Engaging Young Jedi: How to Host a Star Wars STEAM Program at Your Public Library

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Supervisors take turns working Saturdays at my library, and mine happened to fall on May 4th this year! So, in true Adrienne fashion, I had to cram lots of activities into the day. Two of the most popular of the day was a Jedi Blaster Training Station and a Light Saber Circuit craft. The cute May the Fourth Be With You printable is from https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/light-up-may-the-fourth-be-with-you-cards/ and you can use the same diodes and batteries for this as well! Our patrons liked the assortment of crafts. In addition to these, we played the movies and music throughout the library and had a variety of printed coloring sheets, word searches, and other Star Wars printables to choose from.

The blaster set up was just empty cans wrapped in paper with a storm trooper head attached to them. Easy peasy, and the kids had a BLAST! Nerf is big at our library. We host a Nerf Wars utilizing the entire building every few months, so we had all of these supplies on hand (another post!). Here are links to the safety goggles and blasters we use (and have held up to multiple uses!)

Goggles: https://amzn.to/3WlyGjE

Blasters: https://amzn.to/3WnQNpb

For the light saber circuit craft;

Supplies I used:

• Plastic Trays to put all of the supplies in. (one of my MUST HAVE supplies! You will use these time and time again)

  • https://amzn.to/3wiO1Xt

• Large Popsicle Sticks (I always have these on hand)

  • https://amzn.to/3JMkFnC

• LED Diodes

  • https://amzn.to/3QAtG6X

• Copper Tape

  • https://amzn.to/4dBL1qa

• Binder Clips

  • https://amzn.to/3y7AR0c

• Button Batteries

  • https://amzn.to/44r8UMW

• Boba Straws

  • https://amzn.to/3wkNlRo
    

Set-Up:

I had the instructions printed and laminated. I used the plastic trays to hold the supplies for each person. So, on each tray was:

1. 1 set of instructions

2. 1 boba straw

3. 1 LED Diode

4. 1 large popsicle stick

5. two pieces of copper tape cut to the length of the popsicle stick

6. 1 battery

7. 1 binder clip

Instructions:

Results:

The set-up worked really well. However, it was difficult for younger kids to complete. Parents definitely had to help. Teens had it, no problem. We had just over 60 patrons participate! It was really well received and I would definitely do this again! Bonus, I have lots of supplies left over for a future circuit craft (non light saber related)!

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