A Kaleidonotes Study Guide for Music Class

My second picture book, The Kaleidonotes & the Mixed Up Orchestra, is often used by instructors to teach children the instruments of the orchestra and where they sit on stage.

Interesting Facts About the Book

The number seven is repeated several times in this book.

There are seven characters, and each name begins with one of the seven notes in the musical scale: Amos, Bo, Cloe, Dax, Echo, Finn, Gigi.

There are also seven colors represented (one for each character): red (Finn), orange (Gigi), yellow (Cloe), green (Amos), blue (Bo), indigo (Dax), violet (Echo).

The book’s themes include cooperation and teamwork.

Map illustrating where instrument groups are usually positioned on stage in the orchestra.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why do the notes face the wrong direction?

The notes have popped off the page and are three dimensional! When they interact with the instruments of the orchestra, sometimes they turn and face another direction.

Why are the notes not black?

Rather than color each note various shades of black, I decided to make the book more colorful by assigning a color to each note. Since there are seven notes, it made sense to use the seven colors of the rainbow.

Where did the name ‘Kaleidonotes’ come from?

‘Kalos’ is Greek for ‘beautiful’, and ‘eidos’ is Greek for ‘form’. So the name ‘Kaleidonotes’ means ‘beautifully formed’ notes! At the time we made the book (2000-2001), we enjoyed creating a new, unusual word.

Why is the viola not included in the orchestra?

The violin and viola looked so similar in my illustrations that we decided to leave the viola out so we could create a second book called: The Kaleidonotes & the Vanishing Violas. That story explores the differences between a violin and viola, and it explains why the viola is so important to the orchestra. The second book is still not published because we are debating whether or not to redesign the size and shape of the books as a series. With the increasing popularity of e-books, we are even considering publishing as e-books and possibly creating interactive Apps for iPad or the iPhone.

MATCHING GAME ACTIVITY

Click on the image to view full size then download and/or print.

Print the page above and below. Color and cut out the instruments and place them in their appropriate place on stage on the orchestra map. Both images were designed to print ‘landscape’ (11 x 8.5 inches), but you may want to enlarge the map on bigger paper (17 x 11)  to accommodate the larger instruments.

Click on the image to view full size then download and/or print.

Anatomy of an Author Visit Prep Packet

When a school signs up for an author visit, I send the school a confirmation packet filled with goodies that a librarian or teacher can use to prepare students for my program. Here is a sneak peek of the contents.

1 – Letter to the school confirming the date.

2 – Hardcover copy of Polliwog.

3 - Hardcover copy of Tiny Snail.

4 - Hardcover copy of “Sea Horse, run!”.

5 - Hardcover copy of Kaleidonotes.

6 – Four bookmarks (one for each book).

7 – Activity for Kaleidonotes.

8 - Activities for Tiny Snail including…
“Tiny Snail taught me…” Activity (For Bulletin Board)
Teacher’s Guide for Tiny Snail

9 - Activities for Polliwog including…
Frog Life Cycle Activity (Color, Cut, & Paste)
Teacher’s Guide to Polliwog

10 - Activities for “Sea Horse, run!” including…
“Sea Horse, run!” Teacher’s Guide.
Sea Horse Diagram
Brain Coral Maze
Draw Sea Horse with a Dot-to-Dot Activity

11 – DVD with videos of the books and me as the narrator.
Video of Tiny Snail.
Video of Kaleidonotes.
Video of Polliwog (English).
Video of Polliwog (Spanish).
“Sea Horse, run!” video is only available on the DVD.

12 – Timetable for a Successful Author Visit.

13 – Author Photo.

14 – Invoice for author visit fee and travel expenses.

15 – Book flyers for students who want to purchase books.

16 – Shipping label.

(17 )- FAQ by Teachers & Administrators / Program Outline for K-5 (not pictured above).

Want an author visit at your school?

Email books @ bookaroos.com for cost and availability in your area.

Timetable for a Successful Author Visit

Before I arrive for an author visit, I mail the school a confirmation packet that includes hardcover copies of the books (autographed to the school) with activities, a DVD of the books with me as narrator, and book flyers.

I depend on the school to inform students that I’m coming, so I like to provide a timetable in the packet.

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MY VISIT

1) Read at least one of the stories to the students. The music teacher can easily add Kaleidonotes to his/her curriculum. The remaining books may be shared several ways:

• Read the book(s) during library, at an assembly, or with the announcements.

• Or multitask! Engage students by playing the DVD of the book(s) on a projection screen as the teacher/librarian prepares their next lesson. The videos may also be accessed at my YouTube Channel.

Tiny Snail YouTube Video

Polliwog YouTube Video

Kaleidonotes YouTube Video

The video of my new book, “Sea Horse, run!”, is on the DVD but not on YouTube.

After reading “Sea Horse, run!”, you may want to watch my YouTube video about the art in the book. SPOILER ALERT: The video focuses on the ribboned sea dragon, and it gives away the ending in the story. I recommend reading the book first then watching the video.

My You Tube Channel

ONE WEEK PRIOR TO MY VISIT

2) Please inform the teachers of the visit by e-mailing a link to my website, www.tinysnail.com. Electronic copies of teacher’s guides, activities, and my presentation outline are available here and may be sent as e-mail attachments. The materials are also in the confirmation packet. Feel free to photocopy them for classroom use.

3) Send book flyers home with students BEFORE the visit. (The book flyers are in the confirmation packet. I send one copy for each student. The date of the visit is printed on the flyer). You may copy the book flyer for students who lose their first flyer.

Book Order Form

4) E-mail a copy of the schedule to me at books @ bookaroos.com.

SAMPLE SCHEDULES…

FULL DAY VISIT

8:20- 9:00 Kindergarten 9:05- 9:45 First Grade 9:50- 10:35 Second Grade 10:45 – 11:30 Third Grade Author’s Lunch 11:30-12:15 12:30-1:15 Fourth Grade 1:25- 2:15 Fifth Grade 2:15- 3:00 Book Signing

Half Day (AM)  (3 groups) Arrive 7:45 am to setup 8:20-9:00 K-1st 9:10-9:55 2nd-3rd 10:05-10:55 4th-5th 11:00-11:30 Book signing

More sample schedules for a few of the schools I visited in Fall 2011 may be found in these blog posts:

Jackson Primary School
Trip Elementary
Dwight Elementary
McKelvey Elementary
St. Patrick School
Three Author Visits Oct 12th and 14th
Author Visits in Bryant, Arkansas
Liberty Christian School
Morton Elementary
Harvey Oaks Elementary

DURING THE VISIT

I prefer to set up in one location because I bring large poster displays and many hand-held visuals. Set up time is 15 minutes. I always arrive 30 minutes prior to the first presentation so I have plenty of time to set up. If I must move to another location at some point during the day, I need at least 20 minutes to disassemble, move, and reassemble my displays. If more than one location is required, please factor this additional time into the schedule.

I generally have one book signing at the end of the day for students; however, this is flexible depending on your needs. I pre-autograph books with the exception of the child’s name so I can conduct the signing quickly and efficiently. PLEASE DO NOT SEPARATE THE MONEY FROM THE FLYER. The money could be lost then the child will not receive their book.

It is helpful to a have a liaison or helper nearby if any problems or questions arise (especially during the book signing).

*     *     *     *     *

I hope this information will assist schools and librarians preparing for my next author visit. Please email questions or comments to books @ bookaroos.com.  Happy Reading!

Author Visit Timetable PDF

Fan Mail From Liberty Christian School

As I sorted through a large pile of envelopes on my desk this afternoon, I found a stack of fan mail from students at Liberty Christian School. Here is a sample of pictures and letters the children made for me. (Read my original blog post about the author visit at Liberty Christian on November 1, 2011.)

“Sea Horse, run!” and TINY SNAIL covers drawn by Hayden B.

TINY SNAIL cover drawn by Emily C.

TINY SNAIL cover drawn by Madison.

Polliwog cover drawn by Hayden S.

TINY SNAIL cover drawn by Tye.

