Modules

Lessons

Description

4-H Wildlife Stewards Program Overview

Program Overview

Learn about the nuts and bolts of 4-H program, how to enroll as a volunteer or how to enroll your school, the program history, the school certification program and some of the habitat projects schools are conducting.

Project Certification

The 4-H Wildlife Stewards certification project supports 4-H Wildlife Stewards volunteers, teachers, students and community members to created community-based enduring science education programs.  In this lesson, participants learn how the certification program helps ensure that the wildlife habitat site can be maintained and supported for many years to come.

Essential Elements of Youth Development

Youth Development

Positive Youth Development builds on young peoples’ strengths or assets. It is development that is healthy and productive for both the youth and their families. Positive youth development occurs from an intentional process that promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, choices, relationships, and the support necessary for youth to fully participate in families and society. Youth development occurs in families, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods and communities.

For the Well Being of Youth

Every adult who works with youth needs to understand their rights and responsibilities for working with youth to ensure the safety of youth and volunteers alike.   This lesson will help participants understand guidelines for working with youth, the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect and when and how to report when child abuse is suspected.

Modules

Lessons

Description

Design, Create and Improve Your Site

Inventory and Data Collection

Mapping and inventorying your site before you break ground or expand your school site should include the participation of the students. Participants will use student wildlife habitat inventory worksheets and learn simple tools for teaching youth how to map and measure their site.

Design, Create and Improve Your site

Participants will learn about the basic needs of wildlife, habitat management principles and how to evaluate a Habitat Education Site for specific wildlife species.

Plants and Wildlife

Native Plants

In this class participants will learn about some of the most common native plants found in Oregon and what make good plants for school gardens for enhancing wildlife. Learning about the functions of different native plants and how to select and care for the best plants for your school garden will be covered in this workshop.

Wildlife in Your Habitat

Birds, bugs, mammals and herptiles are the focus for this series of classes. Participants will learn about common wildlife found in a school habitat, habitat requirements for specific species, and how to attract wildlife to your school habitat. Feeding stations and nest boxes will also be introduced.

Managing Your Site

Modules

Lessons

Description

Keys to Success

Keys to Success

The 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program has a long history for helping schools across Oregon experience success and bring nature closer to children. This workshop includes information gathered from 13 years of experience in school garden programs and the input of many of our successful veteran 4-H Wildlife Stewards. The "Keys to Success" these 4-H Wildlife Stewards Volunteers have found may not be what you may expect.

Creating Your Habitat Team

A Habitat Team is crucial to the success of any school garden or habitat project. No one person can organize a school garden project alone. Thislesson is designed to help participants think about the important people to include in a habitat team, how to organize and lead a successful habitat team and how to work with your team to develop an annual calendar.

Communicating Your Project

Working with School District Staff

Without a clear understanding of school district guidelines for creating and maintaining a garden or wildlife habitat on school grounds, teachers and volunteers may experience roadblocks.  Though school district guidelines may vary rom district to district, there are several important guidelines that are followed by most school districts.  Build success for your project by using the simple tips and guidelines for establish a good working relationship with the school district.

School Communication Systems

School bulletin boards, resource libraries, newsletters, project notebooks, garden signage, and websites (including social network sites) are just some of the important tools 4-H Wildlife Stewards volunteers are using to keep their school community involved and informed.  This module will explore some of the important considerations and successful practices schools are using to keep communication about their project dynamic

Modules

Lessons

Description

Involving Others

Recruit Other Volunteers

Volunteer recruitment and management is one of those balancing acts that any successful school project must learn to manage.  This lesson explores way in which 4-H schools have approached the issue of recruitment, and concentrates on difference methods of recruiting, supporting and managing volunteers.

Working with the Media

Learn the basics of sharing your success with others and how promoting your program through the media provides rewards and inspiration for everyone.

Building Support

Writing grants

Learn the ABC's of writing a successful grant. Several grant applications from organizations who have funded many of our 4-H Wildlife Stewards schools will be shared.

Vandalism Prevention

Vandalism is unfortunate but often likely. Be prepared for vandalism to happen and take some important steps to minimize vandalism in your school habitat site.

Celebrating Success

Taking time to celebrate your successes is an important part of building sustainability for your project.  Not only is celebration fun , but everyone -  from the students and teachers to the comunity volunteers, donors and administators - nees an opportunity to focus on the efforts and accomplishments that have resulted in their efforts with the school habitat site.

Modules

Lessons

Description

Science Inquiry Model

Place-based Learning

The 4-H Learning Model, "Do-Reflect-Apply" is also the model used in science inquiry models. There are unlimited numbers of science inquiry projects that can be applied to the school garden. Whether your students are first graders or 8th graders - or whether you are looking for a year-round inquiry project or a one week project - there are many ways to engage your students in science inquiry right outside your classroom door.

Lesson Planning and Education Benchmarks

Engaging Youth in Learning

Student Journals

Student journals are a great way for students to document what they are learning and developing their writing schools. A variety of school journal models will be shared including the Oregon 4-H Corroboree online school exchange.

4-H after-school clubs

Junior 4-H Wildlife Stewards clubs are a great way to provide additional learning opportunities for those students with a strong interest in school garden projects. Cross-age mentoring, flexible curriculum and service learning opportunities are all possible through 4-H after-school programs. Learn about a variety of successful models for starting a 4-H club at your school.