DINOSAURS ROCK, celebrating 25 years, offers 4 science-themed events - DINOSAURS ROCK, GEMS ROCK, OCEANS & SHARKS ROCK and INSECTS ROCK - Each includes an expansive Museum Exhibit, highly interactive and entertaining Assembly Show with lots of audience volunteers, accompanying keynote video and hands-on activity such as a dig where each student takes home real fossil, mineral or seashell matching the theme. DINOSAURS ROCK: Topics include dinosaur anatomy, fossil formation, adaptation.. with a 20+ piece exhibit including a 5-ft wide t-rex skull, 6-ft allosaurus leg, dinosaur egg & footprint (students can touch!) and many more specimens. Hands-on options include a fossil dig, excavation, geode-opening, amber discovery, fossil shark tooth necklace-making, trilobite excavation... OCEANS & SHARKS ROCK: Museum Exhibit - specimens include taxidermy shark & stingray (students touch!), giant crab plaques, oversized sponge, shells, jellyfish - note: no live creatures. Show covers fascinating sea creatures and "Earth Day, "anti pollution, environmental message about saving our oceans. Hands-on seashell/sea fossil dig plus other options like shark tooth necklace-making and excavations. GEMS ROCK: Earth science-based program focusing on the critical uses of rocks & Minerals in our everyday lives, how the earth and rocks were formed and more, with a museum exhibit of genuine minerals such as amethyst, quartz, geodes, etc. - hand-on activities include panning for take-home gemstones with other options including excavations, geode opening, gemstone mining with our 25-ft rushing water sluice! INSECTS ROCK: Museum Exhibit of awesome taxidermy insects behind acrylic/glass of a variety of cool insects (no live creatures) with show topics including metamorphosis, insect anatomy, how a fly flies and more. Age appropriate for PreK-high school; we modify the program based on grades. The opportunity to see museum quality exhibits up-close, be active participants in our shows and take home real specimens with our hands-on experiential approach make each of these a highly memorable and unique event. Ask about our Museum Shop for discounted rates.

Built on the historic footprint of the terminus of the Erie Canal, Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum sits at the crossroads between canals and bridges that have become year-round community destinations on the city’s waterfront at Canalside. This totally unique location makes it the perfect place to learn about the region’s roots as an innovative port at the turn of the century, while using hands-on play to spark the imagination of the next generation of great minds. Now serving children birth-12 years of age, we have expanded our footprint as we also expand our reach. Our seven educational play zones offer hands-on exhibits that tell the unique story of Buffalo and what makes us proud to be from Western New York. The zones reveal stories of our region’s history, geography, culture, agriculture, architecture, athletics, commerce and innovation through exhibits that celebrate the power and benefits of play. Explore & More is the perfect place to learn about the region’s past roots with child-led and family friendly play that helps develop the whole child. These exhibits are located on the second, third and fourth floors. Explore & More Children’s Museum is very excited to welcome everyone to our new home at Canalside. To help make your visit as enjoyable and engaging as possible, we have developed customized visual, social, communicative, sensory, and behavioral supports. You will find these supports throughout the museum – from our sensory backpacks and call-ahead accommodations, to our sensory-friendly rooms. We would love to have you visit!

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!

Day in Clay is a diverse, multicultural ceramic art program for K–12, including professional development and disabilities. The programs are conducted virtually and in school. Overview Headquartered in Tomkins Cove, NY, Day in Clay was founded by Cliff Mendelson in 1988. Day in Clay provides a multicultural ceramic artist in residence programs for K–12 in over 400 schools and districts. It offers both virtual and on-site assemblies and classroom interactive programs with diverse culturally inspired hands-on/demonstrations in clay. Students get a real taste of the creative process and how design, form, and function relate across disciplines and cultures. Students create and explore African, Asian, Latin/ Native American, and Greek cultures through programs like vessel making, tile making, mask making and multicultural potter's wheel, all custom-tailored for their curriculum. Students work directly with clay, learning advanced techniques and understanding how each culture tells their unique story through 3D art, and discover the relationship between art and society. In the class, students become involved in working with clay while learning advanced techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. They explore the relationship between art, science, and society. Students also use historical techniques to create, decorate, and design vessels using culturally specific patterns, symbols, and imagery. Day in Clay invites an artist to demonstrate various aspects of different programs, how they connect to the history of ceramics, and show the interrelation of ceramics in cultures worldwide. Staff development provides arts faculty with the techniques, cultural history, and hands-on problem-solving, ready-to-go lesson plans to bring clay into the classroom. Staff learn to use cultural connections as a way to connect students to their own work. The training mirrors Mendelson's college-level teaching, where engagement and sharing expertise are paramount. Lessons are tied into Native American, Asian, African, Latin American, and Greek cultures. Mendelson provides advanced hand-building techniques and the science behind glazing, painting, and firing. Staff development is custom-tailored to meet the needs of a school’s faculty. The best way to problem-solve with students is a hands-on approach and learning the limits of the materials to advance their success. A lively Q&A is always encouraged!

Ten80 offers high-energy programs that use dynamic technology and hands-on experiences to inspire students about careers, STEM pathways, the trades, and leadership skills. The most popular program engages a large audience in team-based challenges and culminates in a race using scale-model electric vehicles. Other options include classroom workshops, afterschool explorations, and professional development. All Ten80 programs include the "Ten80 T-Square" pillars of Tech (such as drones, autonomous vehicles, and renewable energies), Tools (from measuring tapes to spreadsheets to digital calipers!), Teamwork, and Tenacity. Ten80 has delivered programs all over the U.S and in China, and specializes in creating the “aha” moments that break down barriers so that every student can imagine a wider range of future opportunities.

In "Fact or Fiction" performers tell stories through dance. Are they true? The audience decides! The show is a ton of fun, with an electrifying cast and a ton of heart! Audiences laugh, maybe cry, and definitely have something to talk about after the show. We bring the auction paddles for voting; you bring the students! This show has inspired multiple offshoot projects amongst students and teachers.

Doug Berky has been creating and evolving his own brand of physical theater for over thirty years. His performances weave together classic theatre forms of mime, mask theatre, circus arts, physical comedy and storytelling.  Doug is also known internationally for his mask construction. He designs and constructs the masks for his own performances as well as creates all of the sets, choreography, scripts and many of the costumes. Doug tours two family and school shows.  "No Show” and "Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories”.  - Curriculum Areas:  world cultures and traditions; folklore, literature, visual arts, physical fitness, communication - Weblink:  http://loydartists.com/roster/f/c/47 AND https://www.dougberkytheatre.com TEACHING PERFORMANCES "Gems: The World's Wisdom Stories" -  Pre K - 6th & Family - Video Link: https://youtu.be/iuvgqz6m72M - Study Guide - in addition to the study guide for "No Show" : http://loydartists.com/images/resources/DougBerkysGemsSG.pdf Doug Berky uses classic styles of storytelling from many cultures including masks, mime, puppetry and the power of a good story to introduce this collection of wisdom stories from around the world. All people seek to understand the world, to live in peace, to deal justly with one another.  These stories of hope, peace, freedom and justice will inspire while introducing students to literature from other cultures including Greece, India, Native America, and tales from Europe and South America. Doug has three versions of this production for the different age groups including a preschool version to help introduce young students to masks and stories. "No Show" -  K-College and Family - Video Link:  https://youtu.be/qOtjtqvLUAA - Study Guide:  http://loydartists.com/images/resources/MainStudyGuide.pdf A performance has been scheduled, but the actor fails to show. Or does he?  What will happen when a lone spectator finds himself unwittingly on stage?  Doug is transformed into several characters ranging from a gorilla to a ballerina as he explores the props and masks on stage. Students experience a variety of theatre forms: mime, mask theater, circus arts, and storytelling. The performance pieces vary in length, characters, and subject depending on the age of the audience. RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS - Doug has specifically designed residencies of one day to three weeks for elementary to college students and for theater students and professionals including: Mask Making • Mask Theater Technique • Mime • Physical Theater and Comedy • Commedia Del Arte Workshops in communications, movement, cooperation, healing & humor are available for elementary students to adults. Community workshops are also available. ? STUDENT WORKSHOP: "Exploring Communication and Cooperation with Mask and Physical Theatre" - Doug conducts versions of this 45-60 minute interactive workshop for elementary to high school students. Students learn and practice skills in better cooperation and communication by exploring how we "talk to each other through body language." Students engage in movement and character development and experience mask theater and mime. Younger elementary students will participate in physical theater games that encourage cooperation, following directions, communication, and movement. Older elementary, middle and high school school students explore more subtle movements and communication through techniques from mask theater and mime.? STUDENT RESIDENCY: "Give It A Facelift: Unmasking Literature With Mask Theatre" - Five-day residency for elementary and middle school students. Imaginative literature (stories, folktales, myths), its context and content, can be creatively opened to students using the theatre disciplines of mask, mime, and storytelling. Each class will select an international folktale, myth, or story. After learning about the culture, context, story, and characters, the students will create their own presentation of their selection using these theatre arts. Theatre and mask artist Doug Berky will guide students in this creative process. TEACHER WORKSHOP: "Building Concentration and Creativity Through Mask Theater" - This movement workshop uses Creative Dramatics to teach skills in observation, creativity, improvisation, cooperation, and concentration. Doug uses mask theater techniques and a collection of masks within this workshop to teach both the art form and demonstrate how masks can be used to teach these skills. Teachers will receive instruction and simple templates they can use to make masks with students.

We offer professional quality live musical theater productions featuring local talent and full live orchestras as well as straight plays, with a focus on works that are typically on required reading lists for area high school students.

I am a children's book author with long experience visiting schools around the country, from California to South Carolina, Texas to Illinois. I am especially happy to visit ANYWHERE in New York State, from Long Island to the North Country and everywhere in between. I've published a range of books from PreK to Young Adult, and I'm still actively publishing today. I love visiting schools and I'm grateful to meet and try to inspire young readers and writers.

Project MOVE is charged with the mission of nurturing the leaders of tomorrow, while bringing communities together through the arts. Our pedagogy is taught through an SEL and Culturally Responsive and Sustainable lens. Our workshops are interactive, collaborative and involve the community learning and performing together, no matter the physical or intellectual ability.

Hello, As an author, illustrator, designer, and publisher, I have a lot of jobs. But beyond all of those, the best part of my career is getting the opportunity to share what I know and inspire students of all ages to create books of their own. From kindergarteners to high schoolers, I love visiting schools to help get children excited about reading, writing and drawing. Plus, I also bring a giant wooden crate with a monster in it. :)

LEVI’S RELIC - Educational Touring Show SYNOPSIS When a fairy named Levi crushes his wing trying to help his friends, he loses his ability to control the wind and fly. Determined to get his powers back, he embarks on a journey in search of a quick fix. Instead, it puts everything he loves in grave danger. This powerful story teaches children the dangers of looking to substances to feel whole, and how to help your family and friends get help if they are struggling – by believing in your community and believing in yourself. With support provided by Onondaga County, Redhouse is thrilled to be workshopping an original play with songs for elementary-aged children, with supplemental resources/activities for students, that teaches about Opioid Abuse in a developmentally appropriate way. We are launching our pilot tour for free all over Onondaga County starting in January, 2024 and running through May, 2024. As part of the tour, educators and families will also be provided a list of resources for anyone they may know who may be struggling on where to receive assistance (in collaboration with the Drug Prevention Network).