School Visits

All programs can be customized to the appropriate grade level. Teachers guides aligned with the Common Core are available for some of Fern's books. Many of Fern’s programs fulfill state requirements to teach the Holocaust. 

Programs

Illinois Reads author Fern Schumer Chapman has a busy speaking schedule. She speaks on a variety of topics (see below) and some presentations can help your district meet the state mandate for Holocaust education. Teacher’s Guides are available for all of her books.

  • NEW - The friendship of two unaccompanied child immigrants: How two friends who met aboard the ship from Nazi Germany to America in 1938 helped each other transcend the trauma of this devastating experience. (PowerPoint)
  • Confronting the Past: How do countries atone for national crimes? (Based on recent book, Stumbling On History.)
  • A Child’s Immigration Story:  Edith’s journey from Nazi Germany to America. (PowerPoint)
  • How compassionate 8th graders reunited two Holocaust refugees  (PowerPoint presentation and a video clip of the actual reunion from the OWN network )
  • Fall Kick-off Assembly: Developing School Character and School Culture (based upon role models in Fern’s books)
  • Writers Workshop                                                                                                                                                                                            Brief clip from presentation:      https://twitter.com/ORVanderVelde/status/865276602770497537

Testimonials

“Fern’s ability to connect with students on poignant topics of identity, struggle and perseverance makes her a can’t miss opportunity for your school.”

David Lopez, Literacy Coach

Morton High Schools, Cicero, Illinois

“I placed four boxes of tissues in the room. After three presentations, they were all empty. Afterwards, students asked if Fern could come back to our school next year.”

Semadar Siegel, Teacher

Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois

“I have received nothing but rave reviews from those attending your program. Everyone was captivated by the book.”

Shari Lipp-Levine, Special Projects Coordinator

Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, Indianapolis, Indiana

"Thanks so much for coming to Texas today and sharing with our students. I had students rushing to the library to get a copy of your book after you spoke! Please tell your mother 'thank you,' for her willingness to share her story with you, and thank YOU for your dedication to passing her story along to the next generation. It is a timeless, needful tale."

Deanne Hare, Librarian

Tarkington Middle School Cleveland, TX

"Thank you for telling the two stories that frame your life — your mother's departure from Germany and the void that her experience left you. Thank you for relating the return to Germany with its multifaceted nuances. Thank you for bringing your mother's tea set and projecting us back to the past... As we move away from the period that framed the Holocaust, new carriers must tell the stories of their family and friends so that the next generation will know and learn. You are the next generation. From you, we will know and grow."

Chuck Meyers, Senior Program Associate

Facing History and Ourselves Chicago, Illinois

"People are still talking about how much they enjoyed your speech... Motherland touched my life in a deeply profound way and I thank you for finding the courage within to share your family story."

Barbara Pinny

The Haverford School (high school for boys) Haverford, Pennsylvania

"The response to your talk was rapt silence, the audience hanging on every word. I even saw several people wiping a tear as they listened to your story of dislocation, discovery and reclamation."

Judy Levin

Congregation B'nai Tikvah Deerfield, Illinois

Additional Programs

Trauma in the Family

Fern will explain to students the difficulties of having a parent who has experienced so much loss in childhood. In addition, during this program, she explores the nature of trauma and how it is transmitted in families. (This program was added after several teachers recognized that many of their students suffer from traumatic events. They asked FSC to help students understand the long reach of trauma.)

Family Stories Workshop (A Title 1 Favorite – PowerPoint presentation about the importance of family stories)

The purpose of this session is to help children learn about their parents’ histories. Fern works with families in groups as children learn how to ask questions about their parents’ early life experiences and parents share some of their stories. Great opportunity for families to bond.

Adult and Parent/Child Book Clubs

Fern’s books have been popular with adult and parent child book clubs. She gives evening presentations to these groups.

Teacher In-service

Fern shares with teachers some of the many effective exercises she uses when teaching students how to write. She also conducts discussions with educators on teaching moral choices in the classroom.

Fern can tailor a program that fits your educational objectives. For schools with a limited budget, she offers SKYPE discussions with classes.

Details

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS: Depending upon grade and type of presentation, from thirty to sixty minutes.

AUDIENCE SIZE: Fern will tailor her program to the grade and size of your audience. No limits on attendance for assemblies. Workshops work best with groups fewer than 50.

