SCHOOLS - 8 Ways to Connect
The festival schools engagement programme is ‘8 Ways to Connect’.
Joining up reading, writing and fun in creative exploration of heritage.
The programme is developed and delivered by a diverse early career artist team who have grown up and/or live in and near St Leonards-on-Sea. The team of equality change makers are positive role models in which children can find themselves reflected.
Schools can tailor their festival experience by selecting from a mixture of artist-led and teacher-led activities that explore the text in different ways.
1. Festival Book
Gideon Mantell Names the Iguanodon Species.
This is an early version of the festival book. Check back for an updated version which will include a foreword by Prof. Susannah Maidment, Principal Researcher at the Natural History Museum, and final edits.
Value:
The first accessible version of Gideon Mantell’s 1825 scientific paper naming the Iguanodon species.
Exploring this year’s book choice, a scientific paper, supports readers to understand how new scientific understandings are developed and presented. Gideon Mantell names the Iguanodon species in this paper based on fossilised teeth that his wife, Mary Ann Mantell, found and illustrated.
Exploring heritage writing offers insights into people who have gone before us and shaped the world we live in now.
Resource:
A digital version of Gideon Mantell’s 1825 scientific paper that he presented at the Royal Society.
2. Festival Poster
Download and Display your poster.
The team can also deliver posters to your school.
Value:
Be proud to be a festival school.
The A Town Explores A Book Schools Engagement Programme joins up reading, writing and fun in creative exploration of heritage.
Exploring heritage writing offers insights into people who have gone before us and shaped the world we live in now.
Resources:
The ATEAB25 school poster
Select poster image for a printable PDF copy
3. Sketch Assembly Introduction
15-20 mins session in school
Book a whole school guided sketch assembly. Participants can doodle as they enjoy the exciting story of how Mary Ann Mantell found fossilised teeth which led to Gideon Mantell naming the Iguanodon species 200 years ago.
The story will be told with live music; young musicians in school can join in.
The sketches will be gathered at the end of the assembly and processed onto creative materials for display in the festival spring school holiday period.
The sketch assembly will prepare children to enter the writing competition entry joining up reading, writing and fun.
Value:
The display of the sketches in the festival values children’s enjoyment and benefit in doodling, a processing tool that aids concentration, manages anxiety through the sensory impact of feeling the pen move over paper and offers a visual way to consider what is heard and seen. This activity validates spontaneous artistic expression inspired by reading from the book and music.
Resources:
Pencil and an exercise book (to lean on) for each participant, supplied by the school.
Paper for each participant, supplied by the festival team.
4. Build an Iguanodon Activity
Download a template to build your own iguanodon to inspire exploration alongside Gideon Mantell’s scientific paper naming the Iguanodon species.
Value:
Create your own scientific discovery while exploring Gideon Mantell’s scientific paper naming the Iguanodon species.
Resources:
Downloadable iguanodon building activity to fold.
Printable PDF activity.
5. Creative Writing Competition
Entries submitted by 27th March. Prizes Awarded on 3rd April.
Responding to Gideon Mantell’s scientific paper naming the Iguanodon species, an invitation to submit 150 words of creative writing about discovering something in the earth, delivered in any format. Three age categories for writers aged 5-14 years.
A winner and runner up prize will be offered to entrants selected from each school in each category as well as an overall winner.
Value:
This festival exploration connects up writing with reading and fun.
Deadline for submission to the festival panel is Thursday 27th March. Schools can arrange for a member of the festival team to pick up bundled entries from the school office. Individuals can email entries to explorers@
The winners and runners up in each age category from each school will be invited to the awards event opening the festival on Thursday 3rd April with staff.
This is a key opportunity for children to represent their school and be rewarded for their creativity.
It encourages aspiration to take part because barriers that diverse learners experience in other writing competitions are removed in the judging of the most creative voice in contrast to conventional understandings of what ‘best writing’ looks like.
Select flyer images for a printable PDF copy
6. Introductory Video
Coming soon.
Find out about this year’s book choice.
Value:
An introduction.
Resource:
A video.
7. Iguanodons of St. Leonards-on-Sea
Coming soon
8. Festival Map
To be published March 2025.
Pick up a festival map to connect with the festival outdoor art trail in St Leonards-on-Sea during the school spring holiday. The trail will include 3000 children’s drawings from schools and community art. Festival goers will discover sites where iguanodon fossils were found in the town.
The National #Iguanodon200 events will be detailed on the back of the festival map.
Published and delivered to schools in March, there will be a map for every child.
Value:
Free, inspiring, accessible outdoor art trail for families through the school spring holiday connecting the community.
Resources:
A festival map that folds neatly into a pocket.
2024
In 2024 we explored E. Nesbit’s The Railway Children through multiple innovative entry points.
Our schools engagement programme is ‘8 Ways to Connect’. Resources are still available to access. Physical workshops in schools are not available to book now the 2024 festival has finished.
1. Festival Poster
Download and Display your poster.
The team can also deliver posters to your school.
Value:
Be proud to be a festival school.
Exploring heritage books supports young readers to gain insights into their society’s history and modern life.
Resources:
The ATEAB24 school poster
Select poster image for a printable PDF copy
2. Creative Writing Competition
Entries worked on during the school spring holiday and submitted via school by 26th April, 2024
Responding to E. Nesbit’s quote “With a Shriek and a Snort”, an invitation to submit 150 words of creative writing in any format. Three age categories for writers aged 5-14 years.
A winner and runner up prize will be offered to entrants selected from each school in each category as well as an overall winner.
