Speaking — On Science, Literacy, and Activism
Every day brings new writing experiences. I’m never bored!
Presentations, workshops, and keynotes
Schools, Libraries, Event Hosts
Joan’s focus on astronomy, engineering, the environment, and other STEM and STEAM subjects offer curriculum bonuses that encourages students to explore their world.
Conference and Professional Development Planners
Training is designed to enable participants to gain skills they can immediately apply at work. Ask about workshops on writing, public speaking, storytelling, using stories to promote STEM, and other topics.
Festival and Event Organizers
Joan uses storytelling and humour to deliver relevant talks based on her award winning books and other topics. She brings her skills as a professional speechwriter and former radio show host, to engage, motivate, and entertain.
Presentation Descriptions
Ask the Author (all grades)
Joan shares her story of becoming a published newspaper columnist at age 12, then invites questions about her books, writing, and publishing process.
Pictures in the Sky (K-2)
Students learn how to find the North Star, locate constellations, and discover myths and legends relating to the night sky. Joan leads a game of “Picture Book: Fact or Fiction” and offers tips on how to become a stronger writer.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, scientific literacy, exploring culture/community, maintaining wonder about the world, reading/writing skills, exploring and appreciating science and environmental relationships.
A Rat, A Rocket, and Science (grades 3-8)
Discover how scientific facts and imagination mix, and what happens when a journal-keeping lab rat starts thinking about colonizing Mars. We’ll talk about research, misinformation, and correcting mistakes—both in writing and friendships—in this lively and informative session based on the STEM-themed middle grade novel: Mortimer: Rat Race to Space (DCB).
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, scientific literacy, scientific process, space exploration, maintaining wonder about the world, exploring and appreciating science, animals, reading/writing skills.
Dot to Dot in the Sky (grades 3-6)
Students learn how to find the North Star, locate constellations, and discover myths and legends relating to the night sky. Joan intrigues young writers with her story of becoming a paid columnist at age 12, builds interest in STEM topics, and promotes the idea that reading leads to new adventure.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, Indigenous peoples, light in our environment, latitude, scientific literacy, exploring culture/community, wonder about the world, reading/writing skills, exploring and appreciating science and environmental relationships.
Stories of the Aurora (grades 3-6)
Early cultures looked up at the same night sky we see today, seeking connections between what happened on Earth and what occurred overhead. They told stories to explain the shimmering northern lights and other night sky phenomena. Discover the science and legends of the lights.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, sky science, Indigenous peoples, ancient Greece, light in our environment, latitude, scientific literacy, exploring culture/community, wonder about the world, space exploration, exploring and appreciating science and environmental relationships, reading/writing skills.
Dark Matters—Light Pollution in Nature (grades 3-12)
Everyone deserves to see the night sky. Unfortunately, light pollution makes it hard to study the universe. It also negatively impacts wildlife. In a presentation partnering stories and science, Joan encourages students to explore the world. She also talks about writing and the importance of reading fact-based books.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, sky science, Indigenous peoples, ancient Greece, light in our environment, latitude, scientific literacy, exploring culture/community, wonder about the world, space exploration, exploring, analyzing, and appreciating science/environmental relationships, connecting personal experience with new ideas, reading/writing skills.
Solve This! (grades 3-6)
From bubble wrap to bridges, the miracles of engineering are all around you. Find out how engineers dream up new ideas and bring them to life. Discover what happens when things go wrong! Get ready to help tackle some rather unusual problems, and since engineers must record their results, expect some writing tips, too. Based on Solve This! Wild and Wacky Challenges for the Genius Engineer in You.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, engineering principles, scientific literacy, wonder about the world, space exploration, exploring, analyzing, and appreciating science/environmental relationships, connecting personal experience with new ideas, reading/writing skills.
From Earth to Outer Space (grades 3-7)
Joan Marie Galat invites students to consider how humans impact animals, habitat, and the environment. Leaping from Earth to outer space, we’ll explore how science and imagination mix, and what happens when a lab rat decides to use YouTube to prove his species should be part of a future mission to Mars. This lively literacy and STEM building session includes stories, writing tips, and a trick for spotting the North Star. Based on Too Much Trash: How Litter is Hurting Animals, Mortimer: Rat Race to Space, and other titles.
