revised 4 14 - iowa state university · parliamentary procedure—4-h meetings are conducted using...
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Buchanan County ISU Extension and Outreach
2600 Swan Lake Blvd., Suite A
Independence, IA 50644
(319) 334-7161 www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan
Revised 4-14-14
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Things to Remember
Projects I have signed up for: ___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Presentations I have to give:
Date: ________________________ Topic: ________________________ Date: ________________________ Topic: ________________________
County Fair Entry Deadline:
______________________________
County Fair:
______________________________
Records Due:
______________________________
Other Important Dates & Events:
Beef Weigh-In: ________________ Sheep/Goat Weigh-In:___________ Swine Weigh-In: _______________
___________________________
____________________________
Livestock ID’s Due:
May 15th—No Exceptions
Animal Entry and fees Due:
June 15th
Service Project Ideas & Activities:
_____________________________
______________________________
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How to Use
This Guide
This “How to” Guide for 4-H families was designed to be a useable working handbook for 4-H
families. Some pages will be obsolete as the year changes, so please be sure to check our website
for current forms at: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h, pull down the “4-H & Youth”
tab and choose “Join 4-H”. Here you will also find the different clubs that you can join.
First step is to decide what club your child or children would like to join. This can be found on the
Buchanan County 4-H website under the “Join 4-H”.
Second step is to call the Extension office to discuss any questions about the clubs or anything in
regards to 4-H and Clover Kids. The staff will go over two important things including 4hOnline and
Buchanan 4-H webpage basics. This will help you navigate on your web browser.
After selecting a club, you will contact the current leader of the club and discuss the club
expectations and information the leader would like to share.
The final step is to enroll on 4hOnline an there is a help sheet on page to help.
This guide can be easily stored in a 3-ring binder. This guide could also be kept in sections in
separate file folders. Each family should find a system the works best for them. We hope to have
provided 4-H families with the basics and more about 4-H that will help you get off to a successful
start in the 4-H program!
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Terms to Remember
Animal Entry Form—Deadline to complete by
June 15th. Must have identified animals on
4hOnline May 15th to be eligible to complete
an online entry. Animal Entries are made on
www.buchanan.fairentry.com. All stall, bedding,
scanning and entry fees are due at this time.
After this deadline you will be charged a $25
late fee.
Awards—Awards are one form of recognition
given to 4-H members. Awards are selected
differently in every county. Some are based
on the information recorded in the 4-H’ers
record keeping system, others use interviews
and still others use standardized lists of 4-H
involvement. There are awards for records,
project work and overall achievement. In many
counties, youth may apply for awards, their
leader may nominate them for awards, or the
award selection committee may choose to
consider them for an award. There can be
local club awards as well as county, state, and
national level awards. Please see the award
section in this booklet or contact the Buchanan
County ISU Extension and Outreach office for
details about award selection.
Clothing Selection—4-H members model
clothes they have selected at Communications
Day, where they are judged. Those going to
State Fair are determined at that time.
Clover Kids—Many counties offer this special
program to youth in grades K-3. This is a
non-competitive program that gives youth the
opportunity to experience success and develop
skills in a wide variety of subjects.
Club Activity—A 4-H club usually plans more
than just regular meetings. Club activities may
include special project workshops, parties,
trips, or family potlucks. They are
opportunities for “learning by doing” or just
plain having fun!
Club Tour—A club may schedule a tour of all
the members homes before the county fair.
The purpose is for each 4-H’er to show the
rest of the group his/her projects that may be
exhibited at the fair. This works especially
well for clubs that have a lot of livestock
projects.
Communications Day—Event held before the
fair where 4-H members can participate in
judging for Educational Presentations, Working
Exhibits, Share-the-Fun, Extemporaneous
Speaking, Clothing Selection, Fashion Revue,
and The $15 Challenge.
Community Service Project—Many clubs carry
out community service projects. The variety
of projects is endless, but may include such
things as working with the handicapped,
painting a public building, having foster
grandparents in a nursing home, or planting
trees.
Conference Judging—This method of judging
is used for the majority of all classes at the
county fair, with the exception of some
livestock classes. The 4-H’er brings her/his
exhibit to the judge and discusses the work
with the judge. The judge uses this
information, any written information required
by the class rules, and the exhibit itself in
determining the ribbon placing of the exhibit.
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(Conference Judging continued)
A ribbon is awarded, the placing is recorded,
and the 4-H’er takes the exhibit to be
displayed.
County Fair—A fair is an annual county-wide
event at which 4-H’ers have the opportunity to
be evaluated on their exhibits and to receive
recognition for what they have accomplished.
Educational Presentation—These are talks or
demonstrations, given in front of an audience,
about some topic that interests the 4-H’er.
They should contain three parts—an
introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Extemporaneous Speaking—Must be in grades
9-12 to participate. Member will select one
topic on the day of the presentation. Time will
be given to prepare a speech and materials will
be provided.
Extension Council—The Extension Council
consists of nine elected representatives from
all over the county. They oversee the county
Extension program and approve all of the
expenditures. The Council is the legal
governing body of the County Extension
program and meets monthly.
Extension Office—Each county has an ISU
Extension Office which provides research
based information to the general public. This
is called the Iowa State University Extension
and Outreach service and it is funded with
county, state and federal taxes. The four
program areas are healthy living, STEM,
citizenship and leadership, and communication
and the arts. If you have any questions, this is
usually a good place to start.
Extension Staff—Each Extension Office has a
staff who are qualified and trained to meet
the needs in that county. The first person
you’ll hear on the telephone or talk to when you
come in the door is the Extension Office.
Assistant. If she/he doesn’t know the answer
to your question, she/he will put you in touch
with the person who does! One of those
people might be the county Administrator.
The Administrator’s job is to see that
programming goes on in the county in all areas:
agriculture, communities, families and 4-H
youth. Other people the Office Assistant
might direct you to are Field Specialists.
