Extension
It Starts With Us
Robotics
Science and Technology
G Harper
Science, Engineering and Technology 4-H Core Curriculum
Facilitation Training
4-H Youth Development Programming
Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Calloway County is a rural county but innovative community with opportunities for young people but not all youth and families see the science and career choices that are available. As major focuses on manufacturing and farming industries are to be sustainable, the local natural resources must be conserved and protected. Educating Calloway Countians on the importance of the environment is of high priority. The Calloway County Cooperative Extension Service can provide opportunities to youth and adults in the county to become more aware of the needs of the county and how to make a difference in the environment.
Building the environmental literacy of our citizens is the first step toward addressing environmental issues. In a world filled with the products of scientific inquiry, Kentucky 4-H and the Calloway County 4-H program believe that scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone. Everyone needs to use scientific information to make choices that arise every day. And everyone deserves to share in the excitement and personal fulfillment that can come from understanding and learning about the natural world.
Scientific literacy also is of increasing importance in the workplace. More and more jobs demand advanced skills, requiring that people be able to learn, reason, think creatively, make decisions, and solve problems. An understanding of science and the processes of science contributes in an essential way to these skills. (National Science Education Standards) Youth need to explore opportunities in careers that currently focus on Environmental Sciences, Engineering & Technology (SET) as well as agriculture careers on the horizon. The national and statewide SET Initiative will stimulate new opportunities for farms and farm communities to explore what can be done in transition from tobacco to alternative farming. The Calloway County 4-H program will focus on program areas that were derived from a local survey of community members as slated as important to Calloway County's youth. The programs selected include: geospatial (GPS/GIS), robotics, electronics and multi-media, physics, aerospace, small engines, water, recycling, soil conservation, forestry and energy conservation.
In 2010 and 11 Calloway County 4-H received grants from JC Penney Afterschool, the National 4-H Council and the Kentucky 4-H Foundation of $13,750.00 to begin and nurture a FIRST Robotics Team. Calloway County 4-H Youth have embraced this opportunity and are building the community capacity to continue to locally fund this yearly competition which has a yearly entry fee of $5000.00, plus robot costs, other team expenses that could be exceed another $5000 to 10,000 dollars easily. This Murray Calloway County Team 3843 has members from both MISD Murray Independent School District and Calloway County School District. Forty-three youth participated in the designing and building of the competition robot. Seven adult mentors and professional engineers assisted these students with the build and competition.
Research of Brandeis University shows that youth involved in a FIRST Team are more likely to pursue a career in engineering, more likely to volunteer in their community as an adult and graduate from high school and college at a higher rate than youth not involved in this program.
More than 90% reported learning important communications skills, such as how to listen and
respond to other people's suggestions (94%) and how to talk with people to get information
(94%). Seventy-three percent reported learning how to make a presentation in front of people they did not know.
- Students also learned teamwork and interpersonal skills. Ninety-two percent reported learning
how to get along with other students, co-workers, teachers and supervisors; 90% learned to work within the rules of a new organization or team; 88% reported learning new ways of thinking and acting from others; and 73% learned ways to stop or decrease conflicts between people.
- Students learned problem-solving and time management skills: how to solve unexpected
problems (93%); how to manage their time under pressure (90%); how to weigh issues and options before making decisions (94%); and how to gather and analyze information (88%).
- Students also learned to apply traditional academic skills in real-world setting: 68% reported learning how to use computers to retrieve and analyze data, and 67% reported learning about using practical math skills such as using graphs and tables or estimating costs.
Overall satisfaction with the program was high. Ninety-five percent of the alumni rated their experience as good or excellent¨ (27% and 68% respectively). Forty-six percent of respondents more likely to FIRST alumni were also substantially more likely to major in Engineering than the average college student nationally.
- Of those FIRST alumni reporting a college major, 41% reported they had selected Engineering.
Based on national data from the U.S. Department of Education¡¦s Beginning Postsecondary
Student study, FIRST alumni were nearly seven times as likely to become Engineering majors as the average college student nationally (41% for FRC alumni vs. a national average of 6%).
FIRST alumni were also twice as likely to enroll as Computer Science majors (11% vs. 5% nationally).
