•  BEAVER BODIES: Amazing Animal Adaptations 
  – Elementary Program (Grades 2-6)
  Fiona starts the session with an overview of what she does as a science writer and how the publishing process works.  This includes topics such as how she got started, where ideas come from, working with editors, the steps and how long they take, showing manuscripts, research files, galleys, printing press sheets, etc. Then Fiona uses a variety of props and visual aids to demonstrate how she creates "pictures" in her readers' heads. It's particularly fun if the teacher is game to wear the collection of beaver adaptation items Fiona brings with her, starting with swim fins and goggles...what a sight!  Fiona also brings beaver-chewed sticks and logs, and her friend "George", a taxidermied beaver, so students can see what each adaptation looks like on a real animal.  Length: 45 to 60 minutes, including time for questions.   
  

• BRIGHT LIGHTS: From Idea to Magazine Article - Intermediate Program (Grades 4-7)
  Fiona will take students through the research, writing, and publishing process, from finding and refining an idea to the published magazine article. She will read excerpts from her writing, discuss how she structures articles, and share funny stories about scientists she has interviewed.  Students will see real galleys and research files, and create 'northern lights' from simple materials to demonstrate the role that models can play in explaining new concepts.  Length: 45 to 60 minutes, including time for questions.   

• COOKIES & PINECONES, oh my! - Primary Program (K-3)
  Fiona starts the session with a brief overview of what she does as a writer and how the publishing process works.  She brings examples of what a story goes through to become a book--- from manuscripts and galleys to the large printed sheets that are folded and cut into bound books.  Surprise and excitement erupt when students set their eyes on the items Fiona uses to demonstrate simple word choice concepts such as "as big as" and vivid "going words" (verbs about motion). Fiona will wrap up the presentation by getting the kids to help her as she interactively reads one of her stories. Length: About 30 minutes, including time for questions.  
  

-- To foster interactivity, Fiona prefers to meet with smaller groups---one or two classes at a time (maximum 50 students). 

-- Fiona will do up to three one-hour presentations a day (or two one-hour sessions and two half-hour sessions).  
-- Week-long writer-in-residence visits are also available, where Fiona will work on premises, meet with selected individual students about their writing, and do additional informal mini-presentations and readings in addition to the regularly scheduled three one-hour presentations/workshops per day. Formal presentations are custom designed to suit each class and the number of sessions Fiona spends with them.  

Contact Information

Please email for further information about presentations and fees. 

Email:  fiona @ fionabayrock.com    (remove spaces)

Thank you for your interest!