There are stories taking place every day and night in every yard, park, forest and field. Nature IS a story, encompassing the the victories and struggles of an endless cast of characters. In the lives of animals we have our main characters, supporting characters, setting, problems, solutions and conclusions (sound familiar?).
When creating a story and illustrations, it is important for writers and artists to attempt to know their main character as well as they know themselves. While that's a given in tales of fiction, it is often overlooked in non fiction. This program is a fun way to remedy this problem.
The children will learn how to learn about the living things in their own back yards (or schoolyard), and how to relate their keen observations with words and pictures. They will be encouraged to encompass all five senses in their story telling: Sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. This is a highly interactive workshop and the children will participate guessing games, brainstorming, and "translating" wild animal sounds. On-the-spot drawings by Himmelman will accompany the presentation.
Some areas covered:
- Choosing a way to tell/illustrate your story (non fiction, fiction based on facts, anthropomorphism)
- Incorporating story elements
- Incorporating all of your senses
- Stalking and observing animals in the wild
- Individuals' uniqueness in perception
