Moments That Made Us: Teaching Our Sesquisemiquincentennial in 2026

Course Description

• SUMMARY: Moments That Made Us: Teaching Our Sesquinsemiquincentennial in 2026 invites DCSD teachers to step inside the stories that shaped the United States—through the very objects that witnessed history as it happened. This DCSD professional learning experience is grounded in History Colorado’s marquee exhibition, where fifty extraordinary artifacts—rarely seen together—span more than eight centuries of the American story. From Mesa Verde to Jamestown, Valley Forge to Appomattox Court House, Washington, D.C. to Ebbets Field, and even the surface of the moon, these artifacts serve as powerful entry points into the struggles, triumphs, setbacks, and resilience that define our nation. Standing face-to-face with these objects, teachers will experience history not as a timeline, but as lived human moments frozen in time. Through guided exploration of the exhibition, participants will think and work as historians—examining artifacts as primary sources, crafting compelling and supporting inquiry questions, and modeling historical investigation aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards for Social Studies. The session emphasizes inquiry practices by exploring multiple perspectives, and historical interpretation across grade levels, with direct classroom applications intentionally connected to the America 250 – Colorado 150 initiative, building instructional momentum and excitement for this once-in-a-generation commemoration in 2026.
• Lead Learner (Facilitator): Tyson Emborg
• Credit(s) and Type: 2 Hours Relicensure

Target Audience

• Certified Staff
• Open to Substitute Teachers = Yes 
• Open to Student Teachers = Yes 
• Open to Charter School Staff = Yes  
  • Charter Certified 

Meeting Information

• Date: February 13, 2026
• Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
• Location: History Colorado, Exhibit: Moments That Made Us | 1200 Broadway, Denver, 80203Links to an external site.

Course Outcomes

Here are the outcomes for the course:

• Through guided exploration of the exhibition, participants will think and work as historians—examining artifacts as primary sources, crafting compelling and supporting inquiry questions, and modeling historical investigation aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards for Social Studies.