School Visit Sign-Up

  • optional

Previous Visits

Fern Schumer Chapman has spoken at the following schools:

Peotone High School, Peotone, IL
Johnsburg Middle School, Johnsburg, IL
North Prairie Junior High School, Winthrop Harbor,
Edison Elementary School, Macomb, IL
VIT Elementary School, Table Grove, IL
Wheaton Warrenville South High School, Warrenville, IL
Hubble Middle School, Warrenville, IL
Jane Addams Junior High School, Schaumburg, IL
Vernon Hills High School, Vernon Hills, IL
Gompers Middle School, Joliet, IL
Unity Middle School, Cicero, IL
Northwood Middle School, Woodstock, IL
Westview Hills Middle School, Willowbrook, IL
Highlands Junior High School, LaGrange, IL
Algonquin Middle School, Des Plaines, IL

Park View Elementary School, Morton Grove, IL
Marquardt Middle School, Glendale Heights, IL
Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center, Bourbonnais, IL
Bradley Central Middle School, Bradley, IL
Manteno Middle School, Manteno, IL
Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL
Manchester Township Middle School, Manchester, NJ
Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest, IL
Zion Central Middle School, Zion, IL
School of St. Mary, Lake Forest, IL
Jerling Junior High School, Orland Park, IL
Orland Junior High School, Orland Park, IL
Glenside Middle School, Glendale Heights IL
Tinley Park Junior High School, Tinley Park, IL
Woodland Middle School, Gurnee, IL

Gymnasium Gernheim, Germany
Schillerschule Gymnasium, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Prälat-Diehl-Schule Gymnasium Groß-Gerau, Germany
National Louis University, Skokie, IL
Albert-Einstein-Schule Schwalbach, Gymnasium, Germany
Big Hollow Middle School, Ingleside, IL
Central Middle School, Burlington, IL
Evanston Township High School, Evanston, IL
Lincoln Middle School, Berwyn, IL
Shepherd Middle School, Ottawa, IL
Gavin South Junior High School, Ingleside, IL
Attea Middle School, Glenview, IL
Gower Middle School, Burr Ridge, IL
Fremont Middle School, Mundelein, IL
Kaneland Junior High School, Sugar Grove, IL

St. Scholastica School and St Joan of Arc School at St. Scholastica, Woodridge, IL
Morton West High School, Cicero, IL
Thompson Middle School, St. Charles, IL
Norton Middle School, Norton, MA (all-school reads program)
Madison Junior High School, Naperville, IL
Manchester Township High School, Manchester, NJ
Hardin High School, Hardin, TX
Hardin Junior High School, Hardin, TX
Tarkington High School, Cleveland, TX
Tarkington Middle School, Cleveland, TX
College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL
DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Northwood Junior High School, Highwood, IL
Elm School, Highland Park, IL
St. Valentine Catholic School, Redford, MI

Woods School, Lake Geneva, WI
Epiphany Cathedral School, Venice, FL
Waseca Junior High School, Waseca, MN (all-school reads program)
Highland Middle School, Libertyville, IL
Sonora Middle School, Sonora, TX
Fredericksburg Middle School, Fredericksburg, TX
Waterloo Middle School, Waterloo, WI
Weatherford ISD Ninth Grade Center, Weatherford, TX
Oak Lawn – Hometown Middle School, Oak Lawn, IL
Harvard Junior High School, Harvard, IL
Oak Prairie Middle School, Homer Glen, IL
Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL
Woodlands Academy, Lake Forest, IL
Evanston Township High School, Evanston, IL
Newark Junior High School, Newark, CA

Deerfield High School, Deerfield, IL
Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, IL
The Haverford School for Boys, Haverford, PA
Downers Grove Elementary School, Downers Grove, IL
Highland Park High School, Highland Park, IL
Waubonsee College, Sugar Loaf, IL
Cedar Grove High School, Cedar Grove, WI
Naperville High School, Naperville, IL
Kennedy Junior High School, Naperville, IL
Matthews Junior High School, Wauconda, IL
Oswego High School, Oswego, IL
Traughber Junior High School, Oswego, IL
Marian Catholic High School, Woodstock, IL
Lake Bluff Middle School, Lake Bluff, IL
Butler Junior High School, Oak Brook, IL

A. C. Davis High School, Yakima, WA
Palos South Middle School, Palos Park, IL
Deerpath Middle School, Lake Forest, IL
Morton Freshman Center, Cicero, IL
Century Junior High School, Orland Park, IL