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Wisconsin Schneider
and the Magic of Music
Who needs Indiana Jones for an adventure when you can have
Wisconsin Schneider (a.k.a. Mike Schneider) instead? Mike will
bring to your library all the theme-fitting music, magic, comedy,
education and fun you can handle in 2024! Mike's
music will have your patrons of all ages singing, clapping, and
dancing along to songs that tie into 2024's Adventure
Begins at Your Library theme. Age-appropriate trivia
questions, jokes, and a special edition of name that tune will
thrill with adventure, from Amelia Earhart's groundbreaking flight
across the Atlantic Ocean, to the race to finish the
Transcontinental Railroad, to theme songs from some of the most
popular adventure movies and TV shows of all time. Plus, Mike
unveils his brand-new magic trick for 2024 as he turns a cup full
of pennies into a cup full of quarters,
because no adventure begins without proper funding! Pint Size Polkas is the
perfect addition to your library's reading adventure in 2024. It's
fun for the whole family!
Program
Length
Approximately 40-45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries; all ages, families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded electrical
outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional
Links
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Music & Magic to
Protect the Polkasphere
Help protect the polkasphere with Pint Size Polkas! Mike Schneider
will bring to your library all the theme-fitting music, magic,
comedy, education and fun you can handle in 2024! Mike's music
will have your patrons of all ages singing, clapping, and dancing
along to songs that tie into 2024's Read, Renew, Repeat
theme. Age-appropriate trivia questions, jokes, and a special
edition of name that tune will pay special attention to the
environment, from Paul Bunyan's creation of the Great Lakes so his
Blue Ox Babe could get a decent drink of water, to theme songs
from popular movies and TV shows with environmental connections.
Plus, one lucky adult will even have the chance to participate in
a special polar ice cap-restoring magic trick that will turn water
back into ice! Pint Size Polkas is the perfect addition to your
library's mission to Read, Renew and Repeat in 2024. It's
fun for the whole family!
Program
Length
Approximately 40-45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries; all ages, families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded electrical
outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional
Links
To Top
S.T.E.A.M. WORKSHOP
Award-winning polka musician and accordion player Mike Schneider
presents a fun, interactive, and educational S.T.E.A.M. workshop
for your classroom or library! Participants will learn why a yodel can
travel on earth, but cannot in space; how a computer and an
electronic accordion (or even a cheap keyboard) can be used to transcribe sheet music; how an
accordion is made and what the parts inside do; the importance
of math in planning an hour-long radio show; and will even learn
how to make water in a Solo cup disappear using science! Each educational
segment will be accompanied by a live musical performance, and
there will be plenty of opportunities for audience members to
volunteer and participate. Mike Schneider's S.T.E.A.M. Workshop is the perfect culmination of Midwestern
musical heritage, S.T.E.A.M.-based education, and fun for all
elementary-age students!
Program
Length
Approximately 50 minutes. Flexible to classroom need.
Best Suited For
Libraries; schools; children in grades K through 5; single classrooms.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with an HDMI or standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
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THE HISTORY OF POLKA MUSIC
Direct from the state that made the polka its official state
dance, Mike Schneider covers the history of the accordion and polka music, plus
takes an in-depth
look at the three main polka styles during this
anything-but-boring presentation. Enjoy the sounds of some of the
most famous polka songs ever played! The audience will learn the
steps to songs like the "Chicken Dance," and is invited to take
part in an interactive video quiz on the German, Polish,
and Slovenian styles of polka music. To cap the program off,
everyone will learn how to do the polka, courtesy of a video
appearance by Wisconsin dairy farmers Ralph and Diane Boehlen.
Program
Length
Approximately 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 8.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Accordion History
-
Polka Music History
-
Polka Style
Challenge (watch)
-
How to Dance
the Polka (watch)
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with an HDMI or standard composite video input.
Additional Links
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VIRTUAL POLKA WORKSHOP
Award-winning polka musician and accordion player Mike Schneider
brings you his popular Pint Size Polkas program virtually! Mike
will teach your students about the accordion and demonstrate how
it works, both mechanically and through live performance. Your
students will learn about how the instrument has been used by
cultures around the world, starting with its evolution from the
sheng in China, to its use by African American and Hispanic
musicians in modern Zydeco and Tejano music, respectively. Mike
will discuss the history of polka music, including its influence
on other forms of music. Your students will have the opportunity
to ask Mike questions, either directly by video, via text
comments, or by email prior to his live stream visit.
Mike will provide
education on the topics listed above during his live stream
performance, and through several brief prerecorded videos leading
up to his virtual visit. These videos will each be three minutes
in length or less, and can be viewed during your class time or
assigned to be watched outside of class in preparation of Mike's
live stream visit. All the interactivity of a Pint Size Polkas
classroom visit is maintained, including a special polka edition of
"Name that Tune" featuring popular TV show theme songs set to
a polka beat, an opportunity for students to guess specific polka
subgenres during the "Polka Style Challenge," and much more!
The Virtual Polka Workshop is an
excellent alternative for schools who are unable to invite Mike for an
in-person performance. Beat the
social distancing blues with an uplifting polka program for your
students!
