching and learning\, but many of the hardest questions aren’t technical – they’re human. As educators\, it is important that we build our own capacity to reflect on and navigate AI use\, and help young people do the same. In this workshop\, participants will explore the emotional and ethical complexity of their personal AI use\, build shared understanding of responsible AI practices\, and consider how to navigate future moments more intentionally. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 103 SEQUENCE:0 UID:8a7e1a32bab42013f6dd488dc5602a55 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/8a7e1a32bab42013f6dd488dc5602a55 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:From Ideas to Action: Building a Culture of Thinking DESCRIPTION:Who are your students becoming as thinkers through their time with you? This question will guide you on an engaging and reflective journey as we explore the ideas from Ron Ritchhart’s Cultures of Thinking in Action. Together\, we will examine the types of thinking we wish to nurture in our classrooms and identify the essential habits of mind to prioritize. We will delve into the PZ Thinking Routine Toolbox\, learning how to adapt routines for deeper\, more complex understanding. Join us for dedicated time to apply these concepts to your own context and plan intentionally for the upcoming year. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 105 SEQUENCE:0 UID:6e6678227b0e104a02e685fec2159fb9 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/6e6678227b0e104a02e685fec2159fb9 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:How Do You Know? Reimagining Thinking in Math Class DESCRIPTION:Is math class a destination or a journey? Too often\, students experience mathematics as a race toward the right answer\, where speed is valued over sense-making. This interactive session invites you to shift the focus from answer-getting to deep thinking. Come and explore how to cultivate a vibrant Culture of Thinking in the math classroom\, one where reasoning\, curiosity\, and student agency take center stage. Through hands-on engagement\, we will examine how thinking routines can make student thinking visible\, how documentation can honor diverse approaches\, and how small shifts in practice can move classrooms from “Is this right?” to “How do you know?” CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 214 SEQUENCE:0 UID:117a6531bd5b823e6ca0c6563e825d33 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/117a6531bd5b823e6ca0c6563e825d33 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Questions Drive Thinking and Learning DESCRIPTION:Questions are drivers of inquiry\, catalysts for changing our perceptions\, vehicles for developing understanding\, promoters of action\, and opportunities to clarify our thinking . . . and\, a major way that teachers interact with their students.  \;There is evidence that shows that teacher questions consume between 10-20% of the time students spend in classrooms. However\, research shows that more than 80% of all teacher questions only require students to recall facts.  \;Is this true in our classrooms?  \;How can we collect data to help us better understand our own questioning and the questions students experience across our schools? How can we better understand what effective questioning looks\, feels\, and sounds like in a cultures of thinking classroom?  \;In addition\, if we recognize questions are important vehicles for learning\, they shouldn’t totally be the purview of teachers. How can we engage students in asking better questions that increase engagement and deepen learning?  \;Questions are one of the most powerful ways learners to express their thinking\, enhance problem-solving\, monitor understanding\, and improve as active and autonomous learners.  \;How can we harness the potential of questioning to develop more independent learners?\n\n\n CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:The Gallery - Le Centre Brown SEQUENCE:0 UID:a567dec8e38da998b229bb2a9aa7f52b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/a567dec8e38da998b229bb2a9aa7f52b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Quilting the Fabric of Freedom: Stitching Liberation\, Belonging\, and Agency into Learning Communities DESCRIPTION:How might we create learning communities that do more than include—that affirm\, liberate\, and empower? This interactive session invites you to explore the metaphor and practice of quilting as a framework for building culturally responsive\, inclusive schools. Drawing on findings from ethnographic research with Black middle school students\, the presentation weaves together Gloria Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Relevant Pedagogy\, the Street Data Agency framework\, and thinking routines to illuminate how student voices can shape liberatory classrooms. We will engage in reflection\, dialogue\, and a hands-on quilting activity\, creating “identity quilt squares” that symbolize our commitments to affirming student voice and agency. Together\, we will stitch new understandings of belonging\, mastery\, and liberation into the heart of our learning communities. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Mad Lab (2nd Floor) SEQUENCE:0 UID:10112d596516a09c362f42ba5e2263fb URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/10112d596516a09c362f42ba5e2263fb END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Ready\, Set\, Play!: Reclaiming Play as a Catalyst for Deep Learning DESCRIPTION:Are you ready to play? This session challenges participants to rethink the essential role of play as a powerful driver of learning well beyond the early childhood years. Grounded in research\, we will examine how play fuels engagement\, deepens creativity\, and strengthens social-emotional development across age groups. Together\, we’ll analyze what meaningful play looks like in diverse classroom contexts and uncover practical\, intentional ways to embed it into everyday teaching and leadership practices. Designed for teachers and school leaders alike\, this session will leave you inspired and equipped to intentionally design for learning that is dynamic\, joyful\, and deeply engaging. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 215 SEQUENCE:0 UID:c982903f446ccae74b69400776b6e1d4 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/c982903f446ccae74b69400776b6e1d4 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:Think\, Feel\, Lead: Empathy and Emotional Agility By Design DESCRIPTION:In leadership\, can you stay grounded\, curious\, and values-driven under pressure? True leadership extends beyond strategy\; it’s fundamentally about our relationships. In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how empathy and emotional agility are essential for leading with authenticity\, resilience\, and connection. Using Project Zero thinking routines\, we’ll recognize emotional currents in ourselves and others\, examine how our mindsets shape our leadership choices\, and practice perspective-taking as a vital skill. Together\, we’ll build trust\, uncover insights\, and engage with complexity—not by dismissing emotions\, but by embracing them with clarity and compassion. Whether leading a team\, classroom\, or system\, you will leave with practical strategies for navigating challenges while fostering belonging\, courage\, and meaningful change. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 210 SEQUENCE:0 UID:7c496c073523ba53ebb4955edd060525 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/7c496c073523ba53ebb4955edd060525 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260803T174500Z DTEND:20260803T194500Z SUMMARY:WISIT 101: An Introduction to Project Zero Pedagogy DESCRIPTION:How can we make student thinking visible\, valued\, and central to learning? In this interactive workshop\, we will dive into the core ideas of Project Zero by experiencing them firsthand. Together\, we’ll try out thinking routines like See\, Think\, Wonder\, explore the forces that shape classroom culture\, and reflect on how small moves can spark deep thinking. Designed with beginners in mind\, this session is the perfect entry point and will provide a powerful foundation for your week at WISIT. Let's build a shared language\, ignite our curiosity\, and explore practical tools that are immediately applicable for the school year ahead! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 106 SEQUENCE:0 UID:ab1f184ae7b8095cffbf5cbeb8892389 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/ab1f184ae7b8095cffbf5cbeb8892389 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T130000Z DTEND:20260804T140000Z SUMMARY:Plenary Session: A WISIT Film Festival\, led by Ron Ritchhart DESCRIPTION:Join us for a special WISIT Film Festival featuring classroom stories from across the DC area that bring a culture of thinking to life. In partnership with Ron Ritchhart\, these short films capture real teachers and students engaged in deep thinking\, inquiry\, and meaningful learning.\n\n Filmed in a range of classrooms across public\, private\, and parochial schools\, the series offers a window into how educators are making thinking visible and creating environments where student ideas\, questions\, and perspectives are at the center. Together\, we’ll watch\, reflect\, and consider what it looks like to build cultures of thinking in our own contexts. CATEGORIES:PLENARY SESSION LOCATION:Black Box Theater - Middle School Building\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:ad5ec32e84af61e8c348914d5a8b513f URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/ad5ec32e84af61e8c348914d5a8b513f END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T141500Z DTEND:20260804T154500Z SUMMARY:Learning Groups DESCRIPTION:WISIT Learning Groups are a dedicated time each day to connect with a consistent small group of colleagues\, reflect on your learning\, and make meaning of the week together. In these sessions\, participants process ideas\, generate new questions\, and begin to translate insights into practical next steps and action plans for their own contexts. Learning Groups meet in the same room each day\, creating continuity and a sense of community. Your assigned group (indicated by a letter) will be listed on your name badge\, which you’ll receive on the first day of WISIT.