Trivia Night at the Science Kaffeehaus

Einstein's Big Idea homepage

In the spirit of the Zurich cafés where Einstein did some of his most creative thinking, turn your library into a lively Science Kaffeehaus. Your guests can hear from a local scientist and take part in a trivia game—all related to E = mc². It's a fun and effective way to reach new audiences and help bridge the gap between the scientific community and the public.

Ages: 18 and up
Time: 2-1/2 hours
Group Size: 15 or more (depending on your space)

Get Ready

1. Get to know E = mc²

   Don't worry—it's not your job to explain the equation! Your goal is to feel comfortable sharing the following background information:

   • The year 2005 marks the centennial of Einstein's famous equation E = mc²—a groundbreaking insight he came to at the age of 26.

   • To derive the equation, Einstein built upon the work of many scientists, including women and other scientific "outsiders."

   • The equation's legacy continues in countless inventions and discoveries (these connections can be made by your scientist speaker).

   
   

   • Visit NOVA's Einstein's Big Idea Web site (www.pbs.org/nova/einstein).

   • Read David Bodanis's book, E = mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation.

   • Review other resources of interest from the resource lists.

2. Set a date, time, and location

   • Hold the event on an evening when the library is closed, or in a large meeting room. If possible, choose a space where snacks can be served.

3. Find a scientist to host the trivia event

   • Contact the World Year of Physics 2005 Speakers Program, which can help locate scientists who have a knack for explaining to the public Einstein's ideas and their impact (www.physics2005.org/speakers/index.html).

   • Contact your local chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, whose members represent a diverse set of scientific disciplines (www.sigmaxi.org/chapters/lists/index.shtml).

   • Inquire at local colleges and museums for suggestions of experts who would be interested in presenting.

   • Seek articulate, engaging presenters. Also, consider breaking down stereotypes by finding scientists from underrepresented groups, such as women and minorities.

   • Explain their role: To engage the general public in a dialogue and trivia game related to E = mc², its significance, and how it affects them today. Inform them that the time commitment is small and little preparation is necessary.

   • Establish whether a monetary incentive is needed for your speaker and, if so, how you can fund it.

4. Publicize the event

   • Send a press release or information about the event to local television stations and to online and printed calendar listings in listservs, newsletters, and newspapers (see sample press release at right).

   • Post flyers for the event at the library and in the community.

   • List your event in the World Year of Physics events database. This nationwide database is searchable by state or date (www.physics2005.org/events/index.html).

   • Suggest people sign up individually or in teams, and ask people to register (by sign-up sheet at the library or by email) so that you have a sense of the group size.

5. Recruit volunteers

   Enlist library personnel or volunteers to moderate, judge, and provide A/V support.

   • The moderator will introduce the scientist, clarify rules for trivia, and run the Q & A session. The moderator should be comfortable speaking in public and familiar with the concepts being discussed.

   • Have two to three volunteers hand out, collect, and score trivia answer sheets. They don't need to have any special expertise but should understand the questions and answers so they can accurately score response variations.

   • An A/V volunteer should set up any equipment before the event begins and be available to help with glitches that may arise during the evening. Use of a microphone is recommended to ensure that everyone can hear.

6. Gather snacks, prizes, and materials

   • Create a Swiss Kaffeehaus by offering coffee, tea, and hot chocolate, along with small pastries such as strudel slices and butter cookies. Play classical music, such as Bach's Brandenberg Concerti.

   • Obtain prizes for all participants and/or the winning team.

   • Photocopy the Round 1 question sheet for each team.

   • Collect blank pads of paper and pencils for teams to collect answers during Round 2.

   • Create your own trivia Q's. Increase the challenge by adding a third round of questions. You can develop your own or choose from those provided by the World Year of Physics at: www.physics2005.org/events/projects.html#teachers

7. Do a test run on the day of the event

   • Prepare the space, set out food and trivia materials, and test any A/V equipment.

   • Set up a welcome table with blank nametags and markers available.

   • Set up a whiteboard or a flipchart on an easel to use as a trivia scoreboard.

   • Have the scientist run through his or her presentation before the guests arrive.

Run the Event

1. Welcome

   • Welcome and sign in participants. Invite them to make nametags and have a snack while waiting for others to arrive.

   • Introduce the evening to the entire group.

   • Show the NOVA video clip to introduce the young Einstein and other scientists whose work laid essential groundwork for the equation. (optional)

2. Introduce the scientist

   • Scientist comments on video clip (optional), reiterates the main concepts of E = mc², gives an example of how it affects our daily lives, or makes a connection between the equation and his or her work.

3. Explain the trivia rules

   • There will be two rounds, each introduced by the scientist.

   • Participants should form teams of 2-5 (depending on group size). Each team should select a name. (For fun, offer a prize for the most creative team name that's related to E = mc².) Each team should pick an answer recorder.

   • For Round 1, teams use the pre-printed question sheet. Remind teams to write their team name at the top of their sheet and to turn in the sheet to one of the volunteers at the end of Round 1.

   • For Round 2, questions will be read aloud. (For multiple choice questions, you can write out the answer choices for all to see.) Teams will have two minutes to submit the answer to each question. The scientist will give the answer for each question after all questions have been turned in and before moving to the next question.

   • For all rounds, correct answers will be announced.

   • Team totals will be tallied and posted after each round. Each answer is worth one point. Multi-answer questions award one point per answer. The last question in Round 2 can make or break a winner—it's worth up to ten points. Teams wager points based on their confidence in their answer. These points are added to a team total for a correct answer and subtracted from a team total for an incorrect answer.

4. Play the trivia game (see sample time line)

5. Wrap up

   • Hand out prizes.

   • Wrap it up and thank participants. Ask them to fill out a brief event evaluation.

Sample Time Line