Program
Price
$150 for a 30-minute classroom session; $225 for a 45-minute
classroom session. Discounts for additional time and/or classroom
sessions
booked.
Best Suited For
Schools; children in grades K through 5; single classrooms.
Technical
Requirements
- A device and Internet
connection capable of video playback
Additional
Links
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POLKA VARIETY SHOW
Enjoy learning about occupations, personal
hygiene, and even a little bit of foreign language
through Mike Schneider's catchy polka tunes! The fun of polka music is
reinforced by educational and humorous video segments that cover
age-appropriate reading, math and geography, plus how to dance the polka. The audience
is encouraged to take part in a geography quiz
about major cities, states or countries with polka roots;
volunteer to wear various hats and guess the corresponding
occupations; learn the steps to songs like the Chicken Dance; and
sing along to all of Mike's polka songs.
Program
Length
Approximately 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Math Challenge
(watch)
-
Accordion History
-
Geography
Challenge (watch)
-
How to Dance the Polka
(watch)
-
Paul Bunyan and the History of
Logging
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
OPERATION READ
Rediscover the fun of reading to the sounds of Mike Schneider's happy
polka music! The occupations of airplane pilot, lumberjack, and
railroad engineer are the focus of this program. Each occupation
segment begins with the opportunity for a volunteer to wear a hat
while the audience guesses the job that goes with it. Three short
interactive video segments give your students or patrons a closer
look at each career while providing a review on such reading terms
as alliteration, compound word, short and long vowel sounds,
onomatopoeia, and story sequencing. During the course of the
program, the audience will be introduced to Amelia Earhart, Casey
Jones, and Paul Bunyan, and will be encouraged to learn more by
reading each of their books. Your students and patrons will be
singing along to songs about each occupation, the alphabet, the
five main vowels, and much more! Plus, get up and go to rollicking
renditions of the "Chicken Dance" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and
Toes!" Learn lots, get some exercise, and have tons of fun with
Mike Schneider's Operation Read Program!
Program
Length
Approximately 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Schools and libraries; children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Reading with Pilot Gina
-
Reading with Railroad Ron
(watch)
-
Reading with Lumberjack Doug
Suggested Reading
- “Who Was
Amelia Earhart?” by Kate Jerome
-
“Casey Jones” by
Allan Drummond
-
“Paul Bunyan” by
Steven Kellogg
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with an HDMI or standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
MUSIC & DANCE
Enjoy learning about the alphabet, occupations, and personal
hygiene while getting a great get-up-and-move workout to Mike
Schneider's polka snappy beat. Participation opportunities abound! The
audience is invited to learn the steps to songs like the "Chicken
Dance" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"; volunteer to wear
various hats and guess the corresponding occupations; play name
that tune for polka versions of three children's classics; and
sing along to all of Mike Schneider's catchy polka songs.
Program
Length
Typically 30-45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Fairs, festivals, libraries; Families, children of all ages.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional
Links
To Top
OKTOBERFEST
CELEBRATION
Looking for a family-friendly way to celebrate Oktoberfest or
National Polka Month (January) at your library, school, or special
event? Then look no further than Mike Schneider as he helps you
celebrate these fantastic European traditions and
encourages your patrons to check out corresponding books in the
process! Learn a little bit of the German language, how to do the
"Chicken Dance" - the official dance of Oktoberfest, and even how
to yodel! Plus, get a quick tutorial on the accordion and the
history of polka music. One lucky adult volunteer will even have
the opportunity to make water magically disappear from a German
stein! Age-appropriate trivia questions, numerous
volunteer opportunities and sing-alongs, and a special Pint Size
Polkas edition of "Name That Tune" round out this exciting musical
program that's fun for all ages!
Program
Length
Approximately 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 8.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional Links
To Top
CELEBRATING THE
ENVIRONMENT
Perfect for Earth Day or any time a celebration of our planet is
in order! Four occupation
segments begin with the opportunity for a volunteer to wear a hat
while the audience guesses the job that goes with it.
Corresponding interactive video segments cover fuel efficient
vehicles like the Solar Impulse airplane, the SuperTruck, and
modern diesel locomotives while engaging your students or patrons
in age-appropriate math and reading challenges. Plus, Lumberjack
Doug reports from the North Woods on Paul Bunyan and the history
of the logging profession. Sing along and participation
opportunities abound throughout the show, including the
ever-popular "Chicken Dance" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and
Toes!" To cap the program off, everyone will learn how to do the
polka, courtesy of a video appearance by Wisconsin dairy farmers
Ralph and Diane Boehlen.
Program
Length
Approximately 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Schools and libraries; children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Solar Impulse Airplane Math
-
SuperTruck Reading or Math
-
Diesel Train Fuel Efficiency Math
-
Paul Bunyan and the History of
Logging
-
How to Dance
the Polka (watch)
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with an HDMI or standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
PRESENTING A PROGRAM
JUST FOR YOU
Do you like elements from multiple programs listed above? Then
contact Mike Schneider
today with your ideas! Whether you'd like to combine reading with
a lesson on the history of polka music, for instance, or you're
interested in a series of shorter presentations, Mike will
be happy to put together a custom program just for you.
Contact Mike
today for more information and to get your free price quote!
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with an HDMI or standard composite video input.
Additional Links
To Top |
