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Joanna Abel

Giraffes Can Dance

Poor Gerald the Giraffe’s neck was so long and his legs were so thin that the animals made fun of him at the annual Jungle Dance. When a little cricket helps Gerald hear the sounds of nature all around him, he learns to dance, prance and boogie to his own special music! “When you’re different, you just need a different song.” Joanna is a dancer, visual artist and certified art educator.

Cassidy Adkins

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Baby Llama is having big feelings as he deals with bedtime. Mama Llama is just trying to get him to bed. Multidisciplinary artist, Cassidy Adkins, will lead children through exploring how to express and communicate their feelings through dramatic play.

The Music in Me

Explore different aspects of music with teaching artist Miss Cassidy and the book The Music in Me! Students will be lead on a journey to develop their listening skills by interacting with various music concepts like rhythm, melody, and harmony. Using interactive music activities, children will collaborate and create music as a group, learning how to express themselves individually and within a community.

Liza Barley

Sky Color

Marisol loves to paint! When her teacher asks her to paint a mural of the sky, Marisol realizes she is missing the color blue. Using different mediums of art, artist Liza Barley leads children in the exploration of the creative process and what it means to be an artist. Visual arts, soundscapes, and movement guide the children throughout the residency.

Betty Dell

The Gingerbread Man

The Gingerbread Man will run and run as fast as he can, and when children catch up with him they will have learned lessons in literacy, math, social skills and body movement! Using Eric Kimmel’s version of the classic tale, Betty Dell adds farm animal puppets, movement activities, songs, and dramatic play to create a fun-filled learning experience for preschool-age children. Betty is a children’s theater performer and director, as well as a storyteller and puppeteer. She has a BFA in Theater from Point Park College, and a MS in Psychology in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.

The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf

Drama, storytelling, and interactive puppetry bring a new spin to an old story when it turns out that Wilbur Wolf is just very hungry and not really bad at all! Children play an active role in this STEAM story, as they help figure out which pig’s house will withstand the wolf’s attempts to come inside. Empathy is introduced to the old tale as Polly Pig bravely decides to find out why Wilber is at their door. Food and nutrition, modes of transportation, and what makes a hope are also featured as background themes in this mini-residency filled with songs and movement! Betty is a children’s theater performer and director, as well as a storyteller and puppeteer. She has a BFA in Theater from Point Park College, and a MS in Psychology in Education from the University of Pittsburgh.

Taylor Couch

Movement in the Night Sky (BabyArts Play)

Little Star loves her mama, but she can’t stop thinking about eating the Mooncake they baked together, even though she’s not supposed to take any nibbles yet. Babies and toddlers will love stretching, dancing, and developing their coordination as they learn about Little Star and the beautiful objects in our night sky.

Getting Groovy with Pete the Cat

In Pete the Cat and the New Guy, Pete has a new neighbor who is struggling to feel like a part of the group. Children will practice self-expression and celebrate their fellow artists as Pete and his friends learn that everyone has special skills that make the world a groovier place!

Moving and Sharing with Rainbow Fish

Rainbow Fish learns that sharing can feel great! Through big body movements and games that will stretch their listening ears, children will practice sharing in a safe environment.

Rosie Revere’s Engineering Team

Meet the many interesting characters in Rosie Revere, Engineer and help Rosie solve some problems. While learning the six steps of the engineering process, children will use critical thinking skills, imagination, and teamwork to go full STEAM ahead!

Margaret Hooton

Come to See my Farm!

Using songs, movement activities, puppets and fingerplays, we will take a trip to the farm. I Went Walking by Sue Williams provides a surprise on every page as we learn about animals. And Up, Down and Around by Katherine Ayres gives students a glimpse into the art of growing food. Music specialist Margaret Hooton has a BA degree and 35 years of experience singing and playing with children.

It’s Spring!

It's Spring! by Samantha Berger is the perfect book to help children look, listen and smell spring! There will be songs about rain and fingerplays about kites and animals. We will be dancing with colorful scarves to experience the wind in song and movement. Each child will be invited to add a page to a class book based on the song Rainbow ’Round Me. Margaret Hooton has a BA degree and 35 years of experience singing and playing with children.

The Woodcutter’s Mitten

The Woodcutter’s Mitten by Lock Koopmans is an exquisite watercolor version of the well-known folk tale, and this story has a kindly woodcutter and his charming dog gathering firewood to keep his village neighbors warm all winter. There will be an interactive tabletop puppet show, lots of wood chopping and singing. Additional winter fingerplays and tunes add to the fun. Children will have an opportunity to make a class book, showing their favorite animals for a mitten. Music specialist Margaret Hooton has a BA degree and 35 years of experience singing and playing with children.

