Carol offers a variety of school and library programs for young listeners, readers, teachers, writers, and adults. (Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.)
2010 Summer Library Programs:
Featured Program: SPLASH! into New York State Water Science
In this 90-minute hands-on program, participants …
experience water with their senses;
perform an auditory rain-making activity (while learning about the importance of water to all living things);
croak with the frogs (including the wood frog, the state amphibian) while creating their own musical notation system to record the sounds of nature;
explore the physics of water by devising a musical water xylophone (to accompany the frogs);
capture a moment of water time using haiku (based on the River of Words poetry project); and
experiment with Gyotaku, the Japanese art of fish printing (with a replica of a trout, the state fish).
Other programs are also available during the summer. Please visit Performers and Programs to view other workshops.
2009 - 2010 School and Library Programs:
Featured Program:
Celebrate an important New York State milestone and make 3-D maps in “Navigate with Explorer Henry Hudson.”
This is an example of what young explorers will do in this workshop. Here, fourth-grade students of Hoosick Falls Elementary School design and create their own relief maps using salt dough.
Other Programs:
Discover the Past through the Present
The past and present merge in this workshop based on Diary of a Milt, a book Carol wrote for Milton Hershey School’s centennial celebration. In the book, a middle-grade student uncovers past history as he journals about his life in 1977-78. Adults encourage his passion for roller coasters as he explores a career as an engineer. Students examine journal-style writing and design a structure using toothpicks and marshmallows (like the book’s character).
Grow Your Green Esteem
You can make a difference. In this workshop, students discover steps their families can take to shrink their carbon footprints. With a degree in environmental engineering, Carol guides students in an engaging conversation about green living. To celebrate their green esteem, each student makes an earth card using paper-engineering (pop-up) techniques. (Shh! It’s math!)
Bravo for Biographies!
Explore biographies through “extreme writing.” This workshop helps reluctant readers and writers find the passion behind the words using Ride the Giant Waves, the story of Hawaii’s extreme surfer Garrett McNamara, and No Hands Allowed, a glimpse into professional soccer star Damarcas Beasley’s young career. Students will write using sports- and activity-related prompts.
Create Living History Books
How big does an oak tree grow? In this workshop, Carol shares a story within a story. In The Growing Story of Milton Hershey School, students observe the growth of a tree on a hill overlooking the town of Hershey. While the tree grows, so does the community, park, chocolate factory, and a special school. Students use the book as a starting point to write their own growing stories, where they parallel the growth of a plant with the history of their community, school, or family.
All programs:
· Include a signed copy of the appropriate book for the school or public library. · Are offered as general assemblies or classroom workshops to meet specific needs. · Are available as in-service, teach the teacher, and family programs. · Can include a morning or afternoon “teacher tea” to meet the author. · Are offered as half-day and full-day programs with a multiple day discount. · Can be part of an in-school (or in-library) or virtual author in residence program. · Can be adapted for any age/grade and for special-needs participants.
Click here to view Carol’s complete listing of programs.
The Virtual Author Program
Using Web-based technology to connect Carol with young writers, the author spends time in the virtual classroom mentoring young creative souls (and their teachers, too!). A computer in the classroom (or library), an Internet connection, and a Web camera are required. This is an outstanding program for remote schools that have limited author visits due to location and/or weather.
