Program Overview

Jacqueline’s presentations are tailored to appeal specifically to the grades she is presenting to and can be amended upon consultation with teacher or librarian. Presentations for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve are available. She will present to an audience of up to 50 students at a time and is open to travel.

For twenty years, Jacqueline has toured extensively across North America and has presented to students in over 2000 schools. She has presented from Iqaluit, NT, to Anaheim, CA.

For more information, or to arrange a talk or visit from Jacqueline, please e-mail Jacqueline at writer@jacquelineguest.com.

Program Descriptions

FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT PROGRAMS

In conjunction with curriculum requirements, (and because it’s always fun to learn something new), Jacqueline now offers programs for kindergarten through grade twelve with a high indigenous component.

Through research and consultation with teachers, the content of these programs is specifically created to compliment the First Nations, Metis and Inuit component students currently receive in school programming. These sessions cross curriculums and help students understand the background of indigenous people and how they helped form the fabric of Canada.

Jacqueline’s FNMI programs are intended to help students explore and enjoy learning about Canada’s First Peoples.

For twenty years Jacqueline has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, Tanzania and Ghana championing literacy. She has presented to students and teachers in over 2000 schools.

View More >> FIRST NATIONS, MÉTIS AND INUIT PROGRAMS

For more information about these specialized programs please e-mail Jacqueline at writer@jacquelineguest.com.

DINOSAURS!

Grades K-2, 60-Minutes
Power Point presentation for Division One students who dig dinosaurs. Facts and fiction on our long-gone friends such as why they went extinct, were there Cave Kids way back then and how birds and dinos are related.
Bonus: Students see an actual Hadrosaur dinosaur egg and real dino dung! Colouring handout.
Curriculum Connections: Science and Language Arts

EASY KEY WRITING WORKSHOP

Grade 3-I2, 60-minutes
In three easy steps, students learn the essentials to increase Language Arts marks. Students discover what teachers are looking for when they grade essays and how applying simple techniques will improve their writing. Any writing assignment becomes easy when you know these easy keys, even the essay on the dreaded Provincials!
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts

Q&A: A LIVE BOOK REPORT WITH THE AUTHOR

Grades 3-I2, 60-Minutes
Extremely effective tool for increasing critical reading and comprehension skills. Students love to be able to stump the author in the Q & A and read with extra attention to every word. Used in conjunction with a novel study of one of my titles, students get an insider’s view of the researching, writing, editing, and the publishing process. Information on the book that only attending this session provides means students have a deeper connection with the story and a better understanding of the plot and character development. Videoconferencing available. (Class Set Discount)
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Science and Social Studies

SECRET SIGNS – A CANADIAN ADVENTURE FOR TOM SAWYER FANS

Grade 4-6, 60-Minutes
Ride the rails with Henry as he searches for his father who has left home to find work in 1932. • Listen to the wisdom of Clickety Clack, an old hobo who knows a thing or two about surviving during tough times. • Journey with Henry as he discovers that even though ‘this was not how he’d imagined today would go’, sometimes life handed you a surprise, and that was a wonderful thing.’ • Historical fiction with facts and fun to keep grade 4-6 readers turning the pages to discover what happens to Henry and Clickety Clack next!
In this grade-appropriate session, students discover what The Depression is all about.
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies and Science.

GHOST MESSAGES: VOYAGE WITH THE AUTHOR

Grade 5-9, 60-Minutes
Learn how the 1865 transatlantic cable changed history. Discover the perils of laying a 4000 kilometre long cable 8 kilometres down under the ocean. What terrible secret was discovered when they tore the ship apart? Watch for a Morse code question at the start of every chapter. Decode and ﬁnd the answer when you read the book. Contest included in presentation – students decode a Morse code message, then must have the correct answer which was given in the presentation. First student wins a fabulous prize!
Bonus: Students can examine an actual piece of the 1865 cable.
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies and Science.

DEATH BY DINOSAUR: FOR PALEONTOLOGISTS OF ALL AGES

Grades 6-9, 60-minutes
There’s a mystery at the Royal Tyrrell Museum!
Discover clues to who stole the missing fossil and why. What secret does this one bone hold that makes it so valuable? This sixty-minute PPT session is for paleontologists of all ages. Learn about the behind-the-scenes work at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Find out how fossils are transported and how they are freed from the stones they have slept in for seventy-five million years. See an actual Hadrosaur egg and other fossils of long extinct beasts plus- hold a coprolite in your hand!
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies

RIGHTS AND WRONGS: HISTORY GETS PERSONAL

Grades 9-I2, 60-Minutes
Social Studies PPT lecture on the reasons behind the North West Rebellion, including land rights, religion, political and economic motives. l explain my own personal connection as my ancestors took part in this pivotal ﬁght for Metis rights. Suitable for Grade 7 and up.
Curriculum Connections: Social Studies, Humanities, Government and Language Arts.

