Science Fiction and Fun
"The term 'science fiction' is a misnomer, that trying to get two enthusiasts to agree on a definition of it leads only to bloody knuckles." --Damon Knight
With this year's theme, feel free to have fun with the reactions that can be sparked from great science fiction!
Science Fiction Trivia
What You Need:
Trivia Questions (included in manual)
Trivia Answer Sheet (included in manual)
Prizes (optional)
Refreshments (optional)
What To Do:
Science fiction fans will come to test their knowledge of science fiction. Each team will get an answer sheet. their answers to each question will be recorded on the sheet. Once everyone is seated, you can begin asking questions. Once all of the questions are asked, the easiest way to find the winner to just read the answers to the questions and have the teams grade their own based on the honor system. Find out which team had the most correct answers and award prizes.
*I have come up with a fun way to do team trivia events in Council Bluffs that adds a manageable level of activity, while also adding to the competitive nature of the event. Teams are grouped around the room. Five chairs are set up in a line facing the audience. Each chair is labeled with the point value of your choice. For example, you could have the chairs be worth 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 points. When you have read the questions (or shown them on power point) teams will write their answer on a sheet of paper or small dry erase board. A previously selected "runner" will run to the chair of his or her choice. They should go to the 0 chair if they have no idea of the answer and the 20 chair if they are super confident. If they go to the 20 chair and they are wrong, 20 points are subtracted from their score. Teens then share their written answers (written so that they can't leave their team without an agreed upon answer and so they can't change it). The answer is revealed after all teams share and points are awarded. The runner can be changed with each question or at different rounds depending on how you structure your event, but only one teen from each team can be out of their chair at a time. It is also fair to switch the point values of the chairs around throughout the game so that teams are not next to the highest or the lowest chair for the duration of the game.
Trivia Questions (included in manual)
Trivia Answer Sheet (included in manual)
Prizes (optional)
Refreshments (optional)
What To Do:
Science fiction fans will come to test their knowledge of science fiction. Each team will get an answer sheet. their answers to each question will be recorded on the sheet. Once everyone is seated, you can begin asking questions. Once all of the questions are asked, the easiest way to find the winner to just read the answers to the questions and have the teams grade their own based on the honor system. Find out which team had the most correct answers and award prizes.
*I have come up with a fun way to do team trivia events in Council Bluffs that adds a manageable level of activity, while also adding to the competitive nature of the event. Teams are grouped around the room. Five chairs are set up in a line facing the audience. Each chair is labeled with the point value of your choice. For example, you could have the chairs be worth 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 points. When you have read the questions (or shown them on power point) teams will write their answer on a sheet of paper or small dry erase board. A previously selected "runner" will run to the chair of his or her choice. They should go to the 0 chair if they have no idea of the answer and the 20 chair if they are super confident. If they go to the 20 chair and they are wrong, 20 points are subtracted from their score. Teens then share their written answers (written so that they can't leave their team without an agreed upon answer and so they can't change it). The answer is revealed after all teams share and points are awarded. The runner can be changed with each question or at different rounds depending on how you structure your event, but only one teen from each team can be out of their chair at a time. It is also fair to switch the point values of the chairs around throughout the game so that teams are not next to the highest or the lowest chair for the duration of the game.
Star Wars Afternoon
The manual recommends a number of Star Wars themed activities to keep your teens busy during Star Wars Afternoon, including watching Star Wars films (given that your library has the appropriate licensing agreements) while crafting items from Bonnie Burton's book The Star Wars Craft Book. You might also take a look at The World of Geekcraft by Susan Beal for fun crafting ideas. The manual lays out instructions for an Admiral Sackbar Puppet and below we have listed some other ideas we found to satisfy your the Star Wars fans at your library.
*Star Wars Pillowcases : This project requires careful cutting of stencils onto freezer paper using x-acto knives. If your program population tends to skew younger, you may want to allow time to pre-cut the stencils prior to the day of your program. Keep costs under control by asking participants to supply their own pillowcases.