\n\nLearning Group A - Middle School Bldg Room 110\nLearning Group B - Middle School Bldg Room 111\nLearning Group C - Middle School Bldg Room 214\nLearning Group D - Middle School Bldg Room 210\nLearning Group E - Middle School Bldg Room 211\nLearning Group F - Middle School Bldg Room 212\nLearning Group G - Middle School Bldg Room 112\nLearning Group H - Middle School Bldg Room 215\nLearning Group I - Middle School Bldg Room 216\nLearning Group J - Carriage House Room 103\nLearning Group K - Carriage House Room 105\nLearning Group L - Carriage House Room 106\nLearning Group M - Carriage House Room 107\nLearning Group N - Le Centre Brown - Gallery Space CATEGORIES:LEARNING GROUPS LOCATION:Various Rooms Across Campus - See Description for Room #s SEQUENCE:0 UID:da69a34bec6f561f7b7c3e29f1a232ab URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/da69a34bec6f561f7b7c3e29f1a232ab END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T154500Z DTEND:20260804T164500Z SUMMARY:Art Happenings DESCRIPTION:Art Happenings 2026 : What We Hold in Common\n \nThis year’s Art Happenings invite you to explore What We Hold in Common—the shared stories\, values\, and experiences that connect us. Each session offers a different creative pathway to reflect\, make meaning\, and express what binds us together.\n As you choose\, consider what resonates with you—whether it’s storytelling\, design\, reflection\, or collaboration. No experience is needed—just come ready to create\, connect\, and contribute to something larger than yourself.\n\nArt Happening Hosts\n\nBeaded Connections: Crafting Common Ground- Hosted by Agnes Gomez (Spanish Speaking Session)\nLocation: Carriage House Room 105\n\n Join us for a playful\, hands-on session where we create beaded friendship bracelets using simple materials and shared imagination. Inspired by WISIT’s focus on thinking\, creativity\, and agency\, participants can make as many bracelets as they like\, choosing to keep them or share them with others as a way to spark connection and meaning. As we design with color and pattern\, we will reflect on what we hold in common and how learning happens through doing\, sharing\, and making together.\n\nAround We Go: Circle Collages- Hosted by Adrienne Gayoso\nLocation: LCB Design Lab\n\nLearn about the symbolism\, personal memories\, and community connections of Yayoi Kusama's and Howardena Pindell's circle-centric artworks. Consider your own relationship to this shape\, create a collage to celebrate the circle\, and contribute to a collaborative artwork.\n\nArt in Exchange- Hosted by Ellen Lafferty \;\nLocation: Carriage House Room 107\n\nJoin us for a relaxed\, hands-on art session where we’ll create accordion books filled with small\, tradeable art cards. Each person will make a series of mini artworks\, then swap cards with others. As you collect and share\, your book becomes a mix of your ideas and the work of the group—showing how meaning grows through connection.\n\nThe Common Thread: Stitching What We Hold in Common- Hosted by Angelica Guerrero\nLocation: MS Studio Sol (Library) - First Floor of the MS Building\n\nJoin a joyful hands-on textile experience where thread becomes a language for connection\, reflection\, and play. Through simple embroidery and collective making\, we will explore the question What do we hold in common? As each participant adds a symbol\, word\, or stitch to a shared textile piece\, individual stories will intertwine into a vibrant tapestry of belonging\, humanity\, and hope. No sewing experience needed - just curiosity and a willingness to create alongside others. Come slow down\, make with your hands\, and discover the threads that connect us all!\n\nSole Steps-Hosted by Erica Jones\nLocation: MS Room 110\n\n Inspired by Helen Zughaib’s The Places They Will Go and the storytelling power of sneaker culture\, participants will adopt a maker mindset and design and construct a symbolic shoe.  \;Each creation holds personal stories\, values\, and aspirations\, coming together as a shared expression of identity\, memory\, and what we carry in common.\n\nExploring Fluidity and Permanence with Watercolor- Hosted by Ash Beck\nLocation: MS Mad Lab\nParticipants will use ink and watercolor to explore what we share with others and our environments. Participants may choose to develop their own visual metaphors or collaborate with others to recognize and create a shared landscape of meaning.\n\nPrintmaking for Social Justice- Hosted by: Reshada Pullen Jireh\nLocation: MS  \;Art Studio I\nJoin Artist and Educator Reshada Pullen-Jireh for an exploration of printmaking.  \;Printmaking is a democratic medium that allows creators and audiences to experience widespread shared knowledge.  \;Participants will have the opportunity to create a print from scratch and walk away with a foundational lesson plan inspired by the works of Favianna Rodriguez\, Emory Douglass\, and student creators.\n\nOther Art Happening Hosts TBA:\n\nJoanne Lamparter- Imagination Stage\nLocation: MS Room 111\n\n\n\n\n\n CATEGORIES:ART HAPPENINGS LOCATION: SEQUENCE:0 UID:449cd56e4d0c6bbbcf04ef06bbe4c284 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/449cd56e4d0c6bbbcf04ef06bbe4c284 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T164500Z DTEND:20260804T173000Z SUMMARY:Lunch DESCRIPTION:Menu\nProteins - \;Kung Pao Chicken\, Mongolian Beef & Broccoli\, Vegan 'Beef' Stir Fry\nSides - Fried Rice\, Spicy Roasted Bok Choy\, Salad Bar\nDessert - Lemon Bars\nBeverages - Watermelon Agua Fresca & Infused Water CATEGORIES:LUNCH LOCATION:Huffard Hall - Le Centre Brown\, WIS Campus\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:bab2b6f5880354fef2b13c5f7a4c55af URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/bab2b6f5880354fef2b13c5f7a4c55af END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Acting Up and Acting Out: Using Stories and Drama to Uncover Perspectives and Build Empathy DESCRIPTION:Storytelling is a fundamental way in which humans connect\; it allows us to share experiences\, evoke empathy\, and understand perspectives beyond our own. Through narratives\, we can explore the intricacies of global issues and recognize our shared humanity. Using storytelling\, thinking routines\, and drama conventions\, we will immerse ourselves in these intricate topics and work to make the invisible visible. Join us in this thought-provoking journey\, and be inspired to step outside of your comfort zone to connect with others through the power of dramatic storytelling! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 215 SEQUENCE:0 UID:f0fff8a9174754c5090d35a92a8a51c9 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/f0fff8a9174754c5090d35a92a8a51c9 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Building Agency with AI Tools: A Maker-Centered Approach DESCRIPTION:How can we leverage AI in ways that amplify student agency\, imagination\, and deep understanding? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how Maker-Centered Learning can position AI as a tool for creativity\, playful exploration\, and ethical decision-making. Together\, we will engage with a range of tools and routines\, looking closely at their possibilities and complexities while considering how to thoughtfully integrate them into inquiry-based classrooms. No prior experience with AI is required—just a willingness to experiment\, reflect\, and shape a classroom culture where AI supports meaningful\, student-driven learning. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 216 SEQUENCE:0 UID:e714ccce8114f9f1a09ac05155bb942a URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/e714ccce8114f9f1a09ac05155bb942a END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Buzzworthy: How all Professional Learning Should Be DESCRIPTION:“For classrooms to be cultures of thinking for students\, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers.” (Ron Ritchhart) This interactive workshop invites us to reimagine professional learning as engaging\, inquiry-driven\, and deeply relevant to our daily practice. Together\, we will experience collaborative inquiry\, self-reflection\, and thinking routines as active learners\, exploring how these approaches can foster vibrant cultures of thinking among adults. We will leave with practical tools and strategies that can be applied across contexts and designed not only to deepen professional practice\, but to spark energy\, curiosity\, and conversations that continue well beyond the session. Meaningful learning isn’t just for students—it should be dynamic and enjoyable for adults\, too! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 103 SEQUENCE:0 UID:699f97dde987f101e9cd479f2fbcae07 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/699f97dde987f101e9cd479f2fbcae07 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Dance\, Move\, Breathe (Repeat!): Embodied Teaching and Learning Beyond the Screen DESCRIPTION:How can we fully engage students’ minds and bodies in the learning process\, especially in our \;increasingly screen-centered classrooms? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how dance\, theater\, and embodied play can re-center learning in the body. Together\, we will experiment with kinesthetic approaches that make thinking visible while fostering connection\, identity\, and belonging. We will consider emerging research on the impact screen-based learning \;has on students' academic performance\, while also \;and \;exploring \;practical \;ways to “skip the screen” in favor of more active\, human-centered experiences. Through social dance\, creative movement\, mindfulness\, and improvisation\, we will engage \;together \;as learners -- moving\, reflecting\, and designing strategies that can be adapted across disciplines. Come ready to move\, collaborate\, and reimagine \;learning \;that centers the body and "embodied cognition" as essential to learning\, regardless of age or stage! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Studio Sol (1st Floor) SEQUENCE:0 UID:9174c4445ae41b3ad83f02cc3d978822 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/9174c4445ae41b3ad83f02cc3d978822 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Designing for Agency: Building a Culture of Belonging DESCRIPTION:Every child is a citizen with a story to tell. Join us for a hands-on exploration of how our daily routines and physical materials can become a canvas for self-expression. By shifting our perspective\, we move beyond "management" and into true partnership. We will explore how to curate environments that celebrate identity and empower our youngest learners to shape their world\, ensuring every child feels the profound sense of belonging that comes from having a seat at the table. