Washington County 4-H STEM Kits

Washington County 4-H Kits

4-H practices a learn by doing approach. Research based-learning strategies demonstrate that youth learn valuable skills through experiential learning. Activity kits include materials to provide hands-on learning experiences on a variety of topics for youth. Materials also provide the opportunity to practice additional skills such as communication, organization and problem solving.

Alewives: Grades 6-8
Learn about a native Maine migratory fish, Alewives, through MIT’s Scratch computer program. Various lessons include life cycles, migration patterns and the importance of Alewives to Maine’s aquatic ecosystems. This kit requires the use of computers (computers are not included with the kit).

All About Water: Grades K-4
This kit includes activities for youth to learn all about the water cycle, creating a mini watershed and various organisms are able to indicate if water resources are healthy or not.

Bird Beak Adaptations: Grades 5-8
Youth explore adaptations through various types of bird beaks and the foods they eat.

Eco-Bots (robotics): Grades 3-8
This kit teaches youth about the engineer design process and how robots help with environmental disasters. This kit requires the purchase of motors and batteries. Use of consumable materials (motors, batteries, toothbrush heads, straws) in the kit requires a non refundable $25 deposit.

Forest Ecology: Grades K-8
Learn about the importance of forests in Maine and biodiversity through tree identification, the forest industry and using nature to create art!

Game Changers: Grades 3-8
Game Changers is a series of three activities that utilizes a mix of computer science and offline activities to create games and solve puzzles. This kit does require the use of computers (computers are not included with the kit).

Geographic Information System: Grades 5-12
This kit uses Purdue University’s “Geocaching the 4-H Way” Curriculum and includes GPS units to set up lessons from practicing the use of a GPS unit to a geocaching activity.

Junk Drawer Robotics: Grades 6-8
Based on the National 4-H Curriculum, Junk Drawer Robotics is geared towards middle school students and includes this activity:
- Level 2 moving, power transfer & locomotion

Lego Mindstorms (robotics): Grades 3-8
This kit contains a series of sensors, motors and lego pieces to build various types of robots. Youth can use the materials to design and build different robots.

Maine Lakes: Grades 6-8
Explore Maine lakes and the importance of lake health through a series of six activities.

Offshore Wind Power: Grades 5-9
Discover the world of renewable energy through offshore wind power. Learn more about the engineering design process and UMaine’s floating offshore wind technology.

Owl Pellets: Grades 5-8: This kit is currently unavailable due to the backorder of owl pellets until January 2022.
Youth dissect owl pellets to see what they eat and the different bone structures of organisms. This kit requires the purchase of owl pellets from Carolina Biological Supply. Use of the owl pellets included in the kit requires a non refundable $25 deposit.

Photography (includes 4 cameras and curriculum): Grades 6-8
This kit includes four cameras, four tripods and Explore Texas 4-H Photography Project, a six lesson curriculum that introduces students to photography.

Rockets to the Rescue: Grades 3-8
Use various supplies to build and launch rockets.

A girl participates in Rockets to the Rescue — Rockets to the Rescue

Soil Science: Grades K-4 & 5-8
Become soil scientists by exploring the parts of soil and why soil is important. Dig a little deeper and explore the importance of understanding how testing soil is crucial to growing healthy and happy plants. Start your own garden and use the soil test kit to ensure your plants grow! This kit requires the purchase of soil test kits from the 4-H Shop.

Tracking Wildlife and Adaptations: Grades K-12
This kit is based on Purdue’s “Nature of Teaching Series” and Unit 1: Animal Diversity and Tracking Lesson. This kit includes various activities to explore wildlife, habitat and adaptations.

Vernal Pools: Grades K-8
Explore vernal pools with various tools such as dip nets, hand lenses and field guides. Identify organisms and decide if the vernal pool is significant or not.

Water Quality: Grades 6-12
Explore your local watershed and determine if the water quality is excellent, good or poor by collecting water samples and measuring oxygen levels, pH, nitrate levels, temperature and turbidity. Increase data literacy by collection and use of data to determine water quality in your local waterbody. This kit requires the purchase of water quality test tablets from Carolina Biological Supply.

Wonderful World of Pollinators: Grades K-4
Explore biodiversity through games and nature art that include lessons on the different types of pollinators (butterflies, bats, ants, hummingbirds). Based on the National 4-H Pollinator Curriculum.