2025 - 2026 Series
Global Issues Through Literature Series: The U.S. in the World
This professional development workshop series is designed for K-12 educators seeking to deepen their understanding of global issues through literature. This year, we will explore the theme of “The U.S. in the World.” Through global and regional perspectives, we will discuss narratives of a “Global United States,” where the U.S. role in the world and its relationship with other countries and regions is informed by transnational narratives and dialogues shaped by global trends such as migration, environmental issues, human rights, and human conditions. By exploring compelling stories from diverse cultural perspectives, educators will gain insights into the complexities of this theme, its impact on individuals and communities, and how to engage students in meaningful discussions around these topics.
Each session features a carefully selected book, paired with historically contextualized presentations, interactive discussions, teaching strategies, and cross-disciplinary activities to inspire classroom implementation.
Sessions this year will take place virtually on Thursday evenings from 6:00-7:30 p.m. (ET). Three Act 48 credit hours (for PA educators) and a copy of the book are provided for each session.
Workshop Dates and Featured Books:
September 25, 2025: Lark Ascending by Silas House
A troubling tale set amid climate change and religious nationalism, where a young man loses everything and everyone multiple times as he escapes the crumbling United States for Ireland, which is not the beacon of hope he’d anticipated.
October 23, 2025: Ashes of Rose by Mary Jane Auch
Sixteen-year-old Margaret Rose Nolan, newly arrived from Ireland, finds work at New York City’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory shortly before the 1911 fire in which 146 employees died.
November 20, 2025: Between the Deep Blue Sea and Me by Lurline Wailana McGregor
Moana Kawelo, PhD, has a promising career as a museum curator in Los Angeles. The untimely death of her father—and the gravitational pull of Hawai‘i when she returns home for his funeral—causes Moana to question her motivations and her glamorous life in California.
January 22, 2026: Forty Autumns by Nina Willner
In this illuminating and deeply moving memoir, a former American military intelligence officer goes beyond traditional Cold War espionage tales to tell the true story of her family—of five women separated by the Iron Curtain for more than forty years, and their miraculous reunion after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
February 19, 2026: Messy Roots by Laura Gao
After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars—at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name. Laura’s coming-of-age is as a girl who simply wants to make the basketball team, escape Chinese school, and figure out why girls make her heart flutter.
March 19, 2026: The Last Watchman of Old Cairo by Michael David Lukas
Joseph, a literature student at Berkeley, is the son of a Jewish mother and a Muslim father. One day, a mysterious package arrives on his doorstep, pulling him into a mesmerizing adventure to uncover the centuries-old history that binds the two sides of his family. In this spellbinding novel, a young man journeys from California to Cairo to unravel centuries-old family secrets.
April 23, 2026: Grenade by Alan Gratz
Ray Majors is a newly-minted Marine from Nebraska, hitting the beach on Okinawa for his first action of World War II. He left home to get away from his father, who came back from World War I as broken, angry man. But how can Ray survive the Typhoon of Steel that is the Battle of Okinawa without becoming a monster himself?
May 14, 2026: Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle
In this poetic memoir, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells of growing up as a child of two cultures-- Cuba and the U.S.-- during the Cold War.
Program Highlights:
- Deepen your understanding of global issues and their relevance to K-12 education.
- Participate in guided literary analyses, collaborative discussions, and hands-on activity design.
- Gain access to ready-to-use resources and strategies for integrating global perspectives into the classroom.
- Network with fellow educators passionate about global issues and literature.
Who Should Attend?
K-12 educators across all subject areas who want to bring global perspectives into their classrooms while fostering critical thinking, empathy, and social awareness among their students.
Join us for an enriching journey through literature as we uncover the stories of the U.S. in the World and the global issues that are interconnected with them!
Contact: Catherine Fratto, Assistant Director for Outreach, Global Studies Center (caf166@pitt.edu)
Registration is open to all K-12 educators and administrators. Please note that we are able to fund and distribute books to registrants as funding allows. Registration will remain open after this amount is reached. Registrants will be notified if we are unable to provide them with the reading material. Register Now!