Teacher's Guide prepared by: Peggy Epstein, Language Arts Teacher with 25 years experience from the Hickman Mills School District, Kansas City, Missouri, and Shawnee Mission Schools, Overland Park, Kansas. Epstein has a Master's Degree in Instruction and Curriculum from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.

Objectives: For "Seeking Equality in the Lab" (pages 4-7)
  1. After reading the article, ask students to turn to the cover picture.
  2. Talk about the idea that throughout this country's history, obstacles have stood in the way of the possibilities for African Americans to contribute to the scientific community. Discuss the metaphor of open and closed doors.
  3. Provide students with drawing paper which will be turned horizontally. Ask students to reproduce the door frame with the door on the right as it is pictured but with the door on the left closed. Drawing should cover entire paper in order to have room for writing. NOTE: Alternatively, you might want to make this drawing yourself and make copies to distribute.
  4. Ask students to scan the article and list on the left door issues or problems which "closed the door" to African Americans in the field of science. Then scan once more, this time listing opportunities on the right door which "opened the door."
For "The Wizard of Tuskegee" (pages 8-9)
  1. Read the article together and ask students to give two reasons that George Washington Carver suggested people begin growing peanuts instead of cotton.
  2. In honor of Carver, ask students to think of a day's menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which would include peanut butter at every meal, making sure they include at least two different peanut butter items for each meal. Suggestion: Give as a homework assignment so that students might use the computer, cookbooks, and perhaps their parents as resources.
For "A Sweet Solution" (pages 12-14)
  1. Pose the question: What fact did Rillieux learn while studying engineering that turned about to be the basis for his invention? Have students scan for the answer.
  2. Ask students to make two simple series of drawings: the first will show "the Jamaica Train." The second will show how Rilleux's "sugar evaporation system" improved both the lives of slaves and the quality of the sugar.
For "One Invention at a Time" (pages 15-19), "Charles Richard Drew" (pages 20-21), "The Sky's the Limit" (pages 24-27), & "Take a Byte Out of Science" (pages 36-39)
  1. The above articles comprise a total of 18 short profiles. Explain to students that these scientists will "visit" the classroom in order to be interviewed for a special classroom newspaper (or broadcast, whichever you prefer). Depending on the number of students in your class, there may be fewer interviews or they may have to be doubled up. Assign "scientists" to each student.
    For your convenience, here is the list:
    Rebecca Lee Rebecca J. Cole Charles Henry Turner
    Ernest Everett Just Roger Arliner Young Ruth Ella Moore
    Charles Richard Drew Guion Bluford Katherine Johnson
    Vance Marchbanks Patricia Cowings George Carruthers
    Mae C. Jemison Clarence Ellis Marc Hannah
    Valerie Taylor Mark Dean Philip Emeagwali

  2. The first job will be for the scientist to read about herself or himself. Ask students to read the short profile a couple of times so that it won't be necessary to keep looking through the article for information during the interview.
  3. Explain that students will not be using the magazine to write their short newspaper articles (or broadcasting piece); instead they will be relying on the information which came from their interviews. Following are a list of questions students should be prepared to answer about their scientists:
    • When were you born?
    • Where are you from? (or, Where did you live?)
    • In what field of science were you involved?
    • What kind of education did you have?
    • What might be considered your greatest accomplishment?
    • What is one other fact we should know about you?
  4. Conduct the interviews. Interviewer should take notes during the interview. Then short articles could be put together as a paragraph based on those notes. Do some brainstorming for possible topic sentences.
  5. Put written articles together with a headline such as "Famous African American Scientists Visit Room 202." Distribute copies of newspapers to students (or, alternately, stage a broadcast for these reports).
For "A Spirit of Invention" (pages 30-33)
  1. Ask students to brainstorm a list of crazy inventions ("Automatic Dog Feeder," "Bike that Folds Inside a Wallet," "Robotic Mouse Catchers") pretending these are already available to the public.
  2. Ask students to make a simple labeled drawing explaining their inventions (see page 33).
  3. Next to the drawing ask students to scan the article and to list five steps they would have to have taken in order to turn their invention into a reality.
For "Aim for the Stars" (pages 42-43)
Study Guide Questions:
  1. What 19 words has Shirley Ann Jackson used successfully throughout her life?
  2. What is Jackson's job?
  3. Name three "firsts" Jackson has accomplished.
  4. What two honors did Jackson receive in 1998 and 2002?
  5. What insect was Jackson fascinated with for three years?
  6. What did one professor at MIT tell Jackson?
  7. What organization did Jackson found at MIT?
  8. Jackson says, "There is an exciting world out there waiting for your _____________."