4-H School Enrichment - Jr/HS
2020-2021
Virtual or In-Person Options!
Nebraska Extension - Thurston County
Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main St, Pender, NE 68047
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston/
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty
Jennifer E. Hansen, Extension Educator
We're Your Local Experts!
Stacey Keys, Extension Assistant
Dear Administrators and Teachers,
School Enrichment programs are a cooperative effort between schools, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Nebraska Extension, which complement the educational goals of all organizations. The materials used in 4-H are based on research and produced by specialists from the University of Nebraska, National 4-H, and various universities and organizations throughout the United States. The lessons use the Experiential Learning Model: Do, Reflect, and Apply to develop critical life skills.
4-H School Enrichment resources include teacher guides, student manuals, DVDs, teaching kits, and staff presentations. All lessons are FREE, unless otherwise designated!
If you have any specific topics or areas that you would like resources on please let's have a conversation! Especially in the areas of College & Career Readiness, STEM, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or email. We hope these programs will enhance your existing curriculum and you will take advantage of these programmatic opportunities. We look forward to working with you.
Table of Contents
STE(A)M - Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art), Math
- Mars Base Camp 4-H STEM Challenge
- Game Changers
- Discover Your Computer Code
- Motion Commotion
- Rockets to the Rescue
- Wired for Wind
- Embryology
Personal Development & Leadership
- Health Rocks!
- Leadership Summit
College and Career Readiness & Financial Literacy
- Money Makes Cents
- Discover Your Future
- Career Explorer App/Website
- Build Your Future
- Dress to Impress
Entrepreneurship
- EntrepreneurSHIP Investigation
- Blue Print
- INVENTURE Day
Target Audience Programs
- Real World Money
- Connecting the Dots
- Credit Card Blues
What is 4-H?
STE(A)M - Science, Technology, Engineering, (Art), Math
Mars Base Camp 4-H STEM Challenge
Suggested grade levels: 3rd-8th
Sessions: Four, 30-45 minute sessions
Format: In-person or virtual
The race to land humans on Mars is on! The 2020 4‑H STEM Challenge will explore sending a mission to Mars with the activity, Mars Base Camp. Developed by Google and Virginia Cooperative Extension, Mars Base Camp is a collection of activities that teaches kids ages 8-14 STEM skills like mechanical engineering, physics, computer science, and agriculture.
Supported by national partners—Bayer, Toyota, and U.S. Air Force—Mars Base Camp is the perfect topic to empower young people to explore a wide range of subject areas in an exciting thematic package, one that allows kids to think about the same problems that today’s top scientists and engineers are working on right now.
Featuring four hands-on activities that can be enjoyed with or without internet access and individually or all together, the challenge teaches kids STEM skills like mechanical engineering, physics, computer science and agriculture.
Game Changers
Suggested grade levels: 4th-8th
Sessions: Three, 30-45 minute sessions
Format: In-person or virtual
Game Changers is a collection of three activities that teaches kids computer science (CS) skills through game play, puzzles and animation all centered around topics they care passionately about. Developed by Google, 4-H, and West Virginia University Extension Service, it includes a computer-based activity on Google’s CS First platform and two unplugged activities that can be done all at once or individually.
Discover Your Computer Code
Suggested grade levels: 2nd-12th
Sessions: Two-Three, 30-45 minute sessions
Format: In-person or virtual
Motion Commotion
Suggested grade level: 6th-8th
Sessions: Two 45-60 minute sessions
Format: In-Person
Kids who are captivated with the crash collisions and daredevil students of the Fast and Furious movies will have a chance to explore the science that makes it all possible. The Motion Commotion experiment is a two-part science activity that involves every day materials, including a toy car, modeling clay, ruler, calculator and cell phone. In the first phase, youth will construct a simulated runway to analyze the speed, momentum and kinetic energy of a car in motion, and will explore the science behind the cart’s collisions. In the second phase, they will lead an experiment that uses the same physics principles to demonstrate the consequences of distracted driving.
Rockets to the Rescue
Suggested grade levels: 4th+
Sessions: Three, 30-45 minute sessions
Format: In-person
Rockets to the Rescue is an engaging activity that gives young scientists an opportunity to let their imagination take flight and explore how aerospace engineering addresses real world problems, such as delivering food and supplies in emergency situations. Participants will apply lessons in science, math and physics to design and build an aerodynamic Food Transportation Device (FTD) that can deliver a payload to a desired target using different trajectories.
Wired for Wind
Suggested grade level: 5th—8th
Sessions: Two-Three, 45-60 minute sessions
Format: In-person
As the world’s demand for clean energy sources increases, so has the interest in wind power. This experience will help youth better understand the physics of wind energy and how it can be used to conserve energy and save our planet from the pollution and harm caused by burning fossil fuels. During this experiment youth will design and build two types of wind turbines, then test them to determine which design is more effective in harnessing wind power. Youth will then experiment with different blade pitch angles to determine how each one affects the wine turbines; rotor speech and performance.
Embryology
(Spring Semester)
Suggested grade level: K+
Sessions: Three, 30-45 minute sessions
4-H Embryology teaches students about science and respect for life. Students hatch chicks in the classroom and witness the exciting miracle of life. Students take the responsibilities of caring for the fertilized eggs and then the chicks after they have hatched. Following each session, the hatched birds are given to local farmers.
Personal Developmnet & Leadership
Health Rocks!
Suggested grade level: 2nd—8th
Sessions: Each session is about 30-45 minutes. The program is designed to be taught in full but individual lessons can be utilized individually
Health Rocks! is a curricula for a healthy living program where youth participate in hands-on activities that educate them on the consequences of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. The program aims to:
· Reduce youth smoking and tobacco use.
