Nancy tailors her school appearances to meet the mix of topics that will be most useful to students and teachers. Some of the writing programs are more suitable for small groups. Nancy is available to sign books. The time and place of the book signing will be the choice of the school. These programs can be adjusted to meet the needs of the school.
All About Books: (P-K-8th)
Nancy discusses how books are made from the real-life ideas behind each book. She reads from her books and talks with students about how she came up with the idea for the story. This program is interactive with student participation in discussion and storytelling. Students learn the process of developing an idea, writing a manuscript, the roles of editors and publishers, and how books are printed. A few minutes is allowed for questions from the audience. Sessions are 45-60 minutes in length.
Paint Pictures with Words: (3rd-high school)
Writing Fiction, Personal Narrative, Essay, or Poetry: a writing program for students. Students learn the writing process by creating an idea for a story, developing the idea into a plot line/outline, writing a manuscript, and revising. Revision is stressed because good writing comes from rewriting. Sessions are 45-60 minutes in length. The program focuses on the following:
*develop an organized story with a beginning, middle and ending
*hook the reader in the beginning
*sensory descriptors to create pictures with words
*character development
*use action to move the plot forward
*precise word choice to show actions and feelings
*dialog
*literary devices
In My Book: (1st– 8th grade)
Students create a concept book based on a particular topic, such as a field trip to a zoo. The books provide an opportunity for a class project in which each student writes and illustrates one page of the book for a classroom book. Copies can be printed for each student. Another option: Some companies provide one blank book for a classroom and copies can be ordered. (Multiple sessions, per class)
Book Club Speaker:
Nancy reads passages from a variety of her books and discusses literary devices, how she developed the idea for the story, and character and plot development. In an interactivity activity, the students learn the process of how a book is made from the original idea to the finished manuscript, to input from the publisher, editor, art director, and rinter, to the finished book.
Professional Development:
A one-day instructional program for teachers. Nancy showcases the methods she uses to teach literary devices to students in a fictional short story, personal narrative, poetry, or essay. Devices such as beginning hook, story arc, character and plot development, story plotline, ending, rule of three, simile, metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, internal rhyme, and more are included.
Nancy has experience creating test items in writing for National Standards testing.