Curriculum links: STEM, STEAM, waste in our world, scientific literacy, wonder about the world, space exploration, exploring, analyzing, and appreciating science/environmental relationships, connecting personal experience with new ideas, reading/writing skills.
Make Your Mark, Make a Difference (grades 4-12) – NEW
Kids today are more aware than ever of the issues that impact people, animals, and the planet, but getting involved can be an overwhelming prospect. Students are invited to consider their wishes for the world and how they can spark change. Joan promotes reading fact-based books, basing opinions on evidence, and mastering writing skills. Based on Make Your Mark, Make a Difference—A Kid’s Guide to Standing Up For People, Animals, and the Planet, Too Much Trash: How Litter is Hurting Animals, Dark Matters: Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution, and The Story of Malala Yousafzai.
Password to Publishing (grades 7-9)
Launched with celestial storytelling, Joan reveals how she became a paid writer in grade eight. Using personal stories to show how she built her skills, Joan demonstrates how perseverance benefits anyone pursuing a dream. This session for junior high includes tips on writing, revising, and choosing topics.
Curriculum links: communication, using effective language, creativity, expressing personal feelings and experiences, use of language to extend personal goals, sky science, scientific literacy, reading/writing skills.
Write Your Own Future (grades 10-12)
Joan discusses writing as a career, noting that most writing in adult life is fact-based. She shares her experience writing in different styles including speechwriting, websites, and radio commercials. Joan delivers the message that good writing is essential in all career fields, particularly with changing technology and competitive environments.
Curriculum links: communication, careers, using effective language, creativity, sky science, scientific literacy, reading/writing skills.
FOR ADULTS: I offer professional development, workshops, presentations, and keynotes for conferences, literacy events, public libraries, graduations, and other events. For details, please visit my other website: MoonDot Media.
For Students
Write Like a Rat
Mortimer, a journal-keeping lab rat on the International Space Station is determined to prove his species is best suited to colonizing Mars. He records the results in his journal, uses a secret code, and makes videos for his YouTube channel. Discover how you too can write like a rat. Based on Mortimer: Rat Race to Space (DCB).
Make Your Mark, Make a Difference
Kids today are more aware than ever of the issues that impact people, animals, and the planet, but getting involved can be an overwhelming prospect. In this workshop, Joan Marie Galat guides students in writing a persuasive letter aimed at seeking change.
WordPlay for Teens
Teens discover how to explore and grow their creative writing abilities in a series of entertaining exercises designed to strengthen writing skills. Reluctant writers discover writing can be satisfying, and a source of entertainment!
Just the Facts
Everyone has a topic they love to share with others. Discover how to communicate your top nonfiction topic using the same tricks as an award-winning author.
Tell a True Story
Everyone has interesting stories to share. Students learn how to generate ideas, structure a story, and use engaging language to tell a personal tale.
Stories in the Stars
Climb into your spacesuit and get ready to name the exoplanet you discover. You’re going to have an adventure far, far from Earth! Everyone wants to hear what happened and this fun-filled workshop will help students share their story in one giant leap. Expect warm-up activities, idea-generating games, and time to write an unforgettable tale.
What’s the Big Idea?
How do you help students write a story when they don’t know how to begin? And once they start, how should they end the thing? This workshop helps students identify ideas, overcome early blocks to writing, get organized, and get started. It begins with a creativity game designed to set the mood for muse!
Write a Newspaper Article
Reporters get to ask all the nosy questions! In this session, students learn how to ask good questions, sequence information, and hook readers. Participants enjoy the opportunity to get answers to questions they care about—Why isn’t recess longer? Who decides the hot lunch menu? Why can’t kids be in charge?
Write an Alphabet Book
A good alphabet book is more than just a list of letters and words. Students of all ages enjoy exploring the A to Z of following a theme to write an alphabet book, as we create a fun alphabet-based story together. Dictionaries required.
Create a Myth
Ancient myths were first told to explain things people did not understand. Students discover how to use their own curiosity to write a story that makes sense of a mysterious occurrence.
Finding Facts (grades K-2)
What’s so fun about facts? Students find out by learning how to express what they already know. Everybody contributes in this fun group writing effort.
