Programs
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Exciting News!!! Hear ye Hear ye Read all about it!
Elandara is in the midst of writing a children's book series titled " The Travelers from the Sun"
The first book in the series, The Wee Folk, is a fun chapter book filled with exciting adventures and dynamic relationships. It is currently in the editing stage and we hope to have it published summer of 2024. A second book in this series, The Magical Forest is in the early stages of being written.
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Teaching Artist - Programs
Elandara (previously known as Virginia Lynn Anderson) has had over 25 years experience as a teaching artist in schools, museums, libraries and with numerous organizations. She was a teaching artist for Arts for Learning, CT and has developed and provided many creative programs for children with special needs. Her Montessori Children's Book series is a focus of her current programming since moving to upstate New York.
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When Elandara first relocated to upstate New York, she offered programming for the summer Lunch Learn and Play program. Her work is focused on enriching the children's experience in art and writing. Contact her if you would like a program at your school. Specializes in Elementary education grades 1 - 6
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School Programs
Storymural Residency
(Grades K-5)
visual arts ~ literacy ~ science
Students will create a large canvas wrapped mural using mixed media collage techniques. The theme is inspired by one of Virginia’s illustrated children’s books.
25 paperback books will be provided for the classrooms to circulate prior to the residency so students will have a context for the mural creation.
Culminating Assembly/Share:
Elandara will present the completed Storymural to the school in a culminating assembly. She will share with the students her inspiration for her books, discuss her creative process and have a discussion about the story theme. Residency students will have the opportunity to share their experience of the mural creation.
Book / Theme Choices:
Poppybug!
Learn about the life cycle of a poppy flower through the eyes of a young poppy bud – themes of nature, diversity and social skills. Illustrations created from 4 paintings.
The Flying Phlox
A delightful visual journey from dawn to dusk with a flying phlox flower – use of language / alliteration and “illustrated words”, nature theme, visual metaphors – all illustrations created from a single painting
The Very Lonely Garden
A hero story staring a pet dragon – nature theme, social skills, visual metaphors – all illustrations from a single painting
Length: 5 consecutive days for Grades K-5 / up to (4) 50 minute classes per day, culminating assembly on last day. Optional:Elandara will arrange to send an orderform home to the parents for signed books. Discounted Hardcover and paperback are available with advanced orders. This could be set up as a fundraiser for the school.
Book Workshops
Duration: 45 - 60 minutes
Interactive Storytelling ~ provide participants with opportunities to express themselves through playacting, movement, song and creative imagination. Art related activities are incorporated within a storytelling program
The Montessori Storybook Series
Choose a theme from her book series for an interactive workshop. The descriptions are given in the Storymural Residency section above.
Poppybug!
The Flying Phlox
The Very Lonely Garden
Storytelling ~ Oral tradition series
Creature Teachers
Grades K-5
The deer represents gentleness, turtle carries its home on his back and gives us patience, eagle shows us the importance of vision and horse is strength and service."
Based on the Native American tradition of teaching with stories, Creature Teachers is an enlightening program that incorporates storytelling and puppet theater with participatory music and dance. The story is based on the Native belief that the ways of animals contain important life lessons. Children ages 4-8 contribute to the program by playing drums and percussion, singing and dancing along. musical event.
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The Singing Tree
Grades 3-5
A young African boy, Makeba, ventures into the woods to play. As he wanders through the forest, he hears mysterious music coming from the trees. Makeba falls asleep under a singing tree and is shown how to create a beautiful musical box. His family becomes famous far and wide as they share their musical instruments with the surrounding villages. This story can be combined with creating a unique musical instrument after the storytelling portion of the program.