Author Dannika Patterson and illustrator Megan Forward team up for co-presentations. Dannika and Megan are the creators of Jacaranda Magic and Scribbly Gum Secrets.
DANNIKA PATTERSON
Dannika Patterson is a children’s author, creative workshop presenter and Australia Reads ambassador.
With over 12 children’s picture book and early reader titles published across trade, education, independent and not-for-profit markets, Dannika is an engaging presenter whose author talks and workshops get participants excited about reading and writing. Through her books, school visits and workshops, Dannika aims to uplift and spark wonder, helping to foster ecological, social and self-awareness in a gentle, joyful way.
MEGAN FORWARD
Megan’s picture books have been twice shortlisted in the CBCA Awards, and she holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Teaching. She has written and illustrated A Patch from Scratch, and illustrated six published children’s picture books to date.
Exploring nature connection for children and families in urban settings, sustainability, ecology and creativity are her passion, engendering a love of nature through art and literature, because you care for what you love.
When not in her studio creating, Megan facilitates hands-on interactive STEAM (Science, Technology, English, Art and Maths) workshops using her picture books as stimulus, connecting participants to nature, fostering inquiry-based learning, teaching creative and divergent thinking, and making real world connections. Megan has extensive experience speaking at festivals, touring libraries, schools, environmental education and community organisations.
CO-PRESENTED workshops and presentations
Magic and Scribbles: Interactive Group Presentation
Learn about the making of a picture book from both author and illustrator perspectives, using real working examples and live demonstrations from Dannika and Megan’s common picture books, Jacaranda Magic and Scribbly Gum Secrets.
Dannika and Megan will inspire with examples of how flexible thinking and open-ended play can lead to great ideas through an engaging mix of story, art, science and nature.
Content is adaptable for Prep-Year 6.
Scribbly Gum STEAM Workshops
This multi-modal workshop fosters creativity, sustainabilty and ecological awareness for children in a joyful, gentle and highly interactive way. Working with Scribbly Gum Secrets as a reference text, participants will discover how fact, fiction, science and art can come together in a picture book.
Children are invited to look, touch, feel, taste and smell this story via a sensory discovery station. This workshop is 100% waste-free, with all materials being recycled, upcycled or compostable.
Curriculum links built into this workshop include: narrative writing, poetry, science inquiry skills, ecosystems, biology, five sense, tree growth, engineering and design in nature.
Most suited for Prep-Year 6 but can be adapted for other year levels.
School Incursion: ‘Wild Ideas’ Workshop
A 1.5 hour creative STEAM workshop about gathering stories through outdoor exploring. This workshop is all about celebrating outdoor learning, engaging curiosity and creativity, and introducing techniques and tools for catching ‘wild ideas’ as story starters.
Workshop elements include:
- Outdoor mindfulness activity to prepare our ‘Outdoor Explorers’.
- Visual examples of how Dannika and Megan capture their own wild ideas and observations in the form of natural objects, words and pictures.
- Sensory-based foraging/exploring activities using nature prompts.
- Creative time to record freshly gathered ‘wild ideas’ and story starters in the student’s own visual diaries (which are theirs to keep).
- ‘Wild Idea’ story sharing where children share their ideas, and demonstrating how these ideas can be turned into stories.
This workshop is adaptable for Prep-Year 6.
Jacaranda Magic Workshops
Working with Jacaranda Magic as a reference text, participants will learn about the making of a picture book, exercise their imaginations, and celebrate nature through story and art.
Dannika and Megan will inspire with examples of how flexible thinking and open-ended play can lead to great ideas through an engaging mix of story, art, science and nature.
Curriculum links built into this workshop include: narrative writing, poetry, science inquiry skills, seasons and weather, ecosystems, tree growth, chemistry, and art (colour-mixing).
Most suited for Prep-Year 3 but can be adapted for other year levels.