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 112 SEQUENCE:0 UID:5af8ab667de68462db5c8cd9bd2cee38 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/5af8ab667de68462db5c8cd9bd2cee38 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Ethics & Emotions: Reflecting on and Navigating AI Use DESCRIPTION:AI is changing the way we understand teaching and learning\, but many of the hardest questions aren’t technical – they’re human. As educators\, it is important that we build our own capacity to reflect on and navigate AI use\, and help young people do the same. In this workshop\, participants will explore the emotional and ethical complexity of their personal AI use\, build shared understanding of responsible AI practices\, and consider how to navigate future moments more intentionally. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 105 SEQUENCE:0 UID:e89c8c8e359449980b8e298dab1fa5f0 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/e89c8c8e359449980b8e298dab1fa5f0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:From Routine to Agency: Integrating AI into Cultures of Thinking DESCRIPTION:How can we use AI to extend and deepen student thinking—without replacing it? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how thinking routines can position AI as a partner in inquiry\, supporting perspective-taking\, analysis\, and evidence-based reasoning. Together\, we will experience the LENS Framework (Launch\, Expand\, Navigate\, Synthesize)\, a structured approach that keeps students at the center of the thinking process while using AI to broaden perspectives and navigate complexity. Through hands-on activities\, we will engage in media literacy analysis\, prompt design\, and routines that surface bias\, evaluate claims\, and strengthen argumentation. We will leave with practical tools we can use immediately in our own unique contexts. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 106 SEQUENCE:0 UID:c5619345169009e46cb35dd2d48c317f URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/c5619345169009e46cb35dd2d48c317f END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:How Do You Know? Reimagining Thinking in Math Class DESCRIPTION:Is math class a destination or a journey? Too often\, students experience mathematics as a race toward the right answer\, where speed is valued over sense-making. This interactive session invites you to shift the focus from answer-getting to deep thinking. Come and explore how to cultivate a vibrant Culture of Thinking in the math classroom\, one where reasoning\, curiosity\, and student agency take center stage. Through hands-on engagement\, we will examine how thinking routines can make student thinking visible\, how documentation can honor diverse approaches\, and how small shifts in practice can move classrooms from “Is this right?” to “How do you know?” CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 214 SEQUENCE:0 UID:8af586e965f9b3f7c3e014f54496d13b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/8af586e965f9b3f7c3e014f54496d13b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Making Thinking Visible 2.0: New Routines\, New Maps\, and New Possibilities DESCRIPTION:Since their introduction some 20 years ago\, thinking routines have become enormously popular with teachers around the world and have continued to evolve through the ongoing work of researchers at Harvard Project Zero. It has now been over 15 years since Making Thinking Visible first appeared\, and Mark Church\, Karen Morrison\, and Ron Ritchhart are currently at work on a revised and updated edition: Making Thinking Visible 2.0.\nIn this interactive course\, participants will get an early look at some of the new routines being developed for the new book\, explore an updated version of the Understanding Map\, and examine a new section we are adding to help folks understand and discuss with colleagues how routines look in action:  \;“A Closer Look: Examining A Video Picture of Practice.” Together\, we will consider what we have learned over the past two decades about how teachers can frame\, launch\, and situate thinking routines so that they do more than structure an activity.  \;This will include some of the common pitfalls of why thinking routines fail to launch in some classrooms.  \;Following WISIT\, we hope participants try out some of these new routines in their own contexts and share examples of student thinking and classroom practice with us. We are always looking for powerful examples\, and we would be delighted to consider participants’ work for possible inclusion in the new book.\n CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:The Gallery - Le Centre Brown SEQUENCE:0 UID:007844dee11b84308ba9f7ee5c900cf4 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/007844dee11b84308ba9f7ee5c900cf4 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Students as Change-makers: Rethinking Power\, Partnership\, and Civic Action DESCRIPTION:Join us in reimagining youth-adult partnerships that cultivate students’ civic agency within and beyond the school’s walls. In this interactive session\, participants will engage with visual texts using the Values\, Identities\, Actions routine\, explore stories and resources from the John Lewis Leadership Program (Fairfax County Public Schools\, Virginia)\, and exchange ideas with colleagues from diverse contexts. Participants will leave with fresh perspectives\, practical resources\, and a template for fostering more empowering youth-adult relationships in their own communities. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 111 SEQUENCE:0 UID:fc9401fb05da4a5f362b9f76f75e47f5 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/fc9401fb05da4a5f362b9f76f75e47f5 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:The Neighborhood is Our Classroom DESCRIPTION:What becomes possible when the neighborhood becomes the classroom? Inspired by core ideas from Project Zero\, this session shares the story of a Pre-K classroom that reimagined a traditional “community helpers” unit through the lenses of agency\, inquiry\, and civic engagement. You will explore how young learners engaged with their community in meaningful ways while also unpacking the educators’ own thinking and design process behind the work. Through reflection and discussion\, you’ll consider the key ingredients that make learning experiences truly powerful and how to bring these ideas into your own context. While especially relevant for early childhood educators\, this session welcomes all who are interested in rethinking what’s possible when we center student thinking and agency at the heart of the curriculum. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 211 SEQUENCE:0 UID:2aba1a320f4d40d525dd4b5f40c36d76 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/2aba1a320f4d40d525dd4b5f40c36d76 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Think\, Feel\, Lead: Empathy and Emotional Agility By Design DESCRIPTION:In leadership\, can you stay grounded\, curious\, and values-driven under pressure? True leadership extends beyond strategy\; it’s fundamentally about our relationships. In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how empathy and emotional agility are essential for leading with authenticity\, resilience\, and connection. Using Project Zero thinking routines\, we’ll recognize emotional currents in ourselves and others\, examine how our mindsets shape our leadership choices\, and practice perspective-taking as a vital skill. Together\, we’ll build trust\, uncover insights\, and engage with complexity—not by dismissing emotions\, but by embracing them with clarity and compassion. Whether leading a team\, classroom\, or system\, you will leave with practical strategies for navigating challenges while fostering belonging\, courage\, and meaningful change. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 210 SEQUENCE:0 UID:069be38c5115689e913612599770cbb4 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/069be38c5115689e913612599770cbb4 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260804T174500Z DTEND:20260804T194500Z SUMMARY:Weaving Legacies: Migrant Contributions to the Fabric of American Communities DESCRIPTION:What stories does our cultural library hold? What voices unveil the threads of our national tapestry? Come engage with Project Zero pedagogical tools to explore how our individual and collective narratives are woven into a shared fabric of belonging. In this interactive course\, we will unmute voices often left out of the migration conversation and reveal connections across time\, place\, and identity. Discover practical strategies to support students in elevating overlooked perspectives\, and revealing the rich\, woven narratives of our collective past CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 212 SEQUENCE:0 UID:d4f28dcca4db7700f1f0c232c4f52964 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/d4f28dcca4db7700f1f0c232c4f52964 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T130000Z DTEND:20260805T141500Z SUMMARY:Plenary Session: National Gallery of Art - Honoring the Past\, Designing the Future: Stories\, Inquiry\, and Possibility DESCRIPTION:This \;plenary \;brings together \;Meghan Lally Keaton\, \;Gerald D. Smith Jr.\, and \;Angels Natal Ascencio \;to explore how classrooms and museums are marking the 250th anniversary as spaces for reflection\, inquiry\, and possibility. Drawing on powerful examples from across the DC community\, they will highlight how educators are using thinking routines to slow down\, look closely\, and engage learners in deep\, meaningful encounters with objects\, stories\, and histories.\n\nTogether\, they will consider what it means to approach the past with a critical and curious eye while holding an optimistic vision for the future. How can museum resources help us uncover layered narratives and expand whose stories are told? And how can our classrooms become places that not only honor the complexity of our shared history\, but also reflect our highest ideals and hopes for what comes next? This conversation invites educators to see themselves as designers of learning experiences that bridge past and future—grounded in reflection\, fueled by inquiry\, and oriented toward a more thoughtful and just world.