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Go on a Young Voices Virtual Field Trip!

Sessions for K-3 and 3-6
Register K-3 and/or 3-6 grade bands in your school for $150 per session

 
Join us for a celebration of writing. Author, Juana Martinez-Neal will speak as the keynote presenter in November in the Academy. Juana Martinez-Neal, Mitali Perkins, Phil Bildner, Janet Wong, Ralph Fletcher, and brothers Zephaniah and Zion Singh will provide sessions for young writers, their families, and educators. Check out the authors' published books at www.wsra.org/read-the-way-wsra. Join us in getting their books into the hands and hearts of students and families at your school and in your community. 

  • Q: How will I gain access to the Young Voices Virtual Field Trip? A: Log onto your WSRA profile. Then go towww.wsra.org/literacy-learning-academy
  • Q: How will the students participate and view the field trip? A: Log in to your WSRA profile using the email address used to register for the field trip. Go to the registered field trip in the Academy. Log in to the Zoom link provided by WSRA. Share your screen with the other school staff members in the K-3 or 3-6 grade band for this registered field trip. Each of the connected staff members then shares his/her screen with students for this field trip (using your school’s virtual platform i.e. Google Meet, Zoom) 
  • Q: What can I do if I can’t make it to the live webinar? A: The webinars will be recorded and accessible for 10 days after the event. *Juana Martinez-Neal and Phil Bildner's field trips are live only. 
  • Q: What if my school district does not permit the use of Zoom? A: Request permission from your IT department or access the recorded webinars in advance of the field trip.

  1. Ralph Fletcher January 27, 2021 at 12:45 pm Central Time for grades 3-6 How to Write a Memorable Memoir Memoir continues to be enormously popular. Everybody has a story to tell. Even an ordinary life provides all the fuel you need to write a strong memoir, if you know how  In this session we'll explore this fun but challenging genre of writing. Participants will also spend time writing short memoir of our own. Ralph Fletcher has published several memoirs including Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid and Marshfield Memories: More Stories About Growing Up. He is also the author of How To Write Your Life Story.

  2. Janet Wong January 13, 2021 at 9:00 am Central Time for grades K-3 Building Your Poetry Suitcase How can we make lifelong learners? The extra time spent at home during the social distancing of the past year highlights the importance of finding inspiration for learning in everyday objects. Building a Poetry Suitcase as a class—and then guiding students to build one at home—is a terrific way to encourage at-home learning. Objects in the Poetry Suitcase can be as personally meaningful or as simple as a favorite stuffed animal, a potato, a marshmallow, or a twig. In this session Janet Wong will share her own Poetry Suitcase—and inspire us to make our own suitcases, with our own poems and stories inside, too.

  3. Janet Wong January 13, 2021 10:45 am Central Time for grades 3-6 HOP TO IT! Harnessing the Power of Poetry to Get Your Students Moving Poems that incorporate movement can help younger children “get the wiggles out” and can ease the stress that older children feel—preparing everyone for a better learning experience. Poet Janet Wong will share a wide variety of poems that make us feel more joyful and alive, while also touching on topics across the curriculum, from science and math to social studies and language arts instruction. Learn more about Janet's work at janetwong.com and pomelobooks.com.

  4. *Phil Bildner  February 10, 2021 at 12:45 pm Central Time for grades 3-6 Your Middle Grade Bookshelf  When my LGBTQ and sports-themed middle grade novel A HIGH FIVE FOR GLENN BURKE came out last year, I knew it was going to alter the direction of my author life. But what I didn't realize was that it was going to completely alter my thoughts on what every middle grade bookshelf needs to look like. Now more than ever, middle grade bookshelves needs to respect the humanity of all readers. Here's how we can start to make that happen.

  5. Zephaniah and Zion Singh  February 11, 2021 10:45 am Central Time for grades 3-6 Small Hands, Big Change We tell our students all of the time that they can change the world. We mean it, too! Brothers Zephaniah (age 12) and Zion (age 8) Singh Ponder will share how they are making a literal imprint on the world by writing a chapter book called Small Hands, Big Change. During this session, they will help participants quickly bring their ideas to life by creating a storyboard. They will also share what their publishing journey has looked like. 

  6. Mitali Perkins March 10, 2021 for grades K-3 It's Just Fiction, Right?  Why is there so much controversy over books for young readers? Words like "banning" and "censorship" are hurled in fiery discussions about which books to include in a school library or reading list. In a challenging, inspiring, practical talk, Mitali presents eight questions that empower attendees to take a closer look at issues of race, culture, and power in fiction for young readers.

  7.  Mitali Perkins March 24, 2021 for grades K-3 Code-Switchers Rule the World Using a personal, humorous slide show, Mitali shares candidly about her experience of growing up in a traditional Bengali home and a California suburban school. This presentation illuminates why and how mastering the skill of "code-switching," both by crossing cultural borders in real life and through books, is part of an excellent education that shapes leaders for life.

  8. *Juana Martinez-Neal March 24, 2021