School and Library Programs

I am fully vaccinated and am scheduling virtual visits, as well as a limited number of in-person visits, in 2021-22. I'd love to visit your school. Please contact me to discuss details and fees.

If you'd like to set up a virtual or in-person visit, or simply ask a question, just contact me (click here or use the form below). I'm happy to talk with you about what you need for your students, library, or community. Together we can create a program that works for you. I'll try to get back to you as quickly as I can, usually within 1-2 business days.

“Rebecca has a real knack for making science entertaining and accessible to children.”
Fifth grade teacher, YMCA Camp Soles (Rockwood, PA)

"Thank you so much Rebecca! The kids loved meeting you and were chatting about seeds like crazy when we got off the Zoom."
Marci Johnstone, Librarian, Ponahou School (Ponahou, HI)

"Thank you for coming to our school and reading one of your books: 'When Plants Attack.' You gave good advice on how to write a book. Like that you shouldn’t give up when writing a book. When you said that you were writing a book for nine years I thought that anybody can do anything."
Giosefina, sixth grade student, Gideon Welles School (Glastonbury, CT)

For educators

Want classroom ideas, book giveaways, behind-the-book stories, and other resources? Subscribe to my quarterly newsletter and get a fun freebie: STEAM Activities Kids Will Love.

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Virtual Visits

Free Visits for World Read Aloud Day

During World Read Aloud Day (aka WRAD, held the first Wednesday in February), I offer free 15-minute online visits for classrooms in which every student has read one or more of my books and prepared questions in advance. The school library should have a copy or copies available for checkout following the event.

I have experience using Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype, and FaceTime. Contact me to ask about availability. Times are typically scheduled between 9 AM and 5 PM in the US Eastern Time Zone, although I'm willing to work with you to find a different time if you live in a distant time zone.

For schools that can't meet on the actual World Read Aloud Day, I'm willing to visit on the nearest day to WRAD that works for both of us.

In-Depth Virtual Visits

These visits are extremely affordable, ranging from $100 to $250, depending on class size and length. I offer a 30-60 minute virtual session for an in-depth experience. These are similar to in-person author visits. My goal is to get kids involved in the presentation as much as I can, and leave them inspired about science and writing. Here is what you can expect:

• I read from one of my books (you choose!)
• I share some high-interest science behind the book.
• I talk about my writing process, writing tips and tricks, and/or how a book gets published.
• I include time for a question and answer session with students.

The school library should have a copy or copies of one or more of my books available for checkout following the event.

I have experience using Zoom, Google Hangout, Skype, and FaceTime. Contact me to ask about date availability. Times are typically scheduled between 9 AM and 5 PM in the US Eastern Time Zone, although I'm willing to work with you to find a different time if you live in a distant time zone.

In-Person Author Workshops

Amazing, Active Plants
Grades preK through 2
Program length: 30 minutes

This workshop includes a reading of the picture book, Plants Can’t Sit Still, an exploration of strange-but-true ways plants can move. Students have fun dancing and wiggling like a plant. This workshop includes a discussion of how a book is published and can include a drawing activity where students draw their favorite plant in motion.

Discover the Animals of the Night
Grades preK through 5
Program length: 30-60 minutes (depending on grade level)

This workshop includes a reading of the picture book, Night Creatures. Students have fun guessing and identifying all the animals in the book, and learning about adaptations that allow animals to roam in the night. This program can include optional hands-on activities: If held dusk, when students can head outdoors to explore the night with some fun activities. If held indoors during the day, we can turn off the lights and play games that test our ability to see, hear, and smell in the dark. The workshop can also include a drawing activity where students draw their favorite night creature.

Animal Superpowers
Grades 2 through 5
Program length: 45-60 minutes

In this popular workshop, students explore the amazing abilities of animals and how they use their superpowers to find food, fight off predators, and survive in their habitat. It includes a reading from one of my books; you get to choose between Living Fossils: Survivors from Earth's Distant Past, Exploding Ants and Other Amazing Defenses, or Trapdoor Spiders and Other Amazing Predators. Students have fun getting into the action with hands-on explorations of animal superpowers.

Nature Journaling Workshop
Grades preK through 12
Program length: 40-60 minutes (depending on grade level)

Nature journaling integrates science and art and supports deeper observation, curiosity, and connection to the natural world through the development of writing, drawing, and observational skills. All artistic skill levels are welcome! I'll open my nature journals and show you how I make a record of the treasures I find. Then I'll give a quickie lesson on drawing and together we'll do an exercise to practice drawing. Then we'll head into the school yard where each student will find something interesting to observe, sketch, and write about. Focus will be on observing and creating a deeper connection to nature.

Solving an Ocean Mystery
Grades 4 through 12
Program length: 45-60 minutes

Drawing on the content of my book, Birds vs. Blades? Offshore Wind Power and the Race to Protect Seabirds, I introduce students to the mysterious world of ocean birds and to the scientists scrambling to understand them before their world is developed for wind energy. This workshop pulls students into a real-world environmental issue—making alternative energy safe for wildlife—and takes them on an adventure with a team of scientists who are trying to find answers.

Where Have All the Bees Gone?
Grades 4 through 12
Program length: 45-60 minutes

Drawing on the content of my book, Where Have All the Bees Gone? Pollinators in Crisis, I introduce students to the amazing world of bees and to the scientists scrambling to understand why they are disappearing. This presentation pulls students into a real-world environmental issue—the pollinator crisis—and shows them how scientists are trying to find answers.