Storytelling to Story Writing (Can be modified for kindergarten and up)
Oral storytelling is the first step to story writing. Students discover that if you can tell a story, you can write a story.
Ask about presentations for scouts, junior forest wardens, and other groups, as well as star parties, corporate events, and special occasions. I love sharing my passion for the night sky with audiences of all ages. Whether the sky is clear or cloudy, get ready to discover what the mysteries overhead.
Dot to Dot in the Sky Star Party
What if you could connect the dots in the sky? Discover how to locate constellations, tell the difference between stars and planets, and spot the rabbit in the Moon. Meet the characters who appear as celestial objects in the sky, and enjoy astronomy tales from around the world.
Dark Matters – Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution.
From nesting turtles to migrating birds, light pollution affects more than just humans. Join Joan to learn about how our need to light the world affects species that take their cues from the moon and the stars.
Look Up! (outdoor presentation)
Discover how to go Dot to Dot in the Sky to jump from one star group to the next. This outdoor stargazing session will show you what you can see in the night sky from your location. Enjoy laser guided naked eye astronomy or bring binoculars for a closer look. The night sky is for everyone.
The Northern Lights
Early cultures looked up at the same stars we see, seeking connections between Earth and sky. They told stories to explain the northern lights and other night sky phenomena. Discover the science and legends of the shimmering lights.
From Writer to Author
Discover my journey from 12-year-old paid columnist to award-winning author. Ask me questions about how to encourage your students and children to enjoy reading and writing.
Dot to Dot in the Sky
Discover the wonders of the night sky! I’ll share ancient myths and other stories, interspersed with astronomy facts, and show you how fun STEM topics can be. (Also available as an an evening star gazing event.)
Reading for LOVE
Do you want to build a reader, and promote the message that writing is fun? This engaging session delivers take-aways you can immediately use to inspire the children in your life to find the joy in reading and writing.
Dark Matters – Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution
From nesting turtles, to migrating birds, light pollution affects more than just humans. Discover how our need to light the world affects wildlife and people. As well as sharing fascinating science, I’ll discuss my writing process and how you can use fact-based books to encourage reluctant readers, as well as avid students.
“It’s exciting to help students find the joy in reading and writing.”
When it comes to motivating students, the sky’s the limit for astronomy author, storyteller, and freelance writer, Joan Marie Galat. In lively presentations that blend facts, storytelling, and writing tips, Joan launches reluctant readers into books, without leaving anyone behind.
Students of all ages find it hard to resist the lure of constellations, exploding stars, and black holes. From ancient myths to the marvels of space, Joan also intrigues young writers with her story of becoming a paid columnist at age 12. By the end of a presentation, students will head to the library to take out books and appreciate the idea that writing can be fun. They’ll also know how to find the North Star.
Joan’s presentations, perfect for grabbing the attention of all ages, provide links to science and social studies curriculums. Chris Hadfield, Dr. Roberta Bondar, and other astronauts and experts have read and endorsed Joan’s books. Read their comments, along with with feedback from teachers, librarians, and students.
Discover the Benefits
Why host an author visit?
Arts participation encourages engagement and learning, and motivates students to strive for excellence. Students exposed to creative processes develop skills and habits that improve their ability to be successful in the classroom. As well as learning about creative processes, kids gain the understanding that success can only follow perseverance and practice. Students gain confidence, and grow interested in new forms of expression.
Why invite Joan Marie Galat?
My extensive experience includes presentations across Canada and internationally, including tours in South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. As well as taking part in annual speaking tours in Alberta, I have presented in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Ontario, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. I’ve spoken at international book fair in Seoul, South Korea and delivered a keynote for the United Nations Environment Programme Special Rendezvous for the Environment and the Arts. Closer to home, I provide presentations and workshops at young author conferences, schools, libraries, camps, and events.
EXPERIENCE AT A GLANCE
・ Author talks at hundreds of schools and libraries
across Canada and beyond
・ International speaker: South Korea, Australia, New
Zealand, U.S.A.
・ Performing storyteller
・ Family literacy and conference speaker
・ Writing, public speaking, and storytelling workshops
・ Writer-in-residence
・ Professional development
・ Virtual and in-person presenter
- Funding may be available for residencies and some presentations.
- Contact me to request a custom presentation.