LIS 663 - Library Services for Young People - Fall 2018

Program Development & Evaluation Assignment

Orange Group
Kelsey Blackburn, Autumn Landers, Patricia Lyons

Rationale for this STEAM Program

For the purposes of this assignment, we are designing this program for the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Library System and will be using their strategic plan in our rationale.

We feel that STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics)

programming for early elementary-aged children is a no-brainer for our library system. Not only
has STEAM programming become a popular learning opportunity for children in the 21st century,
meeting many of the developmental needs of this age group, but a STEAM program would also
serve to accomplish several of the goals outlined in our library’s strategic plan.

While students receive STEAM education in their schools, studies have shown the
positive impact that out of school experiences can have on student success. Some of these
studies have also demonstrated the positive role informal experiences, such as those found at a
public library, can have on a student’s perception of science-related occupations and learning
(Dusenbery, 2013). Other studies have illustrated that those students who report earlier
aspirations for a career in science are more likely to complete a STEAM degree in college
compared to those without these aspirations (“Federal STEM Education,” 2013). That is why it
is crucial to reach elementary ages as early as possible, and for libraries to assist in reaching
those that may be interested in a future of STEAM.

STEAM programming also builds upon several developmental milestones typically

achieved by children in the third grade. Cognitively, children in this age group are just beginning
to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills. They are asking more questions and
finding a meaning for everything, are understanding cause and effect, and making more
connections about the world around them through experimentation. (Morin, 2017) They are also
learning the skills to plan ahead. STEAM programming will ensure children strengthen these
developmental skills even further.

The addition of STEAM programming also meets several strategic goals set by the
library. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library System has established learning as one of its core
values, striving to connect children with information to help them “expand curiosity, explore
interests, and discover passions” (“i can create,” 2014) In its vision for the future, Charlotte-
Mecklenburg also hopes the library will serve as a place of community strategy, helping
individuals learn and grow in order to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others for
the betterment of their community (“i can create,” 2014). Given the reasons for the importance
of STEAM addressed earlier, the library would ensure its place of community strategy by adding
this programming.
 Finally, implementing STEAM programming would allow the library system to continue to
practice another core value – inclusion (“i can create,” 2014). According to the STEM strategic
plan put forth by the Obama Administration, progress in STEM fields and programming are
crucial to building an inclusive society (“Federal STEM Education,” 2013). These plans
specifically state that women and minorities are severely underrepresented in these career
fields (“Federal STEM Education,” 2013). We have an obligation to reach these groups and offer
them the same educational opportunities that others have, and we believe that the library
provides the perfect opportunity, as place of free-choice, for all children to learn and experiment
with STEAM in an informal setting without feeling the pressures experienced in formal education
settings.

References
Dusenbery, P. (2013, December). The STEM education movement in public libraries.
Retrieved November 14, 2018, from http://ncil.spacescience.org/images/papers/ILR
STEM Library_FINAL.pdf

Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (STEM) Education 5-Year

Strategic Plan (Rep.). (2013, May). Retrieved November 14, 2018, from U.S.
Department of Education website: https://www.ed.gov/stem

I can create a library of possibilities: Charlotte Mecklenburg Strategic Plan 2014-2017 (Rep.).
(2014). Retrieved November 14, 2018, from
https://www.cmlibrary.org/sites/default/files/CML-StrategicPlan_FINAL_PRESS.pdf

Morin, A. (2017, February). Developmental Milestones for Typical Second and Third Graders.
Retrieved November 14, 2018, from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-
issues/signs-symptoms/developmental-milestones/developmental-milestones-for-typical-
second-and-third-graders
 PROGRAM PLAN: ORANGE

Target Audience: Gr. K-3

Program Objectives
Participants will:
a) Learn the scientific method;
b) Retell the fairytale of the three little pigs and the gingerbread man;
c) Use various materials to build and test the three little pig’s house and a bridge for the
gingerbread man;
d) Learn how to find more resources in the library’s physical collections on this subject.

Introduction

Welcome and Staff introductions.

Explain Program Objective: Today we are going to learn about the scientific method, and we will
use fairytales to practice using this method. After listening to the stories, you will have an
opportunity to build a house for a little piggy and test if the wolf (show air dryer with wolf mask)
can blow it down. You will also build a bridge for a gingerbread man so he can cross the river to
safety!

Read introductory book(s).

Huff and Puff by Claudia Rueda

The Gingerbread Man by Beatrice Rodriguez

Read the scientific method page and give every participant a copy so they can go back and look
at it at anytime.

