Elementary School Writing Workshops in Edmonton, Alberta
‘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 stories,
and then have incredible opportunity to see their creations come to life through Darren’s illustrations.
There are three flexible formats that provide students with
hands-on creative experiences while supporting curriculum objectives:
Full Residency Program
In-depth creative journey where Darren works with each class over several visits to develop a fully illustrated story,
offering a memorable learning experience for every student. These finished stories can be made available as a printed collection
for students and the school community.
$440 per class
Single Workshop Session
90-minute interactive experience filled with fun and engaging writing
and illustration activities suitable for all grade levels.
$285 per class
Multi-Class Collaborative Project
Darren works with individual classes to create different parts of
a school-wide narrative, great for building school community.
$220 per class
Learning Outcomes
Creative Expression
Collaboration
Understanding Story Structure
Literary Techniques
Visual Literacy.
Critical Thinking.
Exposure to Professional Practices.
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!”
“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!”
“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!!”
“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!”
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.
Interested in bringing Darren to your school? Click here to get in touch
FAQ
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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.
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Schools often book 3-12 months in advance. Click here to inquire about availability.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