A few students simply wrote letters instead of drawing a picture. This student forgot to sign their letter, but TINY SNAIL‘s message of perseverance and never give up made a big impression:

“Thank you help me want to read more and to learn more of things learn as much I can and inspir’d me to write a book and write and try and never stop from your book the snail book”

*     *     *     *     *

Thankfully one student found my program both inspiring and entertaining:

“Thank you for coming. It helped me to do beter [better] in things. My favorite part was when you droo [drew] a frog. You inspired me to never give up. You’re very funny. Love Laura”

*     *     *     *     *

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bronson,

I have always wanted to be a writer. I have [been] making up stories since I was three years old. Thank you for coming and talking to us about your books. My favorite book is ‘SEA HORSE, RUN!’. I really want to do picture books. Thank you for coming to the school and sharing about your books. You should keep writing!

Avery”

*     *     *     *     *

One student sent their letter in a separate envelope they decorated especially for me!

“Dear Mr. & Mrs. Bronson,

I had a great time when you came to our school and I really like your cute books and I can’t wait to read new ones that you wrote! I love to write and illustrate. I also want to be the same thing you are right now! You inspired  me that its not those big animals that always matter. Your books tell us that even the smallest creatures are very special because God made them that way! Thanks!

Love from Liberty Christian

Bella

TIP: Keep writing!”

I will keep writing, Bella!

*     *     *     *     *

A BIG thank you to ALL of the students at Liberty Christian for sending such wonderful pictures and letters. I keep my fan mail, and I will treasure your words of encouragement. You keep writing, too!

Visiting Harvey Oaks Elementary, Omaha, NE

Friday, November 4th, 2011 was a full day of “Animal Antics” at Harvey Oaks Elementary. The school’s principal, Mrs. Dawn Marten, was the assistant principal at Neihardt Elementary, an Omaha school we visited last fall (November 8, 2010). Without a doubt, Mrs. Marten’s fond memories of our visit to Neihardt contributed to our warm reception at Harvey Oaks.

In celebration of my visit, students in kindergarten through 5th grade wrote stories or  drew pictures inspired by my books. We were amazed by the quality and quantity of creative work produced by the Harvey Oaks’ students.

Matthew Shane Bronson & Tammy Carter Bronson at Harvey Oaks Elementary

An underwater bulletin board featured original, multicolored sea horse art inspired by  “Sea Horse, run!”.

Close-up of sea horses by Harvey Oaks students.

First grade students painted lovely, underwater scenes inspired by Polliwog.

Watercolor paintings by 1st grade students at Harvey Oaks Elementary inspired by POLLIWOG. .

9:00 – 9:35 am Kindergarten
9:45 – 10:30 am 2nd Grade
10:50 – 11:25 am 1st Grade
11:30 – 12:30 pm Lunch provided by Bear Creek Coffee Cafe
12:30 – 1:15 pm 5th Grade
1:25 – 2:10 pm 4th Grade
2:20 – 3:05 pm 3rd Grade

More POLLIWOG art by 1st graders at Harvey Oaks.

Fourth grade students wrote stories that utilized a character trait from Tiny Snail. Some stories demonstrated attitude, self-esteem or how to set goals, while other stories reinforced attributes such as courage, perseverence, or gratitude.

A wall of stories by 4th grade students at Harvey Oaks Elementary.

Tammy C. Bronson and the Harvey Oaks Librarian, Sue Hillman.

The school’s librarian, Sue Hillman, presented us with a gift basket featuring foods made in Nebraska.

Harvey Oaks Elementary Gift Basket

Ms. Cook, a 3rd grade teacher at Harvey Oaks, applied for and won a grant from the Milliard Public Schools Foundation. This “Animal Antics Grant” supported my author visit which focused on snails, frogs and sea horses. The grant also paid for a complete collection of World Books of Animals for the school library. Later this year, the grant will enable Harvey Oaks students to connect with animals through a trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo.

The new World Book collection at Harvey Oaks Elementary.

Congratulations, Harvey Oaks, on winning your grant, and thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your “Animal Antics.” We will treasure the memories!

My Visit to Morton Elementary in Omaha, NE

Morton Elementary went “to infinity and beyond” when they organized an Enrichment Day based on my author visit. It was amazing!

Every hour of Enrichment Day was designed to support one of my books. A representative from the Henry Doorly Zoo spoke with students about ocean animals, a program that supported “Sea Horse, run!”. Another talk entitled “Project Wild” included real toads and frogs in honor of my Polliwog book and was presented by the Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium in Gretna, Nebraska. A violinist and a percussionist demonstrated instruments and talked to students about the orchestra. Both orchestra programs reinforced the educational aspects of our Kaleidonotes book.

