Frequently Asked Questions

Q. "I saw a curriculum on your website that I would like to use with my students. How do I get it?"

A. Because of the popularity of many of our curricula and that some of our curricula kits are housed in other counties, we recommend that teachers call our office to ensure that the curriculum they are interested in using is available. If there is a copy of the curriculum available, we will take your name and reserve the curriculum for you. We ask that you come to our office as soon as possible to pick up the teaching materials you requested. When you come to the office we will give you a check-out form to complete and a use form to take with you. The use form should be completed and returned to us with the curriculum when you are finished with it.

Q. "How long can I keep the materials I borrow?"

A. Most of our curriculum can be kept for one month. Some teaching kits are only available for two weeks because of their popularity.

Q. "I am doing a unit with my students in three months that I would like to supplement with your teaching materials. Can I reserve them?"

A. Yes! We encourage teachers to reserve curricula and kits prior to when they are needed to ensure availability. If you know when you plan to use one of our teaching materials, call our office and we will reserve it for you.

Q. "Why do you require teachers to complete use forms?"

A. Everyone who uses our teaching materials is required to complete a use form. We use this information to keep track of which teaching materials are being used the most, what types of classes and grade levels are using our materials and the current needs of the community. We also report the statistics recorded on the use forms to Iowa State University Extension in Ames. Specialists at the state level use this information to apply for and distribute funds, develop new curricula and materials and write reports to federal officials.

Q. "Can someone come and speak to a group of teachers in my school about what materials are available from Scott County Extension?"

A. Yes! Simply call our office and tell us the grade level of the of teachers requesting the presentation and what types of curricula they are interested in. We would be happy to present information to staff in your school about our materials assist you in deciding which curricula would best meet the needs of you and your students.

Q. "Where do you get your curricula?"

A. Most of our curricula is developed and tested by subject matter and youth development specialists at Iowa State University in Ames. Some of our curricula comes from the National 4-H Council in Washington DC. Other curricula is developed by other state Extension Service Specialists.

Q. "Who can use your curricula and kits?"

A. Our materials are available to anyone including:

• Teachers
• Church Youth Groups
• Home School Students
• After School Programs
• Summer School Programs
• Youth Groups and Clubs

Q. "Can we purchase a copy of a curriculum for our school building?"

A. Most of the curricula are available for purchase. Sometimes, however, curricula are no longer in print, and therefore are only available for check-out from our office. If there is a specific curriculum that you are interested in purchasing, please contact our office for ordering information.  When a teacher purchases one of our curricula, we will send them a use form at least once a year to complete and return to our office. In this way we can keep accurate records of the use of our materials. See above for more information about use forms.

Q. "What other youth programs are available through Iowa State University Extension?"

A. A 4-H Community Club is a continuing group of enrolled youth and adult volunteers, chartered by the county Extension office, with youth and adult leadership and a planned educational program throughout all or several months of the year. 4-H Community Club membership is for 4th through 12th grade youth.

The club educational program can be general of offer a specific topic of interest. Youth may be all grades or a focused grade group.

• attend meetings,
• set goals and measure progress toward those goals,
• evaluate their 4-H experiences,
• participate in a communications activity/experience.

For information about 4-H Community Clubs, contact Jennifer Perrin at the Scott County Extension office.

Cloverkids Groups

Cloverkids groups are short-term groups of youth in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade and adult volunteers who participate in a planned educational program. For more information about Cloverkids groups, contact Jodi Becker at the Scott County Extension office.

Special Interest Clubs

Special Interest 4-H clubs are groups that focus on one particular subject. For more information about Special Interst clubs, contact Jennifer Perrin at the Scott County Extension office.

* Grade. Anyone in grades Kindergarten through 12 is eligible to become a 4-H member.
* Do you want to learn new things?

Activities that you participate in will challenge your skills, and you will learn from other kids and adults that truly care about you and what you learn.

Q. "How can I become a volunteer for ISU Extension?"

4-H offers many opportunities for adults to become involved at the level they feel comfortable. Each level of 4-H offers some exciting opportunities for volunteering, from being a local club leader to volunteering at the Iowa State Fair. If you have a specific interest in being a volunteer at the county level, feel free to contact Jennifer Perrin at the Scott County Extension office. We have many opportunities for volunteers!

Q. "What do the four "H's" in 4-H stand for?

As explained in the 4-H pledge: