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| La Salle in Jesuit School in Rouen, France. watercolor © Mark Mitchell for "Cobblestone" magazine |
Invite an author to your school.
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| The French conspirators in La Salle's murder enter the Hasinai village.( © Mark Mitchell ) |
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In 1686 explorer La Salle's ship "La Belle" ran aground
in a Texas bay.
In 1996 the Texas Historical
Commission decided to pull her up.
Your students will want to hear about this.
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An explorer, Indians and a shipwreck...
In his
school visits, Mark uses PowerPoint slides of his own drawings and paintings, along with photos of the Texas Historical
Commission's archeological excavation to make the "La Salle Shipwreck" story come alive.
Suitable
for all grades, the presentation builds on Mark's award-winning book for young
people, Raising La Belle.
It ties in well with Texas history, archeology and
"Pirates of the Caribbean" curriculum themes.
The program includes a “chalk
talk” -- with Mark drawing for students while staying on topic on La Salle, his fellow French settlers
and the Indians and animals that played into their lives on Texas shores in 1685.
Mark can do up to four presentations in one day and
these can be on more than one campus. He does not have an audience size limit other than he wants students to be able to comfortably
see the projection screen and hear him.
The story of La Salle and his ships is
really our (Texas') Plymouth Rock, Jamestown or Roanoke Island "colony saga."
But unlike Plymouth Rock or Jamestown,
Texas has the shipwreck from
its 17th century settlement.
The ship's hull is now undergoing chemical presentation
at Texas A&M
University's Institute of Nautical Archeology in College Station. And many splendid artifacts from the ship already are on display at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.
Mark has been a featured children’s book author and speaker at the Texas Book Festival, the
Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, the Museum
of the Gulf Coast, the televised Writers' League of Texas author interview series "Writing Across Texas and more than 80 schools.
He provides a teachers'
packet in the weeks prior to a visit with lessons, puzzles and a resource list.
"Really
relevant to fourth grade history. The pictures were really interesting and the students were very engaged."
Christy
Hames, Library Media Specialist, Webb Elementary, McKinney ISD
"The historical background added real
life and purpose to the story.Very visual -- enjoyed all of it. Love the drawing at the intro."
Debbie Hartleben, 5th grade
teacher, Malvern Elementary, McKinney ISD
"The
kid-friendly presentation helped pull the students into the subject and kept their interest."
Laura Harkey, Library Media Specialist, Burks
Elementary, McKinney ISD
“The Seventh graders study Texas History, and this book about La
Salle was right in line with the curriculum…The kids responded so well to the slides
about the actual excavation of the ship….We all here at Nichols thoroughly enjoyed your visit.”
Sharon Little, Librarian, Nichols Junior
High, Arlington ISD
"I think the presentation was especially appropriate for the 7th grade Texas History students. The students really
enjoyed answering your questions. You were very patient with their responses."
Stacy D. Green, teacher,
Victory Lakes Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD
"The PowerPoint was very engaging. The satellite photos brought another depth to the presentation that really engaged
the students. The shots of the excavation and artifacts were compelling."
Jeanie Dawson, Librarian, Victory
Lakes Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD
"Fits in great with
course of study and made connections students could relate to."
Alexsa Fitzgerald and Cathy Corbett,
teachers, League City Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD
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| Photo by Dee Anne Hinkle, Librarian, Neidig Elementary, Elgin ISD |
Click here to download Mark's award-winning book Raising "La Belle" for free.
"I liked the way it connected to the students' experiences and lessons, i.e.e the Caddos,
Karankawas, La Salle's exploration and claim of Louisiana Territory... Students asked well thought out questions about the
presentation and they were very attentive."
Donna Cashion, Librarian Fairview
Elementary, Sherman ISD
"We study La Salle in 4th grade. It was great
to see and hear more about this explorer. The PowerPoint was fabulous! The students were engaged during the entire presentation."
Karen Manicom, 4th Grade teacher, Malvern Elementary, McKinney ISD
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| Mark and Jo Martin, Librarian, Keefer Crossing Middle School, New Caney ISD |
"He related very well to our
students. He was relaxed and respectful."
Kathy Fester, head librarian, The Shelton School, Dallas,
Texas
“My
second and third graders were very interested…Kids listened intently and asked excellent questions.”
Cheryl Mullins, Librarian,
Highland Park Elementary, Austin ISD
“Definitely
appropriate and of value. I had presented some excavation info to my classes but your slides made it more meaningful…I
thoroughly enjoyed it!”
Edith Smith, teacher, Texas history, Lamar Junior High, Lamar
ISD
“I thought it was an excellent presentation. He answered and valued all questions and students asking
questions.”
Maureen
Slocum, Librarian, Pease Elementary, Austin ISD
“They are learning about everything you presented.”
Carla Norris, teacher, 4th grade Social Studies and Language Arts, Bells Elementary School, Bells ISD
The staff was very
pleased with the presentation and the captive audience. Being the bilingual group, the children connected with his story."
Sandy
Bateman, Librarian, Washington Elementary, Sherman ISD
“I especially liked the discussion about the excavation of the ship. I talked
to several of the students, and that was their favorite part of the program,
too."
Deborah Pirtle, Librarian, League City Intermediate,
Clear Creek ISD
"I feel that his PowerPoint was
great. There was a lot of information. I liked taking the time to understand
more about French exploration. We often get a heavy dose of Spanish exploration and
have very little to do with the French. Mark Mitchell also had excellent tie-ins for how French
exploration spurred Spanish interest beyond the Rio Grande."
Troy M. Scott, teacher, Space Center
Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD
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to schedule a visit or to learn
more.
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| "La Belle" drawing by Justice of Austin |
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2007-2008 Calendar
October 1 - Hyde Park Baptist Middle School, Austin, Texas
October 22 - Space Center Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD, League City
October 23 - League City Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD, Houston
October 24 - Victory Lakes Intermediate, Clear Creek ISD, League City
October 30 - Barton Hills Elementary, Austin ISD
November 8 - Ferguson Elementary, Clear Creek ISD, League City
November 13 - Fairview Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 13 - Washington Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 14 - Wakefield Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 14 - Perrin Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 15 - Jefferson Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 15 - Crutchfield Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 16 - Piner Elementary, Sherman ISD
November 26 - Webb Elementary, McKinney ISD
November 26 - Caldwell Elementary, McKinney ISD
November 27 - Burks Elementary, McKinney ISD
November 27 - Malvern Elementary, McKinney ISD
November 28 - Press Elementary, McKinney ISD
November 29 - The Shelton School, Dallas, Texas
December 10 - Keefer Crossing Middle School, New Caney ISD
December 11 - Crippin Elementary, New Caney ISD
December 12 - New Caney Sixth Grade Campus, New Caney
ISD
December 19 - Mathews Elementary, Austin ISD
January 4 - Bee Cave Elementary, Lake Travis ISD
January 11 - Lakeway Elementary, Lake Travis ISD
February 12 - Krueger Elementary, Marion ISD
March 7 - Mae Stevens Elementary, Copperas Cove ISD
March 7 - Halstead Elementary, Copperas Cove, ISD
March 24 - Patton Elementary, Austin ISD
March 26 - Little Walnut Creek Elementary, Austin ISD
March 28 - Cibolo Creek Elementary, Boerne ISD
April 15-18 - Texas Library Association Annual Conference, Dallas
April 25 - Davis Elementary,
Austin ISD
May 5-6 - Highland Park Elementary, Austin ISD
May 8 - Bell's Hill Elementary, Waco ISD
May 8 - Alta Vista Elementary, Waco ISD
May 8 - Sul Ross Elementary, Waco ISD
May 9 - Brook Avenue Elementary, Waco ISD
May 9 - N. Waco Elementary, Waco ISD
May 9 - Hillcrest Elementary, Waco ISD
May 9 - Mountainview Elementary, Waco ISD
May 12 - Boone Elementary, Austin ISD
May 15 - Casey Elementary, Austin ISD
May 21 - Carthage Junior High, Carthage ISD
May 21 - Baker Koonce Intermediate School, Carthage ISD
May 22 - Krahn Elementary, Klein ISD
May 23 - Kiker Elementary, Austin ISD
May 28 - Clayton Elementary, Austin ISD
June 2 - Artie Henry Middle School, Leander ISD
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| Strange creature encountered by the French in Texas. (© Mark Mitchell from "Raising La Belle.") |
Visits in 2006 - 2007 school
year
Laura Welch Bush Elementary, Leander ISD, Leander, Texas
Stephen F. Austin Elementary, Goose Creek Consolidated ISD, Baytown, Texas
Baytown Junior High, Goose Creek Consolidated
ISD, Baytown, Texas
Hutcheson Junior High, Arlington ISD, Arlington, Texas
Nichols Junior High, Arlington ISD, Arlington, Texas
University of Texas Quest Club, Austin,
Texas
Lamar Junior High, Lamar Consolidated ISD, Rosenberg, Texas
Ford Middle School, Allen ISD, Allen,
Texas
Bells Elementary School, Bells ISD, Bells, Texas
Pritchard Middle School, Bells ISD, Bells, Texas
Bells High School, Bells ISD, Bells, Texas
Sinclair Elementary, Houston ISD, Houston, Texas
Oak Forest Elementary, Houston
ISD, Houston, Texas
Albert Thomas Middle School, Houston ISD, Houston,
Texas
Brentwood Christian School,
Austin, Texas
McBee Elementary. Austin ISD, Austin,
Texas
Boling High School, Boling ISD, Boling,
Texas
Iago Junior High, Boling ISD, Iago, Texas
W.T. Hanes Elementary, Irving ISD, Irving,
Texas
Pease Elementary, Austin ISD, Austin,
Texas
Neidig Elementary, Elgin
ISD, Elgin, Texas
Goodman Elementary, Fort
Bend ISD, Fresno,
Texas
Highland Park Elementary, Austin ISD, Austin,
Texas
Barton Hills Elementary, Austin ISD, Austin,
Texas
Palo Alto Middle School, Killeen
ISD, Killeen, Texas
Live Oak Elementary, Round Rock ISD, Round Rock, Texas
Graham Elementary, Austin ISD, Austin,
Texas
Goforth Elementary, Clear Creek ISD, League City, Texas
Robinson Elementary, Clear Creek ISD, Seabrook, Texas
Dodd Elementary, Wylie ISD, Wylie,
Texas
Davis Intermediate, Wylie ISD, Wylie, Texas
Hempstead Elementary, Hempstead ISD, Hempstead,
Texas
Museum of the Gulf Coast, Port Arthur, Texas
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| (Photo courtesy of the Texas Historical Commission) |
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Subscribe to the Admiral's Blog for updates on the actual Belle, teaching resources, musings on children's books, creativity and more.
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| "Raising La Belle" by Hayes |
Content © Copyright 1998-2007 by Mark G. Mitchell, Carus Publishing, Cobblestone Publishing Group,
Eakin Press, David R. Godine Publisher, For Kids Sake Press
Phone 512.258-8348
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