- Women and minority alumni also majored in Engineering at comparatively high rates. Thirty three percent of the female FRC alumni, 27% of the African-American alumni, and 47% of the Hispanic alumni reported majoring in Engineering (compared to national averages of 2%, 5% and 6% respectively).
Finally, FIRST alumni were also substantially more likely to aspire to higher levels of education than the average college student nationally. Seventy-eight percent of FIRST alumni reported expecting to attain a post-graduate degree, either a Master¡¦s degree (47%) or another terminal degree such as a Ph.D., MD, or MBA (32%). Only 2 participants in the study (1.4%) reported that they did not expect to attain any kind of degree. Nationally, 60% of students in the Department of Education¡¦s BPS study aspired to completing a Masters degree or higher and 4.4% did not expect to receive any degrees.
Workforce in Murray, Kentucky and throughout world will have more professional engineers and program mentors that have been on the local FIRST team.
Youth involved in SET Programs will
-Problem solve and communicate solutions to others
-Graduate college and complete post graduate degrees
-Major in Engineering and other professional degrees of Math and Science
-Creatively solve environmental issues for community
-volunteer and mentor others as they were mentored
-build capacity for future of our program through donations and gifts.
4-H youth will advance their skills in scientific inquiry and become more literate in agriculture, science, engineering and technology. 4-H youth will improve job readiness in science related fields of study. A higher number of youth in Calloway County will select higher education majors and/or careers related to agriculture and/or environmental sciences.
4-H youth will:
--Test hypotheses using scientific inquiry
--Make decisions based on scientific knowledge
--Make educated guesses using scientific inquiry
--Build rockets using scientific inquiry
--Maintain small engines
--Navigate a GPS unit
--Collect data using GPS waypoints
--Complete a geo-caching course/event.
--Design a web page
--Post a podcast or youtube video
--Conserve more of the environment
--Reduce, reuse, recycle products at home and at school
--Complete a leaf collection
--Judge livestock based on confirmation and performance.
--Show livestock and horses through 4-H events.
--Raise livestock and horses through 4-H club project work.
4-H youth will advance their skills in scientific inquiry and become more literate in agriculture, science, engineering and technology. 4-H youth will improve job readiness in science related fields of study. A higher number of youth in Calloway County will select higher education majors and/or careers related to agriculture and/or environmental sciences.
4-H youth will:
--Gain an understanding of agriculture practices and procedures for different commodities
--Gain knowledge in husbandry practices
--Gain self-esteem in dealing with farm animals
--Gain hands on skills in dealing with farm animals
--Learn how to select livestock and horses through the judging programs
--Learn how to use the scientific method
--Understand science principles
--Learn about hypotheses and the scientific inquiry
--Understand small engines
--Learn how to use a GPS unit
--Demonstrate knowledge of waypoints by using a GPS device
--Demonstrate knowledge of completing a geocaching event/course
--Understand the design of web pages
--Understand multi-media techniques
--Gain an appreciation for the environment and the importance of recycling
--Learn tree and leaf identification
--Learn about the 3 R¡¦s (reduce, reuse, recycle)
--Gain an appreciation for nature and wildlife
--Design, build, and program a robot
--Plan and fundraise for SET Projects
--Connect the importance of Science and Math to all careers and professions-8th grade Math Day
--Career Exploration for 4th grade include the importance of Science and Math as well as Arts and Humanities
--Build capacity of community to increase Science and Math skills through SET and Agriculture ventures.
Long-Term Outcome: More professional engineers and community members with degrees in Math and Science.
Indicator: Census and other statistical career data for Calloway County and Western Ky
Method: Exit surveys and follow up surveys with youth involved in Robotics and other SET Programs of Calloway County 4-H.
Timeline: June 2018
Intermediate Outcome: Community capacity for FIRST team increases and more local donors enable youth to participate.
Indicator: Funds for team are available to pay entry fees and build robots
Method: Entry in competition
Timeline: ongoing
Initial Outcome:Team increase skills and abilities as a FIRST Team
Indicator: placings in competition and evaluation of members
Method: placings in competition and testimonials
Timeline: March 2018
Outcome: Outcome: 4-H youth will reveal demonstrated knowledge gained and practiced through SET initiatives at 4-H Clubs this year. The impact of the 4-H SET Programs will be revealed through a pre-test and post-test.