Each county has access to a large number
(10-15) Field Specialists. A Field Specialist
has a subject matter area in which she/he is
highly trained. They answer questions and help
put on programs for the county
Administrators. Another person you will have
contact with is the 4-H County Youth
Coordinator. She/he is responsible for most
of the day-to-day coordination of county 4-H
activities.
Fair Board—A volunteer board which is
responsible for the county fair. This is a
totally separate entity from the Extension
office and its staff, although they work in
cooperation on many projects.
Fashion Revue—4-H members model clothes
they have made. The top entrant among those
grades 9-12 goes to State Fair. These
projects are usually judged before the county
fair, however participants are required to
model their garments at the public show during
the Communications Day.
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FSQA—4-H and FFA members will need to be
FSQA certified to show at the county and
state fairs. FSQA stands for Food Safety
Quality Assurance. Those that need to be
certified include: market and breeding beef,
swine, sheep and dairy (both dairy cattle and
dairy goat), meat goat, rabbit and poultry.
This is a great way to reach 4-H’ers and FFA
members about record keeping, veterinarian
and drug usage in project livestock, healthy
production practices, care and handling, feed
and feed additives, and biosecurity and ethics.
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4r/page/
fsqa-food-safety-quality-assurance
Intermediates—Intermediate 4-H’ers are
youth in grades 7-8.
Iowa 4-H Foundation—A private non-profit
corporation formed to supplement the 4-H
program, primarily through the development
and operation of the State 4-H Camping
Center at Madrid and specialized programs
that are conducted there. They also provide
funding for innovative programs around the
state and provide funds for youth who need
financial assistance to participate in the 4-H
youth program.
Juniors—Junior 4-H’ers are youth in grades
4-6.
Leadership—4-H leadership opportunities
involve 4-H’ers in teaching others or taking
responsibility for organizing events and
activities. An example might be planning for
the club to be involved in a Valentine’s Party
for local nursing home residents (this is also a
citizenship project). These types of
leadership activities should be recorded in 4-H
members’ records.
Life Skills—4-H in Iowa emphasizes the
development of the following life skills:
1. Developing a positive self concept
2. Communication skills
3. Decision making skills
4. Learning how to learn
5. Ability to cope with change
6. Citizenship skills
7. Leadership skills
Livestock Identification—This is how the
4-H’er identifies all of their livestock
projects. Members will identify by going on
4hOnline (https://ia.4honline.com) and log-in
using their family profile. Identification is
needed for all breeding and market beef, dairy
cattle and goats, bucket bottle, dogs, meat
goats, horses and ponies, pets, poultry,
rabbits, sheep and swine, on or by May 15th,
11:59 p.m. Only livestock who identified on
4hOnline will be eligible to be exhibited at any
4-H show. This is NOT a fair entry, but its
purpose is to insure that the animal has been in
the 4-H’ers care during the year and not just
an animal purchased two weeks before the
fair. Be sure to contact your county office to
see if there are additional guidelines you need
to follow.
Meetings—All 4-H clubs are expected to hold
regular meetings. These are usually monthly,
often on a set day (such as the first Monday
of the month). 4-H meetings have three parts:
business (20 minutes), program (30 minutes),
and social (15 minutes). Attendance at 4-H
meetings is very important. A 4-H’er is
responsible for contacting their leader to find
out any information they will miss if unable to
attend.
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National 4-H Week—Held in the first full
week in October. This week provides special
recognition to the 4-H program nation-wide.
Officers—4-H clubs elect officers annually.
4-H offices include president, vice-president,
secretary, treasurer, photographer, reporter,
historian, and recreation leader. Individual
clubs may elect other officers as the club
finds necessary or helpful to their individual
club. Officers provide leadership in the club
and help plan and conduct the meetings.
Parliamentary Procedure—4-H meetings are
conducted using parliamentary procedure, a
tool that allows each member to participate in
the decision-making process. Proper use of
parliamentary procedure is a skill that a 4-H’er
will find useful throughout adulthood.
Projects—A 4-H project is an area of emphasis
in which the 4-H’er enrolls, studies, learns,
keeps records, and perhaps, exhibits.
Examples are visual arts, food and nutrition,
and dog. A 4-H’er can complete work in a
project without exhibiting at the county fair.
Ribbons—4-H exhibits are divided into groups
and are awarded blue, red, and white ribbons
with blue being the highest quality group.
Purple ribbons are the top part of the blue
group. Green ribbons are given as participation
ribbons to Clover Kids in some areas. Under
this system, exhibits are evaluated individually
and not ranked in comparison with each other.
Record Keeping System—Each 4-H member is
expected to record a summary and evaluation
of his/her 4-H experiences each year. See
the record keeping section for further details
(www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h).
Seniors—Senior 4-H’ers are youth in grades
9-12.
Share-the-Fun—These are entertainment
acts and can include things such as music,
dance, interpretive speech, or skits. They can
involve any number of youth—from one 4-H’er
to the whole club. All types of 4-H
Communications are judged at the county level
where some are selected to advance to state
level.
State Fair—4-H’ers from across the state
exhibit at the State Fair. Some projects and
classes require that the exhibit be selected at
the county level for state fair competition,
others (like horticulture or livestock) do not.
Check with your county Extension office for
more details. The Iowa State Fair is held
every August in Des Moines.
The $15 Challenge—Similar to Clothing
Selection. Members must purchase an outfit
from a garage sale or consignment store and
the entire outfit cannot cost more than $15.
Working Exhibit—Less formal than an
educational presentation. It involves a
one-on-one type of demonstration technique.
4-H’ers usually work from a table in an area
where people walk through and stop to see
what the 4-H’er is showing. Sometimes
4-H’ers may choose to work in pairs when
giving educational presentations or working
exhibits.
4hOnline—A database where Clover Kids, 4-H
members, and club leaders complete
enrollment (https://ia.4honline.com). Members
will identify their animals by May 15th, 11:59
p.m. This is also used for the State Fair
Exhibits too.
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General Information
How Does the 4-H Program Work?
