Angelo DeCesare - Author/Illustrator
I'm now celebrating 15 years as a teaching author in schools throughout the greater New York/New Jersey area. My programs are among the most popular and successful for inspiring students to write, draw and learn while having FUN! Flip has proven to be especially successful with English language learners and students with special needs.
I offer seven programs to schools and libraries:
Flip's Fantastic Journal: A writing and drawing workshop (grades K-2)
The first in the series, Flip's Fantastic Journal, is considered by many reading experts to be the best book for early journal writers. Students learn, step-by-step, to draw the seven Flip characters from basic shapes. I follow this with an exciting and lively reading of the book. The students then choose their favorite Flip character and write and illustrate a simple journal entry about that character. This program is especially effective with beginner and reluctant writers.
Flip's Neighborhood Journal: A community-studies program (grades 1-3)
Students hear a fun and informative book about Flip's neighborhood and the community helpers who live and work there. The book also features five different maps. Students learn to draw the Flip characters as police officers, sanitation workers, teachers, and others, and write their own simple journal entry. When time permits, students create map of their favorite imaginary place. This is a truly fun and effective way to learn community studies!
Flip's Mighty Memoir Journal: A stepping-stone to memoir writing (grades 1-3)
I begin by discussing with the students what a memoir is, giving examples from my childhood. I then read Flip's Mighty Memoir Journal, in which Flip tells of his own struggles to write about his past. Each student then chooses a favorite Flip character and writes a simple memoir. When the session is over, students will not only know what a memoir is, they'll also have written and illustrated one!
Flip's Super Journal: Writing and illustrating a story in sequence while learning about conflict resolution and responsibility! (grades 2-4)
I begin by showing the students some of the comic books that I've written during my years as an artist/writer. This is followed by a reading of Flip's Super Journal. I then show the students how to draw the Flip characters as superheroes and demonstrate a simple technique for creating a comic. Students then create a simple comic page of their own, many for the first time!
Flip's Math Party Journal: Learning that early math is fun! (grades K-1)
I begin by introducing the students to Flip by drawing him from five basic shapes. I then do a fun reading of Flip's Math Party Journal, where Flip learns that math is something you do everyday, even when you're having fun! Next, while the students follow along, I show them, step-by-step, how to draw Flip. As an alternative to drawing, the program also includes making "party food" from colorful shapes and drawing animals from numbers.This is a great confidence-building activity for young artists, especially the reluctant artists who learn a fun and easy way to draw.
NEW! Flip's Cool Video Journal: Anger management and anti-bullying
An exciting new program! Students hear Flip's Cool Video Journal, where Flip learns about some of the causes of anger and how to make the right choices. Students then write a simple anger-related scene and perform it with wonderful tabletop Flip puppets. The classroom audience then suggests different solutions to the anger problems. A fun and effective way of addressing a serious problem!
All programs conclude with one of my highly popular and exciting (sometimes too exciting!) cartooning demonstrations, where I draw popular cartoon and videogame characters, as giveaways.
Draw Your Favorite Characters! (grades 4 and up)
Students follow along with me as I show them, step-by-step, how to draw some of their favorite characters from TV and videogames. I'm capable of drawing as many as 10 characters simultaneously. I'm also able to break down each drawing so that students can copy them. This is a very exciting program for fifth graders and middle schoolers.
For more information and prices, please contact me at 212-777-7089 or flipandmuzz@rcn.com