Inside a Poet's Mind -- Writer's Workshop*
30 students max. 3rd grade and up. 60 minutes.
Students get a peek inside a poet's mind as I share poems from my books,
discuss the various places a poet finds inspiration, and introduce several poetic
forms. Next, I use PowerPoint slides to model a process for writing a poem.
Then, I encourage students to use this same process to write a poem on
their own as I circulate, providing feedback and support. Most students will
have time to finish brainstorming and begin a rough draft of their poem. Finally,
I give examples of the way a poet may revise her work -- emphasizing
concepts such as word choice, line breaks, action verbs, and punctuation.
Student volunteers are invited to share their work aloud. The main objective
of this workshop is for students to gain a greater appreciation for and
understanding of poetry.
Where Do Chicks Come From? Program and "Eggs-periments"*
40 students max. K through 3rd. 45 minutes.
Where Do Chicks Come From? is part of the well-respected Let's-Read-and-
Find-Out Science series. In this book, I explain what happens inside an egg
from fertilization through hatching. Using visuals, including PowerPoint slides
and original art, I outline the various stages of writing this nonfiction book --
research, revisions, artist's sketches, etc. I also present "10 Surprising Facts
about Chickens" in an interactive true/false format.
The second part of the program consists of several hands-on eggs-experiments
exploring the properties of eggs, such as identifying the inside parts of an egg,
testing the strength of the shell, and learning about its shape. Scientific
method terms, such as hypothesis, prediction, and experiment are introduced.
Student questions about writing or eggs are encouraged.
PROPS
I will bring my laptop (and PowerPoint slides) with me. What I will need from the school/library are the following:
projector (and a perhaps bit of help connecting my laptop)
large screen or wall
semi-darkened room
microphone (of any sort) for large group programs
bottle of water
lunch (for full-day visits)
BOOK ORDERS
There are two options for pre-ordering my books. The easiest is ordering through a local bookstore. I would be happy to help you find one in your area if you do not already have a favorite. Sometimes bookstores offer a small discount off of list price for school visit purchases. The other option is ordering directly from my three publishers. The publishers give schools about a 40% discount off list price in conjunction with an author visit. Some schools choose to pass the full discount on to students while others use part or all of the difference as a fundraiser. I will happily provide you with the contact information for my publishers. For either option, I have created a book order form that you are welcome to customize and send home to parents.
I will always autograph books. A quiet place is best for signing, e.g., a corner of the library, the teacher's lounge. I am happy to personalize my autograph if notes are affixed to books; otherwise, I will sign them with a general autograph.
References are provided, upon request.
If you'd like to schedule an Author Visit, please e-mail me at sklanskys@att.net.
I am committed to making each Author Visit a success!
