In-School Educational Programs

3rd – 5th Grades

Have your classroom experience the exciting world of entrepreneurship. One of your students might be the next kid entrepreneur! During the TEC Box program, students will use design thinking to develop a game, and tinker, explore, and create. Your students will be thinking like entrepreneurs in no time at all.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 4 sessions, 30-40 minutes each.
Program Cost: $20 per classroom
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

2nd – 5th Grades

Are you about to attend an important dinner and want to learn more about which spoon is for soup or which fork is for salad? Well take advantage of the Table Etiquette & Manners program for your students so that they are prepared before this event.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minute lesson
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

4th – 8th Grades

Walt Disney is quoted as saying “If you can dream it, you can do it!” When students dream about their future, it can be very exciting for them. But how do they take the first step toward turning their dreams into a reality? Students will explore their own dreams and potential careers hidden within those dreams while setting a smart goal to make it happen.

Standards: Nebraska Career Readiness Standards
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

4th – 6th grades

Have you ever asked a youth “If you were an animal what kind would you be?” I invite you to a fun and educational experience in learning about personality types. During this presentation youth will evaluate how they react, understand other’s reaction, how to work positively with other and practice what they have learned. Now let’s find out who are Roosters, Raccoons, Golden Retrievers and Owls in the classroom.

Standards: Nebraska Standards for Career Readiness
Time Needed: 45 minute lesson
Program Cost: $5 per classroom
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 5th Grades

Engaging. Creative. Trendy. Relevant. These are a few of the words that describe The Make Tank program. Based off the trendy mini-maker fairs and maker movement, The Make Tank offers opportunities for students to travel through stations experiencing new technology and exploring career options along the way. Customize your students’ experience by selecting from the following list. Select 3 for a one hour experience. Select five for a two hour experience. Maximum of 25 students per program

• Cardboard Creations (Grade 3)
• Coding/Ozobots (Grades 3-5)
• Green Screen (Grades 3-5)
• Badge Making (Grades 3-5)
• 3-D Pens (Grades 4-5)

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 1 hour (3 stations), 2 hrs (5 stations)
Program Cost: $50 - 3 stations, $75 - 5 stations
Educator: Beth Janning & Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 5th Grades

Students will be introduced to the concepts of automation, efficiency, and the basic principles of writing code. In three parts, students complete challenges based on programming a tractor to move across their board. At the end, students get to create their own challenge for others to solve. No computers or technology is needed for this coding lesson.

Standards: ETS1 Engineering Design, SS 5.2.1
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

6th Grades

Youth will acquire knowledge about Global Positioning Systems (GPS), map terminology and GPS uses in agriculture. Youth will geocache by reading longitude and latitude on a GPS unit.

Standards: SC 3.1.1, SC 4.4.2, SC 6.4.1.
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes
Program Cost: $10 per classroom
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

6th Grades

Youth will use strawberries to gain an understanding of DNA & how enzymes work. Students will walk away with a better understand of biotechnology in relation to our food.

Standards: SC 3.1.1, SC 4.4.2, SC 6.4.1.
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes
Program Cost: $10 per classroom
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 4th Grades

Youth will discover ways engineers communicate with one another – then students will design, build, and test their team’s inventions from everyday items.

Standards: SC.2.3. SC.3.1, SC.5.3, SC.6.4
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

5th – 6th Grades

Youth will learn how friction plays a key role in motion and movement before designing and building their own Clipmobile. Students will use engineering skills to determine complexity, efficiency, capacity, and cost/budget.

Standards: ETS1 Engineering Design, SS 5.2.1
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

2nd – 5th Grades

Youth are challenged to design a catapult that launches a pompom. Student teams are handed a “Mystery Bag” that contains simple everyday products. Youth must design their catapult prior to construction. Youth will test their catapults as a large group. Reflection includes what was similar about the catapult, what materials were used and how this relates to the real world.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu  with questions or to request program.

Kindergarten - 6th Grades

This program teaches students how life develops through the process of hatching baby chicks over a four-week period. Students will take responsibility for caring for the fertilized eggs during the 21-day incubation and the baby chicks after they hatch (for a few days). The program is offered February - May. 100% of surveyed teachers stated that the embryology program enhanced science-based learning in their class- room!

Standards: SC.K.7.2, SC.1.6.2, SC.3.9.3, SC.4.6.3, SC.5.8.2, SC.6.6.2, SC.6.9.3
Time Needed: Two 30 - 45 minute presentations, about 10 days apart.
Program Cost: $20 per incubator
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

K - 2nd Grades

Youth will learn what plants need to live and will walk away with a seed necklace to watch germination happen.

Standards: SS 1.2.1, SS 2.2.2, SS 2.2.3, SS 3.2.2
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes (a 2nd session is available as well)
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

4th Grade

Through a Virtual Field Trip, youth experience Nebraska to understand the unique aspects of Nebraska; differences in geography, precipitation, and soil types to discover how they impact Nebraska agriculture. This is part of the NebASKa Scientist – Nebraska Extension Program.
Date: April 2, 2020

Standards: SS 4.3.1.c, SS 4.2.2, SS 4.2.12
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: $30.00 – Register Online at https://marketplace.unl.edu/extension/ 
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions.

3rd – 5th Grades

Dive into Nebraska agriculture through a single or a series of sessions that highlight livestock, natural resources, food, and plant science. A total of 7 sessions are available for selection. Youth learn about the different Nebraska agriculture crops, germination, farm to plate concepts, and the science within agriculture. Topics include: Hot House Detective, My Hamburger Came From the Farm, Nebraska Farm in a Glove, Our World, Pizza Pizza, Positively Popcorn, and Pumpkin Life Cycle. Presenter can come in once or may complete the entire series.

