Learning Activities & Opportunities

Designed for Groups of Ten or More Youth

Missouri 4-H has projects and activities to meet the needs and interests of almost any group of young people. 4-H programs are educational, fun, and action-oriented and provide a variety of experiences that can be adapted for different settings. Typical 4-H settings include school classrooms, after school programs, clubs, and camps. The following group learning opportunities are specifically designed for groups of 10 or more youth but most can easily be adapted for smaller groups.

Curriculum and additional resources:

The activity leader can request copies of available publications.  Three copies will then be sent.  Most 4-H publications are free.  Others are available for a small fee. For project material ordering information, see the  Missouri 4-H Literature & Merchandise Order Form LG911 (PDF).  Order on line at Extension Publications

Certificates (staff only)   Green Print         Black Print

Section links for this page:
3,2,1...Action

4-Habitat
Missouri 4-H

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Community Mapping
Community Service
Embryology: Experiments in Poultry Science (Grades 6-8)

Entrepreneurship

Environmental Stewardship

Garden & Grow

Guide to Exploring African American Culture
Global Education

Hatching Chicks in the Classroom (Grades 2-5)
Healthy Lifestyles

Locally-sponsored Program

Move Across Missouri (MOVE)

Missouri Youth Engaged in Local Government (MY LOGO)

Operation: Military Kids

Que' Rico! LaCultura - Latino Cultural Arts
Recreation & Leisure
Safety
Self-Determined
Show-Me Character
Streets to Streams
Youth-Adult Partnerships

 

General Videography Tips for PSA's (PDF)

Citizenship – Public Adventures (A211) 

Discover public issues important to you and others by making things happen.  Plan a project.  Create, change or improve something that is valuable to many people.  Learn to be an active citizen in a democracy.  Public Adventures isn’t only about one project.  Public Adventures is about your engagement in changing a piece of the public world, discovering the possibilities of democratic citizenship and building a commitment to taking action in new and exciting ways.

Resources

LG2110  Citizenship Adventure Kit

LG2111  Citizenship Guides’ Handbook

4-H Citizenship Project

Public Adventures on-line  

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Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) (A210)

Tornados, floods, earthquakes, ice storms - disasters happen. In the case of a wide spread disaster, professional emergency personnel will not be able to respond to every citizen’s needs. How can you learn the skills that will be needed before, during and after a disaster? Take the 4-H Teen CERT Training! This class covers basic, critical skills needed to prepare for and protect yourself, your family, your friends, and your community in the event of a disaster. 4-H youth and volunteers will work with youth staff and local emergency management agencies to plan and conduct the CERT training. For many communities, this program is the beginning of a youth-adult partnership for ongoing youth participation in community emergency response planning and training. Teen CERT teams will learn all the skills taught in the federal CERT program, be introduced to many career opportunities within the emergency response field, and help their community prepare for a disaster.

4-H Teen CERT includes:

• Disasters, Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation

• Light Search and Rescue

• Disaster First-Aid

• Emotional First-Aid

• Disaster Teamwork

• Disaster Communications

• Animals in Disasters

• Technology in Disaster Preparation
   

Resource
4-H Community Readiness Network http://www.crn4h.org/

Additional Information:
Citizen Corp CERT information http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/index.shtm
Contact local 4-H office or local emergency management agency http://www.citizencorps.gov/
 

Community Service (A12)

Allows 4-H members to develop and carry out a project or projects aimed at enhancing the community.  Projects may include planning trees, renovating historical sites and cleaning up the environment.

Additional Information:
Community Service Activity Ideas 

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Embryology: Experiments in Poultry Science (Grades 6-8) (A16)

This curriculum is designed to provide you with background information and exciting experiential activities dealing with life science for use in your classroom. Each activity is designed to be grade-level appropriate and has been correlated to U.S. National Science Education Standards.

Resources
LG1503, Embryology: Experiments in Poultry Science
http://4hembryology.psu.edu
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/eggs

Resources - Staff Only

Safety Guidelines

Training Agenda

School Letter

Return Sheets

Pickup Sheets

Supply Order Sheets

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Entrepreneurship (A441)

Ever wonder what it would be like to start your own business, or to go into business with your friends? Do you currently earn money from a 4-H project? Do you and your friends have ideas for something you could market and sell to others? You could be entrepreneurs in the making! Entrepreneurship starts teams of youths out on the path to planning and doing what they love and loving what they do — for profit! Identify your team’s abilities, locate market opportunities in your community, learn from adult business owners, identify resources for your business, and launch your team’s venture!

Additional Information:
4-H Entrepreneurship Project 

http://4h.missouri.edu/programs/vista

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Environmental Stewardship: Conserving Natural Resources (A913)

4-H groups can learn and practice skills in the conservation of natural resources such as soil, water, forests, grasslands, wildlife and energy.  Many kinds of conservation projects can be done by 4-H groups.

