programs
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- under construction!
WHERE CAN I PREVIEW THE PICTURE BOOK?
At the distributor Random House, if you plug in the ISBN at the appropriate
space: ISBN:978.1.4263.0592.4
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/
There is also information at the World Catalogue
I think at some point we will be giving away a stuffed monarch butterfly backpack beautifully embroidered with the National Geographic logo & bursting with good things!
For your projects, sources of information include these sites:
The Seminole Tribe of Florida
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
National Museum of the American Indian
Jan’s Programs
1-5th grades (Please see recommendations below for Kindergarten & younger ones.)
A REAL Seminole Indian of Courage: Betty Mae Tiger Jumper
Part One
I read from my book, She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper.
We cover the Tiger family’s forced move, Betty Mae’s connection to her outdoors world, what she learned as a child about animals, food and traditions of her people. We visit the topic of comic books! We also cover Betty Mae’s decision to return to her People and what that meant to her Family, Clan & Tribe.
I talk about the difference between writing a chapter book or novel that is fiction, and writing a book that is non-fiction, including creative non-fiction, such as She Sang Promise. We talk about research. I answer questions. If it has been booked we move onto -
Part Two
To open up the story, pre-select an ART, READER’S THEATER or WRITING component, based on the material I send you when we book my visit.
PRE-K & Kindergarten
I enjoy reading silly rhymes (which are not in She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper) to students.
If you want me to visit your youngest classes, I can come and read some rollicking books, some of them by my writing & illustrator colleague pals.
( In limited settings, such as museum & nature center preschools, if you know from your own lessons with them, that your group is ready to learn about Betty Mae Tiger Jumper’s story, we can talk about my youngest-ages presentation of She Sang Promise. )
Life-long learners & Clubs, Organizations, Civic Groups
Book Clubs/Writing Group signings
I visit and talk about the unusual path I took to writing this story.This includes why nonfiction writers never like to throw anything out. I give story starter ideas and answer questions about the writing process, including revision. Allow time for a book signing/ Q/A. I hand out a writing tip sheet.
Groups that support literacy
The book, She Sang Promise: The Story of Betty Mae Jumper is about a child from the wild heart of Florida who wanted to learn to read. But by age 13, she still hadn’t learned to do this well. This is a story that is on-topic for literacy coaches, librarians and others interested in literature.
Civic organizations
And now, the story of a REAL Seminole
How many times have your group members heard about the Seminoles, meaning students or faculty at Florida State University?
I will present the story of a real Seminole, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper. When presenting to adults I am able to cover some of the important topics of her life that are addressed obliquely, or, at a slant, in the children’s picture book. Your group operates the book sales & signing table, so the book sales benefit your group.
Also
If you aren’t ready to book me, or we’ve coordinated our calendars but the visit allows pre-research time, here are some excellent references for broader study:
Do All Indians Live in Tipis?
I find that interest in the Seminole Tribe of Florida leads people to be curious about other American Indians.
As this reference explains that tere are at least 336 federally recognized tribes in the lower states and 560, when the more than 220 Alaksa groups are included, that’s a lot of information to collect. The Smithsonian reference, Do All Indians Live in Tipis, is a great place to begin to unlearn misunderstandings. Of the approximately 30 references (plus more online resources) I’ve collected in the process of writing the Betty Mae Tiger Jumper story, this is the first one I send families and educators to, for an overview outside the Florida story relating to First Nation people.
( First Nation is the term used to represent American Indian, Indian, or Native American in the Canadian part of our North America. Ever since I learned it during a cultural visit to Montreal sites, I’ve preferred it, but it’s not what is generally the custom in the U.S. A.)
For further online study, in addition to the three websites above (Seminole Tribe of Florida, Ah-Tha-Thi-Ki Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian) be aware of the WEBRING, a collection and a linking of most of the federally recognized Tribes in the U.S.A. Management is affiliated with the Seminole Tribe of Floirda. www.indiancircle.com