Standards: SS 3.4.1, SS 4.2.2, SS 4.3.3, SS 5.4.5e
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes
Program Cost: $5 per classroom per session
Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 5th Grades

In a five lesson series, youth will learn about the history of wheat, types of wheat, and the importance of this agriculture crop. The final lesson involves an hour of making bread. This series could be a Pick-Up Program or Presentation for all five lessons or the bread making lesson only. Please tell us if you don’t have access to ovens to bake the bread in.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: $1.00 per student
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

Bugs are Cool

Level I: K – 5th, Level II: 4th – 6th Grade

The fascinating world of insects is presented to youth in two levels of presentations. Both sessions include open discussion and handling live insects. These sessions fit a science curriculum.
Level I - Discusses what types of animals are insects, where they are found and what they eat. Participants also learn that insects are valuable for people and if handled properly, they will not hurt.
Level II - Discusses insects as biological organisms where youth learn about science careers while they learn about what it takes for an animal to be an insect. Youth also learn about collecting, growing, and handling insects.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Ron Seymour

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Ron at ron.seymour@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

2nd – 6th Grade

This program will help students learn more about pollinators and their importance to agriculture and the food that we eat. We will explore pollinators and their habitat while applying science along with social studies and making career connections.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner or Ron Seymour

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu or Ron at ron.seymour@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 5th Grades

This program is a great opportunity for the youth to get to know more about their animals (pets). In this 6 session program the youth will learn about the body parts and anatomy, nutrition and feeding, healthcare and vaccinations, animal welfare, genetics, animal behavior and training.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 5th Grades

A healthy living program will be presented that is built upon the strong foundations of life skill development and decision making, resulting in less tobacco, alcohol and drug use by the youth. This program is designed to help youth develop internal strength to resist risky behaviors.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 1 – 3 sessions, 30 minutes
Program Cost: $10 per classroom
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

K – 3rd

Achoo! How do you keep a classroom healthy during cold season? This program is your answer. Explore hand washing, preventing the spread of germs, and where germs are located. Presentation includes a hands –on demonstration of proper and improper hand washing using GLO-Germ powder and a black light.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 1 session, 30 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner or Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu or Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

K – 4th Grades

Increase your students knowledge about the dangers of the sun and encourage them to practice sun-smart behavior.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 1 sessions, 30 minutes
Program Cost: $1.00 per student
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

3rd – 6th Grades

This curriculum prepares youth to maintain a safe home environment. The program will engage youth in a breadth of activities that address many challenges and opportunities they may face staying home alone for example right after school. Ultimately, this research based curriculum could assist in preventing tragedies and high risk situations and develop the necessities such as emergency contact list and first aid kits.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: 1 sessions, 45 minutes
Program Cost: FREE
Educator: Julie Ochsner

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Julie at julie.ochsner@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

4th or 5th Grades

Animals Inside & Out is designed for elementary students to explore the science of animals. The Animals Inside & Out program is offered to Adams County schools. Pigs, cattle, sheep and more will be a part of the day as students learn about animal health and how an animal’s body works inside and out. Students have the opportunity to think like a veterinarian as they learn about the muscles, bones, digestive system, and how animals’ lungs and hearts work together.

Throughout this day-long program, students will have hands-on activities and games that enhance learning and opportunities to learn more about animals and where their food comes from. They also have the opportunity to explore careers related to animal science and agriculture. Animals Inside & Out takes place in the spring at Adams County Fairgrounds and is an all-day program.

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Needed: Plan a field day experience with us!
Program Cost: FREE, bring a sack lunch

Educator: Beth Janning and other Extension Educators

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

5th – 8th Grades

The INVENTURE program will ignite an entrepreneurial spark in your students! Working in teams, they will create a product or service from a widget and learn basic business principles throughout the process. The capstone of the INVENTURE program will consist of teams pitching their business idea “Shark-Tank” style. This is a full day on-site or off-site school program for 50-125 students.

Plan a field day experience with us!
Program Cost: $15 per student

Educator: Beth Janning and other Extension Educators

All requests are subject to availability.

Teachers will receive an invoice via e-mail after the class or classes have been presented.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.

Take a break and “Go Mobile” with your classroom students! Bring your students to the Mobile iGrow interactive display that is set up in your school. These traveling displays are available for 2 ½ weeks at a time, and will focus on different topics in agriculture.
4-H staff members will set up/take down displays and utilize the space you have available. Included with the displays are:

• A teaching guide to assist educators in leading a student discussion focused on display concepts.
• An activity sheet, tied to concepts from the displays, provided for all students. It can be used in the classroom or given as a take- home sheet for families.

*Complete unit correlates to Nebraska State Standards* Mobile iGrow displays and resources are funded by the AKSARBEN Foundation. These resources are FREE to Adams County Schools. Contact the Extension Office to get your school on the schedule.

• Survey results showed that 100% of students learned more about corn and have a better understanding of agriculture after the Mobile iGrow display.
• Local teachers commented: “They loved it! Hands-on and authentic learning in action.” “I hope we get more opportunities to do this.”

Standards: A complete list is available upon request.
Time Allowed: On Site - 2 1/2 weeks
Program Cost: FREE to Adams County Schools

Educator: Beth Janning

All requests are subject to availability.

You can contact the Nebraska Extension in Adams County 4-H Staff by calling 402-461-7209 or via emailing Beth at elizabeth.janning@unl.edu with questions or to request program.