The Bus for Us

The Bus for Us, a Pennsylvania One Book by Suzanne Bloom, gives a peek of what is in the magic story box for this mini residency. Songs, movement opportunities and fingerplays will focus on modes of transportation from Big Rigs to bicycles. We will be Going Down to Pittsburgh Town in song – and the students will be invited to add a page to a class book with their favorite mode of transportation. Margaret Hooton has a BA degree and 35 years of experience singing and playing with children.

Down By the Ocean

Students will take a trip to the ocean using the book “A Sailor Went to Sea” Songs, fingerplays, and dances will help the children learn about different aspects of the ocean while incorporating math, literacy, and creative thinking concepts.

Diarra Imani

My Voice Is...

“My Voice Is…” is a mini-residency meant to raise the esteem of each child. Using the book My Voice is Trumpet by Jimmie Allen, children will journey through the pitch, range, and dynamics of their unique voice. Each child will find joy in participating and shining through their own sound. The children will form a song by the end of the residency that the educators, learning community and families can utilize as a teaching tool!

Joann Kielar

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

Pigeon wants to drive the bus, but he’s not allowed. This residency is based on Mo Willems beloved book, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” Visiting artist Joann Kielar utilizes visual arts, movement, and early literacy experiences to help children find ways to express their wants and needs and to voice the inevitable frustrations of life as a child.

Go Dog Go

Up, down, in, out, fast, slow — children will learn about concepts and their opposites while asking, “Where are all those dogs going?” Storytelling, music, and visual arts combine in this fun-filled residency culminating in a big dog party. Joann holds an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Too Much Noise

Visual artist, puppeteer and storyteller Joann Kielar designs developmentally appropriate visual art projects to enhance and reinforce early literacy components. Her project will focus on the book Now Things Are Worse– A Yiddish Tale. Joann holds an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Knuffle Bunny

Where would we be without our beloved “stuffies”? This residency uses Mo Willems' Knuffle Bunny as the starting point for talking about the emotions that come with parting from the people and things that help us feel secure. Children will also investigate the community connections and everyday science to be found on a trip to the laundromat.

Karen Merritt

Too Small? Not At All!

This mini-residency bring Sandra Magsamen’s “Not So Small at All” to life through drama. Students will be guided into becoming buzzing bees, fluttering butterflies, hard working ants, and many more exciting garden creatures using voice, movement, and imagination. This engaging program develops early acting skills an teaches valuable lessons about kindness and self-worth. Transform your classroom into a stage where every little learner shines and watch your students grow in confidence as they discover the big impact of small creatures—and themselves!

Show Me Your Lion Paws

Bring the joy of dramatic play to your little cubs! Students will be introduced to age-appropriate acting techniques using voice, body, and imagination to bring Jon Agee’s “Lion Lessons” to life. Watch students roar with confidence as they learn to express themselves, follow step-by-step directions, and watch out for their friends—all while earning their lion diplomas!

Katalina Salcedo

The Big Umbrella

“The Big Umbrella” by Amy June Bates is a heartwarming story about a big, friendly umbrella that loves to help others. It spreads its arms wide and gathers people in, making everyone feel welcome and protected. Students will make the story come alive with music and dance under the big umbrella.

Carnival of the Animals

Dancer Katalina Salcedo will guide children through the classic, magical story of "Carnival of the Animals" with its accompanying classical music soundtrack from Camille Saint-Saens. In this story, children will clap, twist, march in place and move their arms up and down as they learn how to use movement & emotion to match the sounds of the music around them. Just like the animals, children will prance like a lion, hip-hop like a kangaroo, sway like fish and be graceful like a swan. The story culminates with each child dancing like the animal of their choice to make their own "Carnival of the Animals"!

Lindsay Woge

A Perfectly Messed-Up Residency

Children will engage in social-emotional learning through visual art making and storytelling! Lindsay Woge, an accomplished visual artist, brings the story of “A Perfectly Messed-Up Story” to life through exploration of emotions and expressive art making. Louie, the main character, is feeling frustrated, but with strong perseverance and a lot of help from the students in your class, Louie ends up feeling pretty good about his story! Each class will also get to write and illustrate an original keepsake book!

Alison Zapata*

From Head to Toe

Alison and her friend Koko use interactive storytelling, art-making, and movement to inspire reading fun! Children will make personal connections to Eric Carle's From Head to Toe by creating their own book exploring tissue paper collage, stamping, shapes and color. Alison is a professional visual artist and art educator who holds a bachelor's degree in art education from Carlow University.