School Visits
"Our students had an absolute blast, and it was clear they were totally inspired by everything Mrs. Mann shared. The paper doll/character and map-building activities were just a few highlights! Mrs. Mann kept them engaged the entire time, and the PowerPoint and materials she brought were perfect for them. She made learning fun and interactive, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience for our fifth graders." Tiffany Tillman, Garfield Elementary School Librarian
Each child purchasing a book will receive a personalized, signed copy or bookplate!
Book sales will be arranged through a local bookstore.
Book sales will be arranged through a local bookstore.
Author A-La Carte30-Minute Appetizer $75**
Classroom reading of MAMA'S CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS and discussion Half-Course Menu $375*° Choose 2 items Full-Course Menu $750*° Choose 4 items Dessert Break bread with the author during the students' lunch break. FREE with Full-Course purchase. Half- and Full-Course Menu
The Vinegar Hill Large group presentation with visual aids, slides, video clips, music from the 30s, and audience participation to learn more about the Vinegar Hill, an African American neighborhood of Charlotteville, Virginia, that thrived despite segregation. Includes a little about my writing journey, plus a Q & A. 1 hour. Suitable for grades 5-8. The Journey Large group presentation with slides to learn more about the author and why it took 12 years before MAMA'S CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS became a real-live book. 1 hour. Suitable for grades 5-8. The Club^ Choose one option Option 1: Raise a Razed Neighborhood Kids will learn how Vinegar Hill was razed in the 60s, how the author "raised" it back to life using archival maps, and will then raze piece together a map-puzzle of Vinegar Hill, adding photgraphs of buildings where they once stood. Option 2: Dumpling Math Kids will learn how to make dumplings the Southern style way--seasoned with chicken broth, rolled out flat, and cut into rectangles, followed by an activity challenging them to use math to make 20 dumplings of equal size. Option 3: Color Me Vintage After learning about the fashion styles of the 30s, kids will try on some vintage and retro accessories, followed by creating a historical fiction character by coloring a paper doll in vintage clothes. Option 4: Click On Inspiration Kids will hear how the images taken at the Holsinger Portrait Studio inspired the author. They will then choose an image of a real person from the collection for their own inspiration, after which they wil create a fictional narrative arc. 1 hour. Suitable for 1-2 classes, grades 4-8 ^The Club works best as a breakout session after kids have heard the Vinegar Hill Presentation or for those classes who have already read Mama's Chicken & Dumplings. Three teachers or teacher assistants will be required to assist. Some advance copying may also be needed. The Writers Workshop Writing workshop that engages all the senses and gets creative juices and pencils flowing. Works produced will be read aloud as time permits. The author will share what she enjoyed about the work. 1-2 hours. Suitable for grades 2-12 The Sharable Platter Students will pre-submit writing samples to be evaluated by the author. In a roundtable setting, each sample will be read aloud (anonymously) by the author. Participants will hear what the author enjoyed about the sample. Afterward, they will learn a few tricks of the trade that will improve their work. Each student will receive handwritten feedback. 1-2 hours with 10 students max, grades 5-12 |
|
|
°$50 Discount for Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, Orange County & Greene County schools
* An additional fee to cover travel, food, and lodging (if needed) will be added for schools more than 50-miles from The Tavern & Grocery located at 333 West Main Street in Charlottesville, VA, which is the building where Mr. Inge's Grocery once was. The Full-Course Menu is the only option for schools more than 100 miles away.
**The appetizer, if in-person, is only available to Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, Orange County, and Greene County public schools. It does not include a discount. Every year during World Read Aloud Day, I give away four FREE virtual appetizers! Check out my events page for details.
**The appetizer, if in-person, is only available to Charlottesville City, Albemarle County, Orange County, and Greene County public schools. It does not include a discount. Every year during World Read Aloud Day, I give away four FREE virtual appetizers! Check out my events page for details.
Teachers and librarians, have you read Mama's Chicken & Dumplings to your kiddos? Drop me a line letting me know what your students thought! To show my appreciation, I'd be delighted to do a 20-minute virtual Zoom visit with your class, for FREE! I also wanted you to know that I'm ready and willing to tweak my above offersings to make them suitable and enjoyable for kids in both younger and older grades.