Youth and their families join a local 4-H club,
usually in the county where they live. When
youth join they are asked to select at least
one project (or interest) area in which to
enroll or sign-up.
After enrolling in a club, a 4-H member
attends monthly (on the average) club
meetings. At these club meetings, members
plan other club events, vote on agenda items,
swap ideas and information and do fun and
educational activities.
Beyond local club participation, 4-H families
can participate in a variety of county
sponsored events, such as county project
meeting workshops, camp, fun days, etc. The
monthly newsletter keeps families posted on
these upcoming activities. Be sure to read it!
Many of these county events and contests are
planned by committees made up of youth and
adult leaders from all over the county. There
is a group of youth leaders called the Youth
County Council. This council directs their
energies into promoting 4-H, evaluating new
and existing programs, planning miscellaneous
events, and helping at events.
Sometimes two or more counties get together
to host camp, contests, workshops and other
events. All programs are open to ALL
MEMBERS who meet eligibility requirements!
The 4-H program has a state headquarters
along with other ISU Extension and Outreach
programs on Iowa State University’s campus in
Ames. This is from where most of your
project literature will come from if you order
it. State level 4-H activities include State
4-H Youth Conference, Animal Science
Round-up, State Fair youth exhibits, etc.
There is also a national 4-H program
headquartered in Washington, D.C., where
national activities are planned and other
literature is produced for use throughout the
United States. They also work strongly with
State 4-H program directors to help make
4-H the best it can be in all 50 states.
Some 4-H families only utilize the local and
county levels, which is great, while others go
as far as Japan on an international 4-H
Exchange Program!
Members can take 4-H wherever they want to
go. They just need to set their goals and
determine how they’re going to get there!
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What Does a 4-H Club Do?
A 4-H club elects its own officers and
conducts its own business. Most clubs meet
monthly with a year-long plan for their
programs. Each meeting usually includes
presentations by members. Meetings might
also include presentations by leaders, parents,
or a resource person, recreation or indoor
games, a family sharing night, or a field trip.
Many 4-H clubs also get involved in a variety of
community service, social and fundraising
projects. The youth in each club should decide
the types of projects their club will do.
Most clubs charge dues or hold money-making
activities to raise money for their club’s events
and dues.
4-H members and their families are
responsible for the cost of materials needed
to complete their project(s).
If You Join a 4-H Club, What’s
Expected of You?
1. Select a project suited to member’s
interest, ability and age. (There are over
60 projects to choose from.) In each
project area, members are to set goals and
measure progress toward those goals.
2. Attend and share in the meetings of the
club. Participate in club activities.
3. Keep and turn in a record of what has been
done in 4-H each year, as well as a
self-evaluation of 4-H experiences.
4. Participate in a communications activity/
experience. This can be a presentation,
working exhibit or share-the-fun (see page
21).
Benefits of the 4-H Program
The basic idea behind the 4-H program is to
teach youth and adults life skills. Life skills
are those skills which can be used throughout a
lifetime and apply to many situations. These
include:
When an individual learns specific
information or techniques for completing a
task that learning may be only useful in that
situation.
When he or she has discovered the basic
principles, techniques and attitudes that
will apply to other situations, that person
has learned a life skill. For example, Jimmy
learns to apply nitrogen in the right amount
to produce big cabbages in a gardening
project, thus he has learned a skill.
On the other hand, when he understands
that living things need to take in specific
levels of nutrients to thrive and he knows
how to find this information, he has learned
a life skill.
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4hOnline: Enroll/Re-Enroll
Go to https://iowa.4honline.com (bookmark
this page)
Logged in before: Select “I have a
Profile”. Enter family email address and
password
Forgot password: Select “I forgot my
password”. Check your email. You will have
a password emailed to you—use that
password on the login screen for 4-H
Online (you will still need to choose a new
password).
New Enrollment: Select “I need to set up
a profile”.
Click “edit” next to name (under Member/
Volunteer list).
Verify or edit personal information. Don’t
forget to add your email and cell number.
Update Emergency Contact (someone other
than yourself, if you cannot be reached).
Update your additional information and
health form.
Click “Enroll for (current year)” to the
4-H member you are re-enrolling (bottom
of page).
Follow the steps to update all information
as it is presented to you on the following
screens, selecting “continue” until the
process is complete (or until you have
selected projects).
When you are finished with all steps, select
“Submit Enrollment”.
Enrollment Fee: Remember Extension Council
pays $10 of your $30 enrollment fee before
Dec. 31st. After this date you are responsible
to pay the full $30. All dues must be paid to
the club leader. Clover Kids do not pay a fee.
A link will be up on www.extension.iastate.edu/
buchanan/4h to access helpful tips and where
to log-in. After you are on this page scroll to
and to the right. You will find a re-enrollment
help sheet. The website is still undergoing some
work so we appreciate your patience. For
questions contact the Extension Office at
319-334-7161 or [email protected].
What does 4hOnline do?
Checks your enrollment from any internet
location
No special software needed
ID your animals any time before May 15th
Integrates with the fair entry system called
FairEntry.
Password secure
24/7 Access
Fast and easy
Club leaders have read-only access to
member information
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Calendar of Events
The following is a year-long list of activities that take place in a typical county. Counties don’t always
do the same activities at the same time every year, and some activities are dropped while others are
added. Be sure to read your monthly 4-H newsletter for more specific information.
September October November Record Keeping Evaluation National 4-H Week County Awards Program
Award Selection Member Recruitment 4hOnline Enrollments
December January Market Beef Weigh-in Set Project Goals!
Happy Holidays! Look for Scholarship Information
Early Enrollment Fees Deadline Dec. 31st
February March April Look Through Your Project Literature 4-H Day at the Legislature Meat Goat Weigh-in
FSQA Training Area Recognition Event Sheep Weigh-in
Swine Weigh-in FSQA Training
Volunteer Training
FSQA Training & Show Clinics
Horse Clinic
May June July 4hOnline Livestock Identification Deadline Junior Camp State Entries Due July 1st
4-H’ers for 4-H Donations Due Communications Day County Fair
State Youth & 4-H Conference
August Animal Science ROUND-UP
Iowa State Fair State Fair Livestock Entries Due
Complete Your Records! Animal Entry Form Deadline June 15
If I Had Only Known …(from a member)
I can go to any county activity that is listed in
the newsletter.
