Wayne County 4-H School Enrichment

What is 4-H School Enrichment?

Cooperation between schools and Nebraska Extension has existed for many years in Wayne 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.

The purpose of a 4-H school enrichment program is to encourage long-term involvement in 4-H, enhance the relationship between 4-H and school systems (public and private), provide informal education to complement formal education, enhance the subject matter being studied, and foster and promote enthusiasm and support for participation in other 4-H programs.

 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County Office as soon as possible. Programs are scheduled on a first come first serve basis.

Thank you!

Julie Schultz                                                Emma Krysl
4-H Youth Development                                4-H Assistant
Extension Educator                                       Wayne County

How can I participate?

  • Refer to the program list below to determine the 4-H School Enrichment Classes you would like in your classroom.
  • Click on the link below to complete online registration. 
  • ONLINE SCHOOL ENRICHMENT REGISTRATION LINK

OR

  • Click the link below to download a copy of our 2023-2024 4-H School Enrichment Brochure. Included is a QR code or paper registration form to be mailed to our office. 
  • DOWNLOAD SCHOOL ENRICHMENT BROCHURE (Print on both sides, flip on short edge)

 2023-2024 School Enrichment Programs

Real World-Money | Suggested grade levels: 7th or 8th grade

4 hours needed

This is an interactive financial management program, designed to help students become better prepared to make financial decisions as young adults. This awesome program puts youth through a real life simulation where they will have to attain an occupation, pay bills, buy groceries and basic necessities in order to survive.

Money Makes Cents | Suggested grade levels: 2nd through 4th grade

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 five different topics about money.
Topics include: history of money, managing money, earning money, spending and saving money, checks, balances and credit.

Life Cycle of a Ladybug | Suggested grade level: Kindergarten

Four, 40 minute sessions (Spring Semester)

Life Cycle of a ladybug gives students the chance to witness the life cycle 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. Students will have the opportunity to release their ladybugs during their last session!

Agriculture & Me | Suggested grade level: Kindergarten

Three, 45 minute sessions

Students will gain an understanding what agriculture commodities create the food they eat everyday. By creating a short booklet, students will be able to illustrate what they have learned.
(For Example, today’s wheat can be tomorrow’s bread. Today’s beef cow can be tomorrow’s hamburgers.)

Where Does My Food Come From? | Suggested grade level: 1st grade

Three, 45 minute sessions

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!

Life Cycle 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 three 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! 

Sprouting Success | Suggest grade level: 2nd grade

Two, 45 minute sessions, four days apart (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. 

Hand Washing | Suggested grade levels: Kindergarten through 2nd grades

One, 30-45 minute session

Do you 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. 

The Pumpkin Life Cycle | Suggested grade levels: 1st and 2nd grades

Three, 45 minute sessions (Fall Semester)

Students will learn the concept of a life cycle, and understand its importance to agriculture, by recreating the various stages of growth and development of a pumpkin through hands on activities. 

Positively Popcorn | Suggested grade levels: 3rd grade 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!  

Embryology | Suggested grade levels: 2nd through 4th grades

Three, 45 minute sessions (Spring Sememster)

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.

Ozobot Robotics | Suggested grade levels: 2nd and 3rd 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. 

DNA Detectives | Suggested grade levels: 4th through 8th grades

Four, 45 minute sessions

Youth will use their detective skills as we learn about the DNA that makes each of us who we are! As we learn about DNA molecules and structures, youth will get to build an edible model of their own DNA, extract DNA from a strawberry, and analyze our own fingerprints as we uncover how our DNA makes us unique! 

Junk Drawer Robotics | Suggested grade levels: 4th through 8th grades

Three, 45 minute sessions

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!

Engineering is Elementary | Suggested grade levels: 1st through 5th grades

45 minute sessions (each topic)

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 year is Bridges (4 lessons) 

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.

Circuts | Suggested grade levels: 4th through 6th grades

Three, 45 minute sessions

Explore the electrifying world of circuits through the discovery of conductors, insulators, and circuits! Students will participate in a variety of activities which explore the flow of electricity
and circuits through the use of Snap Circuits! 

Questions or looking for something more? Contact the Office!