Meanwhile, in Morton’s library I discussed how I wrote, illustrated and published my picture books.

Students’ art decorated windows and walls throughout the school, and I especially loved the welcome sign taped to the office window.

Shane admires the welcome sign in the office window at Morton Elementary.

"Welcome Guests" Sign by Morton Students

Close-up of the Sign by Morton Students

The students and staff of Morton Elementary presented us with a Certificates of Appreciation.

Certificate of Appreciation Presented by Morton Elementary

Morton’s librarian, Heidi Neumann, did a fantastic job organizing and hosting the event, and we are so grateful to Karen Adams for making our visit possible by handling the book sales on behalf of Barnes and Noble.

Left to Right: Morton Librarian Heidi Neumann, Author Tammy C. Bronson, Karen Adams of Milliard Public Schools

Thank you, Morton Elementary, for making November 3rd, 2011 a day to remember!

My Author Visit at Liberty Christian School

The students and staff at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas gave me a warm welcome Tuesday morning, November 1st.  My program was in the Fine Arts Auditorium where they had a giant screen that lowered in front of the stage. The librarian, Yvonne Lacy, provided a document camera so I could project images of my books on the screen for 3rd through 6th grades.

3rd/4th Grades from 8:40 to 9:25 am
6th Grade from 9:45 to 10:30 am
5th Grade from 10:35 to 11:20 am

Mrs. Lacy did a fantastic job preparing the students for my visit. Many of them were serious writers in their own right and very interested in the publication process.

Librarian Yvonne Lacy & Tammy Bronson

Some popular questions from students included…

How many rewrites did you do for “Sea Horse, run!”? Answer: 19
How many copies of Tiny Snail are in print?

Mrs. Lytle’s 6th grade class wanted to know…

How many published titles do I have. Answer: Four. Tiny Snail (2000), Kaleidonotes (2001), Polliwog (2004), and “Sea Horse, run!” (2011)

How many awards and honors have I received. Answer:  “Sea Horse, run!” has won two awards: 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Best Picture Book, and it is a Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards in the picture book category.

Three interesting facts about me.

Who or what has influenced my writing. Answer: My fellow Arkansas author, Darcy Pattison.

I was very impressed with the students, staff, and the amazing facilities at Liberty Christian. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit!

Here is a link to the lovely article about our visit on the Liberty Christian Website:

LCS Library Welcomes Visiting Authors

Good Shepherd Episcopal School

My first author visit of the 2011-2012 school year was yesterday at Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas. We spoke to kindergarden through 2nd grade, and the presentations were in the new library which houses almost 29,000 books, an aquarium filled with corals and tropical fish, two parakeets, and a yellow rat snake! Their amazing library is located in the school’s new Center for Creative Learning which is the first elementary school in Texas to be awarded LEED Gold certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

From left to right: Author Matthew Shane Bronson, Author/Illustrator Tammy Carter Bronson, and Librarian Liz Fleskes.

Both the librarian, Liz Fleskes, and her assistant, Claudia Hinton, made us feel very welcome. They treated us to lunch from the Corner Bakery along with coffee, snacks and a beautiful display featuring our books.

Good Shepherd's Book Display

The students were well prepared for the visit. They were familiar with every story, and several students sent us fan mail after the program. My favorite is from the youngest student to ever send me an email:

“Hello–My name is Jordan. I am a pre-Kindergarten student at Good Shepherd Episcopal School. Thanks for coming to visit with us today. I wish that I had brought you some flowers. I hope you can come and visit us again.

Jordan

P. S. My daughter was insistent on sending you this thank you email. You obviously made quite an impression today. Thank you.”

What a perfect visit to begin the new school year! Thank you, Good Shepherd Episcopal, for inviting us to your school. We enjoyed meeting your students, and we are grateful for the wonderful memories!

