Bring the Original Music Producer to Your School!
Mr. Michael is the music producer of the original four Pete The Cat stories & songs, and the co-founder of The Learning Groove with author Eric Litwin. On stage he shares his music & storytelling inspiration with children as they sing interactive songs & Pete the Cat stories together!
Michael has been performing at schools & concerts for over 20 years throughout the nation.
3 Programs Available
Residency Packages: Schools often book discounted 2-3 day residencies to ensure every grade level
gets a tailored experience and to dive deeper into the video production workshops. ​​​​​​​​
Music InterACTION! (Literacy & Rhythm)
(Assembly Program for preK-2 and 3-5, up to 200 students; 40-45 minutes)
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Description:
Mr. Michael shares his music & storytelling inspiration with children
as they sing interactive songs by The Learning Groove & Pete the Cat
stories together. Interactivity makes reading and learning so much
more fun and effective!
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Learning Objectives:​
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Rhythm & Narrative: Students will identify the relationship between rhythm, melody, and narrative structure by participating in "call-and-response" storytelling.
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Literacy & Comprehension: Students will demonstrate active listening and reading comprehension by predicting story outcomes and singing key repetitive phrases (refrains).
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Media & Sound Design: Students will explore the creative process of recording music and how music and sound effects can be used to interpret and enhance written text.
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Foundational Skills (Pre-K–2): Students will develop phonological awareness and auditory mimicry by isolating and reproducing specific animal sounds and rhythmic patterns within a multicultural musical framework.
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Applied Grammar (3rd–5th): Students will apply parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives) to the creative songwriting process, collaborating to modify a narrative through "Musical Mad Libs."
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Support Materials:
Every song has lyrics, activities, coloring pages & more online at www.thelearninggroove.com -- students, families & teachers can use these support materials for creative learning before & after the concert!
Photo by Hazel Berger
Finding Your Inner Pete (SEL & Resilience)
(Assembly Program for grades 2-5, up to 200 students; 40-45 minutes)
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Description:
How does Pete do it? Keep walking along and singing his song when things
go wrong? Through fun stories, songs and interactive games, students &
teachers learn simple yet effective social-emotional skills.
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Learning Objectives:​
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Emotional Self-Regulation:​ Students will define "resilience" through the lens of Pete the Cat, identifying how to maintain a positive mindset ("It’s all good") and emotional steady-state when faced with unexpected challenges or "mistakes."
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Mindfulness & Cognitive Tools: Students will practice specific "Inner Pete" techniques, such as rhythmic breathing and "unsticking" negative thoughts, to help regulate the nervous system in overstimulating environments.
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Growth Mindset & Perspective: Students will demonstrate a "Growth Mindset" by participating in interactive storytelling scenarios that reframe failures as opportunities for creative problem-solving.
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Sustainable SEL (Teacher/Student Integration): Students and educators will learn a shared "musical vocabulary" for wellness, providing a common language that can be used in the classroom long after the assembly to de-escalate stress and refocus energy.
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The Soundtrack of Resilience: Students will explore how musical elements like tempo and key can reflect our internal moods, helping them identify and name their own emotions through sound and "produce" a more positive internal soundtrack.
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Support Materials:
Schools receive an "Inner Pete Cheat Sheet" with fun tools to practice the SEL skills explored in the performance.
Art by James Dean
Pete the Cat Video Production Workshop (Media Technology, Art, SEL and Drama)
(Smaller Group Program for grades 2-5, up to 50 students per group, 20-25 recommended;
1-2 hours per group, depending on group size)
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Description:
Students get to act in their favorite Pete the Cat stories while learning
video and audio production! Classes start by recreating the book pages
in advance with their own artwork. Then together we act out and
narrate the story, sing the songs, and explore microphone and camera
placement. Then students use audio/video software to edit together
their artwork, performances and the original Pete The Cat music.
Classes get a completed video download at the end that they created!
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Learning Objectives:
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Visual Literacy & Emotional Illustration: Students will interpret the emotional arc of a narrative by illustrating "book pages" that capture specific character feelings, focusing on the visual relationship between artistic expression and written text.
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Dramatic Contrast & Character Study: Students will demonstrate emotional range by performing their assigned lines through "contrasting takes," exploring how different acting choices (e.g., sadness vs. resilience) change the tone of a scene.
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Media Literacy & Production Fundamentals: Students will learn the basic components of video and audio production, including how microphones, "green screens," and camera angles can be used to enhance storytelling. Then they use A/V software to combine their live performances with their hand-drawn backgrounds.
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Collaborative Creative Execution: Students will apply teamwork and interpersonal skills to manage the logistics of a "live set," understanding how individual roles (acting, art production, and narration) contribute to a final product.
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Technical Synthesis & Critique: Students will evaluate the final production process, observing how their physical art and dramatic performances are digitally combined with the original Pete the Cat music to create a professional media download.
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Support Materials:
Schools receive materials, in advance of a visit, including guidelines on creating their artwork, how to assign lines and roles to each student, and a fun study guide showing the process of producing a video.
Testimonials:
“Thank you, Mr. Michael! Four grade levels benefited from being "interActive" today. It was an informational, standard reinforcing, engaging performance. It really was ALL GOOD!”
-- Lori O'Bar M.Ed., Preschool Special Educator,
R.J. Burch Elementary
“We loved having you here and hope you can come back again next year! Many teachers told me you were the best performer the school has had! Thank you so much!”
--Karen Collins, Librarian,
College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center
“Good morning Mr. Michael! I am still bounding like a deer based on the song you sang! Thank you so so much for coming to visit us. We were all inspired by you.”
--Melissa Davis, Missouri Library Association
Art by James Dean
Photo by Hazel Berger
Worried About Tech? It's All Good!
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Michael provides: his own sound & video equipment in the southeast region.
The school provides: a screen & projector (or a large TV).
And if needed, Michael can bring his own screen & projector if notified in advance :-)​​