Library Resource Kit Program Ideas
and Tips
Programs and Events
Adults
-
Invite a guest speaker to deliver a lecture or slide
show.
Topics to consider include Percy Julian's life and work;
breakthroughs in chemistry and the resulting impact on
society; contributions of scientists of color and/or female
scientists; discrimination in education, housing, sports,
science, or other arenas and the ways in which activists
have challenged such bigotry; and life during the Jim Crow
era in the South, the North, and in your community. Contact
a local university for presenters. Distribute copies of the
"Who Was Percy Julian?"
handout, if applicable.
-
Show videos about famous scientists and/or civil rights
leaders.
After each, have a facilitator lead a follow-up discussion
to explore the person's life and work, the impact of the
scientific innovations, or ongoing challenges to achieving
full equality.
Young Adults
-
Hold a science essay contest. Invite young adults to
submit essays of up to 500 words on "How have scientific
advances improved your life?" Work with a local science
teacher to develop judging criteria. Award prizes and see if
your local newspapers will publish the winning entry.
Display the essays in the library.
-
Sponsor a "What Do Chemists Do?" program. Ask a local
teacher to bring in chemistry equipment (vials, beakers,
burners, etc.) for display. Talk about scientific method and
related books and resources in the library. Do the
"Changing States"
science activity provided in this kit. Make it a multi-week
program: add the
"Seeing Is Believing"
activity and science activities in this kit or from the
resources in the
Bibliography.
-
Host a Jeopardy-style game. Work with representatives
from a local university's chemistry and history departments
to create questions highlighting scientific advances made by
Percy Julian, scientists from other fields, and civil rights
activists. Award small prizes.
Children
-
Organize a storytime, video presentation, or Family
Science Fun Night. Present an age-appropriate book or video about a famous
scientist or civil rights leader (see the
Bibliography
for suggestions). Then do some of the fun science activities
in this kit.
-
Conduct a science activity. Use an age-appropriate
activity from this kit to introduce children to some of the
scientific advances made by Percy Julian. Recruit high
school students or science club members to help.
-
Create a picture board. Read a book on Percy Julian
or another notable scientist of color, have children work in
groups to create a series of drawings or a mural
illustrating the person's life. (Younger children can color
the
"Percy Julian and His Work"
coloring sheet in this kit.) Display the artwork.
-
Sponsor a scavenger hunt. Use the
"Find Percy Julian"
handout to introduce families to Percy Julian's life and
work. Award small prizes for each completed scavenger hunt.
Activities Using Library Resources
Adults
-
Arrange a rare book room tour. Arrange a guided tour
for patrons of texts and artifacts related to science or
civil rights.
-
Create bookmarks. Create a series of reproducible
bookmarks to highlight your library's resources on
scientists of color and/or civil rights activists. Type your
resource information on the bookmarks, copy, and distribute.
-
Highlight original documents. Plan a discussion about
advances in science or the struggle for equal rights. Use
copies of primary and secondary source materials related to
the topic, then provide guidance on how and where patrons
can locate these materials in the library. Resources to
highlight include online databases, newspapers, journals,
and reference works.
Young Adults
-
Sponsor a song-writing contest. Have young adults
research a local or national civil rights leader and create
a song—rap, ballad, rock—about that person. Host
a public performance of the winning songs at the library.
-
Hold an innovators gallery competition. Prepare a
list of call numbers or keyword search terms related to
innovators in science, civil rights, and other areas. Ask
young adults to complete
"The Innovators Gallery"
handout, explaining that the stamp designs and profiles they
create will be entered into a contest. Display their
creations on a bulletin board and invite patrons to vote for
their choice of top innovator. Award a prize for the winning
profile(s).
Children
-
Create resource posters or bookmarks. Identify the
location of resources in the children's area related to
civil rights and its leaders, notable scientists, and the
importance of science in our daily lives. Then have children
create and hang posters or bookmarks to mark the locations.
-
Play the "Who Am I?" game. Distribute the
"Who Am I?"
handout, which asks kids to match each profile to the
corresponding scientist.
-
Host a word hunt. Give children a list of science
terms commonly used in chemistry (such as
experiment, laboratory, data, and chemical) or
associated with the Civil Rights movement (such as
Jim Crow, segregation, discrimination, and
nonviolence). Ask them to use library resources to
find the meaning of each term. Provide a small prize to each
child who completes the task.
