Extension Update from Megan Burda: 4-H in the Classroom

4-H in the Classroom

Well, fall is here so the “busy” season for 4-H should be over… right? Not exactly. When most people think about their 4-H program, they think of county fairs and contests – but did you know that 4-H offers county-wide programs to youth 365 days of the year in non-traditional settings, such as classrooms?

In Nebraska, “4-H in the Classroom” is used to effectively reach youth statewide with researched based educational opportunities on current topics taught by Extension staff! Overall, 1 in 3 age-eligible youth across Nebraska are enrolled in 4-H, and 140,000 are reached through traditional and non-traditional settings. 4-H School Enrichment programming has become the predominate 4-H delivery mode, with 3.7 million youth reached annually across the U.S. (U.S.D.A, 1999). Traditional 4-H clubs have been a great resource for youth to develop life skills, but Extension staff devote efforts on the local, state, and national level to school enrichment because of its efficiency in reaching diverse youth in large numbers. These programs also help develop credibility with community officials, and offer an alternative to formal education in the classroom setting.

This year, our office is offering a wide variety of programs for students in all grades.

PUMPKIN LIFE CYCLE: Students will learn the concept of a life cycle by recreating the various stages of growth and development of a pumpkin through a hands on activity.  Learning about life cycles will help in understanding the many elements of agriculture. 

WHERE DOES MY FOOD COME FROM: As our society continues to be generations removed from the farm, having this level of understanding is becoming highly important.  As a result of this program, youth will understand how their favorite foods end up on their plate. 

Think Your Drink: Students will examine several of the beverages they choose to drink everyday.  Through “hands on” activities students will read labels to locate sugar, sodium, ect.  After completion of the lesson, students will be able to identify several healthy beverages.

Heathy Snacks, Healthy Me:  This is a “hands on” lesson on nutritious snacks that kids can make themselves.  Students will work in groups to make and present to the class healthy snacks. 

Community Engagement: Gain an in-depth perspective on service learning! Students will learn about citizenship and assess community needs; plan and conduct a service learning project of their choice; celebrate and share their community project.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: A Franklin Covey program for a teen audience that is built upon seven characteristics that happy and successful people have in common. Elements of the program seek to enhance personal leadership skills, communication skills and teamwork in any environment.

Bacteriology: Using “Glow Germ” powder, younger students will see how easily germs can spread. We’ll talk about benefits of hand washing, and even practice. Upper level students will learn about the spread of germs, and actually grow and observe cultures of bacteria that are common in our lives. This project can also tie in safe food handling and personal hygiene.

On My Own and OK: About 90% of third graders indicate that they are left home alone for at least 20 minutes during a typical week.  This class will cover a series of lessons about what to do when you are left home. 

Build a Business: Entrepreneurship has been identified as an important career pathway for citizens of all ages, but especially for our youth. Entrepreneurial literacy has also been identified as a 21^st century skill in various groundbreaking reports. Lesson topics include: explore your strengths, customer service, marketing materials. 

Providing classrooms with the resources of the land-grant university system literally makes 4-H Your First Class at the University of Nebraska! Ask your child today – do they know how to wash their hands? Plant a tree? Raise some chickens? Work together in their community? Be a better leader? Eat healthy?  They may already have been a part of Husker Nation – through the York County “4-H In the Classroom” School Enrichment Program!