Activities
Explain Activities:
First activity: House for our little piggy. Color and cut the little piggy. Tape the piggy down to the
paper plate so it looks like he/she is standing up. Build a house out of toothpicks and gumdrops
around the piggy. The house needs to be able to withstand the wolf and not fall down. Then ask
the participants if they want to test their house, use the blow dryer with the wolf mask, and blow
on the house.
Second activity: Bridge for gingerbread man. Color and cut the gingerbread man. Build a
bridge out of toothpicks, marshmallows and jumbo lollipop sticks. The bridge should be solid so
the gingerbread man can use it to cross the river.

Closing:
Discuss and share observations: Thank you for coming to our program today! Did you enjoy
creating a house for our piggy and a bridge for the gingerbread man? Which one did you like the
best?

Promote Library Collections: You can find more materials in the library’s physical and digital
collections on fairy tales. Items displayed on tables can be checked out today!
Program Time:
Preparation: 2-3 hours
Delivery: 1 hour

Materials:
1. Suggested books to share: choose your favorite copies of these stories, or those your
library already owns.
2. Materials for little piggy’s house: 1 ziploc bag with: Piggy art clip, 12 gum drops, and 25
toothpicks. Additional materials on table: Crayons or markers, scissors, and tape. One
blow dryer and a wolf mask (for the blow dryer).
3. Materials for gingerbread man bridge: 1 ziploc bag with: Gingerbread man art clip, 12
marshmallows, 25 toothpicks and 3 jumbo lollipop sticks. Additional materials on table:
Crayons or markers and scissors.
4. Books for display and checkout. Suggested: fairy tales, age appropriate craft and
experiment books

Procedure:
1. Before the program: Choose books to share, make ziploc bags with the materials noted
above, and set up tables with additional materials (noted above) to share. Also make
one example house and one example bridge to show to participants. Place ziploc bags
on a box or cart to give to participants when the activity begins.
2. Welcome and introductions. Read the suggested books.
3. Ask participants if they had heard about the scientific method in school. Explain the
scientific method and pass the copies for them to keep.
4. Introduce the first activity, show the house you built, encourage them to build their own,
and to be creative using materials and coloring supplies. Demonstrate testing your
house with the blow dryer (wolf). Tell participants that “testing” their houses is optional.
They can hold the hair dryer if they want or you can help them.
5. Introduce the second activity, show the bridge you built, and encourage them to be
creative and build their own to help the Gingerbread Man.
6. Discussion and closing. Allow participants ample time to share their observations.
Discuss the different challenges. Thank everyone for coming to the program. Encourage
children to check our library materials.
7. After the program: Clean up tables, pack up materials and record statistics.

Outcomes:
 1. Participants will be able to discuss their understanding of the scientific method.
2. Participants will be able to retell the fairy tales,The Three Little Pigs and The
Gingerbread Man, and understand how our building activities will help the characters in
the books.
3. Participants will be able to use various materials to build and test the Three Little Pigs’
house and a bridge for the Gingerbread Man.

Methods of evaluation:
1. Participants attending this program will learn and apply the steps in the scientific
method. Make sure you read with students the scientific method as you pass flyers at
the beginning of the program. As the students start the activities, let them know the steps
of the scientific method that are being used. Before the final discussion go over the
scientific method flyer one last time and ask students what the hypothesis were, the
experiments and the conclusions, this conversation will lead to the next step.
2. The discussion at the end of the program will let us know if participants are able to retell
the stories and understand how our activities helped the characters in the books.
3. By creating the piggy’s house and the gingerbread man bridge, we can evaluate if
participants were able to use the materials that were given to them in this program.
4. Observations throughout the program will allow us to judge engagement and interest in
activities

Use of evaluation data:

1. Share data with other librarians, board of directors, and interested community members.
2. Outcomes and evaluation data will be shared through presentations, reports, and social
media announcements to relate back to the community and stakeholders the value of
STEAM programming.
3. Use observations to inform future programs - were participants engaged? Were books
taken home?

Communication activities:
1.Library website, in the program calendar:
Saturday, November 19 at 10 am and 2 pm
“Fairy Tale Steam” (For students K-3rd grade)
Build a house for a little pig that will withstand the big bad wolf and help the gingerbread
man cross the river.
Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX to register.

2.Branch monthly calendar, in the school age programs:

Saturday, November 19 at 10 am and 2 pm
“Fairy Tale Steam” (For students K-3rd grade)
Build a house for a little pig that will withstand the big bad wolf and help the gingerbread
man cross the river.
Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX to register.
Marketing Graphics:
3. Flyer:

4. Facebook and Twitter post graphic: