4-H EARTH SCIENCE RESOURCES FOR GRADES 4-9

4-H Earth Science Resources are changing the role of 4-H in Oregon's counties by providing natural science education materials. These materials are available for use in classrooms and experiential delivering modes supported by a curriculum text and 22 materials kits. Kits are housed in county Extension offices across Oregon. The curriculum includes hands-on lessons that demonstrate Earth science processes responsible for Oregon's geological history from the Mesozoic through the present. The lessons are keyed to Oregon Department of Education Level 2 & 3 benchmarks in Science, Social Science, Math and English. Kits and the curriculum are available at nominal cost to 4-H clubs, teachers and resource and interpretation professionals.

To date the kits and curriculum have been introduced to over 90 teachers and interpretive professionals throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Workshop evaluation results indicate adult participants gained 1.3 points or better in their ability to share Earth Science topics with youth (five point scale). This curriculum has received awards from the National Interpretive Association, National Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals, and the National Association of 4-H Agents.