During the COVID19 pandemic when schools were shut down to in-person learning, Russell County 4-H provided opportunities for youth to explore different science concepts through the “Science in a Box” program.  Science is loved by many youth because it offers a hands-on method of exploring sometimes complex scientific concepts.  

Over the course of six months, six kits of learning materials on various topics were provided to 19 4-H youth.  The youth received learning packets of information and hands-on science or art-related projects to complete related to the month’s subject.  In October the youth learned about the sun’s energy and how it drives all life forms and transitions into different forms of potential and kinetic energy; the youth made nature sun prints and built a solar oven from a pizza box to make s’mores.  In November, the youth learned about leaves and photosynthesis and how the sun’s energy gets converted in the leaves of plants to make sugars as well as is the main driver of the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange cycle.  The youth made a leaf coaster to go with this project box.  In December, the youth learned more about trees and created an oil pastel piece of art.  In January, the youth learned about flowers and their role in food production; they made a flower bookmark.  Also as part of this kit, the youth learned simple coding by using Braille to write their name and learn more about the anatomy of the human eye.  In February, the youth explored the water cycle with some water Olympics experiments to learn about the cohesive properties of water.  The final kit in March provided greater knowledge of bees, honey production, and pollination.  The youth were able to taste honey from four regions of the USA, practice “pollinating” paper flowers using Cheetos dust on their fingers, and made a three dimensional wood bee puzzle to learn more about the anatomy of insects.

As the youth completed the projects, the families e-mailed pictures to the agent.  At the end of the program, an adult associated with the youth completed a survey that indicated that the families had completed about 75% of the projects.  One parent said that participating in the Science in a Box program “gave my child something to look forward to. It sparked an interest in the things around her and made her curious about how things work.”