· Help youth build life skills that lead to healthy lifestyle choices with special emphasis on youth smoking and tobacco use prevention.
· Help youth understand influences and health consequences of tobacco, drug, and alcohol use to make healthy choices.
· Engage youth and adults in partnership to develop and implement community strategies that promote healthy lifestyle choices.
· Build positive, enduring relationships with youth involved as full partners through widely varying “communities of interest” to address youth risk behaviors.
Leadership Summit
Sessions: Five, 45 minute sessions OR a full day event
Cost: $5/student
At a critical time when early middle school students choose to take the wrong “trail” in life, help prepare them to be tomorrow’s leaders and role models through Leadership Summit! Middle school youth will see the world from a new perspective and learn to be more effective leaders as well as team members after participating in this program. Leadership discovery and personality trait assessment sessions followed by engaging interactive leadership development activities will build knowledge of interpersonal and teamwork skills.
College and Career Readiness & Financial Literacy
Money Makes Cents
Sessions: Five, 45 minute sessions
Adapted from the 4-H curriculum "Reading Makes Cents," students take a deeper dive into their financial understanding and education. The lessons engage youth with stories, hands-on activities, and practical application. Topics covered are: History of Money, Managing Money, Earning Money, Spending & Saving Money, and Checks & Consumer Sense.
Discover Your Future
Suggested grade level: 5th-8th
Sessions: Three, 45-60 minute sessions
Youth will discover their personal College and Career interests and aspirations. They discover careers, learn the college lingo, and develop their own SMART college goals.Career Explorer App/Website
Suggested grade level: 5th-12th
Sessions: 45 minute session
Build Your Future
Suggested grade level: 8th-12th
Sessions: Three, 30-90 minutes sessions
Help youth develop skills and knowledge in career exploration. Using identified learner outcomes and success indicators, facilitators can easily lead fun, interactive learning experiences. Participants experience a variety of learning methods such as developing a business plan, competing in a quiz bowl, creating a portfolio, analyzing case studies, and discussing questions that reflect on their experiences. These interactive activities enhance learning and retention.Dress to Impress
Session: 30-45 minute session
The first impression you give someone is what you're wearing. Let's learn how to make the best impression you can on your future employer, along with some practical skills, like tying a tie!
Entrepreneurship
EntrepreneurSHIP Investigation
Suggested grade level: 5th-12th
Sessions: Three, 30-45 minute sessions
An exciting, interactive, and comprehensive curriculum project. ESI uses a variety of tools to help participants develop their entrepreneurial skills and find their business niche. Through exciting activities, case studies and current technology, participants are transformed into budding entrepreneurs!Blue Print
Suggest grade level: 9th-12th
Sessions: Three, 30-45 minute sessions
An online curriculum that leads youth through what it takes to be an entrepreneur and onto developing a dynamic business plan.Target Audience Programs
Real World Money
Suggested Grade level: 7th & 8th
Session: Full day event OR Five, 45 min-1hr sessions
Cost: $5/student
This interactive financial management program is designed to help 7th grade and 8th students become better prepared to make financial decisions as young adults.
Schools should bring one adult for every ten students. Teachers/adults will work with students to develop financial skills and put them into practice throughout the day in a real world simulation.
The student will:
- Experience a real life simulation where they can express their views on financial resources and learn the impact of the views on future decisions.
- Explore careers and resources that are available.
- Be able to make wise credit choices.
- Gain a better understanding of family finances.
- Realize the limits of financial resources both within the family and as a young adult.
- Have fun learning together.
Connecting the Dots
Suggested Grade level: 9th & 10th Grade
Session: Day long program (8:45 am - 2:45 pm)
Cost: $2,000
This interactive career exploration simulation program is designed to help students learn more about careers of interest as well as how to “connect the dots” from ninth grade through postsecondary study to the workplace. Students will need to complete Kuder career exploration activities prior to registering and will work in teams of two or three based on career interests.The student will:
- Experience a “real life” simulation to learn how their high school choices impact their post secondary study and their workplace experiences.
- Learn more about their favorite careers.
- Learn about the importance of networking as they begin to prepare for their careers.
- Build work readiness skills including resume building and interviewing.
- Complete personality inventories to relate to future jobs.
- Have fun learning together.
Credit Card Blues
Suggested Grade level: 12th Grade
Session: 2-3 sessions, 30-45 minutes
Preventing the Credit Card Blues at 22 is a free two-part program designed to provide high school seniors with valuable information to help them avoid credit card problems and pitfalls by choosing and using credit wisely.
4-H School Enrichment Purpose
The purpose of a 4-H school enrichment program is to:
· Encourage long-term involvement in 4-H for enhanced positive youth development.
· Enhance the relationship between 4-H and the school system (public or private).
· Provide non-formal education to complement formal education, leading to better educated youth.
· Enhance the subject matter area being studied.
· Foster and promote enthusiasm and support for participation in 4-H programs, events, and activities.
4-H School Enrichment Quality Standards
What does a quality experience look like?
· Delivered by 4-H staff, trained volunteers or teachers.
· A sequential and varied learning experience supporting the school curriculum.
· Youth are able to articulate that this is a 4-H sponsored project.
· An evaluation is completed by teachers and/or school participants.
Nebraska Extension - Thurston County
Stacey Keys, Extension Assistant, stacey.keys@unl.edu
Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main Street, Pender, NE, United States
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston/
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty