Evan Lee’s artistic training has included an internship with The Alliance Theater Studio, speech and acting training, theater and journalism studies, writing studies, and storytelling workshops. His artistic experience includes work on the stage, in film and television, and on the web, as an actor, guitarist, storyteller, writer, and composer. He has taught throughout his adult career, much of it with Young Audiences over the past 30 years. Teaching highlights include serving as a museum educator; hundreds of storytelling workshops at schools, museums, and public libraries; serving as artist-in-residence; acting and storytelling instruction; and theater instruction. In addition, he has presented history programs at Fulton County Teaching Museum, including programs on the World War II home front for 4^th and 5^th grade students, the Civil Rights Movement for 2^nd through 5^th grade students, and Propaganda Power: WWI-WWII for 8^th through 10^th grade students.

Arts Disciplines: Theatre/Drama, Storytelling

Core Content Curriculum Areas: English/Language Arts, Social Studies/History, Theatre/Drama

Specialized Content Areas: Arts Integration, ELL (English Language Learners)

Grade Levels: 2-5, 6-8, 9-12

Special Populations: At-Risk Students, Special Needs Students

Pre-Service Learning and Professional Development: Professional Development for K-12 Teachers, Post-Secondary/Pre-Service Learning

Geographic Availability: Metro Atlanta, North Georgia, Middle Georgia, South Georgia

Program Fees:

• Performance fees – Storytelling: $300 for two (minimum) 45 minute performances, media center venue. Mileage added for more than 50 miles from Atlanta.
• Workshop fees – Primary Sources Student Workshops: $75 each / 50 min programs (3 minimum); Mileage added for more than 50 miles from Atlanta.
• Residency fees – Applies to residencies of Storytelling performances, Student workshops, Title 1 workshops: 1 day Residency: $600; 2 day: $1,150; 3 day: $1,600; additional days negotiable. Mileage added for more than 100 miles from Atlanta.

Artistic Profile:

Evan Lee’s artistic training has included an internship with The Alliance Theater Studio, speech and acting training with Lynn Masters Studio and The Process with Dennis Moore, theater and journalism studies at Georgia State University, writing studies at The Portfolio Center, and storytelling workshops at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesboro, TN. His artistic experience includes work on the stage, in film and television, and on the web, as an actor, guitarist, storyteller, writer, and composer.

Teaching Experience:

Evan Lee has taught throughout his adult career and much of it with young audiences over the past 30 years. Teaching highlights include serving as a museum educator with Atlanta History Center and the Northeast Georgia History Center; hundreds of storytelling workshops at schools, museums, and public libraries; serving as artist-in-residence in Lumpkin County Schools; acting and storytelling instruction with the Alliance Theater acting program; and theater instructor at Marchand Summer Camp in Monsac, France. In addition, fall 2018 marks the fifth year that he has presented history programs at Fulton County Teaching Museum, including programs on the World War II home front for 4^th and 5^th grade students, the Civil Rights Movement for 2^nd through 5^th grade students, and Propaganda Power: WWI-WWII for 8^th through 10^th grade students.

His approach is “hands on history.” Primary sources help to tell the story of historic events in the context of their impact on the women, men, and children of the era. Sources include visual art, vinyl recordings, photos, magazines, newsreel clips, and artifacts. When closely examined by students, a primary source (e.g., a WWII ration coupon book) imparts both the context of rationing and how it impacted the lives of ordinary people. The programs begin with an overview and conversation with students about the subject. Together, they examine a primary source. This models the main student activity: The class is divided into teams of 3-to-4 students. Each team examines one primary source and reports their findings to the class. The activity requires analysis, observation and critical thinking. Follow-up activities are provided to the school. All content meets Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE).

