school visits

YES!  I love to do school visits for elementary age kids.

My fee for a day is $800 (plus travel costs if outside of the Twin Cities Metro).

This includes up to 3, or at most 4 presentations per day.  I prefer to present to single classes (under 30 kids) for about 45 minutes.  I am willing to speak to larger groups as well, under 90 kids. The best fit for my talk is Kindergarten-1st-2nd grade.

My program generally includes:

  • a reading of Rhoda’s Rock Hunt, Ten Beautiful Things, and/or The Big Leaf Leap
  • a book talk about writing from nature and the picture book process
  • activities related to setting and sensory language and/or looking for beautiful things in the world around us
  • and Q&A

book presentations

THE BIG LEAF LEAP

If your students are learning about trees, leaves, or seasons, we can read THE BIG LEAF LEAP together and talk about the science behind why leaves turn colors and drop in the fall. With smaller groups, we can make leaf rubbings and practice identifying tree species using leaf shapes. This book can also be used to start discussions about teamwork, problem solving, and friendship.

TEN BEAUTIFUL THINGS

If you are studying mindfulness or SEL topics/emotional regulation, Ten Beautiful Things addresses those areas (strategies for coping with change and sadness or worry). If your class is able to take a nature walk with me, and journal or sketch what we find, I can spend a longer portion of the day with you to make that possible.

RHODA’S ROCK HUNT

For small groups, I can bring along rocks and talk about how agates are formed. If your first-grade class will be studying rocks (like all first grades in Minnesota!), my Rhoda’s Rock Hunt talk is a wonderful jumping-off point for that unit!

LOON BABY

If you’d like a Loon Baby school visit or storytime, let me know. Students studying birds or our region’s wildlife/ecosystems will enjoy hearing about the process behind that book, and learning loon facts in fun and engaging ways. Please be aware that Loon Baby is out of print — it is available in ebook format, and through used books retailers.

SCHOOL SIDEKICKS

My School Sidekicks beginning readers lend themselves to book talks about being a writer, getting ideas for stories from all around you, the revision process, and more.

Contact me if I’d be a good fit for your school!