Value:
This festival exploration connects up writing with reading and fun.
Deadline for submission to the festival panel is Friday 26th April. Schools can arrange for a member of the festival team to pick up bundled entries from the school office. Individuals can email entries to explore@atownexploresabook.com detailing name and age.
The shortlist will be published on 3rd May and the winners announced from each school on 5th May 2024.
This is a key opportunity for children to represent their school and be rewarded for their creativity.
It encourages aspiration to take part because barriers that diverse learners experience in other writing competitions are removed in the judging of the most creative voice in contrast to conventional understandings of what ‘best writing’ looks like.
Resources:
A writing competition flyer for every child. Posters for classroom.
Select flyer images for a printable PDF copy
3. Festival Introductory Videos
Get to know the festival team as you find out about this year’s book choice and plans for the 2024 festival.
Value:
Our diverse workshop leaders are inspirational role models for young readers.
Resources:
1 minute inspiring videos to watch
Meet Yasmin Aishah, co-curator
Play Video
Meet Sam Brown, festival engagement team
(Spoiler alert: Sam discloses what happens to the dad during the book!)
Play Video
Meet Cai Jones, festival engagement team
(Spoiler alert: Cai discloses what happens to the dad at the end of the book!)
Play Video
4. Sketch Assembly Introduction
15-20 mins session in school
Book a whole school guided sketch assembly delivered by two musician performers. Young learners will doodle as they listen to an introduction of the book with excerpts from the text. The sketches will be gathered at the end of the assembly and processed onto creative materials for display in the festival spring school holiday period. The writing explored can inspire writing competition entries.
Value:
The display of the sketches in the festival values children’s enjoyment and benefit in doodling, a processing tool that aids concentration, manages anxiety through the sensory impact of feeling the pen move over paper and offers a visual way to consider what is heard and seen. This activity validates spontaneous artistic expression inspired by reading from the book and music.
Resources:
Pencil for each participant, supplied by the school.
Paper for each participant, supplied by the festival team.
5. “I thought that engineering was making engines”
Automata workshops: 1 hr session in school
Book an automata-making workshop in your school themed on engineering.
Delivered by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre CIC, young learners will create a model for a mechanical landscape – a model village – that will be displayed in the festival.
This 1 hr artist-led activity in schools explores the many things engineering can be.
Value:
One of the characters, Bobby, says, “Engineering is not just building engines.” Participants will learn how to make an automata model which will be returned to school after the festival for display.
Resources:
Automata-making kits supplied by Cabaret Mechanical Theatre CIC
6. Choose2bKind Drama Workshops
30-45 min session in school
Book a drama workshops in which children explore the excerpt in the book in which Bobby and Peter argue over a garden rake. The little argument quickly escalates to a serious situation in which Peter is injured.
Value:
Children are taught to swim and practice fire drills to keep safe but often regular practice of an essential life skill – the ability to navigate conflict – is overlooked.
Children will explore Bobby and Peter’s argument and try out ways to resolve it healthily.
Resources:
A school hall, drama space or section of a classroom where there is room for a drama activity.
7. ”Yawning Mouth of the Tunnel"
‘Fortune teller’ fun.
Download a ‘fortune teller’ to explore E. Nesbit’s imaginative writing alongside the engineering triumph that is St Leonards-on-Sea’s Bo Peep tunnel.
Value:
Explore St Leonards-on-Sea’s Bo Peep tunnel and Nesbit’s lively language.
Resources:
Downloadable ‘fortune teller’ design to fold.
Video instructions to be uploaded 30/01
Select activity image for a printable PDF copy
8. Festival Map
Pick up a festival map to connect with the many free activities over the school spring holiday that will support children in their reading and writing development and connect them with conversations about E. Nesbit’s book.
Published and delivered to schools in March, there is a map for every child detailing the many fun, creative activities on offer that families can benefit from. To be published March 2024.
Value:
Free, inspiring, accessible activities along the outdoor art trail invite families outdoors every day of the holidays to explore creative activities themed on the book and connect with their community.
Resources:
A festival map that folds neatly into a pocket.
2023
In 2023, we explored Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands through multiple innovative entry points.
Our schools engagement programme is ‘8 Ways to Connect’. Resources are still available to access. Physical workshops in schools are not available to book now the 2023 festival has finished.
1. School Poster
Download your school poster and then scroll down for multiple downloadable school resources. The #ATownExploresABook23 schools engagement programme, ‘8 Ways to Connect’, supports schools in building a individual, tailored connection with the festival.
If you require support, please email: explorers@explorethearch.com
Select poster image for a printable PDF copy
2. Mary Seacole journey illustration
3. Paper Boat Kit
Select poster image for a printable PDF copy
4. Video Resources
This reader-led festival invites your personal responses to this heritage book.
Members of the team share insights to get you started!
What Are Books to us?
Gail Borrow introduces A Town Explores A Book festival, which is now entering its 7th year and is an annual exploration of a heritage book.
A Woman of Total Strength
Tola Dabiri shares why she believes Mary Seacole remains a great role model for us all, and and example of overcoming adversity in pursuit of a goal.
There are many Ways to Explore Mary’s Book
Jac Holt shares their history with reading and of exploring books and stories in many different ways.
Explore with your critical eye
Ray Manning encourages readers to approach Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole with a critical eye, as her relationship with her own race is not straightforward.
Three Anniversaries
Etienne Cutmore-Kourouma introduces the three important anniversaries that are connected to our 2023 book choice Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands.
