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Our Programs
“TREE”mendous
Storyteller and naturalist Kim Madden will introduce stories about our friends, the TREES. Students will discover the many facets of these living members of our world – and our own backyards. They will listen, participate, imagine, and predict, as Ms. Kim weaves...
Amazing Animals!
Join veteran Zoo naturalist and living history performer Dianne Moran as she presents a fun-filled learning experience. Live animals (spiders, insects, snakes, lizards and small animals), bio facts of skins, skulls, etc. along with lots of audience participation...
Amazing Creatures!
Join veteran zoo naturalist Dianne Moran as she engages students to join her on a journey into the wild realm of animals! Live animals, animal bio facts (skins, skulls and uniquely preserved specimens) along with lots of student participation highlight this fun and...
Around the World with Dinosaur O’Dell
Go on an adventure around the world! This geographical journey transports students to all seven continents and highlights details about each one. Utilizing interactive music and stories, Dino sings of the world’s longest river, the tallest mountains and the largest...
Arts Integration + Understanding by Design = Deeper Learning through the Arts
Students are more likely to make meaning and gain understanding when they link new information to prior knowledge, relate facts to “big ideas,” explore essential questions, and apply their learning in new contexts. Where does arts integration fit in this process? By...
Blast Off to Health
Join award-winning musician and master storyteller Dino O'Dell for a dose of healthy fun. Dino introduces students to a cowboy, a space alien and five singing carrots in a show that teaches nutrition, healthy activities, the "crash" of eating junk food, and the...
CSI: Photosynthesis!
Someone has killed Penelope’s beloved plant – and she calls in an expert detective to help her solve this mystery: “Detective C.O. Science.” However, Detective Science never works alone. Instead, she utilizes a large group of CSI interns, played by your students!...
Dancing Engineers
Note: This program can only be delivered virtually. Dancing Engineers is a 3-5 day virtual STEM-focused creative dance residency that explores the 6-step engineering process through movement. Drawing additional inspiration from forms such as bridges, arches, and...
Dancing Lifecycles
Note: This program can only be delivered virtually. Dancing Lifecycles is a 3-5 day virtual STEM-focused creative dance residency that explores the lifecycles of plant life, animal life, or weather through movement and dance making. Directed by dance educator and...
Designed to Move
Note: This program can only be delivered virtually. Designed to Move is a 3-5 day virtual professional development residency for classroom teachers led by dance educator and seasoned teaching artist Sarah Council. Program participants will acquire a variety of...
Discovering the World Around Us
Students will hear tales of discovery — woods and streams, creatures large and small, changing seasons, and the mysteries emerging from a variety of ecosystems. Supported by a Missouri Master Naturalist, they will have the opportunity to experience nature in their...
Earth Tracks
Nature within the realm of science is a logical and beautiful metaphor to the arts. A casual nature walk can fill our senses with infinite shapes, sounds and esthetic beauty. Many of our greatest artists have been influenced by the natural world, whether they are...
Eat Like a Rabbit, Swim in Peanut Butter and Other Healthy Tricks
Dino, the Nutrition Musician, communicates his message about healthy food and an active lifestyle through interactive music and stories, engaging children with finger plays, movement, fill-in-the-blank lyrics, counting, dramatic expression and humor. The students meet...
Endangered Species Project
In this live music presentation, audiences will learn about animals like Missouri’s own Hellbender Salamander, the ever-elusive Magic Rabbit, and the beloved sea cow – Manatee. You will also hear the tragic story of the Passenger Pigeon whose plight inspired the...
Exploring the Common Core
Storytelling is a powerful vehicle for integrating the reading, writing, listening, speaking and research standards of the Common Core Curriculum. Participants will take part in hands-on grade-level-appropriate lessons that address Language Arts, Social Studies and...
FIRE DOG Roll
FIRE DOG engages students in an entertaining and interactive performance that shares songs and stories in creative ways. Students take a rock and roll journey where they meet Missouri’s endangered “Hellbender” Salamander, take an airplane to the Amazon, walk with the...
Frolicking Frogs
Happy, hoppy stories of frogs from around the globe. Also available for virtual performances. Audience: Grades PK-K Format: Performance Curriculum Connections: English/Language Arts, Science Teaching Artist: Sherry Norfolk Request Info / Book Program [salesforce...
HealthWise
A SPRINGBOARD SIGNATURE PROGRAM Knowing how to take care of yourself is the single most important thing one learns in school. But do students know how? HealthWise demonstrates ways to take care of “you.” The goal of HealthWise is to help students understand how to...
IdeaBuilder
A SPRINGBOARD SIGNATURE PROGRAM (Originally Developed by Celeste Nichols and Carrie Launius) In this hands-on residency students create a prototype of a product that solves a real world problem in their daily lives. Students must use critical thinking to determine a...
