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e. Jefferson@cornell.edu
w. ccejefferson.org

4-H Program Opportunities

4-H Program Opportunities


  • 1. Water, Woods and Earth - This civic ecology education program is flexible in order to incorporate the interests of the students. Whether it is fishing, hiking/exploration, forestry, gardening, stream restoration, wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, or any other environmental issue(s), students will be able to analyze a given ecological issue(s) and develop a method to help alleviate or reverse the problem. This program aims to create civic minded students who will be the necessary agents of change for future environmental and ecological challenges our society will likely face.
  • 2. Beyond the Classroom - Students will prepare for life beyond the classroom – they will learn about financial planning and budgeting, workforce readiness, leadership, citizenship, service learning, work force readiness and career explorations. This is geared toward middle and high school students.
  • 3. Super Simple Science - Students will be introduced to science facts through easy hands-on science experiments and science tricks. By learning new science principles youth will be able to carry out easy experiments using house hold items.
  • 4. Campfire Magic - Students will get the whole 4-H Camp Wabasso experience during this one day camp out. Students will have a chance to do 4-H camp activities like shooting sports, environmental education, hiking, team challenges, low ropes and possibly high ropes (depending on their age) all while learning about their natural surroundings.
  • 5. Wild & Wacky Adventures - Youth will participate in a wide range of team challenges and adventure games that build trust, self esteem and leadership. Take part in games that use rubber chickens, swim noodles, scooters, snowshoes in the summer, balls of yarn, fake money, giant cards and other weird and wacky items. Project Adventure materials and programming are used for this.
  • 6. Geocaching - If you have a love for the outdoors high-tech toys, and adventure, this might just be the hobby for you! Pronounced “geo-cashing”, it is an adventure/sport that has families and individuals using the internet, hand-held GPS units and their wits to search for ‘treasure’ hidden all over the world! Most are available the entire year. In Jefferson County, there are over 280 geocaches and New York State boasts over 19,000 caches.
  • 7. The Universe To You (2 U) - The 4-H science program includes explorations in Astronomy:Stars, Galaxies and Black Holes! Fundamental topics such as the elements and the physics of light will be encountered, all with hands-on, fun activities. Make your own telescope, spectroscope, and then blast into space with your own rocket! (This course can be tailored to your time and interest level.) There is a planetarium available for use based on staffing and coordination, there is an extra charge for this.
  • 8. The Wonderful World of Water - Activities such as fishing, catching aquatic life and exploring the chemistry of lakes, streams and ponds will be offered in this 4-H program. Students will also examine and understand the many roles that water plays in all of Earth’s systems. There are several hands-on activities to help students learn about the ecology of the watery habitats found in our county as well as Earth’s entire Biosphere.
  • 9. For the Birds - Beautiful, musical, practical, athletic and territorial – birds are an amazing addition to the animal kingdom. Mankind benefits from them for science information, food, and just relaxing hobbies. Participate in collecting information for real scientists with Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology (study of birds). This course may also include embryology studies with real eggs, depending on the time of the year, there may be an extra cost for this! (would need 3 weeks from start to end)
  • 10. Travels Through Time - The “Living History” 4-H program lets you take a step back in time by learning everyday life skills of a certain time period. History will come to life for you as you use period clothing, cooking skills and recipes, tools and games from the decade of your choice. You will experience sounds, tastes, smells and textures of the past. Decades to choose from:1810’s, 1860’s, 1920’s, 1940’s, 1950’s, 1970’s.
  • 11. Crank It Up!Small Engines project - Take a part a small engine and learn how it works! Learn the parts and proper tools needed to work on them. Safety skills and the science of engines will be gained through hands on activities. This type of engine can be found in mowers, splitters, and tillers.
  • 12. Hit the Nail!Woodworking project - Complete simple and practical woodworking projects in this 4-H program. Make a bird house, tool box, raised bed garden box, and/or shelves/bookshelves. Participating in these projects will help you have skills needed to complete more advanced projects in your future. Gain life skills in safety and making wise choices when purchasing the correct wood and hardware for a project. There is an extra cost to this if selected, due to the cost of the woodworking projects.
  • 13. The Lost Lady Bug - Native ladybugs such as the two-spot, the nine-spot and the transverse ladybugs, once common, are now very rare. Ladybugs are beneficial predators with an important job to do. They eat harmful pests that feed on plants and orchard trees. If you like these colorful bugs, help a scientist while we connect kids to Cornell. We will also explore invasive insect species and their predators. Learn about how you can become a citizen scientist!
  • 14. All the World’s a Stage! - Get your creative juices flowing! This 4-H program offers a chance for you to learn skills in a variety of stage arts:Public Speaking, Drama, Stage Design, Puppetry, and Demonstrations. The 4-H Public Presentation program is well known for helping overcoming any “stage fright” issues a youth might have by participating in fun, interactive games and short skits.
  • 15. All Warm & Fuzzy! - Are you interested in small animals and how to care for them? If cavies (guinea pigs), rabbits, mice, gerbils, rats and hamsters interest you, this program is for you. Learn about different small animals, where they originate from, the scientific differences between them and how to care for them.