• 4-H Million Tree Project
  Missouri 4-H members, families, project groups, community clubs, afterschool clubs, school enrichment programs, and camps are invited to participate in the 4-H Million Tree Project. This daunting project was conceived after a Pacifica (CA) 4-H member, decided to do something to combat global climate change. Here is a 4-H service project that improves the quality of our environment.
  The Vision: 1,000,000 new trees planted by 4-H youth across the United States and Canada means:
  • Native trees will add beauty and heritage to urban, suburban, and rural communities across the nation.
  • Improved local air quality
  • New trees absorb runoff, and bring groundwater to the surface
  • Shade from these trees can help cool buildings, reducing air conditioning electricity needs, and eliminating pollution and carbon emission associated with this power generation
  • Offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion by absorbing and sequestering about 48,000,000 million pounds of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year
  • New trees replace trees lost to deforestation worldwide
  • 4-H youth learn they make a difference and can change the world both individually and as a group

Any 4-H member can participate, but we do ask that you take time to officially sign up as a participant and to report your tree plantings.
 

Resources

LG147  Conserving Our Natural Resources

Additional Information:

To access the national 4-H Million Tree Project, visit: http://www.4hmilliontrees.org  Then click on the “Registration” button to sign up.

Check out the Missouri 4-H Million Trees website: http://4h.missouri.edu/programs/milliontrees for tree planting tips, Missouri publications, and local information.
 

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Garden 'n Grow (A971)

The University of Missouri Extension Garden ’n Grow Program is a volunteer gardening program designed to educate youths about horticulture. Youths ages 8-12 are encouraged to participate. Not only will they learn about gardening, but also science, math, social studies, language arts – and have fun while learning! Each participant will plant and harvest his or her vegetables for home use and donation to the local food bank. The goals of this program are to teach young gardeners the pleasures of being outdoors and instill in them the importance of helping others. Garden ‘n Grow participants will develop a sense of self, a sense of usefulness and purpose, a sense of responsibility to contribute to society, and a feeling of success.

Resources
For more information, contact Mary Kroening, Extension specialist, University of Missouri, at 573-882-9633 or kroeningm@missouri.edu.

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Global Education (A36)

4-H members can participate in activities designed to improve communication and understanding among people of different cultures.

Possible project activities/objectives:

• Provide basic information about both the physical properties of the world and the people who live there

• Provide basic information about family relationships and cultures around the world

• Provide information about the current world challenges and interdependence

• Highlight areas such as the environment, economics, hunger and health

• Hands-on activities covering a wide variety of subjects

Resources:
LG2201  “…And My World…” 
 

Additional Information:

Missouri 4-H Global Education

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Guide to Exploring African-American Culture (A100)

Through information, illustrations and fun activities, youth are challenged to explore African-American culture in the following areas:  skin and hair, language, arts and crafts, cuisine, music, poetry, holidays and notable African-Americans.

Resource

LG1000  Guide to Exploring African-American Culture

Healthy Lifestyles (A33)

As the saying goes, “when you have your health, you have everything!”  Health is the fourth “H” in the 4-H Clover and a common topic for youth today.  Nutrition, physical fitness and emotional well-being are just some of the health issues that contribute to healthy lifestyles for all individuals.  The following resources provide interactive activities that promote health for youth.  Youth can learn about healthy lifestyles, learn about themselves, and have fun!

• The Couch Potato Challenge  
  The goal of this resource is to provide information about physical fitness and hands-on fitness activities.  Promote physical fitness by including these simple and easy-to-use activities in club meetings, camps, school programs or any other setting that includes young people.  Help them take the Couch Potato Challenge and engage in more physical activity.

• The Dating Mystery…and all that Relationship Stuff
  Helps youth explore healthy relationships and positive ways to get along with others.  This resource uses popular movies to help young people discover and then discuss relationship issues that can be so confusing.  This activity is designed for youth ages 13 and older.
• Steppin’ Out: Fitness Walking
  Walking offers a simple yet healthful approach to physical activity – one that almost anyone can achieve.  Help youth practice healthy behaviors by walking, either solo or with a group.  This resource provides walking information and activities designed to inspire healthy behavior!

Resource
Download copies of these projects at Missouri 4-H Healthy Lifestyles

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Locally-Sponsored Program (A00)

Check with your local University of Missouri Extension office to find out about the different opportunities available in your area.

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Move Across Missouri (MOVE) (A775)

Move Across Missouri promotes physical activity! MOVE encourages youth to engage in physical activities they enjoy from a broad range of possibilities such as, walking, biking, running, swimming, dance, taekwondo, gardening, and more. Using an online system youth and their families can “log” the number of miles they accumulate throughout the year and during the competitive component of the MOVE program. 4-H members can enroll in the online MOVE program as individuals or as a part of a team. A team may consist of a family or members of a 4-H club or group. MOVE awards will be provided! Stay tuned!

