Category: What’s New
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Teen Diaries
After visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, I wrote this essay for Teen Librarian Toolbox about the power of diaries–especially for teens. In the essay, I also mention my suggestion for a library display and share my Encourage Diary Writing Display sign.
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Potomac Elementary STEM Songwriting Residency
What do students do when they write a song? Research/brainstorm (it’s okay to be messy) Write rough draft Recognize and follow patterns Use repetition Experiment with rhyme Use rhythm Revise Make sure each song has a surprise Rehearse Students at Potomac Elementary explored lots of elements of songwriting in my songwriting residency. Thanks to…
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Rock Creek Valley Residency
What a great school! I loved seeing all students in third through fifth grades for an assembly and then getting the chance to do writing workshops with fourth graders. We focused on developing character and wrote monologues about an unusual day in the life of… whatever animal they wanted to be. I encouraged the writers…
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Alexander Hamilton Elementary School
Thanks to students, staff and parents who welcomed me to the Alexander Hamilton Elementary School for a busy day of author visits. I loved getting the chance to be on the AH morning news show. Another treat was the special lunch with student writers. The stories they wrote were interesting, funny, and surprising. Keep writing!…
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Thomas Jefferson ES (NJ)
An enormous thank you to the PTO of TJ Elementary School in Morristown, NJ, to Mark Fluck, librarian extraordinaire, and to all the students and staff of this grades 3-5 school. I loved making up funny stories with all the grade levels and sharing the excitement of writing. Thanks also to the PTO for organizing…
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Ask-an-Author Pop-up
As part of the Final Friday Art Walk in Hyattsville, author Mary Amato will be at an Ask-an-Author Pop-up at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center on Friday, October 27th from 5:00-7pm. Pop in to check out PAAC and to meet an author. At Mary Amato’s Ask-an-Author Pop-up, you can: • Ask Mary how she writes her…
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Humor Writing Workout
The Humor Writing Workout, taught by Mary Amato Four Mondays in November, 7:30 – 9:30 pm at the Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road, College Park 7:30pm – 9:30pm Fee: $70 total Editors are always on the lookout for laughs—even in serious work—so do yourself a huge favor and develop your humor-writing muscles. Through readings,…
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Carpe Diem Arts Songwriting Residency
For three days, I had the chance to work with sixth, seventh, and eighth graders in Albemarle County, VA. We explored how to get ideas for songs and specific strategies for songwriting such as structure, metaphor, rhythm, rhyme, and prosody. We applied the same techniques for revising that poets and fiction writers use. Each class…
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Songwriting Workshop on the Maryland Shore
For the second year, I had the opportunity to teach workshops at the Carpe Diem Arts Camp on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This year, the focus was on songwriting, and we wrote a collaborative song. What a great group of campers! Thanks to Busy Graham, Ale and Binta. DREAM BIG song recording by…
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Ukuleles at Gadget Lab Camp
Wow! Loved working with Karen Giacopuzzi and campers to create homemade ukuleles from cigar boxes. My role was to teach campers how to play and write their own songs. We had a blast.