*NEW: Thanks to the coronavirus, I am now pleased to offer many of my author visit presentations and workshops online. These online visits are extremely affordable, the cost depending on your class size and situation. Scroll down to see descriptions of my many offerings. Ready to line something up? Contact me at sbcollardiii@gmail.com . For international school visits, please contact me or Author’s Abroad, which is handling my bookings overseas.

“Sneed’s online visits with our Primary-aged children during Book Week, were an absolute highlight! Students were “enlightened”, by his session on ocean animals that create their own light and his own experience in a submersible. Other students got to learn about his love of birds and how a passion like that, can result in so many published books. Parents weren’t left out either and got to have their own session with Sneed with a focus on birding and non-fiction writing. I highly recommend Sneed as a guest author for students and parents alike. On my own desk right here, I now have a book about birdwatching, so I can personally vouch for the positive impact that Sneed’s sessions can have!”—Tania Jordan, Teacher Librarian, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai

“We were so lucky to have Sneed visit our classroom.  My students enjoyed his lesson on how to enhance their own writing using vivid verbs and adjectives.  As a teacher, I was able to easily adapt his lesson to enrich my own writing lessons and his resources were relevant and helpful.  Above all, I appreciated how he made the task of writing fun and exciting.” –Lissa Olinger, Social Studies and Language Arts Teacher, Washington Middle School 

“Sneed gave two engaging and different lessons to our middle school students. The first was to a large audience in which he eloquently spoke about his adventurous journey as a writer, and the second was a small group lesson on paragraph revision, with my class, that left me convinced Sneed is both a writer and a skilled teacher of writing. His love of writing and attention to craft is inspiring.” —Ayal Goury, ELA Teacher, Walworth Barbour International School

Below, you will find most information about my school and teacher programs. A day in a school depends on your needs, but usually consists of three full presentations plus book signing. My presentations run about 45-50 minutes including questions and answers and I like to start early in the day when students are fresh. I speak to all ages and offer different presentations for different age groups. Group sizes of up to 250 are no problem, so I can usually cover an entire elementary or middle school in a day. I also offer engaging small-group writing workshops and after-school professional development workshops. Read on for details.

FEES AND EXPENSES

The Fees and Expenses: call to inquire. Note that multiple school days in the same area will receive a significant discount. Discounts also available for Montana schools or schools that I easily can drive to.

For more information, please email me at sbcollardiii@gmail.com.

Please DO NOT give this information to students for any reason.

Fan mail and other letters should now be sent care of:

Mountain Press Publishing, P.O. Box 2399, Missoula, MT, 59806.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SCHOOL and Professional Development Presentations and Workshops 2023-24

Assembly Presentations

A Writer’s Life (grades 4 and up, adults)

This constantly evolving talk focuses on how I came to be a writer and the influences that continue to shape me to write the books that I do. I especially focus on the things I am passionate about and how they have inspired me to write my recent books. I share with students how I got interested in particular subjects, how I researched and photographed them, and the wonders of birds themselves. In addition to giving kids solid ideas about how to make decisions in their own work, I inspire them with my field research and the key participation of my teenaged son, Braden, in many recent projects. (See our blog, FatherSonBirding.com)

New STEAM Talk! A Rainbow of Birds (pre-K through grade 3)

Based on my new book Birds of Every Color, this STEAM talk shares with younger students the wonder, diversity, causes, and roles of colors in birds. Along the way, kids will get insights into how to choose writing ideas and be inspired to tackle their own writing and science projects.

STEAM Talk: “Writing in the Clouds: A Visit to a Tropical Cloud Forest” (grades 2-5)

This talk explores where writing ideas come from. Like all my presentations, this one is highly interactive, inducing kids to think for themselves and view themselves as writers. After brainstorming on writing ideas, I take kids on a visit to Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest. Kids learn about cloud forest ecology and afterward, come up with their own ideas for writing books and stories. The talk closes by reinforcing the value in observation and appreciation of our earth, whether in Costa Rica or the local school yard.

STEAM Talk: “Research at the Bottom of the Sea” (grades 3-adult)

This presentation shares with children the influences that have shaped me as a writer and then focuses on how I do the research for my books. To illustrate the process, I take children on my recent research expedition diving in the Johnson Sea Link submarine off the Bahama Islands. In a dramatic slide presentation, I introduce kids to life far below the ocean surface, focusing on bioluminescent creatures animals that make their own light. I also contrast life on earth with ocean life while emphasizing the need to protect our marine resources.

Evolution and Natural Selection in the Galápagos  (grades 3 and up)

In this presentation, I use a visit to the Galápagos as a backdrop to Darwin’s revolutionary discovery. Along the way, I will demonstrate how original research leads to great writing ideas. Students also will learn, of course, about the amazing animals and adaptations found in one of earth’s truly astonishing places. Watch an entertaining, “virtual version” of this talk on my YouTube Channel! It is, of course, not as fun as seeing it in person, but I think you and your students will enjoy it 🙂

One-Hour Writing Workshops (25-30 students max.)

In the past several years, I have been developing interactive, one-hour writing workshops for students grades 4 & up. These focus on key areas of writing and revision that students often struggle with. They have proven not only effective, but fun! Here are brief descriptions:

• New! Paragraph Revision: introduces a simple 3-step strategy for revising the most important ‘unit’ in writing by overhauling a rough paragraph.
• Using Active Verbs and “Show Don’t Tell”: uses writing exercises to teach the use of strong verbs and what they do for your writing.
• New! Mastering Transitions: explains the different types of transitions and uses fun exercises to practice their strategic use.

Writing Residencies

I also have recently added three- to five-day residencies to my teaching activities. In these, I spend one hour per day with a class, focusing on the most essential skills to creating top-quality writing. These are not designed around test scores. They are designed to produce great writers and are based on what real writers do to create strong, engaging work. That said, I can almost guarantee that test scores will rise as a result. Please get in touch for an outline or to get more details.

Teacher Professional Development Workshops

Pillars of Great Nonfiction Writing

In this highly-praised one-hour session, I draw from a variety of children’s and adult books and authors to focus on the power of story, simplicity, voice, humor, and research to turn average writing into unforgettable literature. Along the way, I’ll offer practical exercises and suggestions for helping your students begin utilizing these concepts. Highly applicable to teaching Common Core and other state standards!

Field Trips

New! Field Trips with Sneed

As my own passion for birds and birding has increased, I’ve increasingly been asked to lead small groups of students on birding field trips. The trips can be conducted anywhere there are birds—in other words, anywhere—and have been amazing. Don’t believe me? Just read the comments from Missoula County schools superintendent Erin Lipkind:

“Our day birding in Seeley Lake with Sneed and Braden Collard was by far one of the most memorable field trips for Sunset School students. Students enthusiastically identified birds, explored forest regrowth after the devastation of the of Rice Ridge Fire of 2017, and even found some frogs. Thanks to Sneed, we have a few more naturalists in the making!”