Student cast members rehearse for a University Theatre production. Photo by Jeff Miller, University Communications
Resources for Educators, Community Groups & Continuing Education
The College of Letters & Science is strongly committed to public service and outreach. Many of our units are dedicated to working with K-12 educators to enhance learning in and out of the classroom.
This is not an exhaustive list, but we hope these resources help you in your pursuit. For questions about additional resources, please contact Megan Costello, Director of Communications, at (608) 890-0740.
Our Resources:
- Film and Theatre
- International and Global Programs
- Library outreach, Literature and Media
- Music Performance Groups
- Science and Research
Film and Theatre:
- UW Cinematheque: The Cinematheque is a coalition of UW-Madison academic departments and student film groups dedicated to showcasing films which would otherwise never reach Madison screens
- University Opera: University Opera presents an annual season of two fully staged opera productions, as well as evenings of opera scenes and one-act operas. University Opera's mission is to cast students in roles, and the program features every level of singer from doctoral student to undergraduate music education major in principal and supporting roles.
- University Theatre: The University Theatre presents stimulating and enjoyable theatre for audiences of all types and ages and produces plays from ancient to modern times and integrates them into the academic curriculum.
- Wisconsin Film Festival: The festival presents 200 films in eight theaters over five days in April. It is a collaborative effort of the Arts Institute and the Department of Communication Arts.
International and Global Programs:
- Africa Focus: Sights and Sounds of a Continent: Africa Focus brings together, in digital form, two categories of primary and secondary resources: research and teaching materials collected by University of Wisconsin faculty and staff; and unique or valuable items related to these fields held by the University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- African Studies Outreach Scholars: Outreach Scholars enrich school curricula and community events by sharing their area studies expertise, life stories, and artistic skills of African Studies. As they facilitate learning experiences that go beyond the textbook, Outreach Scholars expand students’, teachers’, and community members’ understanding of different African contexts.
- Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences Rooftop Cameras: The Space Science & Engineering Center in collaboration with the Department of Atmospheric Science maintains several high resolution cameras atop of our building (AO&SS) located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. These cameras take pictures every 10 seconds.
- Center for Russia, East Europe & Central Asia The center provides knowledge, tool and experiences for understanding the 30 countries and 400 million people of Russia, East Europe and Central Asia.
- Center for Southeast Asian Studies: For information and resources including translators and K-12 teacher resources in Hmong Studies, Thai language instruction and more.
- Center for South Asia, a National Resource Center Outreach staff can coordinate with teachers throughout the State to bring speakers and resources to assist in the teaching of South Asia (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) into the classroom.
- European Studies Seminars and Workshops (Center for European Studies): Resource include a modular series of 10 European Union lesson plans for Middle Schools as well as information about conferences, public events, speakers bureau and more.
- Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies Outreach: LACIS includes outreach opportunities and joint opportunities with UW-Milwaukee.
- South Asia K-12 resources (Center for South Asia): More than 40 lesson plans available online for elementary, middle and high school levels. Including power points and handouts.
- Wisconsin International Outreach Consortium: Outreach staff can assist teachers to internationalize their classrooms by bringing visitors and artifacts into the classroom.
- World Cinema Day: World Cinema Day is an annual event held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Film Festival that brings high school students and teachers to the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Madison for the screening of a high-quality international film along with an introduction and discussion led by a UW faculty member or guest. Curricular materials based on the film are provided to participating schools in advance.
- World Languages Day: World Languages Day is an educational outreach program of the Language Institute. At World Languages Day, high school students from throughout the state of Wisconsin gather on the UW-Madison campus for an inspiring college-for-a-day experience.
Library Outreach, Literature and Media
- Allied Drive Literacy Time: Allied Drive Literacy Time is a community engagement program connecting School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) students with children enrolled at the Allied Learning Center run by Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR).
- Great World Texts: The mission of the Great World Texts in Wisconsin program is to encourage more high school and university students to read the classic world texts of the humanities and to connect and engage UW faculty and high-school teachers across the state in this project. High school and college classes will participate in these projects throughout the year. Each program culminates in a student conference in the spring.
- Humanities Exposed (HEX): Since 2004, HEX has brought a public component to research in the humanities and built strong ties between the University and the Madison-area community. Every year, the program develops a cohort of 15 to 25 humanities graduate-student public scholars who craft projects with community partners.
