Environmental Science Program
Overview
The Environmental Science Program engages 4-H members in a variety of hands-on activities and experiences that foster an increased understanding and appreciation for Kentucky's environment.
Kentucky 4-H believes that all youth should have opportunities for positive youth development in our four guiding concepts: mastery, belonging, independence, and generosity. This program fosters mastery by increasing environmental literacy, belonging by interacting and connecting with adults and youth with similar interests, independence by practicing leadership skills and independent thinking, and generosity by participating in community service and citizenship activities. Contact your county extension office for more information (link).
- Program Overview for Natural Resources
- Volunteer Position Description for Club Leader
- Volunteer Position Description for Project Leader
Agent Resource Guide (password protected):
Curriculum
- Exploring Your Environment
- Backyards and Beyond
Events
- State Fair Opportunities (click here to view the State Fair catalog for additional information):
- Entomology and Honey (Division 6026)
- Forestry (Division 6027)
- Geology (Division 6028)
- Wood Science (Division 6025)
- Land Judging (Division 6019)
- Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference
- Kentucky 4-H Nature Notes
Additional Information
Activities:
Forestry:
- 4-H Leaf Collection Project (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Leaf ID Handout (NRESci Ambassador)
- Forestry Scavenger Hunt (Forestry and Natural Resources Dept)
- Native Bee Booklet and House Activity and Presentation (Henry Co 4-H)
Woodworking
- 4-H Bird Feeder Kit (Harrison Co 4-H)
Articles:
Amazing Ways Insects Survive During the Winter
Birds Can Keep 4-H’ers Interested in the Outdoors through the Winter
Boredom Busters for Young People
Help Young People Learn About Pollinators
Leaf Prints are a Fun Intro to 4-H Forestry
Learn About Trees through 4-H Virtual Forestry Field Day
Share the Benefits of the Great Outdoors with Youth
Videos:
General
- Creating Your Own Field Guide (Anna Wiker, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary)
- Natural Watercolors (Hannah Phillips, UK Student)
Career Connections:
- Craig Caudill, Nature Reliance School Director and Lead Instructor (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Tara Littlefield, Senior Botanist and Plant Conservation Section Manager for Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Mark Gumbert, Founder and President of Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc. (Garrard Co 4-H)
Entomology
- Cockroach Dissection (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Insect Labels (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Insect Pinning (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Insect Trapping and Collecting (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Insect Collections: Part 1 Intro to Pinned Collections (Entomology Dept)
- Insect Collections: Part 2 How to Pin and Label (Entomology Dept)
- Intro to Insect Photography Collections (Entomology Dept)
- So You Think You Want To Be a Beekeeper (Pendleton Co ANR)
Forestry
- Leaf Collection Project Video 1 (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Leaf Collection Project Video 2 (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Tree Cookie Activity (UK Dept Forestry/NR and State 4-H Office)
- Tree of the Week Video Series (UK Dept Forestry/NR)
Geology
- Geology Club Highlights (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Mineral Collection/Geology Project (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
Plants
- Living Seed Necklace (Grayson Co 4-H)
- On the Ground with Eric Comley (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Baneberry
- Bellwort
- Bent trillium
- Blue-eyed Mary
- Cawarf Larkspur
- Clasping Milkweed
- Club Spur Orchid
- Common Yarrow
- Crested Coralroot
- Dutchman's Breeches
- False Solomon's Seal
- Fire Pink
- Foamflower
- From the Woods Today - Late Summer/Fall Edition
- From the Woods Today - Spring Wildflowers
- Golden Ragwort
- Goldenseal
- Green Milkweed
- Hairy Sweet Cicely
- Indian Pink
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit
- KY Lady Slipper
- Leatherflower
- Lesser Rattlensnake Plantain
- Lily-leaved Twadblade
- Lizard's Tail
- Miami Mist
- Orange Jewelweed
- Pink Lady Slipper
- Purple Fringeless Orchid
- Putty Root Orchid
- Red or Purple Deadnettle
- Rock Harlequin
- Rue-anemone
- Shooting Star
- Showy Orchid
- Solomon Seal
- Spring Wildflowers
- Trillium
- Twinleaf
- Violet Wood Sorrel
- White Fringeless Orchid
- Widow's Cross
- Wild Comfrey
- Wild Ginger
- Wild Hyacinth
- Wood Lily
- Woodland Poppy
- Yellow Lady Slipper
- Yellow Fringed Orchid
- Yellow Trout Lily
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Upcycle
- Upcycle T-Shirt Bag (KY 4-H STC)
Water
- Ask the Bugs Activity (Garrard Co 4-H)
- Edible Watershed Activity (State 4-H Office)
- Lake and Stream Study (North Central 4-H Camp)
- Watershed Activity (KWRRI)
Wildlife
- Bird Nests (West KY 4-H Camp)
- How to Make a Bird Feeder (Estill Co 4-H)
- Kentucky Mammals (North Central 4-H Camp)
- Owl Pellet Challenge (Grayson Co 4-H)
- Owl Pellet Dissection (Fayette Co 4-H)
- Parts of an Owl and Owl Pellet Dissection (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Squid Dissection (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
- Starfish Dissection (Breckinridge Co 4-H)
Woodworking
- Building a Birdhouse (Scott Co 4-H)
- Footstool (Scott Co 4-H)
- Measuring Activity (Scott Co 4-H)
Websites:
- Kentucky Association for Environmental Education
- Kentucky Environmental Education Council
- Kentucky Certified Professional Environmental Educators
State Contact: Ashley Osborne | ashley.osborne@uky.edu| 859-218-0986