Programs

STAR STUFF: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos

Have you ever looked up at the stars and wondered, "What are they?". A young boy named Carl Sagan asked this question and his curiosity lead him to become an astronomer who sent robots up into space to explore the cosmos. Join me to learn more about our place in the space and how being curious can lead to adventure and scientific discovery. STAR…

Stephanie Roth Sisson

45 Minute Program

$140

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A PLACE FOR PLUTO: Finding Your Place in the Universe

Calling all space fans! Join Author Stef Wade for an out-of-this-world exploration of space and everyone's favorite dwarf planet, Pluto! You will enjoy a reading of Stef's award-winning A PLACE FOR PLUTO, as well as discover more about planets, the solar system, and following your dreams!

Stef Wade

30 Minute Program

$200

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The Number Pi, Revolution, and the Power of Math to Change the World

Learn some of the mathematics behind the fascinating number pi (the key to unlocking the secrets of the circle and for that matter many far-flung secrets of the universe). And explore, too, some of the history of this elusive number, which will take you into the life of Archimedes and also, centuries later, the life of his spiritual brother, Jurij…

Amy Alznauer

30 Minute Program

$99

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The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity Author Visit + Inspiring Math Activities for All Ages

Hear the author's story behind The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity (which involves a little girl, an adventure, and the discovery of a lost notebook!). Look inside the book. And explore some inspiring math activities (for all ages) rooted in traditional geometry and games of India.

Amy Alznauer

45 Minute Program

$129

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School Visit: ROBOTS & DRONES!

This fun STEM/STEAM presentation begins with an overview of modern robots and helpful drones and the books Shanda was inspired to make because of them! She’ll read aloud one of her books, Doll-E 1.0 or T-Bone the Drone (depending on the grade level) and then demonstrate how to draw (step-by-step) one of the robotic characters. Lastly, she’ll answer…

Shanda McCloskey

45 Minute Program

$300

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HEAR THE WIND BLOW: LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF AIR IN MOTION!

Let’s find out how to watch the wind and predict an oncoming storm! Join author Doe Boyle for a poetic exploration of the ways that visible physical signs can help us "see" the wind--the invisible force of air on the move! This workshop introduces wind science and the Beaufort Wind Force Scale of wind velocity to up to 10 attendees.

Doe Boyle

45 Minute Program

$175

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"Baby Loves" Storytime with Ruth Spiro!

Soar, sing and flap your wings - It's storytime and STEM fun for the littlest listeners! Ruth will read from a variety of her beloved board books, mixed with songs, rhymes and simple games.

Ruth Spiro

30 Minute Program

$129

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Maker Challenge with "Made by Maxine"

Author Ruth Spiro reads her STEM-themed picture book "Made by Maxine," then leads a creative Maker Challenge using items you already have on-hand.

Ruth Spiro

45 Minute Program

$200

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STEM Pioneer Shows Us The Light!

Tesla was a dreamy kid when he had his first big idea and when he moved to America, his dreams and his new engineering ideas sailed with him. Tesla's bright ideas about electricity still bring light to our homes at night. Learn about Tesla and the battles he had to fight to do just that and watch how electricity is created right in front of you.

Tracy Dockray

45 Minute Program

$175

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SAVE THE PLANET

The average person in the United States makes 1,642 pounds of garbage each year! But, did you know that much of that trash doesn't need to end up in the landfill? There are many things we can use again. Or we can use less. Or we can recycle... Let's talk about what we can all do to help our planet.

Mary Boone

30 Minute Program

$112

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Your Body, Sick and Well: How Do You Know?

Your Body, Sick and Well: How Do You Know?!? In this program, which has been a favorite in school and library settings, we will read a few fun, rhyming poems about the body - its parts (anatomy), what goes wrong with them (pathology), and how we doctors figure all that out, and then talk about those topics, and answer questions.

Steven Cunningham

30 Minute Program

$105

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INSPIRED BY NATURE

Where do inventors get some of their best ideas? They look outside. From kingfishers to trains and orcas to submarines, many inventions come from studying nature. It's a process called biomimicry.

Mary Boone

30 Minute Program

$112

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BUGS FOR BREAKFAST

More than 2 billion people around the world eat insects on a regular basis. It's a practice called entomophagy. This program may not completely remove the yuck-factor from the notion of eating bugs, but it will open young readers’ minds to what is happening in the world around them and how eating insects could help save the planet.

Mary Boone

45 Minute Program

$160

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Peter Pattern Teaches Children to Recognize and Mimic Pattern

Peter Pattern takes children on a pattern seeking adventure finding threads that repeat in fabrics, notes that repeat in music, petals that repeat on flowers and numbers that ascend or descend in regular integrals: See that set of numbers shrinking in a way that gets you thinking—could there be a rule behind it? Is it there and can you find…

M. W. Penn

45 Minute Program

$160

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Get to Know Your Earthworm!