Indicator: The impact of the 4-H GPS/GIS program will be revealed through an end of program survey.
Method: A pre-post test survey will be administered for this program including a SET program and a summer camp program.
Timeline: upon completion of material and July (summer camp)
Indicator: In after school clubs, SET curriculum will be utilized to broaden the science skills of youth.
Method: Youth desire to be in 4-H Afterschool Club focused on Math and Science
Timeline: 2016-2020 School Year
New First Tech Challenge team will prepare, plan, program and compete in the Kentucky State FTC Competition in Owensboro, KY in fall of 2016.
Outcome: Youth demonstrate skills in caring for livestock and horse project
Indicator: Growth in understanding of animal projects and skills in working with animals
Method: Camps - Shows surveys
Timeline: 2016-2020
Outcome: 4-H youth and adults will be trained to assist with the Watershed Watch Project. Adopting streams to test chemistry, biology and habitat three times a year. Training of initial youth and adults has occurred. Additional youth and adults will be recruited and trained in 2017. Calloway County 4-H and Conservation have taken on four sites to test and have four trained staff and volunteers at this time.
Method Training and recruiting
Timeline: 2016-2020
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Audience: high school aged youth from both high schools MISD and CC
Project or Activity: FIRST Robotics Team build season January to March
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Robotics, FIRST handbooks, and other resources as needed to build specifics of current year¡¦s game.
Inputs: collaboration with mentors, industry, United Way funds to help pay entry fees, time- intense build season of numerous hours of planning, designing, building and programming
Date: January to March 2017-2020
Audience: afterschool clubs for 3rd to 5th grades in MISD and CC schools
Project or Activity: Monthly SET lesson engaging youth in hands-on learning and exploration of real world problems and issues
Content or curriculum: SET materials
Date: ongoing from September to May school year
Audience: School clubs for 4th grade North
Project or Activity: Monthly SET lesson engaging youth in Hands-On Learning and exploration related to school core content
Contents or curriculum: SET materials
Date: ongoing from September to March school year
Audience: Career Day for 4th grade
Project or Activity: Exploration of Career Clusters and career opportunities in a hands-on manner.
Contents or curriculum: SET materials
Date: Spring 2018
4-H Agent will:
--Provide information on livestock shows and 4-H recordkeeping through newsletters and the 4-H Livestock project club meetings throughout the year.
--Provide livestock and horse judging opportunities to 4-H youth. (Horse and livestock lab kits).
--Provide livestock shows and agriculture exhibits for youth at the 4-H Fair in June.
-- Provide a GPS program at summer 4-H camp and in the Fall.
--Provide a GPS program through a summer day camp for middle school youth. (SET curriculum).
--Provide a forestry field day opportunity.
--Conduct an environmental and technology day camp for home school and private school campers. (SERIES and Natural Resources).
--Provide opportunities for students to learn about new technology through after-school clubs.
-Math Adventure Day for 8th grade youth at Area Technology Center in Spring
-Environmental Sciences Day in spring for 7th grade youth.
-Club lessons for after-school 4-H clubs focused on science and technology.
-Exploration of careers in sciences through Career Days at Area Technology Center.
-Recruit, certify, & re-certify more leaders in Livestock and Horse.
-Robotics with First Robotics for high school aged youth for Murray and Calloway County High students.
-Watershed Watch Team will explore, evaluate and test streams in Calloway County with trained volunteers three times a year in May, July and September. Trained youth and adults will adopt streams and learn components of healthy streams including biology and habitat.
Author: Virginia Harper
Major Program: Science, Engineering and Technology 4-H Core Curriculum
In 2017-2018, support and technology interest has enabled a variety of Calloway County 4-H Robotics endeavors. Two thousand five hundred dollars from United Way and eleven thousand dollars from the Area Technology Center Board gave the First Robotics Competition Team the start up money needed for their season. The Robo-Racers will also have a location within the Area Technology Center where they can meet and practice. This is an exciting time as all the competition