Additional Information:
http://4h.missouri.edu/programs/move/

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MY LOGO (Missouri Youth Engaged in Local Government) (A03)

The MY LOGO (formally known as Local Government CECH-UP) Program is designed to teach middle and high-school students about local government and to involve them in issues confronting their communities. The basic format uses classroom learning, site visits, student-led action projects, and/or local government project fairs. The program is easily modified to meet each community’s local needs and circumstances.
Goals: 1, 2, 3, 4; Content – Social Studies 1, 2.
 

Resources
MY LOGO Teacher’s Manual
Online at: www.cech-up.org

Contact:

Sandy Diamond

Citizenship Education Clearing House
University of Missouri-St. Louis
8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis, MO 63121
(314) 516-6820
www.cech-up.org

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Operation: Military Kids (A14)

Heroes come in many sizes.  In fact, many of the unsung heroes of the global war on terrorism are military children.  Operation: Military Kids allows 4-H clubs to support Missouri's military families in a number of ways, including:

• Hero Packs
  This project involves assembling a backpack with a few suggested items and a handwritten letter to a young person who has a deployed family member. The backpacks would be distributed by the club or through the local University of Missouri Extension center.

• Speak Out for Military Kids
  After doing research or talking with young people of military families, 4-H members may talk with local service organizations or groups about what it is like to be a child with a deployed family member.

• Mobile Tech Lab
  The 4-H club can reserve a 15 computer, mobile technology lab for use with children of military families

Additional Informaiton:
Missouri Operation: Military Kids

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Que' Rico! LaCultura - Latino Cultural Arts (A110)

Youths discover the Latino culture as they develop an understanding of the Latino people and their traditional art forms through the experience of instrument making, jewelry making, weaving, muraling and mask making.  Youths experience the celebrations that surround the holidays in the Latino culture.  Sample the flavors of the Latino people through the activities of storytelling, mosaics and yarn arts.

Resource
LG1100  Que' rico! LaCultura

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Recreation & Leisure (A44)

Every club meeting should include games, songs and other activities in drama, music or sports.

Resources
LG582  Recreation Leader Handbook
LG585  Social Recreation Leadership

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Safety (A68)

Safety is everyone’s concern and business.  We suggest that a local 4-H club examine the safety needs in the community and develop a safety education program based on these needs.  Possible topics might include:  abandoned well identification and proper closing, fire alarms, seat belts, water safety, safety with pets, etc.

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Self-Determined (A76)

Interests of members/leaders may go beyond the previously listed activities.  When this happens, they should feel free to design an activity that meets both the interests and needs of the group and perhaps the larger community.  In some counties, County 4-H Council approval may be required.

Resource
Y951  Choose Your Own Direction

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Show-Me Character (A13)

Show-Me Character is a program that teaches young people to make wise ethical choices.  It also encourages adults to become more involved in helping youth develop positive character traits, such as trustworthiness, fairness, respect, caring, responsibility and citizenship.  Communities certainly benefit when youth and adults understand the importance of being involved as caring citizens and “doing the right thing.”  Effective character education encourages youth to “do the right thing” by incorporating these core ethical values in their daily lives. 

Show-Me Character is Missouri 4-H Youth Development’s Character Education Program based on CHARACTER COUNTS!, a service mark used by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics.

Goals 1, 2, 3, 4;  Content – Communication Arts; 1, 2

Resources:
LG13  Show-me Character brochure
LG14  Ethics in the Workplace guide
LG15  Show-me Character guide

Show-Me Character All-Stars Curriculum  (Available from your local University of Missouri Extension center or from the State 4-H office.)

Additional Resources:

Missouri Show-Me Character

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Streets to Streams (A66)

This curriculum provides educators and students with background information and hands-on fun for children in grades 5 to 9 about the properties of water, watershed basics, stream ecology, dynamics of contaminants in water, and personal responsibility for one’s community.  The materials have been designed to help teachers involve students in hands-on activities rather than lecturing or reading to them.  Most require only inexpensive, readily available materials.  The authors have tried to suggest activities for students in urban and rural areas, and for students of different backgrounds and abilities.

Resource
LG9690  Leader’s Manual

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Youth-Adult Partnerships (A215)

Young people can contribute to their communities now - they do not have to wait until they are voting age!  4-H members can be planners, advisors, evaluators, decision-makers and more!  4-H members may serve on a local board or task force, be county extension council youth representatives, conduct community surveys, start new community programs or form youth councils.

Additional Information:
Missouri Youth-Adult Partnerships
Citizenship Project

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