THE COMIC BOOK WAR: WW2 and COSMIC COMIC BOOK SUPERHEROES!

Grades 7-I2, 60-minutes
Discover how Canadians on the Home Front contributed to the war effort in WW2. Learn about rationing, saving stamps, fat drives and those telegrams no one wanted to receive. Discover comic book superheroes with the power to save soldiers ﬁghting overseas. Why did these Canadian superheroes only exist during WW2?
Ask yourself the biggest question in the universe: ‘What if?’ Bonus: students can examine an actual meteorite! Also appropriate for avid readers in Grade 6.
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Humanities

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE!

Division 1-4, One-Two Week Sessions
Extended Writer-In-Residence programs are available and are intended to enhance and reinforce the classroom experience by providing alternate strategies for young writers who may struggle with the written word.
Division One: Designed to appeal to younger students, this program combines different aspects of classroom learning in a way that is appealing to children with shorter attention spans, but who have a thirst for discovery. Interactive and with different components, students learn in a way that keeps their attention focused and creative juices flowing!
Division Two, Three and Four: Each of Jacqueline’s programs is tailored to specific grade levels with projects completed over the course of the Residency. Building on information in each session, students learn how to compose a piece of writing that is both creative and technically correct. From learning how to incorporate the Five Senses into composition through the use of Indigenous artifacts, to doing factual historical research in creating a Winter Count Hide for their school and area, students’ skills build so they can tackle any Language Arts assignment with confidence. Through the use of unconventional techniques, Jacqueline strives to reach every student in her class, creating an inclusive learning environment that fosters success. Individual and team work are utilized to ensure no student is left behind.
Please contact Jacqueline for more information.
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Humanities

View Reviews and More Info

Testimonials

Thank you for coming to our school. Your presentation was fantastic! You taught us a lot about the Metis people and how to be a good writer.

Student – Sam Livingston School

I absolutely loved your presentation! I want to have read all of your books by the time I’m 15. I want to be an author and illustrator when I grow up. You are the author that inspired me the most!

Student – Sam Livingston School

I love your books! I’m on the 4th chapter of Hat Trick. You are a great author! Your presentation was absolutely awesome. I bought your whole collection of books. I hope I will see you again! I got so inspired by you that I started to write my own book.”

Student – Sam Livingston School

Our grade six team unanimously agreed that you were the best speaker/presenter that we had ever had! They were especially positive about the organization of your presentation, the overview of your novels, and the enthusiasm you demonstrated for Canadian History. The artifacts were most effective in engaging our students. Many of our children are visual learners and your connections to the artifacts were fascinating to them. Involving the students by dressing one of them in the costume of the day is always something that children remember fondly. You have a warm, yet compelling style that is very welcome and worked well for the size of groups. In short, your visit was a real hit!

Shirley Gaura, Principal, Guy Weidick School, Calgary, AB

Jacqueline created a wonderful experience for our visiting elementary classes, who were taking part in the Library’s celebration of Alberta’s centennial. She had the entire group of 125 children (and their parents and teachers!) entranced as she talked about her Metis heritage and the culture of the fur trade. Her hilarious re-enactment of a fur trader’s portage (complete with volunteers in furry hats and Metis sashes) kept the audience engaged and asking questions. Displays of animal bones, teeth and fur as well as native toys and implements added an extra element of interest. Everyone enjoyed the presentation, and we would be glad to host Jacqueline again in the future!

Evette Berry, Youth Services Librarian Calgary Public Library

Jacqueline Guest has a highly motivated and student active performance. Our students enjoyed the story telling and the cool exhibits. She was very easy to work with and went out of her way to accommodate our needs. I wouldn’t hesitate to have her back at our school.

Shane Brewster Vice-Principal Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, Inuvik, NT

On a 4 point scale, you have achieved 4’s (1 being poor, 4 being amazing!) across the board in terms of the level of skill you have as a presenter, organization, the level of student engagement, the curriculum links, & cultural content & relevance. Students were going to class the day after & still talking about it & were interested in the material. Everyone has nothing but compliments to offer, so kudos to you! I even had a teacher who happened to be in the library (and overheard the presentation) stop in to let me know that he enjoyed what he heard/saw! 🙂

Jen Karpiuk First Nations, Métis & Inuit (FNMI) Program Teacher Crescent Heights High School, Medicine Hat

Outstanding presentation! Jacqueline kept all students engaged during the entire presentation. She is very enthusiastic about writing, reading and sharing!” I highly recommend her to any school.