- Jail Library Group: A student run organization in the School of Library & Information Studies, the Jail Library Group provides education, recreational and community resource reading materials to the residents of jail facilities in Dane County Wisconsin.
- Madison Commons: The Madison Commons was founded in 2006 to provide news and information from all of Madison's neighborhoods. The name comes from the idea of a village commons, a place for news, talk, debate, and some entertainment, too, that's open to everyone.
- Tribal Libraries, Archives and Museums Project: The project was inspired by an independent study project in 2008 of three SLIS students, Chelsea Couillard, Christina Johnson, and Catherine Phan. Through funding from the Kauffman Entrepreneurship Community Internship Program, the students completed an interest and priorities assessment of the Red Cliff community to determine the potential role of the library on the reservation.
- Wisconsin Public Library Director Certification: Every public library director in Wisconsin must be certified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The School of Library and Information Studies' Continuing Education division works with DPI to develop and provide the four required courses for library directors. The classes are offered online to provide access to all communities throughout Wisconsin.
Music Performance Groups
- Jazz Orchestra: The UW-Madison Jazz Orchestra is a college "lab" jazz ensemble, its goal being to simulate, as closely as possible, the experience of working in a professional, commercially pertinent musical setting.
- Javanese Gamelan Ensemble:The Javanese Gamelan Ensemble is a Javanese ensemble of instruments acquired by the school from Southeast Asia. Students have an unusual opportunity to learn the music of another culture through performance. Multiple course offerings provide a variety of experiences for study, and the ensemble concerts both on and off campus have been enthusiastically received.
- Pro Arte Quartet: The Pro Arte Quartet continues to maintain an 85-year tradition of dedication to classical and contemporary string chamber music. In addition to their residency at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where duties range from formal concerts and radio broadcasts to a variety of educational activities, the quartet tours nationally and internationally, often presenting premieres of new works, many of which are written for the ensemble.
- Symphony Orchestra: Auditions for UW orchestras are held in late August and again in December and January (for available spaces).
- University Choirs: Run by the School of Music, there are a number of programs open for both the experience singer and the novice. Groups range in size from 34 to 160 members and include Choral Union, Chorale, Concert Choir, Masters Singers and more.
- University Opera: University Opera presents an annual season of two fully staged opera productions, as well as evenings of opera scenes and one-act operas. University Opera's mission is to cast students in roles, and the program features every level of singer from doctoral student to undergraduate music education major in principal and supporting roles.
- University of Wisconsin Bands: The University of Wisconsin-Madison Band Program offers a comprehensive selection of ensembles for students. Bands are actively commissioning new works from world-renowned composers and performing with internationally acclaimed soloists and guest conductors
- Wingra Woodwind Quintet: Founded in 1965, the Wingra Woodwind Quintet is ensemble-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music. Since its formation, the quintet has established a tradition of artistic and teaching excellence.
- Wisconsin Brass Quintet: Founded in 1972, the Wisconsin Brass Quintet is ensemble-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music. The brass chamber music experience of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet is nationally recognized.
Science and Research
- Current Weather and Forecasts: Administered by the Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences, current weather forecasts are available for educators. A robust collection of other weather-related resources is available including Hurricane Forecasts, Satellite Images and other observation maps.
- Institute for Chemical Education (ICE): ICE is working to create new scalable teaching and learning programs, methodologies, and communities aimed at cultivating a diverse next generation of nanoscientists and engineers. ICE produces kits and publication for students and teachers.
- Spalding Lab in the Department of Botany: The lab of Botany Professor Edgar Spalding works to bring hands-on science learning to students and classrooms in Wisconsin. The lab has participated in the UW-Madison Day at the State Fair and the Wisconsin Sciences Festival.
- Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy: The initiative brings science resources to teachers and students including hands-on demonstrations, experiments, lecture series and presentations
- Wonders of Physics: Stated in 1984, the program generates interest among people of all ages through fast-paced presentations of physics demonstrations. The traveling show has brought hands-on physics to more than 70,000.
- Universe in the Park: Universe in the Park is an extremely popular outreach program of the Department of Astronomy that introduces the general public to astronomy under dark skies in state parks through Wisconsin. The program is run during the summer camping season and includes slide shows, Q&A and opportunities for the general public view astronomical objects through telescopes.
- UW Space Place: Located on South Park Street, the UW Space Place is an outreach program of the Department of Astronomy dedicated to encouraging students teachers and the general public to learn, think and talk about space science and research.