Sample Programs:

• Primary Sources Student Workshops (in Social Studies)
  • Example: WWII – Home Front
  • This workshop uses history content to teach language arts skills. The program integrates art and music awareness related to the time period. Primary sources include: art, posters, artifacts (toys, pins), and music (vinyl records & player).
  • History topic:  America’s involvement in World War II and trends on the home front (e.g., rationing, the roles of women, African-Americans, etc.).
  • Approach:  A PowerPoint overview begins a conversation about the war and what is happening in the US. I model how to examine a primary source: e.g., Rosie the Riveter on Look magazine cover. Students in teams of three to four receive one primary source to analyze, answer questions on a handout, and report to the class. They discover what it was, why it came about, and its impact and relevance. Students practice language arts skills (analysis, close reading, observation, critical thinking, and discussion).
  • Art Form: Art (paintings, cartoons, posters) and music examples relevant to the historical period
  • Standards: Social Studies, Language Arts, Music, and Art
  • Grades:  4-5 (program can be adapted to higher or lower grade levels)
  • Maximum number of students: 30
  • Program length: 50-60 minutes (based on school’s schedule; content and price can be negotiated for block schedules)
  • Facility/technical requirements: Smart Board or similar technology; internet access; media centers are ideal to minimize set-up time/tear down in different classes.
  • Program Fee: $75 each (3 minimum) for 50-minute programs. Mileage added for locations more than 50 miles from Atlanta.

• Storytelling Performances:
  • A repertoire of folktales, tall tales, family stories, and songs (guitar) are the basis for storytelling programs. Inspirational sources include Southern folktales, African-American stories, Native American folktales, and U.S. Western Tall Tales. Selections are based on children’s ages and opportunities for connections to curriculum. Students are integrated into performances by call-and-response, singing together, or individuals in the audience invited on-stage to ‘play’ a role. Approximately 50% of stories include audience participation.
  • How standards link to storytelling:
    • Language Arts
    • ELAGSE3RL2, “Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures”
    • Older grades address students’ speaking skills and critical thinking/analysis Social Studies
    • Georgia history (e.g., civil war, Indian culture) is addressed in multiple grades
    • WWI and WWII
    • Theater
  • Standards identify categories for all grades (performing, responding, connecting)
  • Audience: 2^nd-7^th grade students (material will be selected with age in mind)
  • Technical Requirements: For media center performances, no additional equipment required
  • Program Fee: $300 for two (minimum) 45-minute performances in a media center venue. Mileage added for more than 50 miles from Atlanta

• Teaching Storytelling to Title I Parents and Students
• Title I emphasizes parent outreach. Finding and telling family (or community) stories is a powerful tool to make textbook history come alive and to bring parents into classroom lessons. What civil rights story does my family have? Did an ancestor walk the Trail of Tears? Who is that soldier in the photo?
  • Part 1: A four-hour workshop for teachers begins with theory and approach to integrating our story into history. Participants identify examples in their own family to create a story. Participants then write the story (core standards cover character development, beginning/middle/end, emotional hook). Instructor provides performance tips.
  • Part 2: Instructor leads workshop with parents and teachers. Teachers demonstrate by sharing the stories they wrote. They work with their classroom parents to find a family story and with the students to craft their story. Participants share the stories in the classroom as part of social studies units where they relate.
• Standards: Language Arts, Theatre, and topics for this workshop link to social studies.
• Grade Levels:  4th-8^th grade (and parents of Title I students)
• Class Size:  20 parents/teachers/students
• Program Length: Part 1, 4 hours for teachers; Part 2, 2 hours for parents/teachers/students
• Facility Requirements:  classroom or media center
• Program Fee: $600, Full day Residency

Sample Lesson Plans/Study Guides:

• Primary Sources – World War II Lesson Plan
• Primary Sources – World War II Student Worksheet
• Primary Sources – World War II Study Guide

Program Photos: 

Primary Sources – World War II – Student Workshop

• Listing ID: 6012

Contact details

 (770) 313-8687 EvanELee1@icloud.com http://www.storysourcellc.com/