4-H Animal Science Resource Blog

STEM Connections, know-how & Inspiration

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Sheep Showmanship: A Basic Guide

June 22, 2019

4-H members Julie McKenna, of Somerset County, Steven Quattrock, Hunterdon County, and Emily Granja, Somerset County, compete in a Hampshire spring ewe lamb class at the Garden State Sheep Breeders Festival in September 2017.

Now that it is fair time in New Jersey, it is important to know how to display the lambs or sheep you have worked so hard to raise. Showmanship is the ability of an exhibitor to present an animal effectively and competitively in the show ring. A good showman can actually improve his or her placing in a breed class just by good handling skills. It sounds simple, but the best … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sheep Tagged With: 4-H Animal Science, animal science project area, STEM learning goals, Youth exhibitions, youth STEM

An Idea that Works: Managing Group Work During STEM Club Meetings

January 14, 2019

In 4-H we often strive to make everything we do “youth centered”, meaning we want the young people to drive the conversation, tasks, and goals of the club.  This builds leadership skills in youth and helps them learn how to communicate effectively with each other.  As a club leader, it can be challenging to figure out how to be the “guide on the side” and mentor as opposed to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Club Programming Idea, STEM Learning Tagged With: cooperative learning, Focus on STEM, STEM learning goals

How do I know if I am offering quality STEM activities?

April 13, 2018

How do I know if it is working for my youth? As we talked about last month, the Internet is chock-full of sites claiming that their activities will turn your young people into scientists and engineers.   We know however that all STEM activities are not created equal and it can be challenging to find the right fit for your club or program. Execution, or how you facilitate the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Resource, STEM Learning Tagged With: STEM learning goals, youth STEM

What is quality STEM learning? … more than just fun activities.

March 13, 2018

Are you interested in adding more STEM activities to your animal science club? If so, you may be wondering what to look for in a quality STEM activity? We all know the power of the Internet to search and find anything. We all use Google searches or ask Siri or Alexa for help finding information. However sorting through the thousands of links we get back can be overwhelming. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: STEM Learning Tagged With: STEM learning goals, youth STEM

Your Animal Science and Agriculture Projects are STEM! Here are National Resources to Showcase the Connection

January 15, 2018

STEM learning animal science

You probably already know that STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. When people think of STEM, they picture a man in a lab coat mixing chemicals. Or perhaps a boy building a robot comes to mind. But as animal science educators, we know that STEM learning involves so much more! With every lesson we are connecting our youth to STEM. It's happening all the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured Resource, STEM Learning Tagged With: 4-H Animal Science, Marissa Staffen, New Jersey 4-H, STEM, STEM learning goals, youth STEM

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A Project of New Jersey 4-H Youth Development

New Jersey 4-H provides educational outreach programming for youth in grades K-13 (one year out of high school) through 4-H clubs, special interest programs, school enrichment, afterschool programs, and overnight camping.

Regardless of the subject matter – whether it be science, healthy living or citizenship, 4-H uses a learn-by-doing approach to help youth learn responsibility, community awareness and character development.

New Jersey 4-H Youth Development is a department of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

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