Science Discovery Kits

The N.J. 4-H Science & Technology Committee developed a series of self-contained "4-H Science Discovery Kits" to help 4-H club leaders, other volunteers, and teachers to provide science lessons to youth using a fun, learn-by-doing approach. Each kit contains a lesson plan and nearly all of the teaching materials needed to teach the lesson in a hands-on way. They are aimed at teaching youth in group settings such as 4-H clubs and school classrooms. They can be borrowed from county Rutgers Cooperative Extension offices throughout New Jersey.

Topics Offered

These lessons were developed by faculty and staff of Rutgers Cooperative Extension:

Geology Where You Live (Rocks & Minerals - best for grades 3-7)
Don't Trash The Planet! (Recycling/Solid Waste - best for grades 3-6)
Tree-Mendous Fun (Trees - best for grades 2-3)
As Big As A Whale! (Whales - best for grades 4-8)
Good To The Last Drop (Water Quality & Conservation - best for grades 3-6)

More detailed objectives regarding what youth will learn are listed below.

How to borrow a kit
A youth leader or teacher can sign out one kit at a time, for a period of up to one week. Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. The kits can be borrowed free-of-charge. A simple, one-page evaluation/report form needs to be completed when the kit is returned. For more information or to borrow a 4-H Science Discovery Kit, contact your county 4-H Office.

Published Curriculum Also Available
Complete lesson plans from the kits are available for purchase. The Science Discovery Series Leader-Teacher Lesson Guide Volume 1 (E204) consists of all lessons contained in the Science Discovery Kits, plus additional activities. It was accepted into the National 4-H Curriculum Collection via a jury review process. It is 72 pages, bound, and costs approximately $10.00.

Volume 2 (E230) is also now available. Although it does not have pre-made kits for loan,
it provides more in-depth coverage to six different science topics. It is 202 pages, bound, and costs approximately $15.00.

For ordering information, click here.

What youth will learn

Geology Where You Live
(Rocks & Minerals - best for grades 3-7)

What geology is.
The difference between rocks and minerals.
How rocks were formed.

Don't Trash The Planet!
(Recycling/Solid Waste - best for grades 3-6)

A basic understanding of how the garbage they produce has an impact on the environment.
The basics of the 3R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
How they can make a difference by reducing the amount of garbage going into landfills.
How to make changes in the way they purchase and dispose of products in order to benefit wildlife and the environment.

Tree-Mendous Fun
(Trees - best for grades 2-3)

How to tell a tree's age by counting its rings.
The products that come from trees.
How tree seeds travel.
The parts of a tree and how they work together.

As Big As A Whale!
(Whales - best for grades 4-8)

The differences between whales and fish.
About the Order of Cetacea.
The wide variety of whales and their sizes.
The size and shape of whales.
The difference between baleen and toothed whales.
The differences between whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Basic math skills (dimensions and scale).

Good To The Last Drop
(Water Quality & Conservation - best for grades 3-6)

The use and effect of water in our everyday lives.
The movement of water in the water cycle.
The importance of and methods for water conservation.
The importance of and methods for maintaining water quality.

How Each Lesson is Organized
To make learn-by-doing easy and fun for the youth participants as well as the group leader, lessons are organized by the following categories:

What Youth Will Learn

These are the outcomes that should result from the lesson/activity.

Audience

The grades of youth the lesson/activity is most relevant to.

Total Time Needed

The time needed if all activities of the lesson are offered. Each activity also has an estimate for the time needed so that selected activities can be selected.

Did You Know?

This provides background information for the group leader to help with understanding the lesson and accompanying activities. This also provides a basis for many of the questions the youth participants might have resulting from being involved in the activities.

What To Do

This provides detailed instructions for leading the activities. It also includes time needed, intended audience, and materials needed.

Sum It Up

This provides activities or questions for youth to help summarize what they have experienced. It enables them to generalize what they have learned to other examples and situations.

Evaluation

A copy of the "N.J. 4-H Science Discovery Kits Evaluation & Participation Report" is enclosed. It is very brief and simple to fill out. The information is needed to help determine the value of the lesson and activities contained in each 4-H Science Discovery Kit, and for reporting purposes. It is intended to be completed after each use of the lesson. It can also be completed online.

Optional Activities

These are activities that allow the group or individuals to go beyond the basic content contained in the lesson. Usually, these activities help reinforce what has been learned and allow youth to demonstrate what they have learned, apply it to new surroundings, and exhibit enthusiasm for learning.

Materials Contained in This Kit

This is the list of all the materials needed to conduct the activities in the lesson. The intention is for all of these materials to be gathered and contained in a handy, durable container so lessons are more readily available to be used by leaders of youth.

Resources for More Information

This contains sources of information if youth or the group leader are interested in learning more about a topic.

Keep Discovering!
A reference guide for leader-teachers to help youth find more information about science or other topics using a variety of resources from the library to the Internet. View it here.

The Learn-by-Doing Approach of 4-H
4-H is recognized for making learning fun and for encouraging kids to try new things for themselves. 4-H curricula are just as focused on teaching youth important life skills than any specific subject matter. Even though the 4-H Science Discovery Series is about science, it is really more about youth learning to think and learn and apply what they have learned to their lives and surroundings. Find out how to enhance teaching about science by using this approach which is fun for both the learner and teacher!

NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards
To help NJ-based educators (whether in-school teachers, home-schooling parent-teachers, or others meet learning objectives, effort has been made to connect Science Discovery Series educational activities with the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards set by the NJ Department of Education. To find which content standards are met by each SDS unit, click here.

Credits
The N.J. 4-H Science Discovery Series Volume 1 and accompanying Science Discovery Kits were an effort of the Science & Technology Committee of the Department of 4-H Youth Development, Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Keith G. Diem, Ph.D., Project Director & Editor. Subcommittee members: Laura Bovitz, Mary Lou Mayfield, James Nichnadowicz, Jeannette Rea-Keywood, and Betty Jean Jesuncosky Webersinn. Funding provided by a Rutgers Cooperative Extension Innovative Grant.

Copyright 1995-2003, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.


	Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Last modified 16 August, 2005, webmaster@rce.rutgers.edu.