Read each issue of the newsletter very
carefully!
Keep records of ALL 4-H activities
presentations, school, community, church and
other organizations for later reference when
applying for trips and awards.
Any of my friends can join 4-H. You DO NOT
need to own an animal to join 4-H. (Most
projects don’t have anything to do with
animals.)
If I Had Only Known …(from an adult)
Send a calendar with my child(ren) to meetings
to mark down club and county events.
Keep a drawer or shelf for all the 4-H
newsletters, mailings and records.
Parent(s) & guardian(s) are encouraged to
attend and participate in 4-H events with their
youth. Everyone’s help is needed to make the
program strong. 4-H is a FAMILY organization.
To read my newsletter and call the
Extension Office, or club leader(s) or other 4-H
parents with any question (however small I think
it might be).
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4-H Facts
1906 and vigorously promoted “club” work.
County Superintendent Cap E. Miller in Keokuk
County, Iowa was also a pioneer. In 1904 he
urged his teachers to promote clubs and teach
farm subjects. He sponsored a county
organization of boys and girls with officers and
educational programs. Miller’s plans fostered
many of the teaching tools of today’s 4-H
program including life skills and learning-by-
doing through projects, group meetings and
exhibits. Community service projects also
provide active learning interaction of youth and
adults and encourage youth to set and
accomplish goals.
The programs for boys were called “Boy’s
Agricultural Clubs.” They had exhibits of corn
and garden products, and held livestock judging
contests. The program for girls were called
“Girls’ Home Culture Clubs.” The girls had
exhibits of sewing and cooking, and held
contests in which they judged “articles of
sewing, handwork, and cooking.”
The emblem of the four-leaf clover started out
in 1906 at a one-room country school near
Clarion, IA. O.H. Benson observed the 11 pupils
looking for four-leaf clovers. He used the four
leaves to stand for the school’s 4-Square
Development of: education, physical, moral,
fellowship. The three-leaf clover was used in
1906-1911 to stand for head, heart, and hand.
The fourth “H” for health was added in 1911.
County Extension staffing patterns established
between 1914 and 1919 increased the growth
and effectiveness of volunteer leadership.
The programs gradually became part of the
Extension service and not the public school
system.
4-H Colors
Green and white. Green symbolizes nature’s
most common color and represents life,
springtime and youth. White symbolizes
purity.
4-H Emblem
The green four-leaf clover has a
white “H” on each leaf to represent
the four H’s—head, heart, hands,
and health.
4-H Mission
Iowa 4-H envisions a world in which youth and
adults learn, grow, and work together as
catalysts for positive change.
4-H Motto
To make the best better.
4-H Pledge
I pledge:
My head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service,
My health to better living,
For my club, my community, my
country, and my world.
Brief 4-H History
Early school teachers O.H. Benson in Wright
County, and Jessie Field Shambaugh in Page
County, taught farm topics in schools. Both
became superintendents in their counties in
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4-H Club
Program
Place your 4-H Club Program Book
in this Section
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Communications: Posters, Presentations,
Working Exhibits and More
SCORE With Your Posters
Simple Put 1-2 basic points on
each poster
Color Use color for emphasis
or variety.
Organized Make your points easy to
read and follow.
Readable Use a broad tip marker;
letters are easier to
read.
Educational Only use a poster when it
helps explain a point
more clearly.
Avoid These Poster Faults
1. More than one theme.
2. Too “busy” - too many and/or too scattered
pictures or words.
3. Material not relevant to topic.
4. Message becomes lost.
Other Pointers
1. Write largely. See the chart below for
guidance.
2. Use the broadest tip pen available. It will
be easier to read and easier to use in
lettering.
3. Use color for variety and emphasis.
However, color combinations that clash,
create annoyance in the audience, and
interfere with clear perception of the
message should be avoided.
4. If using more than 5-6 words, use both
capital and lower case letters, not just
capitals.
5. Use plain, vertical letter style except
where EMPHASIS or emotional impact is
desired.
6. Space areas between letters adequately.
Use 1 1/2 letter width between words and 3
letter widths between sentences.
7. Illustrations should be at least 1/4 the size
of the overall area unless they are
extremely simple.
8. Margins should be larger on the bottom and
equal on the other three sides.
Minimum Letter Heights for Posters and Charts
70 feet 4 inches 2 1/2 inches 1 1/4 inches 1 inch 3/4 inch
40 feet 3 inches 2 inches 1 inch 3/4 inch 1/2 inch
20 feet 2 1/2 inches 1 1/2 inches 3/4 inch 1/2 inch 1/4 inch
10 feet 1 inch 3/4 inch 1/2 inch 1/4 inch 3/16 inch
Reading
Distance
Large Fairly Easy
To Read
Easy
To Read
Possible to
Read
Cannot be
Read
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Educational Presentations
EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS are talks or demonstrations, given in front of an audience, about a topic that interests the 4-H’er. The idea is to teach the audience about a topic or to demonstrate how to do something. Educational presentations are a formal kind of communications. They should include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. It is also helpful to have posters or other visual aids to help the audience understand what you want them to learn.
Working Exhibits
WORKING EXHIBITS are 4-H presentations where the audience gets involved. 4-H’ers can teach the audience to make an item — balloon animals, for example — by having them inflate the balloons themselves and twist the balloons into animals that have been sketched out on posters. Food demonstrations can be done in this manner also. The fun part of this is that 4-H’ers are teaching a skill to an audience that they first have to catch the attention of to make them stop, listen, and then participate. Working exhibits are best done where there is a potential for people to stroll by and get interest, like a County Fair or State Fair. Participation at State Fair requires the member to have been judged one of the top teams at the County Fair event.
