Additional information about school visits for teachers, librarians, principals:
PROGRAM LENGTH
My presentations are usually 45-60 minutes long. If needed, I can make them shorter, but I always like as much time as possible. I appreciate a minimum of 15 minutes between presentations.
AUDIENCE SIZE
I present to groups of any size. So far, my audiences have ranged in size from four (for a personalized writing workshop) to approximately 300+.
AUDIENCE AGE(S)
I present to groups of any age(s), from toddlers to adults, including groups of mixed ages. The majority of my presentations have been to elementary school children and mixed audiences (at family nights, etc.)
AUDIOVISUAL/SET-UP NEEDS (for my most popular programs)
Children's Theater
2 tables, 9 chairs, overhead projector/screen, HANDHELD microphone (it's partly for the children, not just for me)
From Writer to Reader: How a Book is Made
2 tables, overhead projector/screen, microphone
Shaping a Story
overhead projector/screen, 2 flipcharts, various colored markers, transparencies, Sharpies for transparencies, microphone, table
Storytelling Plus
overhead projector/screen, microphone
ADVANCE READING of The Impudent Rooster
Please read The Impudent Rooster to your group before my visit. Although my programs can be enjoyed cold, advance preparation increases audience enjoyment exponentially.
BOOK SALES
I can provide copies of The Impudent Rooster for sale (advance notice required) or you may make your own arrangements for book sales. Either way, I am glad to autograph all Impudent Roosters!
GOODIES
Schools booking me for a full day (up to 4 presentations) receive a complementary autographed copy of The Impudent Rooster. A coloring sheet and a book mark sheet with The Impudent Rooster are provided in advance of all bookings and may be photocopied for distribution.
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Some possible activities before a school visit are listed below. I got these ideas at various schools I visited. Please send me your favorite activity at solasabina@hotmail.com!
-have a poster with a countdown to the day of the author visit
-on the countdown poster, post questions about the book or author, with the answer supplied a day or two later
-make roosters by tracing one's hand: the thumb is the rooster's head, the four fingers are its feathers; add feet, color, and crow Cucurigu!
-make a bulletin board with words from The Impudent Rooster
-make vocabulary lists with words from The Impudent Rooster; this can be a shared activity between 1st and 4th graders, for example
-have children retell the story of The Impudent Rooster with stick puppets with the characters/events from the story
-have children make up additional troubles/destinations for the rooster (one school sent the Impudent Rooster into space!)
-learn about Romania from books and/or the Internet
-and, of course, read The Impudent Rooster to all children
Thank you for all the advance preparation. Events such as these can help the children become more excited and knowledgeable, and so have a more memorable author visit.