\n\n CATEGORIES:PLENARY SESSION LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:4333fe0906f6566ebd81c7546d2cca01 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/4333fe0906f6566ebd81c7546d2cca01 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Engaging Students with Plant Science: Sensational Seeds DESCRIPTION:Take a deep dive into the world of seeds to explore plant reproduction! Participants will investigate seed structure in familiar plants \, engage in hands-on plant dissections\, and explore plants and pollination throughout the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory and outdoor gardens. Throughout this course\, participants will reflect on ways to adapt the classroom and garden-based learning activities demonstrated for their own teaching contexts. Participants will leave with inspiration for using seed plants as a springboard for scientific thinking. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the front entrance of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.\n\n CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory\, 100 Maryland Ave. SW\, Washington\, DC 20001 SEQUENCE:0 UID:04863792602296c07a80f5b4b55d3ed2 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/04863792602296c07a80f5b4b55d3ed2 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Excavating Memory and Imagining the Future with Nick Cave: "Mammoth" DESCRIPTION:What does the word "mammoth" evoke for you? Do you see a lumbering\, long-extinct tusked mammal? Or do you think of the adjective to describe something enormous? What events\, people\, places\, or objects hold mammoth significance in your life? In American culture? In his new exhibition Mammoth at the Smithsonian American Art Museum\, artist Nick Cave invites us into a world built from memory\, imagination\, and the materials of everyday life. Through individual writing and group discussion\, we'll explore the stories embedded in our surroundings and the objects we collect\, using thinking routines to guide us. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the G Street Lobby of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:Smithsonian American Art Museum\, 8th and G Streets\, NW Washington\, DC 20004 SEQUENCE:0 UID:0a0d75176f9c44fe99f9684a6bc5c180 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/0a0d75176f9c44fe99f9684a6bc5c180 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Homelands: Exploring Complexity through Close Looking at Art DESCRIPTION:How might works of art help deepen understanding of complex ideas and nurture empathy? How does “place” shape our identity? Participants will explore the exhibition Homelands\, which shares diverse experiences of migration\, immigration\, displacement\, and resettlement. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the power and catharsis of telling one’s story through art. Through slow looking and thinking routines\, we’ll consider how homeland stories reveal the complex and changing relationships between people and ideas of place\, land\, and home.\nOn view through August 1\, 2027\, the exhibition Homelands includes works by Kay WalkingStick\, Luis Cruz Azaceta\, Freddy Rodriguez\, Do Ho Suh\, Hung Liu\, Hank Willis Thomas\, Rashid Johnson\, and Guadalupe Maravilla.\n\nParticipants will meet at the entrance to the "Homelands" exhibition on the Mezzanine of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:3ed82ebfcbdfd592270e946ce4eacc0a URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/3ed82ebfcbdfd592270e946ce4eacc0a END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Learning on the Fly: Explore. Play. Design. Share. DESCRIPTION:Experience the National Air and Space Museum through the lens of playful learning. Explore awe-inspiring scientific and technological phenomena\, ask big questions\, and create “on-the-fly".\nGather information on an interactive gallery tour\, then take on a collaborative design challenge inspired by what you discover. Prototype ideas\, test them in the museum\, and share your work with visitors because learning is better when it’s done together. We’ll iterate\, reflect\, and reimagine how museums and classrooms can spark curiosity and agency in learners navigating a tech‑driven world.\nParticipants will meet at the staff entrance at Independence and 6th St SW.\n\n\n CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Air and Space Museum SEQUENCE:0 UID:827e75305d9d6fc43de0603f4dd7053b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/827e75305d9d6fc43de0603f4dd7053b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Let's Play: Early Childhood Education in Art Museums DESCRIPTION:This session is designed for early childhood educators (PreK3-Kindergarten). Participants will experience a hands-on tour of the National Gallery of Art designed for early childhood students. We will meet in the Atrium of the East Building\, do a brief introduction\, and then engage in a mock tour designed for our youngest learners. Participants will engage in a variety of activities including modified thinking routines\, sketching\, sculpting\, movement\, song\, and playful exploration. Following the tour\, participants will be challenged to brainstorm one activity that they would design for an early childhood group using a work of art before spending time reflecting together as a group. \;\n\nParticipants will meet by the information desk on the Atrium level (street level) of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. I will be holding a stuffed animal cat! CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:7ba444d8ca148906deb93041e33fbc98 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/7ba444d8ca148906deb93041e33fbc98 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:My Other Set of Wheels is a Synagogue (and Other Stories of Jewish Washington) DESCRIPTION:Explore one of DC's newest museums and see the city's history from a new perspective. We'll deep dive into local stories that range from 1790 to today\, with a focus on inquiry that fosters connection to and curiousity for Jewish life and culture. How long has DC been home to Jewish communities? What was it about this city that brought Jewish immigrants here\, and how did these communities develop\, change\, and respond to life in the nation's capital? And... how did DC's first synagogue end up cut in two on the back of a truck?!? Together\, we will pair artifacts and thinking routines to answer these questions and more\, empowering educators of all backgrounds to bring complex and diverse stories of Jewish Washington into their classrooms and curriculums.\n\nParticipants will enter up the ramp on F St NW\, go through the security checkpoint\, and be guided by staff to the 2nd floor Community Action Lab. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum\, 575 3rd St NW\, Washington\, DC 20001 SEQUENCE:0 UID:3910e7a57da045508ec3e4c6047347a1 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/3910e7a57da045508ec3e4c6047347a1 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Out of Many\, One DESCRIPTION:Educators from the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and The Phillips Collection come together with WISIT participants to celebrate American artists of color\, consider the power of creative communities\, and experience the rewarding complexity of looking at artwork pairings. Through gallery discussions using Harvard Project Zero thinking routines\, and engaging in intentional jotting\, playful doodling\, and a culminating collaborative art activitiy\, participants will learn about the rich and restorative stories of the featured artists. Participants will be empowered to create both independently and collectively. Time will be set aside to reflect on how activities can be adapted for the classroom. \;\n\nParticipants will meet in the Great Hall at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Museum of Women in the Arts\, 1250 New York Ave. NW\, Washington\, DC 20005 SEQUENCE:0 UID:3ffa29816c00db309ba65c2199b24ecd URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/3ffa29816c00db309ba65c2199b24ecd END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Revolutionary Questions: An Inquiry-led Exploration of America's Founding Documents DESCRIPTION:How can we hep students broaden their understanding of the founding of the U.S. and its impact on the world? Together\, we will hone our primary source analysis skills with an iconic founding document and explore the Library's new exhibition\, "The Declaration's Promise\," guided by our own wonderings. Participants will also have the opportunity to discover the wealth of free resources available online and onsite for educators and students. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the Whittall Room on the ground floor of the Jefferson Building (main visitor building). We will station a staff person to direct participants as they enter. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:Library of Congress\, 10 First St SE\, Washington\, DC 20540 SEQUENCE:0 UID:ee0da28de2cfd54f0f2e5215c6e18a60 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/ee0da28de2cfd54f0f2e5215c6e18a60 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Telling Our Story: Bringing Together Diverse Perspectives to Understand Our Present Moment DESCRIPTION:With so much happening in our communities and in the world today\, how can portraiture help us capture and better understand our present? Using the finalists in the triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition\, we will practice using portraits to explore and reflect on our contemporary moment. We will engage all of our senses to immerse ourselves into a variety of narratives and consider how each unique perspective is needed to complete the picture. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the 8th & G Street Lobby of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Portrait Gallery\, 8th and G Streets NW Washington\, DC 20001 SEQUENCE:0 UID:9f51767a32b3c27801772e550febf082 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/9f51767a32b3c27801772e550febf082 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play DESCRIPTION:"This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play" is a workshop that positions play as a rigorous and essential strategy for learning. Participants will explore arts integration as an approach to teaching. Through theater-based warm-ups\, scaffolded activities\, and collaborative play\, educators will engage in practices that support comprehension\, collaboration\, and student voice. Participants will leave with adaptable strategies that can be immediately applied across disciplines. \;\n\nParticipants will meet in the Malek Carlucci Hall of the Lindner Center on the 5th Floor of Ford's Theatre. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:Ford's Theatre\, 511 Tenth St NW\, Washington\, DC 20004 SEQUENCE:0 UID:7c6d77d5e17998c53af02591dc19ab9b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/7c6d77d5e17998c53af02591dc19ab9b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Uncovering Hidden Stories in American Art DESCRIPTION:How can works of art bring American history to life? During three to four stops in the American art galleries\, participants\, particularly 6th–12th grade teachers\, will engage in activities such as slow looking exercises\, thinking routines\, sketching\, and creative writing that foster conversations about works of art. They will develop interpretations based on evidence in the works of art\, make connections to American history\, consider multiple perspectives\, and discover hidden stories. Together we will reflect and debrief on how these artworks and approaches might be applied to classroom practice.\n\nParticipants will meet at the National Gallery of Art's West Building\, Main Floor\, Gallery 64.\n\n\n\n\n\n CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - West Building SEQUENCE:0 UID:6ccc466c432e32959f96fdc2fe3efabe URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/6ccc466c432e32959f96fdc2fe3efabe END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T144500Z DTEND:20260805T164500Z SUMMARY:Whose Story of Progress: Reading Westward Expansion Through Native Perspectives DESCRIPTION:How can we help students examine westward expansion as more than a story of growth and progress? How can museum resources support a more critical understanding of removal\, representation\, and national identity?\n\nIn this interactive session\, participants will explore the Americans exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian to examine westward expansion through Native perspectives. Through close observation and thinking routines\, participants will analyze how familiar narratives of U.S. history\, such as the Trail of Tears\, Indian Removal\, and Manifest Destiny\, have been shaped\, justified\, and remembered. The session will also consider how Native people\, histories\, and imagery have been represented in American culture\, and how those representations continue to shape contemporary understandings of the nation.\n\nParticipants will engage with images\, objects\, quotations\, and exhibition texts to surface multiple perspectives and question dominant narratives. The session will also connect to Smithsonian's Native Knowledge 360° resources\, providing educators with strategies and materials to support inquiry-based teaching about westward expansion\, Indigenous presence and resilience\, and national identity. \n\nParticipants will meet at the lobby of the National Museum of the American Indian. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 1 LOCATION:National Museum of the American Indian\, Fourth Street & Independence Avenue SW\, Washington\, DC 20560 SEQUENCE:0 UID:f83c1741f89b7acda930d7ae13537842 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/f83c1741f89b7acda930d7ae13537842 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T164500Z DTEND:20260805T180000Z SUMMARY:Lunch - On Your Own DESCRIPTION:Wednesday Lunch Options\n\nThe following host museums have food for purchase:National Air and Space MuseumNational Museum of the American IndianNational Gallery of Art (several options + discount--see below)National Gallery of Art has a large cafeteria (Cascade Café) on the concourse level\, as well as a Pavilion Café with pizza\, sandwiches and salads in the Sculpture Garden\, at 7th \;Street and Madison Drive. Show your WISIT badge at the Cascade Café\, Espresso Bar\, and Gift Shop to receive a 10% discount. The discount does not apply to the Garden Café or the Sculpture Garden Pavilion Café.\n\nGood Company Doughnuts & Café is located in the Johns Hopkins building (formerly the Newseum)\, directly across Pennsylvania Avenue from the National Gallery of Art. It offers excellent coffee\, breakfast\, and lunch options—perfect for a quick bite or caffeine boost close to the Mall.\n\nBar Americano is located on the National Mall between the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum. It serves pizza\, salads\, and sandwiches alongside coffee and drinks—making it a convenient spot for a quick\, casual meal or refreshment while exploring the museums nearby.\n\nFood trucks line up along the streets that cut through the Mall: 4th St\, 7th St.\, & 14th. You can also find a few parked at 7th St. and Maryland Ave. SW (outside the L’Enfant Plaza Metro entrance).\n\nThere are also food options on the ground level of Capital Gallery\, on 7th St. and Maryland Ave SW.\n\nFord’s Theatre\, National Portrait Gallery\, and Smithsonian American Art Museum are located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood\, where there is an abundance of eating options. CATEGORIES:LUNCH LOCATION:National Mall SEQUENCE:0 UID:f9a5bab440b6cedb624df2c3539aa608 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/f9a5bab440b6cedb624df2c3539aa608 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Dear America: An Interactive Museum Course DESCRIPTION:Ready to become a civic architect? This dynamic course invites you to step into the National Gallery of Art's groundbreaking "Dear America" exhibition and transform your understanding of American history through the powerful lens of justice-centered design thinking.\n\nParticipants will meet outside of the Dear America exhibition located by the 7th St ground floor entrance to the National Gallery of Art's West Building. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - West Building SEQUENCE:0 UID:3cf9499a22afd453ba408b14c4835063 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/3cf9499a22afd453ba408b14c4835063 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Engaging Students with Plant Science: Sensational Seeds DESCRIPTION:Take a deep dive into the world of seeds to explore plant reproduction! Participants will investigate seed structure in familiar plants \, engage in hands-on plant dissections\, and explore plants and pollination throughout the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory and outdoor gardens. Throughout this course\, participants will reflect on ways to adapt the classroom and garden-based learning activities demonstrated for their own teaching contexts. Participants will leave with inspiration for using seed plants as a springboard for scientific thinking. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the front entrance of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.\n\n CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory\, 100 Maryland Ave. SW\, Washington\, DC 20001 SEQUENCE:0 UID:ac89106d95217d1aa2c6dd187dd447e0 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/ac89106d95217d1aa2c6dd187dd447e0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Finding Your Flow: Explore the Power of Water Through Contemporary Art and Art-Making DESCRIPTION: \;Join the National Museum of Asian Art for an afternoon exploring art and art-making inspired by the exhibition\, Into the Waters with Senju and Bingyi: Two Contemporary Paintings. THrough conversation\, close looking\, thinking routines\, and hands-on ink-painting\, participants will explore how two contemporary Asian artists blend traditional techniques with innovative practices to express the movement\, power\, and beauty of water. As we engage directly with ink painting processes\, teachers will reflect on personal connections with water and nature. Together\, we will brainstorm strategies for bringing inquiry-based artmaking and visible thinking into your classroom. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the Moongate Cafe in the East Building\, Sackler Pavilion accessible through the Enid A. Haupt Garden. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Museum of Asian Art\, 1050 Independence Ave. SW\, Washington\, DC 20004 SEQUENCE:0 UID:01b8ca1f2c7bf407477a8feec0fcb621 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/01b8ca1f2c7bf407477a8feec0fcb621 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Homelands: Exploring Complexity through Close Looking at Art DESCRIPTION:How might works of art help deepen understanding of complex ideas and nurture empathy? How does “place” shape our identity? Participants will explore the exhibition Homelands\, which shares diverse experiences of migration\, immigration\, displacement\, and resettlement. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the power and catharsis of telling one’s story through art. Through slow looking and thinking routines\, we’ll consider how homeland stories reveal the complex and changing relationships between people and ideas of place\, land\, and home.\nOn view through August 1\, 2027\, the exhibition Homelands includes works by Kay WalkingStick\, Luis Cruz Azaceta\, Freddy Rodriguez\, Do Ho Suh\, Hung Liu\, Hank Willis Thomas\, Rashid Johnson\, and Guadalupe Maravilla.\n\nParticipants will meet at the entrance to the "Homelands" exhibition on the Mezzanine of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:ae11ae69efd4679cd6570e38c550bab4 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/ae11ae69efd4679cd6570e38c550bab4 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Learning on the Fly: Explore. Play. Design. Share. DESCRIPTION:Experience the National Air and Space Museum through the lens of playful learning. Explore awe-inspiring scientific and technological phenomena\, ask big questions\, and create “on-the-fly".\nGather information on an interactive gallery tour\, then take on a collaborative design challenge inspired by what you discover. Prototype ideas\, test them in the museum\, and share your work with visitors because learning is better when it’s done together. We’ll iterate\, reflect\, and reimagine how museums and classrooms can spark curiosity and agency in learners navigating a tech‑driven world.