Extemporaneous Speaking
Have you ever given an extemporaneous speech? You may not realize this, but you
speak extemporaneously every day! Explaining to your parents why you arrived home after your curfew, answering a teacher’s question in front of the class, or explaining to a younger 4-H member how to complete a specific task are all examples of speaking extemporaneously. There are several different ways to organize your thoughts to present them clearly when speaking extemporaneously. You may wish to use one of the following methods: State your point of view and give the reason
that you feel this way, giving examples of real life experiences to support your point of view.
Think of the past, present and future: There was a time when ……..; but now we find that ……..; in the future I expect ……..
Discuss three important things that come to mind about the topic.
Consider the pros and cons of the issue and discuss those or talk about the two sides of the issue.
Ask yourself who, what, when, where, why and how and focus on the response to those questions in your speech.
Discuss how the topic affects you personally or how it affects the world in general.
Share-The-Fun
SHARE-THE-FUN is a time for fun. Members share their artistic talents playing an instrument, singing a solo or as a group, performing an original skit, or any other way that a 4-H member can show an audience how fun 4-H is and how fun the fine arts are. *More information is posted on the Buchanan County 4-H & Youth website: www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h
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Things to Remember … News Flash …. 4-H’ers across the state of Iowa have been “caught” communicating! Can you top
these ideas from across the state? If anyone can, I bet it’s YOU!
WORKING EXHIBITS
Paper Airplanes
Dog Obedience
Pigskin Roses
Finger Fantasy
Scented Art
ABC’s of Child Safety
Can You Identify these Farm
Machines?
Bubble Blowers
Fun Easy Beads
Sweet Sand Jars
What’s In Your Dirt?
Recycled Art Work
Sidewalk Chalk
Egg-splosions
Trapping
Taste Bud
All Tied Up
Marbling Magic
Sand Jars
Embossing Stationary
Groovy Growing Grasslings
Providing Adequate Space
Cookie Creations
Creating with Origami
Fortune Cookie Fun
How to Make Swiss Cheese
Candles
Fan-tastic Gift Bags
Wacky Walnuts
Spring’s Not Just for Kites
Paper Flower Pots
Card Magic
Painting on Black & White
Photos
Rosebuds Made of Hershey’s
Kisses
Balloon Animals
Making Rubber Stamps
Paper Bead Jewelry (using magazines)
String Art
Friendship Bracelets
Plastic Bag Carnations
Airplanes Out of Candy
Stain Glass Ornaments
Tropic Weaving (paper into fish)
Come Sign with Me (sign language)
Pretty Pasta for Kids
Napkin Folding
Baseball Cards
Rags to Bags
No Mess Deviled Eggs
PRESENTATIONS
“Gleaming Saddles” - saddle care
Line Dancing
Trapping Gophers
“On the Road Again” - spring field
work
farm safety
“A Day in the Sun” - skin cancer
“A Tisket, A Tasket, Decorate a Bas-
ket”
“Home, Home on the … Range?” -
broiler chick project
The Router—Versatile Tool
Breeding to Produce a Quality Calf
Shedding a Light on Lasers
Beef Bi-Products
Processing Baby Pigs
Optical Illusions
Birds in the Wild
Taping Ankles
Stained Glass
Great Granola
Using Rubber Stamps
Gerbils
Predators
Computers in Agriculture
Modern Diesel Locomotives
Caring for Rabbits
Babysitting Basics
Parts of a Camera
Types & Uses of Nails
Tae Kwon Do
The Civil War
Packing a Safe Picnic Lunch
Table Manners
Organizing a Move for a Family
Recycling
Hats—different styles through
the years
Potato Head Prints
Drying Flowers
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Keep Track Throughout the Year
Write directly on forms as soon as something
to record has been done or consider doing this
monthly. Start out by recording what the
4-H’er wants to do and learn in his/her 4-H
project on one of the project record forms.
Go to the 4-H website for more materials:
www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h
Plan Ahead
After member has decided what he/she wants
to do during the year, go after it! List the
steps needed and plan time to complete each
step. Example: I want to learn how to give a
pig shots. The steps I need to take are: Let
my helper know I want to learn this. Decide
what type of shot I want to give. Learn about
the equipment needed and how to keep it clean.
Learn the best place to give the shot. DO IT!
Plan time: My helper will be giving shots to pigs
almost every month. I plan to work with him in
February and March. Hopefully by April and
May I can give more shots myself and she can
hold the pigs.
Record It!
As the year goes along, record what the 4-H’er
did and learned in project(s). Include what
worked well, what did not work, and what was
enjoyed the most. List things done related to
the project such as ways member
communicated the project to other people,
ways member helped other people through
citizenship, and ways member taught other
people by leadership. Members can also
record recognition you received. Pictures,
clippings, project worksheets, exhibit
write-ups, and other items can be included to
help tell what has been done. Be creative and
have fun! Don’t worry if every space isn’t
filled. Just record honestly what’s been done.
Self-Evaluate
As members complete the 4-H year, it is time
to evaluate it. Members take time to look back
and see what has been learned in projects and
how they feel about them. Have they done the
things they wanted to do? Sometimes plans
change during the year. That’s okay. Maybe it
wasn’t possible to take the dog to obedience
training. Just say so. 4-H leaders and others
will understand. Not everything we plan turns
out the way we thought it would. Just explain
why. It is important to learn how to adapt,
too! Start now to set new goals for next year!