*Star Wars Wooden Peg Dolls : For the patient teens in your libraries.
*Princess Leia Cupcakes : Cupcake decorating is always a hit with teens. Check out these adorable Leia cupcakes! These would be great to make while movie viewing!
*Star Wars Pillowcases : This project requires careful cutting of stencils onto freezer paper using x-acto knives. If your program population tends to skew younger, you may want to allow time to pre-cut the stencils prior to the day of your program. Keep costs under control by asking participants to supply their own pillowcases.
*Star Wars Wooden Peg Dolls : For the patient teens in your libraries.
*Princess Leia Cupcakes : Cupcake decorating is always a hit with teens. Check out these adorable Leia cupcakes! These would be great to make while movie viewing!
*The Great Dystopian Race
A few years ago in Council Bluffs, we did a wildly popular and super fun Amazing Race program for the "You Are Here" theme. Considering the popularity of Dystopian Fiction, this program could be creatively adapted as a Great Dystopian Race. Instead of stations being different countries, as written in the provided program plan, the stations could be worlds from popular novels like The Hunger Games, Divergent, Matched, etc. At each station, make up a challenge that has to do with the world created in each of the books.
As you'll see in the program plan, we used service desks as many of our stations so that teens would need to interact with a lot of different staff members. However, if you work in a small library, this could easily adapt to be set up as stations in one area/meeting room in your library.
Amazing Race Program Plan
Amazing Race Passport
As you'll see in the program plan, we used service desks as many of our stations so that teens would need to interact with a lot of different staff members. However, if you work in a small library, this could easily adapt to be set up as stations in one area/meeting room in your library.
Amazing Race Program Plan
Amazing Race Passport
Self-Directed Program Ideas
If you don't have much time to dedicate to teen programming, consider self-directed options that allow teens to participate when they have time and allow you the flexibility you might need if you can't get time away from your service desks to dedicate to teen programs.
Here are some ideas for self-directed science fiction programs:
- Mad Scientist Photo Booth: This is mentioned as an activity to do as a part of a larger party in the manual (p. 54) but it would be an awesome self-directed activity. All you would have to do is set up an area of the room with props for a photo booth. Hang a thrifted frame from the ceiling if you're able, and then ask the teens to post the pictures to your Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter, etc. accounts.
- *Science Fiction Short Story Contest
- *The birds are a-Twitter about (science fiction) books! You can adapt this clever Twitter-themed bulletin board to feature science fiction books. Ask teens to guess the titles based on the 140-character description and do a drawing at the end of the week/month/summer.
- *Mystery Theme Contest: In Council Bluffs, the teens have been loving a recent self-directed program that you could adapt to feature science fiction books. We chose six books with covers that had commonalities and the teens have to guess the theme. The worksheets are printed 2-sided and change out every week of the month. At the end of the month, we draw for a gift card. The contest is easy for the teens and exposes them to tons of different books. Some of them have even been intrigued enough by the covers to go out and find the books!
- *Star Wars Display/Contest: Over at Teen Librarian's Toolkit, they have a lot of great ideas for self-directed programs, but pay particular attention to the Star Wars Read Week Display. What fun!
From the Web
Steampunk Crafts (and other program ideas)
Dr. Who Party
Divergent Photo Shoot
Hunger Games Science: Genetically Modified Organisms: The linked article is very school-y, but you could easily simply the presentation to fit with a library program format and then ask teens to create models of their own genetically modified organisms either by cutting and sewing toys (Franken-Toy style) or by offering an array of recycled products for them to build with. Either way, leave time at the end for the teens to explain the characteristics and functions of their genetically modified organisms.
Dr. Who Party
Divergent Photo Shoot
Hunger Games Science: Genetically Modified Organisms: The linked article is very school-y, but you could easily simply the presentation to fit with a library program format and then ask teens to create models of their own genetically modified organisms either by cutting and sewing toys (Franken-Toy style) or by offering an array of recycled products for them to build with. Either way, leave time at the end for the teens to explain the characteristics and functions of their genetically modified organisms.