Bring an earthworm to your visit and learn all about your new friend! Together, we'll do some simple (and worm-safe) science experiments that will let us "dig in" to the science of earthworms. After the program, you can keep your worm overnight or return it to nature.

Jodi Wheeler-Toppen

45 Minute Program

$129

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True or False: Animal Fact Fun-xplosion!

Q: True or False: The world's largest animal could fit three motorcycles on its jaw. A: Your animal lover will tell you the answer once they participate in our highly engaging, super silly, and very factual 30-minute visit.

Gabrielle Balkan

30 Minute Program

$100

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CALLING ALL NATURALISTS! WRITING ON THE PROWL AND ON PAPER

Let's get outside--and let's bring the outdoors indoors! In this program with author Doe Boyle, we’ll focus on natural science by applying focused attention to natural objects in our personal collections. We'll record our observations and share our discoveries in this group workshop for up to 10 attendees.

Doe Boyle

45 Minute Program

$175

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That’s not a Beagle, a Silly Study of Attributes

The story of a neighborly extraterrestrial visitor in a search of a little boy’s lost beagle leads us to study attributes and grouping into sets. Because attributes are the characteristics that define everything, as the helpful alien learns what attributes make a beagle a beagle, children also learn to describe what a beagle is, what it is not, and…

M. W. Penn

45 Minute Program

$180

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Solve This!

Engineers are the champions of problem-solving. You can be a champion, too! Expect to tackle kid-friendly engineering challenges and find out what engineers and authors have in common. Bring a paper, pencil, and eraser to this STEM-friendly get-together.

Joan Marie Galat

30 Minute Program

$149

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Dot to Dot in the Sky

Find out how to locate the North Star, spot constellations, and tell the difference between a star and planet. Discover the stories that connect us to the night sky, as we explore the wonders of the universe.

Joan Marie Galat

45 Minute Program

$249

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Dark Matters – Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution

Discover the amazing night life of turtles, bats, birds, and other species. Learn how animals and their ecosystems are negatively impacted by light—much of which is so unnecessary.

Joan Marie Galat

30 Minute Program

$149

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Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy: Pro tips for Creating New Worlds

Explore how to write amazing science fiction and fantasy stories! Bring paper and pen/pencil, and come prepared to write. By the end of the program, you'll have great story ideas, and techniques that you can apply to your writing for years to come.

Todd Mitchell

45 Minute Program

$149

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My Day in Space or on the Moon!

From Classroom Teacher to Author, & Illustrator, I come to embrace imagination through storytelling. “Embracing imagination" is the name of the game for young writers. Diann shares an overview of the Moonlings in Tycho Town, characters and pets. Diann shows actual objects you might see while traveling to the moon.

Diann Floyd Boehm

30 Minute Program

$99

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Food for Thought

What we eat affects not only our bodies, but the whole world. "Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought" explores how, by changing our diets, we can help our Earth. What's on the menu? How about a tasty weed, invasive species, or a well-prepared insect?

Christy Mihaly

30 Minute Program

$99

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Wild Card Q&A!

Ask Sofiya whatever burning questions you can come up with!

Sofiya Pasternack

30 Minute Program

$99

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All Writing Is Good Writing!

What ways can writing fiction help you with writing for school, for work, and beyond? Um IN EVERY WAY! Learn about how your brain can't tell the difference between dragons and dissertations!

Sofiya Pasternack

45 Minute Program

$129

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Inspire Little Scientists to Dream Big

Cozy up with award-winning author and educator Michelle Schaub and explore different scientists and the tools they use with her bedtime STEM book, DREAM BIG LITTLE SCIENTIST.

Michelle Schaub

30 Minute Program

$99

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Is Happiness a Choice?

For anyone who loves Science Fiction and Dystopian themes! Can you control your own happiness? What would happen if someone else demanded it? This connects to my novel, Rising Up.

Tanya Ross

45 Minute Program

$140

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Nuts About Science: Inspiration, Investigation, Imagination

While Michelle Houts was writing the STEM-based chapter book series LUCY'S LAB, something hit her like an acorn falling from an oak tree: Writers and scientists use the same process! They both need ideas (inspiration), they have to do their research (investigation) and from there, the sky's the limit (imagination). Get ready for some…

Michelle Houts

45 Minute Program

$200

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Meet the Author, Hear the Story, Draw the DRONE!

Meet author-illustrator, Shanda McCloskey! First, she'll read T-Bone the Drone, then teach you (step-by-step) how to draw the DRONE from the story! Shanda also loves conversation and questions.

