What is 4-H School Enrichment?
Cooperation between schools and Nebraska Extension has existed for many years in Colfax County, complementing the educational goals of both organizations. The 4-H School Enrichment Program uses materials that are research-based and produced by specialists from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln, the National 4-H Council and various universities and organizations throughout the United States.
4-H School Enrichment resources include teacher guides, student manuals, multi-media tools, teaching kits, and staff presentations. The Nebraska Extension in Colfax County staff can teach the project to the students in the classroom or provide the materials to the teacher to use.
As 4-H participants, your students will also have the opportunity to take part in 4-H activities outside the classroom. Camps, special events, and the Colfax County Fair are a few additional activities students may participate in.
The cost to participate in 4-H school enrichment is minimal to no cost. If you are interested, please fill out the attached registration form and return to Nebraska Extension in Colfax County Office as soon as possible. Programs are scheduled on a first come first serve basis.
Thank you!
How can I get involved?
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2023-2024 School Enrichment Programs
Special Events
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Real World—Money | Suggested grade levels: 7th or 8th grade One Full Day This is an interactive financial management program, designed to help students become better prepared to make financial decisions as young adults. This program is held in the spring of each year. For more information please call the Nebraska Extension in Colfax County Office at (402) 352-3821. |
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Nutrition School Enrichment Offerings by Hannah Guenther, Nebraska Extension-Cuming CountyHannah Guenther, Food, Nutrition and Health Extension Educator in Cuming County is offering a wide varity of nutrition and health school enrichment programs in Colfax County! Click here to check them out! Click here to learn more about Marathon Kids. To request one of her programs, please contact Hannah directly at hannah.guenther@unl.edu or by calling 402-372-6006. |
Class Room Programs
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Lifecycle of A Ladybug | Suggested grade level: Kindergarten Four, 40 minute sessions (During Spring Semester) Lifecycle of a ladybug gives students the chance to witness the lifecycle of ladybugs as they watch them mature from larvae to adult ladybugs. This project requires three weeks to complete and should be done in mid-late April—May for best results. |
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Where Does My Food Come From? | Suggested grade level: 1st grade Four, 45 minute sessions (Fall Semester) Students will gain an understanding of what agriculture commidities create the food they eat everyday. As our society continues to be generations removed from the farm, having this level of understanding is becoming increasingly important. As a result of this program, youth will understand how their favorite foods end up on their plate or in their lunch box and youth will gain an understanding where their food comes from! |
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Lifecylce of A Butterfly | Suggested grade level: 1st grade Four, 40 minute sessions (Spring Semester) Lifecycle of a Butterfly gives students the chance to observe the butterflies transform from caterpillars to chrysalides to butterflies with their own butterfly observation habitat. This project requires four weeks to complete and should be done in mid-late April-May for best results. Students will have the opportunity to release their butterflies during their last session! |
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Sprouting Success | Suggested grade level: 2nd grade Two, 45 minute sessions, four days apart (During Spring Semester) Students will gain an understanding about what plants need to grow by watching edible sprouts grow over the course of five days and watching the physical changes each day. At the end of the week, students will have the opportunity to taste-test their sprouts. Time is required daily for students to rinse their sprouts and have observation / recording time. |
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Hand Washing | Suggested grade levels: Kindergarten through 2nd grades One, 30 - 45 minute session Think those hands are clean? It’s what you can’t see that can spread infection! Students will learn the benefits of hand washing, when hands should be washed, and the best way to get hands clean. During this visit youth will have an opportunity to actually see how well they have washed their hands using Glo-germ which fluoresces brightly under an ultraviolet light. |
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The Pumpkin Life Cycle | Suggested grade level: 1st through 2nd grades Three, 45 minute sessions (Month of October) Students will learn the concept of a life cycle, and understanding its importance to agriculture, by recreating the various stages of growth and development of a pumpkin through hands on activities. |
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Positively Popcorn | Suggested grade level: 3rd through 4th grades Three, 45 minute sessions (Fall Semester) Did you know that Nebraska is the number one producer of popcorn? In this lesson students will use science to learn the importance of agriculture in Nebraska and how popcorn goes from a seed to a snack. |
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Embryology | Suggested grade levels: 2nd through 4th grades Three, 45 minute sessions (During Spring Semester) This spring project gives youth a chance to witness the miracle of life in the classroom. It involves the actual hatching of approximately one dozen eggs and requires 21—28 days to complete. Extension staff will get you set up and ready to go, then classrooms must tend to the eggs on a daily basis and monitor the incubators regularly to ensure a hatch. Candling the eggs is an exciting part of this project done by Extension Staff. Students will get to see how the chicks develop in the eggs during the incubation period. |
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LEGO Robotics | Suggested grade level: 4th through 8th grades Six, 45 minute sessions Hands-on activities using LEGO EV3 Robotics kits and software youth will learn how to design and build a robot using LEGO EV3 Robotics kits. The LEGO Mindstorms software enables students to learn simple programming with computers. This program teaches problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, teamwork, command actions, and technical skills. |
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Engineering is Elementary | Suggested grade levels: 1st through 5th grades Three, 45 minute sessions Youth will be challenged to create and problem solve exciting engineering topics. Youth will put to work their engineering skills to try possible solutions to the presented problem. Youth will have the chance to discover their passion for engineering and build their confidence in this area. Topic for the 2022-2023 school is:
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Money Makes Cents | Suggested grade levels: 2nd through 4th grades Five, 45 minute sessions (each topic) Money Makes Cents will help youth gain a better understanding of money and money fundamentals! Youth will have the opportunity to learn about six |
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DNA Detectives | Suggested grade levels: 5th through 8th grades Four, 45 minute sessions (each topic) Youth will get to be detectives as we learn about the DNA that makes each of us who we are! As we learn about DNA molecules, youth will get to build an edible model of their own DNA! During our other visits, we will extract DNA from a strawberry, and analyze our own fingerprints. |
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Junk Drawer Robotics | Suggested grade levels: 4th through 8th grades Three, 45 minute sessions (each topic) Watch as your students utilize the engineering design process to test force, distance, balance, and understand the function of robotic movement. Youth will be given everyday materials such as: rubber bands, paper clips, tongue depressors, pennies, and more to put these concepts to the test! |
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Leadership Summit | Suggested grade levels: 5th through 8th grades Five, 45 minute sessions 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. |
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Purple Ribbon Kids | Suggested grade levels: 2nd through 4th grades Five, 45 minute sessions Purple Ribbon Kids is an elementary leadership program that leads youth through an exploration of traits effective leaders possess. Through team-building, self-discovery, and reflective activities, youth will demonstrate, and be able to explain the importance of belonging, inclusion, generosity, and mastery. |
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Ozobot Robotics | Suggested grade levels: 3rd through 4th grades Three, 45 minute sessions The pocket-sized Ozobot Robot can follow a line and be programmed with just markers and paper! Students will explore the engineering design model by brainstorming with a small group an unique obstacle course, building their program, testing their obstacle course, and sharing their successes and failures. |
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Looking for something more? Give us a call at (402) 352-3821 and we will find a 4-H School Enrichment curriculum that will fit your classroom needs! |