Author, published songwriter, and recording artist (as well as former history teacher and elementary reading specialist), Mark Pennington, would love to book his Gold Rush Musical-A Rip Roarin' Review and Songs of the Frontier musical performances for your Grade 4 or 5 students.

In addition to authentic period music, which Mark sings and plays with a variety of instruments, each hour-long performance includes a dad joke-filled, historical story-packed readers theater that features your students as the stars. Your students receive the script and complete songbook (PDFs) to practice in advance of the performance. Everyone gets involved! Students sing and play along with dozens of percussion instruments (live performance only), or make your own in advance of the performance. Dress in period costumes, if you wish!

Mark performs in California's El Dorado, Amador, Placer, and Sacramento counties. The interactive performance is suitable for one, two, or three grade-level classes.

But, wait... there's more! To extend the learning and fun beyond his author visit, Mark provides two videos with the song lyrics: one video with Mark and friends singing and playing and a second instrumental version for class karaoke and/or performing your own musical with the readers theater.

But, wait... there's still more! Following your musical author visit, Mark provides a Gold Rush or Frontier songwriting activity in which your students each compose a verse to one of Mark’s Gold Rush or Frontier tunes. Email the best of your student compositions, and Mark will record your students' original verses with backing instruments. You and your students get the mastered recording of the song. Your students are recording artists!

To book one of Mark's musical author visits, make the purchase here and email mark@penningtonpublishing.com with suggested dates and times for your performance. Or phone Mark at 888.565.1635. I'm also happy to accept both purchase orders and school credit cards.