Published Authors > Michael Gravois

Michael Gravois

BIO

MICHAEL GRAVOIS is the author of 21 books for teachers published by Scholastic Teaching Resources and has written numerous articles for Instructor Magazine. His first play, Aesop’s Fable-ous Christmas Tree, was published by Dramatic Publishing in 2012, and they will publish his second play, Aesop’s Fable-ous Barnyard Bash, in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theatre from the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree in education from Rutgers University. A former fifth-grade teacher, he is now an adjunct professor at the University of Memphis, where he teaches theatre and education classes. Gravois is a resident company member at Playhouse on the Square, a professional theatre in Memphis, Tenn., where he has performed in dozens of shows including God of Carnage, Clybourne Park, The Drowsy Chaperone, I Am My Own Wife, and The Pillowman. He is also an accomplished director (The Diary of Anne Frank and Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol) and scenic designer (Tuesdays With Morrie, Three Days of Rain and God of Carnage). He is currently writing a middle grade novel set in Pompeii called A Stone From the Ashes. And he is illustrating a picture book he wrote called On the Graceful, Grassy Great Grain Plain.

About the Books:
21 Scholastic Books

25 Totally Terrific Science Projects: Easy How-to's and Templates for Projects That Motivate Students to Show What They Know About Key Science Topics

Showcase students’ learning with these 25 fun and easy-to-make presentation formats for key topics in physical, earth, and life sciences! This collection of motivating projects, features the Super-Power Comic Book, Phases of the Moon Four-Fold Book, Digestive System Datadisk, and many more hands-on ways for students to share what they’ve studied in class or researched on their own. Includes step-by-step directions, templates, photographs of sample projects, and a rubric for easy grading. For use with Grades 3–6.

Below are covers of just a few of the 20 additional Scholastic Books Michael has written.
Click here to see a PDF with description of all 21 titles.

ABOUT THE PLAYS:

Aesop’s Fable-ous Christmas Tree
When Aesop's fables are given a holiday spin, you'll get a mash-up of The Twelve Days of Christmas and The Tortoise and the Hare, where the six birds of Christmas compete in a comical race—with the turtle dove winning, of course; a tiny snow mouse teaches the abominable snowman that little friends may prove great friends; Ebenezer Scrooge realizes that wealth unused might as well not exist; Santa's elves dream of a life outside the workshop as they sing a "patter poem" about their ideal careers; and even though the eight reindeer panic when Rudolph gets a cold in the nose, they learn that necessity is the mother of invention. A dozen vignettes illuminate important life lessons by reinventing the classic fables, blending humor, rhythmic elements, rapping, puppetry, poetry, song and storytelling to create a fast-paced, fun-filled show that's filled with Christmas spirit.

Premiere production  at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN, where Michael Gravois is in the Resident Company.