The Animal Menagerie, written by Francine Dingeman and illustrated by Marta Maszkiewicz, is an enchanting A to Z picture book filled with captivating characters from the animal kingdom for children ages 4-8. This book is written to entertain and educate by introducing dozens of creative new words into a child's vocabulary. Children are invited to embark on a wild and whimsical journey through The Animal Menagerie! Each letter of the alphabet comes to life with vibrant illustrations and story vignettes, making early literacy development a delightful adventure. The visual imagery, engaging rhymes, and clever context comprehension of The Animal Menagerie will spark a child's curiosity and imagination as they learn new vocabulary words and animal names in a fun and unforgettable way. Twenty to thirty minute visits to grades pre-k and k include readings from select pages of the A to Z picture book and a short discussion surrounding each animal character. First to third grade presentations include a full reading of the book followed by a personal account of the writing/publishing journey with a focus on inspiring young writers and encouraging them along their individual writing paths. The opportunity to project the pages of the book as it is read, so children can view the illustrations along with the reading, allows for an optimally engaging presentation, sparking a child's interest and curiosity as each new animal character story is shared.

I am a visual fiber artist based in the Catskill Mountains who spent the last three school years as a visiting artist for 8th graders at Van Antwerp and Iroquois Middle Schools in Niskayuna working with art teachers Katherine Chwazik, Alyssa LaPatra, and Dana Sela. I visited students for two days per quarter (different groups each quarter and averaging around 75 students per day). I collaborated with the schools prior to my arrival to collect recycled fabrics from quilting fabric to second hand clothing, which were the basis of a recycled fabric collage project. My visits began with a brief power point lecture about my practice working with fibers in needlepoint, chair weaving, and fabric collage to set the stage. Each year, the teachers I worked with wanted the project to have a different focus based on the gaps they thought it could fill in the curriculum. The fabric projects were: landscapes ('21-'22), merit medals ('22-'23), and yarn/fabric abstract works based on music ('23-'24). The projects allowed students to express their individuality through choosing subjects that meant something personal to them, whether that be a landscape of their hike in the Adirondacks, or creating abstract shapes based on their love for Taylor Swift. As a fiber artist, this project does not fit neatly into the Visual Arts categories listed, and therefore I think provided kids with an unusual opportunity to explore an unorthodox medium for a public classroom setting. This project is flexible in terms of subject and I can accommodate the lesson plan for a wide age range of kids, from 6th grade to 12th grade.

The REV Theatre Company's Sequential Dramatics Program brings live professional theatre to over 180 school buildings and over 70,000 students in grades K-12. With more than 40 years of expertise, we are a pioneer and a leader in arts education. Our complete series of curriculum-based plays, classroom lessons, and creative workshops spans the school year to provide a continuum of learning across the grade levels.

The Buffalo Zoo's Education team is here to provide your students with a WILD educational experience! Whether you're looking for a virtual program that will take you inside some of our animal exhibits, a presentation to enhance your Zoo field trip, or the Zoomobile to bring the Zoo to You, we can meet your group's learning needs. There are so many topics to choose from, including unique habitats, amazing adaptations, conservation, and so much more!

Big Air BMX Show featuring some of the World's top BMX Stunt athletes who deliver an unforgettable 40-minute high-energy assembly, complete with a powerful youth message titled the "5 Secrets to Success." The message includes Anti-Drug, Motivation, Goals and Dreams, Respect Other (Anti-Bullying) and Stay in School.

Nick Tokman, “Sunshine” on Discovery Channel’s ‘Deadliest Catch,’ speaks nationally building students' self-worth so they think for themselves and make the best decisions for their future. He partners with schools to address common issues students face including peer pressure, high expectations from family and negative influences. Through storytelling and visuals, he shares with students his path prior to becoming known as ‘Sunshine’ on the hit tv show and how he dealt with struggles that many teens and tweens go through along with the mindset he developed to overcome his obstacles, mistakes and failures. After Nick’s presentation, students will leave believing in themselves to say no to peer pressure and other outside influences that get in the way of who they are and what they want to do with their lives. Having presented across the country to crowds as large as 17,000 people, students will leave remembering these lessons in an entertaining and memorable way. Nick is available both live and virtually. See Nick’s website to tour his virtual studio!

Judd Sunshine – Teaching Artist since 1985 Judd Sunshine began his career as a teaching artist with the renowned school assembly group known as The Hill Brothers. Between 1985 and 2022, The Hill Brothers performed thousands of educational concerts for students all over New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Jersey. Following the retirement of his fellow Hill Brothers and Sister Susie Hill, he continues the tradition of presenting quality, theme driven, educational, and entertaining programs as a solo performer. His 5 themed shows are comprised of songs and messages delivered with gentle humor and loads of audience participation: Anti Bully Literacy Character Ed (Respect and responsibility) Wellness (safe choices!) Americana and Erie Canal Songs Judd also offers an Erie Canal Songwriting residency as well as non themed shows just for the pure fun of it (great for the end of the school year or summer programs/camps!)

