Writer’s Union member. Member of CANSCAIP, Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada, Society of Children’s Book and Writers and Illustrators, National Marine Educators Association, North American Association for Environmental Education, Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication, and Canadian Network for Ocean Education. A selection of awards and honour include UNESCO Ocean Literacy, United Nationals Sustainable Development Book Club, Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, Santa Monica Public Libraries Winner, Sigurd F Olsen Nature Writing Award for Children’s Literature Winner, International Book Award, Society of School Librarians Winner, and several other awards and honours.
Fees for on-site visits: $350 + HST per presentation, $600 + HST for two presentations on the same day. Each additional presentation on the same day $250 + HST, up to a maximum of 4 presentations. Mileage for school visits outside of Toronto $0.61/km. Accommodation fees may apply if outside GTHA. Fees for virtual visits: $350 + HST per presentation, $250 + HST for each additional presentation on the same day, to a maximum of 4 presentations per day.
Rochelle Strauss is on a mission to change the world – one book at a time! As an environmental educator and award-winning children’s author, Rochelle is dedicated to building environmental literacy and inspiring people to become active stewards of our planet. Through her work, she uses compelling storytelling to bring complex ecological processes and environmental issues to life, helping young people better understand the natural world and empowering them to make a positive impact. Most importantly, Rochelle also brings HOPE by sharing ripples of change – good new stories from around the world. Rochelle’s children’s books have won several awards, been translated globally and incorporated into curriculum in the US. The Global Ocean is a UNESCO endorsed Ocean Decade Activity, and One Well: The Story of Water on Earth was selected as part of the UN’s SDG Book Club in support of SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation. One Well has also sold over half a million copies internationally. An active speaker and presenter, Rochelle can often be found building environmental literacy in classrooms around the world and raising the profile of non-fiction books as tools for STEM education at conferences and teacher training workshops.
School Programs:
The Global Ocean
What if Earth had a beating heart that powered everything on the planet? In a way, the Global Ocean is like Earth’s Heart.
Using this powerful premise, this presentation focusses on building Ocean Literacy – the understanding of the ocean’s influence on us, and our influence on the ocean.
Diving into the global ocean students learn about the ocean and how it sustains all life on Earth. They explore the important roles the ocean plays in supporting life, such as regulating Earth’s climate, controlling weather, providing habitat, and as a source of food for many animals on the planet (including people). Students also hear about the many issues affecting the health of the global ocean such as pollution, global warming, overfishing, habitat destruction, etc.
But Rochelle’s emphasis is on HOPE. Using stories called ripples of change, Rochelle shares good news stories of ocean conservation and action from around the world, to demonstrate how people, organizations and governments are taking action and making a difference. An interactive activity engages the entire audience to demonstrate how even the smallest action have a big impact, leaving students feeling empowered, inspired and hopeful!
Curriculum connections: water cycle, ecosystems, habitats and communities, environment, diversity of living things, earth systems, climate change, food chains and webs, earth and human activity, weather and climate.
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth
Imagine for a moment that all the water on Earth came from just one well.
During this presentation, Rochelle leads students on a journey to become Well Aware, by building their water literacy. Students discover how all water on Earth is connected, as well as explore the water cycle, water as habitat, and the issues impacting Earth’s one well, such as the limited amount of freshwater on Earth, access to the well, demands on the well and pollution in the well. Shared stories also demonstrate how plants and animals (including people) use and depend on water.
The presentation wraps with good news stories and an opportunity for students to brainstorm actions they can take to protect water on Earth. A final dramatic moment comes with an activity that demonstrates how every student has the power to create their own ripples of change. The activity leaves the students feeling empowered and inspired.
Curriculum connections: water cycle, ecosystems, habitats and communities, environment, diversity of living things, earth systems, climate change, food chains and webs, earth and human activity, weather and climate.
Order One
Important Info:
- Grades: 3-7 (accommodations can be made for younger/older)
- Group size: Max 150 students per presentation (happy discuss larger groups)
- Requirements: LCD projector and screen, as well as mic and speaker for groups of 30 or more.
- Virtual visits can be conducted via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
- Times: Rochelle can (and has!) accommodated presentations around the globe, in a range of time zones.