John James Audubon is on tour with a collection of his fine art, several mounted birds and stories of his adventures in the wilds of America! The performance is an exciting exploration of early American history, scientific illustrations, natural history and ornithology. Using Audubon's words, (he was also a prolific writer), there is a striking sense of adventure and drama. Audubon camped with the Indians, swapped stories with Daniel Boone and traveled through the wildest places on the planet in the early 1800's. 

Audubon discusses his artistic style and technique with an emphasis on his efforts to learn and portray bird behavior. Using the backgrounds of the paintings as a springboard, he will also explore the importance of preserving wildlife habitats and early conservation efforts. 

Follow-up lessons are posted on-line to help teachers maximize the educational value of this program. Through these lessons teachers will be given the tools they need to teach bird watching and field observation skills. Students will be given the opportunity to walk in Audubon's footsteps and learn the skills they need to be wildlife researchers, artists and writers.

In November 2002 Dickson Mounds Museum commissioned Fox Tales International to create a performance celebrating the life and work of John James Audubon. In September 2003, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hosting a regional tour of this performance to commemorate the USFWS 100th anniversary of the National Refuge System. (The first Refuge, Pelican Island, was a place Audubon sketched.) Because we are so excited about this material, which has been very well received by both professional ornithologists and school children, we are offering special performances for schools, universities, nature centers, regional theaters and museums. There are a few dates open for 2003 and we are accepting dates for 2004. 

If you help to organize programs with other nature centers or schools in your area you could even earn a free performance for your organization. (Book three days at the regular fee and the fourth day is free!) You can schedule a performance, a day of workshops and storytelling, or even a week-long residency that combines creative writing and art in the science curriculum. 

Please call for more information at 309-689-8000 or email foxtales@foxtalesint.com.

TEACHERS: Add depth to these lessons with MORE interdisciplinary activities. 

Read essays written by John James Audubon! The Prairie , The Runaway, The Squatters on the Mississippi.

Click here to print an Audubon flyer. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file.)