In, On and Around the Pond
In, On and Around the Pond: Animals that live in or near the pond provide a lively theme for this active program featuring frogs, ducks, geese, beavers and maybe a water snake or two! Also available for virtual performances. Audience: Grades PK-K Format: Performance...
Juggling Jeff’s Diabetes Show
R.E. Porter visits Dr. Dave and learns about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, what insulin is, as well as diabetes management and prevention. Lots of audience interaction and several demonstrations with audience volunteers! Audience: Grades K-8...
Juggling the Earth’s Resources
In this fast-paced performance, juggling and diagrams bring environmental education to life. This program features a discussion of the impact of burning fuel on the ozone and global warming, a fun and interactive demonstration of the water cycle and a juggling...
Leapin’ Lizards!
Geckos, chameleons, horned lizards, gators and crocodiles slither and slide through these multicultural tales! Also available for virtual performances. Audience: Grades PK-K Format: Performance Curriculum Connections: Science, English/Language Arts, Social...
Lifestyle Changes!
Under the direction of dance education professional Alicia Gbaho, students will learn that dance is an art that is vital to the development of the total individual. It contributes to physical fitness, enhancing abilities such as agility, strength, endurance, and...
Mammal Music
Marko and his magical guitar enliven audiences with interactive songs that will move your body and your mind. His live musical show features songs from his new solo album "Mammal Music," which was made with Grammy Award Winning Children's Music producer Dean Jones....
Milky Way, Moons, and Meteorites
Join educator, author, and songwriter Dinosaur O’Dell for an interactive assembly about outer space science. The students learn about the planets in our solar system, gravity, the greenhouse effect, friction, and the difference between meteors, meteorites, and...
Motivation, Interaction and Space Aliens: How to Trick Earthlings into Learning
Professional Development for K-2 classroom teachers and Elementary School Music Teachers Earthlings learn best when they are engaged. And they are engaged best when they are interactive. Dino O'Dell's workshops focus on engaging intrinsic motivators in three areas:...
Move, Create and Collaborate
Note: This program can only be delivered virtually. Move, Create and Collaborate is a 3-5 day arts-integrated, virtual creative dance residency that engages students in an exploration of classroom curriculum through movement and dance-making. Working together over...
Moving Through Science
Students learn from Sir Isaac Newton and his team of dancers how scientific principles affect human movement in this performance. As students witness The Law of Motion Dancers perform a series of leaps, turns, and lifts, they discover how scientific knowledge can be...
Moving Through STEM
Designed especially for STEM nights, this program includes two 30-minute excerpts of this ensemble’s popular “Moving Through Math” and “Moving Through Science” performances. "Moving Through Math" targets grades K-2 and is an interactive lecture demonstration that...
Natural Wonders… Earth Protectors Who Led the Way
Former St. Louis Zoo Naturalist and Great Ape Keeper Dianne Moran leads students on a journey into environmental history as she portrays either Mountain Gorilla Researcher and Defender Dian Fossey, or Mother of Environmentalism Rachel Carson. Stepping from character,...
Peter Rabbit Grows a Garden
This performance features Peter Rabbit growing his own garden after receiving seeds and instruction from a disgruntled farmer named Jill. Problems arise when a gopher steals some of Peter’s carrots. Peter has to resolve the issue by sharing his knowledge of gardening...
Professor I Drop, The Juggling Scientist
Jay Cady of Laughing Matters illustrates the concepts of kinetic and potential energy using bean bags, spinning plates, and other juggling equipment in this interactive classroom workshop. He also shares original poems about famous scientists and challenges students...
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Sherry Norfolk performs tales of storms, rain, drought, clouds and weather! Also available for virtual performances. Audience: Grades PK-K Format: Performance Curriculum Connections: Science, English/Language Arts Teaching Artist: Sherry Norfolk Request Info / Book...
Storytelling Classroom: Applications Across the Curriculum
This workshops provides a hands-on introduction to the art and its magical ability to engage students in learning. By its nature, storytelling is experiential, engaging, and involving. More classroom teachers are discovering what storytellers have always known: that...
Storytelling: A Powerful Tool for Brain-Based Education
Through demonstrations, interactive instructional models and lively discussion, this training seminar will explore the ways in which storytelling and folktales can provide a meaningful matrix for learning which positively affects test scores and competencies....
Using Storytelling to Motivate Student Research
Storytelling evokes curiosity; curiosity provokes learning. Teaching students to do research is often hampered by the fact that students don’t WANT to do research. It simply doesn’t seem relevant or interesting to them. BUT…these Pre K-high school storytelling...