4-H Record Book Tips
3rd Year 4-H Member Example
Title Page
2015 Title Page
2014 Title Page
Expected Standards
2015 Expected Standards Form
2014 Expected Standards Form
Yearly Summary or 4-H Story
2015 Yearly Summary/Story followed by
general 4-H photos and clippings
2014 Yearly Summary/Story followed by
general 4-H photos and clippings
Market Beef Project Records
2015 Market Beef Project Record
2015 Market Beef Project Record form
2015 Market Beef Record Worksheet
2015 Photos & Clippings
2014 Market Beef Project Record
2014 Market Beef Project Record form
2014 Market Beef Record Worksheet
2014 Photos & Clippings
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General: Terms:
Clover Kids Kindergarten-3rd grade Local your 4-H club
Junior Completed 4th-6th grade County other Buchanan County 4-H members
Intermediate Completed 7th-8th grade Area 4-H members in neighboring counties
Senior Completed 9th-12th grade State 4-H members from the state of Iowa
Citizenship/Service – helping or working for the benefit of others or the community for no pay with
the goal of benefiting someone else
Club examples – host a meeting, lead pledges, serve on a committee, 4-H’ers for 4-H donation,
National 4-H Week promotion, club community service project, etc.
County examples – herdsmanship at county fair, cleaning show rings and wash racks, picking up
trash at fairgrounds, pre and post fair clean-up, work at fundraisers, etc.
Project ideas – help a new 4-H member with a project, make a donation to charity related to
project area, food pantry, needy family, serve on a committee to plan a community event,
help others at workshops, prepare a display related to your project, take your project to
show people, volunteer, make gifts related to your project, plant flowers in community, etc.
Communication – writing, talking to, or showing others in order to share ideas, knowledge, or skills
Club examples – answering roll call, club presentations, making posters for a club fund raiser,
sharing ideas with committee, etc.
County examples – extemporaneous speaking, working exhibit, educational presentation, share
the fun, 4-H poster, speaking at a 4-H event, etc.
Project examples – create a display or poster related to your project, talk about or show your
project to a class, community club, interview an expert in your project area, write
newsletter or newspaper articles, etc.
Leadership – teaching others how to make or do something related to a project area or service work
and/or organizing an activity.
Club examples – serving as a club officer, participating in a committee, helping a younger
member learn a new skill or providing information, etc.
County examples – serving on county council, assisting with livestock weigh-ins, conducting a
project workshop, etc.
Project examples – showing a younger member how to lead an animal, teach how to measure
ingredients, organize and conducting a project workshop, etc.
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Record Book Order Clover Kids and 4-H members are to keep their records and forms from previous years in a three
ring binder. This will help judges see how youth have progressed throughout the years and see
growth. Below you will find the order of the record book. Please use tabs to divide each section in
the book (Title Page, Expected Standards, 4-H Yearly Summary, Project Records by each project category.) May be typed or if records are handwritten, they must be legible. If not then points will
be docked. Record Books will be due Sept. 15th.
***Awards Form is not required, but only if you want to receive a pin and certificate for a project area award. 1. Title page—includes name, club name, photo (optional and can be decorative, i.e. may relate to 4-
H theme), grade in school, years in 4-H. From now on include title pages from previous years but
keep the current year on top.
2. Buchanan County 4-H Expected Standards—keep the current year on top of other Expected
Standards. Must be signed by 4-H’er, parent/guardian, and leader. *Clover kids DO NOT need
to fill this form out.
3. Clover Kids or 4-H Yearly Summary—keep the current year on top of past summaries. Also
include general 4-H photos and clippings throughout the year, i.e. club photos, parade, community
service—place behind summary.
4. Project Record Forms—at least one project area must be filled out to receive points for yearly
summary.
Clover Kid & Jr. Project Record forms—Clover Kids K-3 and Junior 4-H’ers grades 4-6
Intermediate Project Record forms—Intermediate 4-H’ers grades 7-8
Senior Project Record forms—Senior 4-H’ers grades 9-12
Remember to summarize project areas that you don’t complete a record for on page 3 of the Yearly
Summary. When filling out project area record forms, be sure to add other tabs to your binder. For
example if you want to do a project award for photography, make a photography tab and put your
information/forms in that appropriate spot. As a reminder keep the current year on top of past
years.
Keep in mind that goals are an important factor in record keeping. Goals for projects should include
these main things: (ART) 1) Action—how are you going to do it; 2) Result—what will you do; 3)
Timetable—when do you plan to complete the project? Example: 1) I want to train 2) my 4-H beef
heifer to lead 3. Before county fair time.
*Livestock project area records must include animal worksheets and lifetime records to show
feed rations, vet care, and cost analysis.
*Building Exhibits may also include write-ups and goal worksheets.
*Support Material of pictures or newspaper clippings should be placed behind the record.
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Record Books for Clover Kids will be first judged on organization and appearance. This includes:
Cover sheet
Yearly Summary
Support Materials – pictures, clippings, worksheets, write-ups
At least one project record form is completed
Record book is in proper order
Record Books for Juniors, Intermediates, and Seniors will be first judged on organization and
appearance. This includes:
Cover Sheet
Expected Standards Form
Yearly Summary with full/general details
Records include one project record form that matches with yearly summary and project tab area
Support Materials – pictures, clippings, worksheets, write-ups
Neatness
Grammar/Spelling
Book is in proper order
Extra project area record beyond the one minimum requirement
May include Project Area Award form if wishing to be considered for a special award
After the record book is judged on its organization and appearance, members may receive a Gold,
Silver or Bronze Achievement Award. Those who achieved a Gold Achievement Award and filled out
a project award form have a chance to receive a Gold Achievement Project Area Award.
Clover Kids need to receive 4-5 points
Juniors, Intermediates, Seniors need to receive 10-12 points
For those who received a Gold Achievement Award and Gold Project Award, the recipient needs to
have earned:
6-7 Points, plus Gold Achievement Award to receive a Senior Project Award
5-6 Points, plus Gold Achievement Award to receive an Intermediate Project Award
3-4 Points, plus Gold Achievement Award to receive a Junior Project Award
5-6 Points, plus Gold Achievement Award to receive a Clover Kids Project Award
How to earn the project area award a junior, intermediate, and senior need to follow these
guidelines:
Complete a Project Area Award form and earned a Gold on record book organization and
appearance
Goals are clearly defined and records include a plan of how to reach goal
Records show growth and learning in project area
Records include reflection/evaluation outcome of goal(s)
Evidence of citizenship/community service, leadership, and communications
Support material – pictures, newspaper clippings, worksheets, write-ups
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How to earn a project award for Clover Kids.
Explains goals and what they would like to learn or do
List the steps/process
What was their favorite part and why
What was learned, future goals for the following year
Support Material – pictures, newspaper clippings, write-ups, worksheets
If a member did not achieve a Gold Achievement Award for organization and appearance but
applied for a project area award, they will receive a record book Project Completion Award for
each project award area filled out. Below is the Project Awards Information Sheet.
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The judge will check for three major criteria:
1. Learning involved
2. Workmanship and techniques
3. General appearance and design
The judge will use the correct standards in
each category that relate to the 4-H member’s
goal and exhibit. A copy of some of those
standards is available at the Buchanan County
Iowa State Extension and Outreach office.
Learning Involved
A member should be able to tell the judge:
What was the goal for this exhibit?
(Is the goal stated in a clear, concise
sentence?)
What were the most important things
learned by working toward this goal?
Tell about two things: knowledge and skills
learned and how the goal was achieved.
(Tell about the information used, decisions
made, problems faced and how they were
solved, what worked well, etc.)
Workmanship & Techniques
If the exhibit is an actual product, look at the item made and ask: Does it show that what was learned relates
to the goal for the exhibit?
Were appropriate materials used to
construct the item?
Was a suitable method used to make the
exhibit?
If the exhibit is sharing an idea, ask: Was the intent and goal of the exhibit
explained so people can understand it
easily?
Was complete and accurate information
given?
Was the writing and display organized in
logical steps?
Does the exhibit show creativity and
originality?
General Appearance and Design
Look at the overall look and design of the exhibit, and ask: Does the exhibit attract the attention of
people who see it?
Does the exhibit look neat and attractive?
Did the member use design elements and
art principles where suitable? (Use the 4-H
website for more materials:
www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h)
If the 4-H’er made an educational display,
is it well designed, attractive, and readable
so that it communicates an idea to the
people who view it?
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Log in to 4HOnline:
Open a web browser and type in: https://iowa.4honline.com
On the Iowa 4-H Youth Development Log in page:
1. Click "I have a Profile."
2. Enter family email address provided to Extension Office.
3. Enter your password.
If you have forgotten your password, mark "I forgot my Password."
Click "Send my Password." Do not close the internet window.
Open your email browser and find the email from 4HOnline. Locate
your temporary password.
Return to 4HOnline and paste/type the temporary password.
4. Choose "Family" from the "Role" drop-down box.
5. Click " Log In."
If you had to have your password re-set, you will need to create a
new password before going on. Your passwords must be a
minimum of 8 characters, and must contain 2 of the 3: letters,
numbers, symbols.
The Member List screen includes all of your family members enrolled
in 4H: members, leaders, volunteers.
Click “Edit” to the right of the member listed to go to that member’s
Personal Information Screen.
Locate and click on the Animals/Livestock link in the upper left.
There is a drop-down box and a list of any animals that have already been
entered (there may not be any yet). Select the animal type that you want to
enter and click the add button below the drop-down box.
The next screen will be a data entry screen for the species you selected (see
below for examples). Note that in some species, certain selections will
activate extra entry fields [Example: selecting Registered will in some cases a
Breed drop down box.]
Read the information at the top of each screen, particularly if you are considering exhibiting at the state fair. Some
fields that are NOT required (bold) are actually necessary for state fair animals. For each animal entered, enter all the
information requested and click the save button. All fields in bold are required.
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REMINDERS: Families are not able to enter information for any weighed-in animals (mkt. beef, sheep, meat goats & swine). Those ani-
mals are entered by county staff. Refer to the Livestock Verification Help sheet for more information. All animal ID’s must be submitted no later than May 15
th, 11:59 p.m.
Breeding Beef Beef, Feeder/Prospect Calf Bucket/Bottle Animal
Cow/Calf Pair
Special Cases:
The calf is not born as of May 15.
Leave the calf fields blank, and use the Addl. Information fields
to indicate that the calf has not been born yet.
The cow had twins
Create two records, one for each calf, using the same cow infor-
mation on each.
Dairy Cattle
If you identified dairy cows last year, those animals will be listed at the bottom of
the animal list screen and can be reactivated.
You have the option to upload photos of your dairy cows. If your registry requires
these and you have the digital images, you should do that. Click on the Select button in one of the Documents/Images boxes.
Browse to locate the picture of your cow—it needs to be GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF or PDF format.
Double-click on the file, or highlight and click Open.
If you make a mistake, use the Clear button to remove the picture.
Dairy Goats
If you identified dairy goats last year, those animals will be listed at the bottom
of the animal list screen and can be reactivated.
Meat Goats (not weighed in)
If you identified (breeding) meat goats last year, those animals will be listed
at the bottom of the animal list screen and can be reactivated. Each doe
MUST have an official 4-H tag for State Fair eligibility. Scrapies tag is not
sufficient.
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Dogs
If you identified any dogs last year, those animals will be listed at the
bottom of the animal list screen and can be reactivated.
You have the option to upload photos of your dog. Click on the Select button in the Documents/Images box.
Browse to locate the picture of your dog—it needs to be GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF or PDF format.
Double-click on the file, or highlight and click Open.
If you make a mistake, use the Clear button to remove the picture.
You also have an option to upload a scan of your rabies certificate—again,
it needs to be GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF or PDF.
Horses
If you identified any horses last year, those animals will be listed at the bottom
of the animal list screen and can be reactivated.
You have the option to upload photos and lease agreements. Click on the Select button in the Documents/Images box.
Browse to locate the picture of your horse—it needs to be GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF or PDF format.
Double-click on the file, or highlight and click Open.
If you make a mistake, use the Clear button to remove the picture.
State Fair horses are REQUIRED to have photos uploaded BEFORE MAY 15.
Pets
If you identified any pets last year, those ani-
mals will be listed at the bottom of the animal
list screen and can be reactivated.
Poultry
Sheep (NOT weighed in) Swine (NOT weighed in)
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Newsletters
Also found on the Buchanan County 4-H web page:
www.extension.iastate.edu/buchanan/4h
Place your 4-H newsletters in this Section
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Ideas for Families of 4-H’ers By Jerome E. DeBruin
Give a Helping Hand Your 4-H’er bounds into the house after a busy 4-H meeting. You ask the routine question, “How was your meeting tonight?” “Oh, pretty interesting,” comes a cheerful response. “Except that we have to start on our 4-H projects for the fair.” You perk up your ears as your child continues. “I’m stuck for ideas though. I don’t know where to start. Will you help me? You grope for the right words and reluctantly agree, even though you’re at a loss as to where to begin. Have you as a parent of a 4-H’er ever been faced with this situation? Try these tips to help you work together with your child on a successful 4-H project.
Be Positive When a person displays a positive feeling toward something, it encourages in others a similarly positive feeling toward that something. Try to be positive about your children’s work. Praise them when they succeed. Be there to help them when they are having problems. They need your support and encouragement.
Be Aware of the Boy-Girl Syndrome 4-H science projects are for boys and cooking and sewing for girls. Right? NO! WRONG! Stocking an aquarium and hatching chick eggs are important activities for both boys and girls. Try to eliminate sex-role stereotypes. Perhaps mom could take the youngsters to a farm to learn about the birth of calves, while dad whips up a salad for a nutritious meal. This practice helps promote early in your child’s lives the idea that 4-H projects can be done together and enjoyed by the whole family.
Be Aware of the Perfect Parent Syndrome
Human beings are not perfect; we all make mistakes. Allow your children to make mistakes, and then help them capitalize on these mistakes and learn from them.
Be Honest with your Children Your children will ask many questions to which you may not know the answers. Be open and genuine in your response. Say that you don’t know the answer if you really don’t know, but offer to help locate a source of information for possible answers and then follow through.
Look Around You Coming up with ideas for a 4–H project can be difficult, but it won’t be if you look around you. Do you grow plants in your home or garden? Do you have animals? Do you travel to different farms, fairs, recreational areas, or the zoo? If so, these areas are excellent starting points for launching a 4-H project. Observe and discuss with your children what is happening around them in their immediate surroundings. Take your children to 4-H fairs, parks, science centers, farms, zoos, art museums, airports, factories, quarries, and pet shops to obtain further ideas for projects.
Seek Out People to Help You Contact people who have expertise in project work and upon whom you can call to help with ideas on how to get started or help while the project is in progress. Start with your 4-H leader and county Extension personnel. Does your child have a favorite teacher in school or a relative that may help? High school teachers and university professors have ideas and may be willing to lend a hand. Local farms, businesses, and industries often have
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educational services’ divisions that are excellent sources of ideas. Keep a record of 4-H project ideas and materials that you obtain from each source along with the names of key personnel and their telephone numbers for handy reference.
Get Books for Your Children Join and use the free public library. Take your children to the library and help them obtain library cards. Help them select and check out books. These will be excellent resources for ideas and provide pertinent information that can be used in the development of a project.
Collect and Save Materials Books are fine, because they often help you with how to do the project, but they will carry you and your child only so far. Actual materials that your children can feel, touch, and work with are much better when your 4-H’er is doing the project. Collect materials from all sources. Think before you throw anything away. Could it be used for the 4-H project? Guide your children in gathering materials, and develop ways to use and care for these materials.
Work with Materials The single most important idea to remember when working on a 4-H project is that your children must be free to work with actual materials. Inexpensive everyday household materials often work the best. Your children will enjoy growing plants, breeding fish, mixing powders, or building out of scrap cardboard a maze for a pet gerbil. Encourage your children to “mess about” with these ideas and materials instead of merely reading about scientific discoveries in a book. Put the following ancient Chinese proverb into action: I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.
Allow Time for Thinking and Exploring Alone
You will want to provide ample time for your children to be alone. During this time your children will explore, ask questions, and think about what is being done. It is important to be patient with your children during this period of incubation. Keep the atmosphere relaxed. Be a good listener and learn right along with your children. Praise your children and help out, but be ever so careful not to do for them any thing that they can do for themselves. Remember, it’s your child’s 4-H project, not yours.
Stress “How-To” Skills You will want your children to develop some very special skills, called “process skills,” while working on a 4-H project. These skills should be stressed before memorizing specific facts. Some of these skills include observing, classifying, comparing, sorting, measuring, describing, inferring, and using space-time relationships. Encourage your children to use and extend all possible senses while doing the 4-H project. Facts are important, too, but the process that your children use when arriving at specific facts are more helpful because your children can use them to solve problems that come up in everyday life.
Examine Issues with Moral Consequences
It is healthy to have your children examine moral and values related issues that may arise during the course of a 4-H project. Your children may ask why scientists sometimes sacrifice animals for experimentation purposes or why waters become polluted. Gather information about these topics. Then help your children explore the reasons behind these issues and the consequences of the practice or process.
Ideas for Families of 4-H’ers
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Daily Log of Project Activity
You and your children will want to keep accurate records of activities while doing a 4-H project. Information should be collected and recorded at regular intervals. You may want to help your children keep a record of personal feelings about the project which then can be used in writing a paper for the 4-H fair.
The Fair
It is vitally important that you and your children go to the fair together. Take photographs of their work and other entrants’ projects. Save these ideas for future 4-H projects. Have your children develop a scrapbook or photo album of ideas. Encourage them to chat with others about their projects. Ideas breed ideas. We learn from each other.
The Fair
After the fair is over, you will want to urge your children to continue further activity on the current project, dig a bit deeper or explore another project. Talk about the possibilities. Share. Evaluate past projects and plan future ones. Stress the importance of your child’s work.
Ideas for Families of 4-H’ers