Speaking Tour - Program Descriptions
PROGRAM THREE
    

Title: ALONE ACROSS THE ARCTIC

Program description:

This is a narrated PowerPoint presentation of Pam Flowers’ solo, trans-arctic, expedition with her eight-dog team from Barrow, Alaska to eastern Canada.

Program two is based on Pam’s books Alone Across The Arctic and Big Enough Anna: winner of Tennessee’s 2007 Volunteer State Book Award and 2005 Oregon Patricia Gallagher Award!

Main point of the program:

Even if you are young, even if you are small, you can reach many goals, and make your dreams come true.

Three focus points:

1. Arctic geography - students learn that the western arctic is a flat, barren, treeless plain with mild weather that changes as the expedition moves east to become a rugged, mountainous land with severe weather.
2. Native culture - Pam and her dogs lived with an Inuit family for six months and she describes life in that culture, including a unique Christmas celebration.
3. Life lessons - a number of life-lessons are contained throughout the program such as the need to prepare and train, not giving up even when something happens that is not your fault, teamwork, and manners and courtesy (even dogs need manners to get along).
    

Audience level:

This program is primarily for elementary and middle school students. However, it can be altered to be appropriate for high school level. Length, focus, and vocabulary are adjusted based on audience age.

Program components:

There are three components to this program

You may select one, two, or all three components, but please note the time requirements to complete each component properly. It is extremely important to allow sufficient time to switch out students between programs.

At the time an author visit is scheduled, Pam will be in direct contact with the person organizing the program to discuss which components you would like so that the visit can work with your school schedule. The three potential components are as follows:

1. A powerpoint presentation of Pam’s journey across the arctic is given.
(35-45 minutes including Q&A)

2. A grade-appropriate powerpoint presentation about the writing process and how the book Big Enough Anna went from concept to shelf. Students are introduced to such terms as author, editor, illustrator, publisher and how these people work together to create a book. Examples of text and art illustration are presented.
(30 minutes including Q&A)

3. Book Reading – Through the magic of powerpoint the book Big Enough Anna is displayed on screen while Pam reads an actual copy of the book she is holding, thereby allowing students seated in the back to clearly see the book - Perfect for Kindergarden.
(15-20 minutes)

School preparation kit:

Well in advance of Pam’s visit, schools scheduling any length program will receive the same preparation kit. This includes one free hardbound copy of Big Enough Anna and one free softbound copy of Alone Across the Arctic, expedition description, route map, Anna poster featuring her as a puppy, poster to alert students about time and date of visit, illustration of a dog team and sled, relevant resume, book order form.

Pam arrives at your school with more than enough books in her van to fill all orders on the day of her visit. She will ship follow-up orders to your school and there is no charge for shipping.

You may be interested to know that Pam's books, Alone Across The Arctic, Big Enough Anna, and Douggie are A.R. books and tests are available to order from the Renaissance website.

Fees and Options:

Shown below are the usual ways visits are scheduled. However, if you wish to make changes, most anything can be worked out so that Pam's visits will benefit your students the most.

For information on Pam's fee's please look at the fee schedule.

Half-day visits:

Two programs are offered in assembly format. Time for Q&A is strongly encouraged. Usually during a half-day visit, one program is given for the lower grades and a second program for the upper grades. 

Two Thirds day visits:

Three assemblies are given during this visit. Usually two programs are given in the morning and one in the afternoon. This works well for schools with larger student census and also allows morning and afternoon kindergarten students the opportunity to attend.

Full-day Visits:

Four or five programs may be scheduled. Usually three programs are scheduled in the morning and two in the afternoon.

A word about book signings:

The most frequent request I get for changes to the schedule involves dealing with book signings. Some schools are interested primarily in the programs and book signing is less important. But for other schools, author signings and the chance for their students to meet the author individually is the highlight of the visit.

The choice is of course yours, but please keep in mind that author signings take time and are a part of the time scheduled in your school.

Here is how book sales usually work (please note, no hard sell is ever made to your students by Pam).

1. In your advance packet you will receive one each, free, hardbound copy of Ellie's Long Walk and Big Enough Anna for the school library.

2. In your advance packet you will also receive a book order form.

3. Please send the book order form home with each student about one week in advance of Pam's visit.

4. Ask students to return the book order form the day before Pam's visit.

5. Book order forms may also be turned in the day of Pam's visit.

6. During the day of Pam's visit, she will sign all ordered books. If there isn't enough time to finish signing during Pam's visit, she will usually sign the books after school and leave them to be distributed at your convenience.

7. If late orders arrive after Pam's visit, she will sign and mail the books to the school and Pam will pay the postage.

See Program One details here.