Corals in the Good Shepherd Aquarium

Good Shepherd Episcopal School Author Visit

Thursday, September 8, 2011

9:10-9:40 – Kindergarden/Pre-K (~50 students)

9:55-10:40 – 2nd Grade (53 students)

10:40-11:35 Book Signing

11:35-12:15 First Grade (55 students)

12:15-1:30 Lunch

1:30-2:00 Kindergarden/Pre-K (~50 students)

2011 Fall Retreat

If you want to write for children, The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a great organization to join. Although it is an international organization with annual meetings in New York City (January) and Los Angeles (August), your membership entitles you to participate in conferences and/or retreats happening in any state or region around the world. Attending a conference or retreat will give you the opportunity to fine tune your manuscript by getting feedback from an editor or literary agent. You will also learn what types of manuscripts editors or literary agents want to publish.

St. Scholastica Monastery

The Arkansas SCBWI writer’s retreat occurs every fall, and in recent years writers from across the state have converged on the Saint Scholastica Retreat Center in Fort Smith for three days of intensive work on their writing. The retreat center, sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters, shares a 66 acre wooded area with Saint Scholastica Monastery, and the secluded setting is the perfect spot for contemplation and inspiration. I attended in 2009 and 2010, and during both retreats I made great progress with the revisions for my novel.

Sadly, I will be out of the state during the conference this year, but you may be able to attend! If you submit pages from your manuscript by October 1st, you will receive feedback from the editor at the retreat. The 15th annual Arkansas SCBWI Fall Retreat for Writers of Children’s Literature (November 4th-6th, 2011) will feature hands-on workshops led by Stacy Cantor Abrams, editor at Walker Books for Young Readers, and guidance on craft issues by Anna Myers, an Oklahoma author of nineteen novels for middle-grade and young adults.

You must be an SCBWI member to attend. Registration is usually by invitation only, and reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Email the Retreat Director (retreat @ arkansasscbwi.org) if you are interested in joining SCBWI and attending the retreat.

Cost:

SCBWI Membership: First year is $85. Annual renewal fee is $70. Join SCBWI

Arkansas Fall Retreat: $280 (Includes meals, snacks, all sessions, and private rooms with a shared bath.)

For more information, visit these websites:

Arkansas SCBWI

Arkansas SCBWI Retreat Page

Join SCBWI

Anna Myers Main Website

Books Published by Bloomsbury Kids

Charlotte’s Web

Cover of Charlotte's Web

“Salutations!”

And so begins the first meeting between two of the most famous characters in 20th century children’s literature, Wilbur and Charlotte.

I am a great admirer of E. B. White’s work, and Charlotte’s Web is one of my favorite children’s books. Today I caught part of a wonderful interview with Michael Sims’ about his new book, The Story of Charlotte’s Web: E. B. White’s Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic. The interview is on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. The book was released June 7, 2011 and is already in its third printing. There are links to more interviews on the author’s website, michaelsimsbooks.com, and I enjoyed reading the insightful article about the book at Smithsonian.com.

I often use Charlotte’s Web in writing workshops with older students (2nd-5th grades) because the plot of the book is a perfect example of a “Hero’s Journey.” I use three questions to begin the discussion. The answers to these questions help define the beginning, middle, and end of the book.

THE BEGINNING

Who is the hero? Wilbur

Many students will name Charlotte as the hero, but she is a supporting character I like to call, “the Teacher Character,” because she helps the hero the most on his journey. Wilbur is the hero because he wants something, but he won’t achieve his goal until the end.

THE END

What does the hero want? Wilbur wants to live.

This is the hero’s goal, and it determines the end of the book. In Charlotte’s Web, Wilbur wants to live, and several supporting characters help make his dream a reality as the story unfolds.

THE MIDDLE

What is the problem, or why is Wilbur’s life in danger? Fern’s uncle, Mr. Zuckerman, wants to eat him!

Several supporting characters, including Charlotte and Templeton the rat, help Wilbur convince Mr. Zuckerman that he is “SOME PIG” and way too “TERRIFIC” to eat.

Below is an outline I created of the plot in Charlotte’s Web. Teachers, feel free to use this outline in the classroom. It’s a great tool for readers and writers. Seeing how the story unfolds, step-by-step, might help you outline the plot in your own story.

Double-click to view and print the full page.

For more information about E. B. White and Charlotte’s Web, try these websites:

E. B. White Official Website

Charlotte’s Web Study Guide

Activities at ABCTeach.com

Charlotte’s Web at Scholastic.com

More Links at eThemes (Missouri.edu)