  • 16. Is It the Tail that Wags the Dog? - Almost everyone likes dogs. If you’re one of these people, this is the program for you! Learn about basic dog care and grooming, training dogs, and the variety of activities that you can do with dogs. Get to visit and watch these dogs perform a variety of ‘jobs’ from obedience, rally obedience, agility and tracking. You might even get to work with a dog! Dogs used in this program have passed, or are working on, their AKC Canine Good Citizen title, are show dogs nearing their conformation championship, and have performance titles. They are also used in the local 4-H dog program.
  • 17. From Seed to Salad! - The Seed to Salad program will teach students where their food comes from and how the process actually works. Although Seed to Salad is a gardening program, the underlying theme is youth decision-making and team work. From start to finish the youth are making the decision that in the end will affect how successful their “Garden Party” will be. Through the projects planning, planting, harvesting, and finally the celebration state students will see first hand all the hard work that goes into growing their own food. The reason salad greens were chosen for this project is because they are quickly maturing vegetables that have an earlier harvest time than most other vegetables. So let’s get our youth out in the sunshine and hands I the soil.
  • 18. Project Learning Tree - Students will learn about current environmental issues through a variety of hands-on, interdisciplinary activities. The goal of this curriculum is to teach students how to think and make informed decisions about relatively complex issues while enhancing scientific knowledge and environmental awareness.
  • 19. Nature Detectives - This hands-on, experiential learning curriculum teaches students about general Ecology through the study of birds. Activities are fun and interactive, and adaptable to many grade levels. This program will encourage youth to explore their local environment and find answers to their own scientific questions.
  • 20. Biodiversity Basics - Students will gain a strong understanding of the importance of conserving biological diversity. Using a variety of hands on scientific techniques, students will learn to observe the diversity of life around them as well as how to minimize impact on all living species. Several mathematical and scientific principles and concepts will be addressed.
  • 21. Food Fun - Learn how to make a fruit and vegetable smoothie with a bicycle. What is in that soft drink, fruit drink and glass of milk? Are we really what we eat? Let’s test our sense of taste. All this and much more in Food Fun. We will use the 4-H Choose Health: Food, Fun, and Fitness curriculum for this program. It must be at least six hours to complete.
  • 22. Up for the Challenge focuses on lifetime fitness and healthy decisions. This program will provide learning that is specific to a youth’s individual needs and goals within a non-competitive setting. This program follows the 4-H model so that it is structured around direct participation: experiencing, thinking, discussing and applying what is learned to their daily lives. This program includes fitness, nutrition and overall health.
  • 23. Project WET teaches youth about water resources through hands-on, investigative activities. This can be adapted to youth in grades K-12. Youth will learn about water, how it is all connected throughout the planet, the water cycle. Water as a natural resource, watersheds, water quality, and how to test water.
  • 24. Project WILD is a conservation and environmental education program that highlights wildlife.It works to connect youth to nature, use the outdoors as a classroom, and can be transitioned into service learning. It teaches students about ecology, sustaining fish and wildlife resources, how people interact with wildlife, habitats, ecosystems, and habitat and natural resource management. Students learn how to conduct experiments and investigations in the natural environment around them. This can be adapted for K-12 students.
  • 25. The Power of the Wind will give youth the opportunity to work with a team to design, create, build, and test a wind powered device and are given opportunities to explore wind as a potential energy source in their community. Skills such as teamwork, learning from others, planning, organizing, and following through on a project are developed and utilized throughout.
  • 26. The ABCs of Energy is critical today. Energy is in the headlines every single day. Most of the energy we use comes from non-renewable fossil fuels. Students will identify renewable and non-renewable energy sources and how they are utilized at home and around our community.
  • 27. Energy Carnival are entertaining, energy-related games to reinforce student learning and introduce energy. Ten available games in which students combine their academic skills and energy knowledge to learn while playing. Each game comes with practical energy saving tips and can be played by a single group of students or up to several classes at the same time.
  • 28. The Magic of Electricity takes youth through our typical days, where electricity is found all around us. The alarm clock wakes us up, the light bulb brightens our day, the clothes we put on were woven and sewn by machines using electricity. Our orange juice was brought to the store by a truck, that used a battery to get it started . . . . . .This program will introduce youth to the wonders of electricity. A special feature brought to this program are electronic snap circuits where there are over 100 ways to make alarms sound, bells jingle, whistles blow, and small wind mills to move.
  • 29. 4-H Shooting Sports is a great way to learn archery, rifle, or air pistol basic skills. All three teach appropriate rules of safety, proper equipment selection, care, and beginning shooting techniques. Youth will receive a broad, sound foundation for learning the discipline to enjoy over a lifetime. Parental consent is mandatory for participation. Each has age restrictions. Sites must have a safe place to set up a range – evaluation by the Instructor may be necessary to first series offered. Contact 4-H staff to learn more.
  • 30. Public Speaking – Oh my! - Many of us are uncomfortable with speaking in front of an audience, whether it is for a school project, a sporting event, etc. This program will teach youth how to prepare a presentation, how to set up for the presentation and how to deliver a presentation in style!
  • 31. Youth Leadership Matters as youth get older, it is important to start to develop leadership skills at an early age, and refine the skills. Youth will participate in team building activities, learn what it takes to be a leader, collaborate with others to accomplish tasks – taking the lead at times.

07/15