\nParticipants will meet at the staff entrance at Independence and 6th St SW.\n\n\n CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Air and Space Museum SEQUENCE:0 UID:9c523f173e8ed7f879bbacc32c2d1ba6 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/9c523f173e8ed7f879bbacc32c2d1ba6 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Let's Play: Early Childhood Education in Art Museums DESCRIPTION:This session is designed for early childhood educators (PreK3-Kindergarten). Participants will experience a hands-on tour of the National Gallery of Art designed for early childhood students. We will meet in the Atrium of the East Building\, do a brief introduction\, and then engage in a mock tour designed for our youngest learners. Participants will engage in a variety of activities including modified thinking routines\, sketching\, sculpting\, movement\, song\, and playful exploration. Following the tour\, participants will be challenged to brainstorm one activity that they would design for an early childhood group using a work of art before spending time reflecting together as a group. \;\n\nParticipants will meet by the information desk on the Atrium level (street level) of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. I will be holding a stuffed animal cat! CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:c66bce6fa5856c553671f49004c13bcc URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/c66bce6fa5856c553671f49004c13bcc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Making Place\, Making Meaning: Solidarity\, Story\, and the Art of Nick Cave DESCRIPTION:This course explores solidarity through the work of Nick Cave's Mammoth exhibition. Grounded in a developing solidarity framework\, participants move through making place\, learning\, and creating harmony. Participants will reflect on identity\, culture\, and belonging\, engage deeply with Cave's themes of visibility\, resistance\, and joy\, and transform their insight into creative or civic action. With this course\, the museum becomes a living classroom where art sparks dialogue\, critical consciousness\, and connection. Participants will leave with tools to cultivate solidarity\, amplify voice\, and contribute to more just and humanizing communities. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the G Street Lobby of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:Smithsonian American Art Museum\, 8th and G Streets\, NW Washington\, DC 20004 SEQUENCE:0 UID:413be6bf67831ec85d843f645d3730c9 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/413be6bf67831ec85d843f645d3730c9 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Material Value: Making Meaning with Sculpture DESCRIPTION:What do you think is the most important aspect of art: the material used\, the process of making\, or the meaning behind it? In this interactive course for elementary school educators\, we will explore how artists use repurposed materials to intertwine the importance of material\, making\, and meaning. We will use a thinking routine to compare and connect a variety of sculpture\, and engage in collective and individual making in response to what we see.\n\n \;Participants will meet at the large elevator by the coat check at the National Gallery of Art's East Building entrance. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Gallery of Art - East Building\, 150 4th St NW\, Washington\, DC 20565\, USA SEQUENCE:0 UID:48ee6c4fffe789a8814abb3f904c4926 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/48ee6c4fffe789a8814abb3f904c4926 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:My Other Set of Wheels is a Synagogue (and Other Stories of Jewish Washington) DESCRIPTION:Explore one of DC's newest museums and see the city's history from a new perspective. We'll deep dive into local stories that range from 1790 to today\, with a focus on inquiry that fosters connection to and curiousity for Jewish life and culture. How long has DC been home to Jewish communities? What was it about this city that brought Jewish immigrants here\, and how did these communities develop\, change\, and respond to life in the nation's capital? And... how did DC's first synagogue end up cut in two on the back of a truck?!? Together\, we will pair artifacts and thinking routines to answer these questions and more\, empowering educators of all backgrounds to bring complex and diverse stories of Jewish Washington into their classrooms and curriculums.\n\nParticipants will enter up the ramp on F St NW\, go through the security checkpoint\, and be guided by staff to the 2nd floor Community Action Lab. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum\, 575 3rd St NW\, Washington\, DC 20001 SEQUENCE:0 UID:fc3bb306517ad1b53f0abb453c940d30 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/fc3bb306517ad1b53f0abb453c940d30 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Out of Many\, One DESCRIPTION:Educators from the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and The Phillips Collection come together with WISIT participants to celebrate American artists of color\, consider the power of creative communities\, and experience the rewarding complexity of looking at artwork pairings. Through gallery discussions using Harvard Project Zero thinking routines\, and engaging in intentional jotting\, playful doodling\, and a culminating collaborative art activitiy\, participants will learn about the rich and restorative stories of the featured artists. Participants will be empowered to create both independently and collectively. Time will be set aside to reflect on how activities can be adapted for the classroom. \;\n\nParticipants will meet in the Great Hall at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:National Museum of Women in the Arts\, 1250 New York Ave. NW\, Washington\, DC 20005 SEQUENCE:0 UID:a1db539c9183a09e3e1c02df34ce938c URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/a1db539c9183a09e3e1c02df34ce938c END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:Revolutionary Questions: An Inquiry-led Exploration of America's Founding Documents DESCRIPTION:How can we hep students broaden their understanding of the founding of the U.S. and its impact on the world? Together\, we will hone our primary source analysis skills with an iconic founding document and explore the Library's new exhibition\, "The Declaration's Promise\," guided by our own wonderings. Participants will also have the opportunity to discover the wealth of free resources available online and onsite for educators and students. \;\n\nParticipants will meet at the Whittall Room on the ground floor of the Jefferson Building (main visitor building). We will station a staff person to direct participants as they enter. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:Library of Congress\, 10 First St SE\, Washington\, DC 20540 SEQUENCE:0 UID:6ebf6d7bb01a9872b9342395b2457acb URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/6ebf6d7bb01a9872b9342395b2457acb END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260805T181500Z DTEND:20260805T201500Z SUMMARY:This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play DESCRIPTION:"This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play" is a workshop that positions play as a rigorous and essential strategy for learning. Participants will explore arts integration as an approach to teaching. Through theater-based warm-ups\, scaffolded activities\, and collaborative play\, educators will engage in practices that support comprehension\, collaboration\, and student voice. Participants will leave with adaptable strategies that can be immediately applied across disciplines. \;\n\nParticipants will meet in the Malek Carlucci Hall of the Lindner Center on the 5th Floor of Ford's Theatre. \; CATEGORIES:MUSEUM COURSE 2 LOCATION:Ford's Theatre\, 511 Tenth St NW\, Washington\, DC 20004 SEQUENCE:0 UID:1be4c459d30279d023a1c21886abc86b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/1be4c459d30279d023a1c21886abc86b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T130000Z DTEND:20260806T140000Z SUMMARY:Plenary Session led by the Center for Digital Thriving - The AI to Z Workshop: Finding the Words Schools Need Now DESCRIPTION:The AI to Z Workshop: Finding the Words Schools Need Now - \;Generative AI is changing how we teach\, learn\, and relate to one another in schools. These changes are happening so fast it feels nearly impossible to see\, name\, or talk about them. What if we had words for them? In this participatory plenary\, the Center for Digital Thriving will invite you into the AI to Z Workshop\, a practice that brings people together to name the often-invisible ways AI is reshaping school life. Together\, we'll surface the phenomena educators and students are living through but don't yet have language for. You'll leave with both a shared vocabulary and a workshop process you can take back to your classrooms\, colleagues\, and communities. Most importantly\, you’ll leave with a greater sense of agency\, because at CDT\, we've found that having the words to see these changes is what lets us decide how we want to relate to them — as individuals\, communities\, and institutions.\n\n CATEGORIES:PLENARY SESSION LOCATION:Black Box Theater - Middle School Building\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:75c4ac4a5ab118b7978e82d6617fe25b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/75c4ac4a5ab118b7978e82d6617fe25b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T141500Z DTEND:20260806T154500Z SUMMARY:Learning Groups DESCRIPTION:WISIT Learning Groups are a dedicated time each day to connect with a consistent small group of colleagues\, reflect on your learning\, and make meaning of the week together. In these sessions\, participants process ideas\, generate new questions\, and begin to translate insights into practical next steps and action plans for their own contexts. Learning Groups meet in the same room each day\, creating continuity and a sense of community. Your assigned group (indicated by a letter) will be listed on your name badge\, which you’ll receive on the first day of WISIT.\n\nLearning Group A - Middle School Bldg Room 110\nLearning Group B - Middle School Bldg Room 111\nLearning Group C - Middle School Bldg Room 214\nLearning Group D - Middle School Bldg Room 210\nLearning Group E - Middle School Bldg Room 211\nLearning Group F - Middle School Bldg Room 212\nLearning Group G - Middle School Bldg Room 112\nLearning Group H - Middle School Bldg Room 215\nLearning Group I - Middle School Bldg Room 216\nLearning Group J - Carriage House Room 103\nLearning Group K - Carriage House Room 105\nLearning Group L - Carriage House Room 106\nLearning Group M - Carriage House Room 107\nLearning Group N - Le Centre Brown - Gallery Space CATEGORIES:LEARNING GROUPS LOCATION:Various Rooms Across Campus - See Description for Room #s SEQUENCE:0 UID:faf8e074736d1960be53ba2aaf32fc90 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/faf8e074736d1960be53ba2aaf32fc90 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T154500Z DTEND:20260806T164500Z SUMMARY:Art Happenings DESCRIPTION:Art Happenings 2026 : What We Hold in Common\n\nThis year’s Art Happenings invite you to explore What We Hold in Common—the shared stories\, values\, and experiences that connect us. Each session offers a different creative pathway to reflect\, make meaning\, and express what binds us together.\nAs you choose\, consider what resonates with you—whether it’s storytelling\, design\, reflection\, or collaboration. No experience is needed—just come ready to create\, connect\, and contribute to something larger than yourself.\n\nArt Happening Hosts\n\nBeaded Connections: Crafting Common Ground- Hosted by Agnes Gomez\nLocation: Carriage House Room 105\n\nJoin us for a playful\, hands-on session where we create beaded friendship bracelets using simple materials and shared imagination. Inspired by WISIT’s focus on thinking\, creativity\, and agency\, participants can make as many bracelets as they like\, choosing to keep them or share them with others as a way to spark connection and meaning. As we design with color and pattern\, we will reflect on what we hold in common and how learning happens through doing\, sharing\, and making together.\n\nAround We Go: Circle Collages- Hosted by Adrienne Gayoso\nLocation: LCB Design Lab\n\nLearn about the symbolism\, personal memories\, and community connections of Yayoi Kusama's and Howardena Pindell's circle-centric artworks. Consider your own relationship to this shape\, create a collage to celebrate the circle\, and contribute to a collaborative artwork.\n\nArt in Exchange- Hosted by Ellen Lafferty \;\nLocation: Carriage House Room 107\n\nJoin us for a relaxed\, hands-on art session where we’ll create accordion books filled with small\, tradeable art cards. Each person will make a series of mini artworks\, then swap cards with others. As you collect and share\, your book becomes a mix of your ideas and the work of the group—showing how meaning grows through connection.\n\nThe Common Thread: Stitching What We Hold in Common- Hosted by Angelica Guerrero (Spanish Speaking Session\nLocation: MS Studio Sol (Library) - First Floor of the MS Building\n\nJoin a joyful hands-on textile experience where thread becomes a language for connection\, reflection\, and play. Through simple embroidery and collective making\, we will explore the question What do we hold in common? As each participant adds a symbol\, word\, or stitch to a shared textile piece\, individual stories will intertwine into a vibrant tapestry of belonging\, humanity\, and hope. No sewing experience needed - just curiosity and a willingness to create alongside others. Come slow down\, make with your hands\, and discover the threads that connect us all!\n\nResistance: Love and Printing- Hosted by Jaime Chao\nLocation: MS Room 216\nHow can we protect what we love together through changes created by forces outside of our control? Through a practice of resistance printing we’ll explore how we can create a collective space to voice our values\, build and shift protective elements\, reflect on the complexity of solidarity\, and create a colorful love message to care in community. Note: We may be messy as we use fabric inks.\n\nExploring Fluidity and Permanence with Watercolor- Hosted by Ash Beck\nLocation: MS Mad Lab\nParticipants will use ink and watercolor to explore what we share with others and our environments. Participants may choose to develop their own visual metaphors or collaborate with others to recognize and create a shared landscape of meaning.\n\nPrintmaking for Social Justice- Hosted by: Reshada Pullen Jireh\nLocation: MS  \;Art Studio I\nJoin Artist and Educator Reshada Pullen-Jireh for an exploration of printmaking.  \;Printmaking is a democratic medium that allows creators and audiences to experience widespread shared knowledge.  \;Participants will have the opportunity to create a print from scratch and walk away with a foundational lesson plan inspired by the works of Favianna Rodriguez\, Emory Douglass\, and student creators.\n\nOther Art Happening Hosts TBA:\n\nJoanne Lamparter- Imagination Stage\nLocation: MS Room 111\n\n\n\n\n CATEGORIES:ART HAPPENINGS LOCATION: SEQUENCE:0 UID:b8ffe13570ff18c0827f9577b2e74141 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/b8ffe13570ff18c0827f9577b2e74141 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T164500Z DTEND:20260806T173000Z SUMMARY:Lunch DESCRIPTION:Build Your Own Caesar Salad Bar\nChopped Romaine\nProtein Toppings Include: Grilled Chicken\, Grilled Shrimp\, Mediterranean Grilled Tofu\nSides & Toppings: Sauteed Green Beans and Mushrooms\, Roasted Peppers & Onions\, House Made Croutons\, Crispy Chickpeas\, Black Olives\, Shaved Parmesan Cheese\, Feta Cheese\, Caesar Dressing *will have a vegan option available\nDessert: Chocolate Brownies\nBeverages: Infused Water\, Assorted Soft Drinks CATEGORIES:LUNCH LOCATION:Huffard Hall - Le Centre Brown\, WIS Campus\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:e16ef364c0af6f6dfa42b7ff054d5d37 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/e16ef364c0af6f6dfa42b7ff054d5d37 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Buzzworthy: How all Professional Learning Should Be DESCRIPTION:“For classrooms to be cultures of thinking for students\, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers.” (Ron Ritchhart) This interactive workshop invites us to reimagine professional learning as engaging\, inquiry-driven\, and deeply relevant to our daily practice. Together\, we will experience collaborative inquiry\, self-reflection\, and thinking routines as active learners\, exploring how these approaches can foster vibrant cultures of thinking among adults. We will leave with practical tools and strategies that can be applied across contexts and designed not only to deepen professional practice\, but to spark energy\, curiosity\, and conversations that continue well beyond the session. Meaningful learning isn’t just for students—it should be dynamic and enjoyable for adults\, too! CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 103 SEQUENCE:0 UID:d1148ad91b7816680d62439ea5a9c3c2 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/d1148ad91b7816680d62439ea5a9c3c2 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Driving School Change Through Thoughtful Leadership and Inquiry DESCRIPTION:How can school leaders enculturate thoughtful inquiry in our learning communities and what role can thinking routines play in this shift? Come and explore ways to leverage thinking routines to inspire faculty and drive positive changes in the classroom. Through the lens of school leadership\, we will delve into the practice of documenting teacher thinking and explore how this can be used to enhance classroom practices and guide decision-making. Join us as we embark on a journey to foster a vibrant culture of learning and reflection in our schools. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 107 SEQUENCE:0 UID:bb45a395d4e6384f1ebfc6a51a6250fa URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/bb45a395d4e6384f1ebfc6a51a6250fa END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:From Ideas to Action: Building a Culture of Thinking DESCRIPTION:Who are your students becoming as thinkers through their time with you? This question will guide you on an engaging and reflective journey as we explore the ideas from Ron Ritchhart’s Cultures of Thinking in Action. Together\, we will examine the types of thinking we wish to nurture in our classrooms and identify the essential habits of mind to prioritize. We will delve into the PZ Thinking Routine Toolbox\, learning how to adapt routines for deeper\, more complex understanding. Join us for dedicated time to apply these concepts to your own context and plan intentionally for the upcoming year. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 105 SEQUENCE:0 UID:7d8ca6f3deea77dd1ad1bfb7425c5b2e URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/7d8ca6f3deea77dd1ad1bfb7425c5b2e END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:From Routine to Agency: Integrating AI into Cultures of Thinking DESCRIPTION:How can we use AI to extend and deepen student thinking—without replacing it? In this interactive workshop\, we will explore how thinking routines can position AI as a partner in inquiry\, supporting perspective-taking\, analysis\, and evidence-based reasoning. Together\, we will experience the LENS Framework (Launch\, Expand\, Navigate\, Synthesize)\, a structured approach that keeps students at the center of the thinking process while using AI to broaden perspectives and navigate complexity. Through hands-on activities\, we will engage in media literacy analysis\, prompt design\, and routines that surface bias\, evaluate claims\, and strengthen argumentation. We will leave with practical tools we can use immediately in our own unique contexts. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Carriage House Room 106 SEQUENCE:0 UID:26a27e5141c481efd14d0127129a92a5 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/26a27e5141c481efd14d0127129a92a5 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Intro to Digital Thriving: Essential Tools for Educators Living & Teaching in a Tech-Filled World DESCRIPTION:Technology is both helpful and harmful\, connecting and dividing\, inspiring and dispiriting. Our students’ experiences with technology are multi-faceted and our approach needs to be\, too. In this mini course\, you’ll get hands-on with resources from the Center for Digital Thriving and engage specific mindshifts that help you go from assuming to asking\, from referee to coach\, from an abstinence model to agency. We’ll engage in activities that are designed to surface values\, make our thinking visible\, and support digital agency for educators and students alike. You'll experience these activities yourself and explore how to adapt them for your context where you can use them right away. \; CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:The Gallery - Le Centre Brown SEQUENCE:0 UID:7eeece2fbf2ab628640a206c9efbcdb5 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/7eeece2fbf2ab628640a206c9efbcdb5 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Quilting the Fabric of Freedom: Stitching Liberation\, Belonging\, and Agency into Learning Communities DESCRIPTION:How might we create learning communities that do more than include—that affirm\, liberate\, and empower? This interactive session invites you to explore the metaphor and practice of quilting as a framework for building culturally responsive\, inclusive schools. Drawing on findings from ethnographic research with Black middle school students\, the presentation weaves together Gloria Ladson-Billings’ Culturally Relevant Pedagogy\, the Street Data Agency framework\, and thinking routines to illuminate how student voices can shape liberatory classrooms. We will engage in reflection\, dialogue\, and a hands-on quilting activity\, creating “identity quilt squares” that symbolize our commitments to affirming student voice and agency. Together\, we will stitch new understandings of belonging\, mastery\, and liberation into the heart of our learning communities. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Mad Lab (2nd Floor) SEQUENCE:0 UID:a5084df5306ec636ea0bf63a4be83c1e URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/a5084df5306ec636ea0bf63a4be83c1e END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Ready\, Set\, Play!: Reclaiming Play as a Catalyst for Deep Learning DESCRIPTION:Are you ready to play? This session challenges participants to rethink the essential role of play as a powerful driver of learning well beyond the early childhood years. Grounded in research\, we will examine how play fuels engagement\, deepens creativity\, and strengthens social-emotional development across age groups. Together\, we’ll analyze what meaningful play looks like in diverse classroom contexts and uncover practical\, intentional ways to embed it into everyday teaching and leadership practices. Designed for teachers and school leaders alike\, this session will leave you inspired and equipped to intentionally design for learning that is dynamic\, joyful\, and deeply engaging. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 215 SEQUENCE:0 UID:169341d22e55113ba20792b3e846877b URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/169341d22e55113ba20792b3e846877b END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Safe Brains Learn Best: Trauma\, Memory\, and Language Acquisition DESCRIPTION:How do brain science\, emotional safety\, and experiences of stress and trauma shape students’ ability to learn\, especially for multilingual learners? In this interactive workshop\, we will examine how stress and trauma impact key brain systems and what this means for attention\, memory\, and language development. Together\, we will connect this research to practice\, identifying concrete strategies that we can implement immediately to support engagement\, strengthen working memory\, and create conditions where all learners can thrive. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 110 SEQUENCE:0 UID:bcab3c573583ba3642c756a24ca6d0dc URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/bcab3c573583ba3642c756a24ca6d0dc END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Students as Change-makers: Rethinking Power\, Partnership\, and Civic Action DESCRIPTION:Join us in reimagining youth-adult partnerships that cultivate students’ civic agency within and beyond the school’s walls. In this interactive session\, participants will engage with visual texts using the Values\, Identities\, Actions routine\, explore stories and resources from the John Lewis Leadership Program (Fairfax County Public Schools\, Virginia)\, and exchange ideas with colleagues from diverse contexts. Participants will leave with fresh perspectives\, practical resources\, and a template for fostering more empowering youth-adult relationships in their own communities. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 111 SEQUENCE:0 UID:c5c405b1cec3c03494e6cbafcdb2c6d0 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/c5c405b1cec3c03494e6cbafcdb2c6d0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:The Neighborhood is Our Classroom DESCRIPTION:What becomes possible when the neighborhood becomes the classroom? Inspired by core ideas from Project Zero\, this session shares the story of a Pre-K classroom that reimagined a traditional “community helpers” unit through the lenses of agency\, inquiry\, and civic engagement. You will explore how young learners engaged with their community in meaningful ways while also unpacking the educators’ own thinking and design process behind the work. Through reflection and discussion\, you’ll consider the key ingredients that make learning experiences truly powerful and how to bring these ideas into your own context. While especially relevant for early childhood educators\, this session welcomes all who are interested in rethinking what’s possible when we center student thinking and agency at the heart of the curriculum. CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 211 SEQUENCE:0 UID:2e357dcc4c7a6729631a7dce19d4e300 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/2e357dcc4c7a6729631a7dce19d4e300 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260806T174500Z DTEND:20260806T194500Z SUMMARY:Weaving Legacies: Migrant Contributions to the Fabric of American Communities DESCRIPTION:What stories does our cultural library hold? What voices unveil the threads of our national tapestry? Come engage with Project Zero pedagogical tools to explore how our individual and collective narratives are woven into a shared fabric of belonging. In this interactive course\, we will unmute voices often left out of the migration conversation and reveal connections across time\, place\, and identity. Discover practical strategies to support students in elevating overlooked perspectives\, and revealing the rich\, woven narratives of our collective past CATEGORIES:INTERACTIVE COURSE LOCATION:Middle School Building Room 212 SEQUENCE:0 UID:2ad43cc4af94010c3332c24cc36d0cee URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/2ad43cc4af94010c3332c24cc36d0cee END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260807T130000Z DTEND:20260807T150000Z SUMMARY:Learning Groups DESCRIPTION:WISIT Learning Groups are a dedicated time each day to connect with a consistent small group of colleagues\, reflect on your learning\, and make meaning of the week together. In these sessions\, participants process ideas\, generate new questions\, and begin to translate insights into practical next steps and action plans for their own contexts. Learning Groups meet in the same room each day\, creating continuity and a sense of community. Your assigned group (indicated by a letter) will be listed on your name badge\, which you’ll receive on the first day of WISIT.\n\nLearning Group A - Middle School Bldg Room 110\nLearning Group B - Middle School Bldg Room 111\nLearning Group C - Middle School Bldg Room 214\nLearning Group D - Middle School Bldg Room 210\nLearning Group E - Middle School Bldg Room 211\nLearning Group F - Middle School Bldg Room 212\nLearning Group G - Middle School Bldg Room 112\nLearning Group H - Middle School Bldg Room 215\nLearning Group I - Middle School Bldg Room 216\nLearning Group J - Carriage House Room 103\nLearning Group K - Carriage House Room 105\nLearning Group L - Carriage House Room 106\nLearning Group M - Carriage House Room 107\nLearning Group N - Le Centre Brown - Gallery Space CATEGORIES:LEARNING GROUPS LOCATION:Various Rooms Across Campus - See Description for Room #s SEQUENCE:0 UID:5a0768f58aa21fa47ee0cbfcbdf322ab URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/5a0768f58aa21fa47ee0cbfcbdf322ab END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260807T151500Z DTEND:20260807T164500Z SUMMARY:Closing Plenary Session: Co-Creating the Future Together: AI\, Agency\, and Cultures of Thinking DESCRIPTION:Featuring \;Aaryn Drapiza\, Jaime Chao Migano\, and Georgina Ardalan.\n\nThis session highlights three classroom stories from across the DMV\, offering a vivid and grounded look at how educators are integrating AI into their practice\, not as a replacement for thinking\, but as a tool to deepen it. From kindergarten through high school\, teachers share how they are using AI to support cultures of thinking\, making\, creativity\, and student agency in ways that feel authentic and responsive to their learners. These are not polished case studies\, but real moments of practice\, filled with experimentation\, reflection\, and discovery. Together\, they paint a hopeful and honest picture of what it looks like to teach and learn alongside AI in real time\, inviting participants to consider how these emerging tools can amplify\, rather than diminish\, the richness of classroom thinking.\n CATEGORIES:PLENARY SESSION LOCATION:Black Box Theater - Middle School Building\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:4451c33d87e9da073075b5636dad6606 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/4451c33d87e9da073075b5636dad6606 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260521T031206Z DTSTART:20260807T164500Z DTEND:20260807T173000Z SUMMARY:Lunch DESCRIPTION:Menu\nSalad Bar\nSandwiches: Curried Chicken Salad Wrap\, Turkey Club on Baguette\, Mushroom Caesar Wrap\nSides: Mediterranean Pasta Salad\, Marinated Cucumbers\, Variety Kettle Chips\nDessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies\nBeverages: Infused Water\, Assorted Soft Drinks\n\nBoxes will be provided for the option to have a grab and go lunch. CATEGORIES: LOCATION:Huffard Hall - Le Centre Brown\, WIS Campus\, 3100 Macomb St NW SEQUENCE:0 UID:47fbf2ca8677220c6a9eba3acd284e33 URL:http://wisit2026.sched.com/event/47fbf2ca8677220c6a9eba3acd284e33 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR