TEACHING ARTIST SESSION CATEGORIES
Need to support phonics-based classroom goals? Want to engage students through movement, music, storytelling, and interactive arts?
In this session specially tailored for grades PK-3, students will practice early CKLA sounds, letter names, and phonemic recognition through creative movement. Rhythm activities, collaboration games, and storytelling exercises are all a part of this immersive and interactive experience for young language learners. Available in English & Spanish.
Learning English as a second language and body movement come together in this session where participants go beyond everyday language acquisition. Students will increase vocabulary, strengthen English speaking and listening skills, and practice following directions through rhythm exercises, musical activities, games, and more. Bilingual reinforcement will be provided as needed, but movement and creative interactions will power the learning in a welcoming, supportive environment. Available in English & Spanish.
Where, you may ask, do songs come from? In the session “Expression Through Songwriting,” students will learn about the creative process that goes behind writing a song. They will hear examples based on the personal experiences of a songwriter, and will be guided to find their own inspiration. Then, students will work together to create a song. This flexible session can be adapted for certain holidays, so chat with the artist about options after booking!
Each student will receive two adjectives and a noun, randomly pulled from a hat. We will discuss the difference between adjectives and nouns, then the students will then be encouraged to create an illustration or write a story inspired by the creative combination of words, building their imagination and sense of humor.
Students go from sketch to wall in just three sessions! Working as a team, they’ll develop a concept inspired by poetry, writing, or events (chat with the artist about options after booking) then scale it up using math, grids, and safe equipment. This session includes color theory, prep, and paint techniques. And lucky for you, we have options – the murals can be permanent or temporary!
Short-Term Residency option:
Day 1: The students will do a “doodle” warm up and icebreaker activity. The class collaborates on the theme, and an official sketch is made for the mural. Finally, we have a discussion about safety when making art.
Day 2: The finished design is sketched onto the wall, and the surface is prepped. The mural is transferred and painted by the students!
Day 3: The students spend this final day completing the mural, and have a group discussion to close out the session.
We have all heard the term “self-love.” But have we ever explored what it really means? Or used a poetic structure to commit it to paper? This session offers an opportunity for both! Students will engage in a guided discussion on what self-love means and why it is important. Then, they will complete a writing exercise focused on using couplets to create self-motivation poems. It’s self-care meets rhyme meets SEL fusion! This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.
The theme: tolerance. The artistic medium: a class poetry album. In this workshop designed to encourage students to be creative and work together on a common goal, classes will engage in creative writing, discussions on tolerance, and have a brief audio recording workshop. The class will write and record a final Poetry Album. This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.
Day 1: Students will separate into groups and select “beats” from a given list to write and record to. Students will begin the writing process.
Day 2: Students will finish writing their poems/songs. We will begin recording students’ creations.
Day 3: Students will finish recording. We will finish class by listening to what the class has collectively created.
Aren’t all words “spoken”? So what is “spoken word poetry” and how does it differ? Students in this session will internalize that! They will be introduced to spoken word poetry through discussion, spoken word videos, and live performance. Question & answer time will be given after the performance, so students can free their minds and let the questions follow. This artist is only available on Fridays, so chat with them about availability after booking.
Unlock your students’ imaginations by merging creative writing and expressive movement in this dynamic, cross-disciplinary class. Using Rudolf Laban’s Effort Qualities as a springboard, students will explore how characters feel, move, and act—then bring them to life on the page and in their bodies. Students will experiment with eight distinct movement energies (e.g., strong vs. light, direct vs. indirect), then use those physical sensations to develop original characters. Through guided writing activities, they’ll create stories, monologues, or sketches that reflect their characters’ unique ways of moving and thinking. Along the way, they’ll build empathy, deepen their understanding of emotional expression, and connect movement to storytelling and social-emotional learning. This lesson is perfect for integrating dance, drama, and literacy; look forward to a class that supports kinesthetic learners, inspires creativity, and encourages a deeper connection between body, mind, and story.
This workshop introduces students to the art of competitive slam poetry, where the point is not the points… It’s the words.
Days 1 & 2: Students will be presented with examples of slam-appropriate performance poems, given prompts, and will work on their own creations. Chances to rehearse or get feedback will be included.
Day 3: It’s slam time! Students will be scored by their teachers or peers based on their performance and poem. Win or lose, the students take the poems, the memories, and the skill with them!