Elementary School Writing Workshops in Edmonton Alberta, & Beyond

‘Let’s Write a Story’ is a unique writing workshop experience for elementary students led by award winning children’s book author and illustrator Darren Lebeuf. Through collective brainstorming, group discussion, and interactive activities, classes create an unforgettable story, and then have incredible opportunity to see their creations come to life through Darren’s illustrations.

 

Workshop Options

Let’s Write a Story workshops range from one-off 90min story writing sessions to mutli-week residencies, allowing your students an experience to fit your time and budget.

1. Single Session Workshops (90 minutes) - Perfect for schools looking for a quick, engaging art experience. As a class we come up with a concept, develop the plot, and come up with an ending. Once we have our story, students contribute their ideas for a book cover while Darren illustrates, bringing our story to life.

2. Custom Residencies - Tailored to each school's unique needs and goals, with the potential for larger projects and more in-depth learning experiences. During a residency, Darren is able to meet with classes multiple times, creating more refined, fully illustrated stories. This could be:

  • A collection short stories written be each each (2-4 pages)

  • A collection of longer form stories that each grade contributes to (6-10 pages)

  • A full length picture book that multiple grades contribute to (28 pages)

There is then the exciting option to create printed books, with possibility of offering the books as a fundraiser.

Learning Outcomes

  • Creative Expression

  • Collaboration

  • Understanding Story Structure

  • Literary Techniques

  • Visual Literacy.

  • Critical Thinking.

  • Exposure to Professional Practices.

 

Examples:

 
 

Artist Residencies

Longer form Artist Residencies are a great opportunity for students to create something truly memorable. Below are some excerpts from ‘Bobcat Blue’, a fully illustrated, printed anthology of short stories created by the students of Ecole Brander Gardens School.

 
 

What schools are saying:

“Over the past few years, I’ve found it harder and harder to get my grade 3 students interested in writing. Darren Lebeuf’s workshop, Let’s Write a Story’, was an engaging experience for everyone, including my reluctant writers! The students were able to see the initial illustrations and rough drafts of his published books. They learned how an author comes up with ideas and makes a plan for a story. While brainstorming ideas together, every child had the opportunity to participate and be heard. We can’t wait to invite Mr. Lebeuf back to our classroom!”
— Marla Korcek, Grade 3 teacher
“I loved seeing the students being engaged in learning something new and exciting-which was also relevant to them! The students were so excited about this and to see the finished page you sent!”
— Erika Paret, Grade 2 teacher
“Your workshop was a great introduction to story writing for my class. You went through the steps really thoroughly and gave them a good starting point of what it takes to write a good story. Thank you so much for coming to my class to teach them about writing a story! The kids were very engaged and excited when I showed them the final result of the story that we created together. Thank you so much for coming!!”
— Krista Viel, Grade 2 teacher
“We had Darren Lebeuf in for a two week writing residency in our K-6 school and it was fabulous to see the enthusiasm and engagement of the students in the writing process. At the end of the residency, all students had contributed to a story, and all the stories were compiled into a book illustrated in Mr. Lebeuf’s fun and unique style which the students loved!”
— Jenell Thomas, Principal

About Darren:

 

Darren Lebeuf is an Edmonton based author and illustrator. His books have received awards and accolades from the Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Ontario Library Association, and the American Library Association. He has been working with international educational institutions as a workshop leader and illustrator for over 10 years. This year, two of his books will be appearing as part of the McDonald's Happy Meal program.

 

If this sounds like an activity that your students would love, click here set up a call:

FAQ

  • Having the class arranged facing a the front of the room. Students do not need any materials for the workshop, although they are invited to draw along if they wish.

  • Schools often book 3-12 months in advance. Click here to inquire about availability.

  • At minimum, all that is required is a white board and some markers.

    If your classroom is equipped with a smartboard, Darren will connect a drawing tablet to the screen.

  • The workshops work best with a standard class size, so combining classes is not recommended, however there is a discount for booking multiple classes within one school.

  • This workshop is fun, and often fast paced, and it is not uncommon for students to get excited. Darren will get the class back on track if things get derailed, but if any students are too disruptive then they may need to be removed.

  • When multiple classes from the same school are booked, there is an opportunity for Daren to come for a follow-up visit to share the story and creative process from the other classes.