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| Animals and Habitats |
| Grades PreK-1, 20 minutes,
serves up to 25 students |
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| Following an engaging read-aloud, young children learn about the natural world through activities based on Tree Hole Homes, Shape Search, When Rain Falls, or Under the Snow. |
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| From Idea to Book:
Researching, Writing, and Revising |
| Grades K-5, 30 minutes, no limit to audience size |
| Grades 3-5, 45 minutes, no limit to audience size |
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| This popular, participatory program begins with a lively read aloud of Can an Aardvark Bark? (K-5) or Fourteen Monkeys: A Rainforest Rhyme (3-5). Then students discover the fascinating story behind the book’s creation—from choosing a topic and gathering information to a revision process riddled with rejection and, ultimately, success! Perfect for large groups or multi-age audiences. |
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| Thank Goodness for Bats! |
| Grade K-5, 40 minutes, no limit to size of audience |
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| Based on Tree Hole Homes, this highly interactive, STEM-based program focuses on a bat’s unique body features and the beneficial role bats play in ecosystems around the world. It also includes some information about the writing and book-making process. Perfect for large groups or multi-age audiences. |
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| The Secret to Choosing a Topic |
Grade 2-5, 45 minutes, serves up to 4 classrooms
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| For many students, choosing a nonfiction topic is a real struggle. In this fast-paced, illuminating session, Melissa shares how she gets ideas for her books, describes how she avoids running out of ideas, and shows students how they can modify her strategy to work in a school setting. Students should bring their writer’s notebook and a pencil. |
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| Revision Decisions |
| Grades 3-5, 45 minutes, serves up to 4 classrooms |
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| In this interactive program, Melissa pulls back the curtain on her revision process to show how much her drafts improve over time through self-editing and being open to feedback from her critique group. She also invites students to participate in an activity that highlights strategies for choosing precise language. |
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| Exploring Text Structures |
Grade 4-5, 45 minutes, serves up to 4 classrooms
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| Choosing a text structure can be one of the most challenging parts of the informational writing process. In this informative session, Melissa shares her own experiences experimenting with text structures and the lessons she’s learned over time. She also shows students how easy it can be to switch from one text structure to another by flipping sentences around. |
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| Birds of a Feather |
| Grades 3-5, 60 minutes, serves up to 6 classrooms |
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| This engaging program addresses both science and ELA standards by integrating information about the writing and book-making process with a series of activities that explore birds’ body features and the adaptations they depend on for survival. |
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| Nonfiction Writing Sprints |
| Grades 4-8, 60 minutes, serves 1 classroom |
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| In this fast-faced, engaging workshop intended for classes in the midst of a nonfiction writing project, Melissa writes with students in a series of 10-minute bursts. Following each writing period, students describe the challenges they are facing at that moment and Melissa offers suggestions. Then Melissa shares the challenges she is facing and models how she might address them. This popular program highlights how professional writers go about their work. |
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