-
Make molecules. Show some images of molecules to
children, then provide marshmallows, wooden craft sticks,
and other materials for them to construct their own unique
molecules.
Library Display Ideas
Percy Julian's Life and Work
-
Books and videos on Percy Julian. Display one or more
photographs of Percy Julian, selected books and videos (see
the
Bibliography
for suggestions), and some of the activity handouts and
display sheets in this kit.
Breakthroughs in Chemistry
-
Chemistry's benefits. Create a wall or table display
highlighting inventions or discoveries by chemists. Some
chemists to consider include Rosalind Franklin (DNA), Leo
Baekeland (plastic), Marie Curie (radium), and Percy Julian
(plant chemistry). Include selected books and videos about
chemistry, and display sheets from this kit.
-
Science activities. Showcase one of the science
activities in this kit along with selected books. Have
copies of the activity handout available for distribution.
-
Science fair projects. Display selected science fair
projects created by students. You might want to display a
series of projects so that students at different schools in
your area can see their work highlighted. Contact local
science curriculum coordinators and homeschool groups for
referrals.
-
A new generation of scientists. Invite local colleges
and universities to contribute materials (such as academic
and extracurricular program information, career information,
etc.) for a display on opportunities for students to study
science in your city or state. (You may want to use the
"I'm a Chemist"
display sheet.)
Civil Rights Milestones
-
The long road to equality. Select and display titles
and resources based on a theme, such as young people and the
Civil Rights movement, pivotal court cases, or the history
of school desegregation in the United States.
-
Local civil rights events and activists. Create a
display on local events with historical significance and
heroes. You might want to weave these events into a national
civil rights time line (see books and resources under "Civil
Rights Milestones" in the Bibliography, including
Civil Rights: A Chronology.
Pioneering Scientists of Color
-
Scientists who made a difference. Create a wall or
table book display highlighting scientists of color. Use the
enclosed
"African American Scientists"
display sheet and books in the
Bibliography
for other scientists. Consider featuring scientists from
your area.
-
Did You Know? Create a display featuring artifacts
from the work of scientists of color that answer the
question "Did You Know?" Artifacts can include pictures of
their inventions or the actual invention (e.g., empty pill
bottle). See the
"Who Am I?"
handout, the
"African American Scientists"
display sheet, and the
Bibliography
for suggested scientists.
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"For the first time in my life, I represent a creating, alive,
and wide-awake chemist."
—Percy Julian
General Tips
-
Contact the outreach coordinator at your local PBS affiliate
to help plan and promote your events.
-
Offer materials on your library Web site. Link to online
downloadable versions of the handouts included in this kit.
Augment these resources with a calendar of events and
programs or related books.
-
Create and distribute posters and fliers announcing your
event or program.
-
Send event information to media outlets, such as newspapers,
science center and club newsletters, and local radio and
television stations. Supply the information to community,
city, and school Web sites in your area.
Contest Incentives
Think about offering incentives for contests and other events.
Incentives might include tickets to a local museum or science
center, books or videos on Percy Julian or related topics,
math games or manipulatives, construction toys, or science
project supplies. Contact local retailers such as hobby and
craft stores, toy stores, and bookstores for possible
donations.
"The story I will tell you tonight is a story of wonder and
amazement, almost a story of miracles. It is the story of
laughter and tears. It is a story of human beings, therefore,
a story of meanness, of stupidity, of kindness and
nobility."
—Percy Julian
"What marvelous laboratories plants are. You can't imagine the
joy it's given me to work with the natural laboratories over
the years."
—Percy Julian
Display Tips
-
Use copies of the Bibliography, activities, and display
sheets provided in this kit to enhance your displays.
-
When creating display titles, use a few short words in large
type size along with alliterative phrases to grab patrons'
attention (for example, "Contributions to Chemistry" or
"Julian's Genius").
-
Use fabric instead of paper for bulletin board
backgrounds—it lasts longer and is easy to reuse.
-
Cover tables with cloth or plastic tablecloths. Place one or
more small boxes or stands on a table to create risers.
Highlight one book or display item on each riser to create
an appealing table display.
-
To create a poster-size picture for display, photocopy a
copyright-free image on a transparency, then use an overhead
projector to magnify it onto a large piece of paper taped to
a wall. Trace the outline of the image and then color it in
to make the poster. You may want to laminate or cover it
with clear contact paper.
-
Borrow beakers, test tubes, and other science equipment from
a local school or university to enhance the display.
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