Shanda McCloskey

30 Minute Program

$150

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Meet the Author, Hear the Story, Draw the ROBOT!

Meet author-illustrator, Shanda McCloskey! First, she'll read Doll-E 1.0, then teach you (step-by-step) how to draw the ROBOT from the story! Shanda also loves conversation and questions.

Shanda McCloskey

30 Minute Program

$150

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FROM STEM TO STEAM TO STREAM!

Add the "A" for Art (Dance) and the "R" for Reading to playfully explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subjects. Connie will create a fun and enriching learning experience tailored to your child's STEM interest. We will explore a STEM topic of your choice from Connie's book ONE, TWO, WHAT CAN I DO? DANCE AND MUSIC FOR THE WHOLE…

Connie Bergstein Dow

30 Minute Program

$99

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The Water Cycle and Never Giving Up

What do the water cycle and persistence have in common? Find out in this interactive program which includes a read aloud of THE RAINDROP WHO COULDN'T FALL, fun facts about the water cycle, and a discussion about persistence and how to ask for help when we need it.

Kirsti Call

30 Minute Program

$99

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Science and creativity

Learn to weave scientific facts into your fiction in this hands-on writing and plotting adventure. Science writer and children’s author Cristy Burne shares her contagious passion for science and technology in this fast and funny creative writing workshop.

Cristy Burne

45 Minute Program

$350

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Technology and STEM: HOW do you want to live when you grow up?

Ask yourself HOW you want to live while you grow up, not the old “WHAT do you want TO BE." Kids are being driven toward robot competitions and 'learning to code' when there are myriad careers available in tech beyond just the mythical rockstar coder and lead designer/inventor. Success takes teams, trials and time.

Jeff Dunnihoo

45 Minute Program

$275

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Smartphones and Computers! How are they made?!

We take a look underneath the glass and plastic of tablets and laptops into the world of SOIC and Friends. We will look at actual circuit boards and semiconductor chips and how they are assembled into the tools and toys your use every day.

Jeff Dunnihoo

30 Minute Program

$175

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History Kids Care About

How do you go to the bathroom in a suit of armor? Were there dogs on the Mayflower? What's a fast-acting poison that can't be traced? What insect has caused the most misery in human history? When was underwear invented? A lively, interactive discussion about the history that kids really want to know about.

Sarah Albee

45 Minute Program

$300

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Dig Deep! How to Find Facts and Reliable Sources

The past is what happened. History is the stories we choose to tell about the past. Now more than ever, new stories with varying perspectives are being discovered and shared. Sarah shows kids how to find facts and assess online sources to tell the best stories they can.

Sarah Albee

45 Minute Program

$300

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Our Ocean and YOU

A writing workshop that shows you how to use your voice to help protect the ocean and its inhabitants

Patricia Newman

45 Minute Program

$300

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Science & Technology

STAR STUFF: Carl Sagan and the Mysteries of the Cosmos

A PLACE FOR PLUTO: Finding Your Place in the Universe

The Number Pi, Revolution, and the Power of Math to Change the World

The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity Author Visit + Inspiring Math Activities for All Ages

School Visit: ROBOTS & DRONES!

HEAR THE WIND BLOW: LEARNING TO RECOGNIZE THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF AIR IN MOTION!

"Baby Loves" Storytime with Ruth Spiro!

Maker Challenge with "Made by Maxine"

STEM Pioneer Shows Us The Light!

SAVE THE PLANET

Your Body, Sick and Well: How Do You Know?

INSPIRED BY NATURE

BUGS FOR BREAKFAST

Peter Pattern Teaches Children to Recognize and Mimic Pattern

Get to Know Your Earthworm!

True or False: Animal Fact Fun-xplosion!

CALLING ALL NATURALISTS! WRITING ON THE PROWL AND ON PAPER

That’s not a Beagle, a Silly Study of Attributes

Solve This!

Dot to Dot in the Sky

Dark Matters – Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution

Writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy: Pro tips for Creating New Worlds

My Day in Space or on the Moon!

Food for Thought

Wild Card Q&A!

All Writing Is Good Writing!

Inspire Little Scientists to Dream Big

Is Happiness a Choice?

Nuts About Science: Inspiration, Investigation, Imagination

Meet the Author, Hear the Story, Draw the DRONE!

Meet the Author, Hear the Story, Draw the ROBOT!

FROM STEM TO STEAM TO STREAM!

The Water Cycle and Never Giving Up

Science and creativity

Technology and STEM: HOW do you want to live when you grow up?

Smartphones and Computers! How are they made?!

History Kids Care About

Dig Deep! How to Find Facts and Reliable Sources

Our Ocean and YOU