About Anna (check out my website to learn more about me and my art practice): Anna holds her BFA in Printmaking/ Education from The College of Saint Rose and her MFA in Studio Art from The State University of New York at Albany. Anna is a Professionally certified K-12 Visual Arts educator in New York State. Anna currently teaches High School but has experience teaching homeschool, elementary/middle and college level courses. -Example of Services- I'm also interested in working with YOU to create a unique lesson/ workshop/ PD As an artist and educator I'm dedicated to amplifying the importance of art in our lives. My goal is to provide an intimate insight into art making, collaboration and reflection. All workshops can be for any grade and can be tailored to what you are specifically looking for. Artist Talk/ Lecture (Workshop/ PD- Hands on or Virtual): - I share my background and artistic journey focusing on past and current artworks/ concepts. - I critique classwork and provide feedback/ insight Graduate Work Exploration (Workshop/ PD- Hands on or Virtual) -Part of my graduate work I focused on object(s) as portraits of people from my life. Through a personal excavation, I collect and repurpose intimate artifacts that have been preciously stored away. These personal relics and other mass-produced items are combined with the common house fly in portraits of significant people from throughout my life. I examined our obsessive fascinations with objects and their associations with individual people. -Students will listen/ watch a presentation of my work and then pick an object that has significance in their life- students will sketch out this object from memory and at the end we will see which object(s) reappear between students- the link that joins us all together. Printmaking (Workshop/ PD- Hands on): With my extensive background in Printmaking, Bookbinding, and Paper making I can do a variety of hands on workshops for students and staff. -Printing demos of: Relief, Intaglio, Mezzotint, Kitchen Litho, Monoprinting. -Paper Making Demo -Paper Making Workshop -Bookbinding Workshop -Zine Workshop Other: Polymer Clay Jewelry or Cane Building (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Cyanotype: what is JUNK? (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Hand Tufting (Rug Making) (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Mixed Media (Workshop/ PD- Hands on) Portfolio Building/ Critique

The Compassionate Leaders Circle (CLC) proudly offers Student Leadership Labs for K-12 students, fostering creativity, self-discovery, and meaningful connections at every stage of their educational journey. Book Lab for Elementary Schools empowers young learners to write and illustrate their own stories, which are professionally published on Amazon. This exciting experience allows students to showcase their work to friends, family, and local libraries, building confidence and pride in their achievements. Dream Lab for Middle Schools guides students to uncover their core values and collaborate in learning pods. These sessions strengthen their connection with themselves and their peers while setting actionable goals for a purposeful and rewarding transition into high school. Purpose Lab for High School and University students helps participants realign with their personal values and aspirations. Using proven methodologies, this program equips students with actionable steps to pursue a fulfilling life and realize their full potential. CLC has aligned its programs with NYSED’s initiatives, including the “Portrait of a Graduate,” to support students in achieving a successful path to graduation. Each lab is thoughtfully designed to inspire and empower students, creating lasting impacts both within and beyond the classroom.

Richard Hight is a nationally recognized artist/speaker who uses the fine arts to help his audiences create strategies for change by turning good ideas into great results. He is on a mission to help students see the possibility of their potential and create new opportunities. Addressing thousands every year, Richard’s Art of Inspiration influences his audiences to use their imagination to discover their originality and celebrate their differences. As a masterful storyteller with a down to earth, Oklahoma warmth, and humorous style, he always connects with his audiences. Richard’s presentation begins with the dramatic and exciting creation of a stunning illustration on a six-foot canvas (each school can suggest what image will best serve their students – historical figures, patriotic images, school mascots and others, etc.). Students and teachers are WOW’ed by the combination of powerful illustration, spoken word, and music that transpires in a matter of moments. The artwork Richard creates then provides the foundation for his keynote presentation and discussion.. He can customize a portion of your event to include Anti-Bullying, Character Building or reinforce the theme of your school.

We offer small group or class sized lessons on art history, including American artists Winslow Homer, George Inness, Childe Hassam, and many more. These are 45 minutes and usually include an art making activity. https://www.arkellmuseum.org/school-programs

Looking for a little less trouble at your elementary school? Then it’s time to call Les Trouble Problem Investigator! Maybe your school doesn’t have a big problem with bullying, but you’d like a little more help getting kids to get along. Les Trouble PI and his sidekick Spike will show your students the skills they need to handle little problems on the playground or in the classroom completely on their own. This Conflict Resolution School Assembly and Leadership Assembly Show is all about Safety, Responsibility and Respect, and how leaders utilize these positive behavior traits to solve problems even when they are upset or angry. Les Trouble PI guides students into discovering that getting along with each other takes Cooperation, Communication, and Treating others with Mutual respect during this conflict resolution school show. Support your PBIS program or celebrate Red Ribbon Week with Les Trouble PI. Throughout the conflict resolution school assembly show, students will learn more about the simple four-step process to solving their own problems in peer to peer conflict resolution.