School Enrichment

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School enrichment

 

The following programs and materials are available at the Delaware County Extension Office to use in a variety of educational settings. Our staff is available to help facilitate these activities and adapt them to meet your needs! Contact Kaitlyn Rausch at 563-927-4201 or krausch@iastate.edu to learn more about using these resources!

Included on this page are:

  • Programs for PreK - 3rd grade
  • Programs for 4th - 8th grade
  • Programs for 9th - 12th grade
  • Educational resources for all grades
  • Special event activities for all grades

All of these programs, resources, and events can be utilized in a way that best fits your educational setting and requirements!

 

Programs:

PreK - 3rd Grade: 

Read for Resilience (Early Childhood)

From the child.unl.edu website:

Caregivers play an important role in young children’s emotional development in addition to helping them cope. Using children’s literature in an interactive way, caregivers can help children heal. Using an engaging format, Read for Resilience may help children better understand their experiences and improve their coping skills.

The Early Childhood team has identified books to support children’s coping and understanding of their feelings after experiencing a major stressor, disaster, loss, and/or grief.

Free storybook reading guides accompany the books. The guides provide adults with suggested activities and probing questions to help children personally connect with the experiences of the characters in the books.

Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children (Early Childhood - 2nd Grade)

From the fishwildlife.org website:

Growing Up WILD is an early childhood education curriculum that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, Growing Up WILD provides an early foundation for developing positive impressions about the natural world and lifelong social and academic skills.

 

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Tiny Techies (PreK - 2nd Grade)

From NewBoCo Tiny Techies Program Summary:

Tiny Techies was developed by NewBoCo for PreK-2nd graders to learn key computer science skills without being placed in front of a computer. Students build computational thinking and problem- solving skills, are creative, and practice working together. In an increasingly technology-driven world, these are all skills that will help them as they grow and prepare for jobs that don’t yet exist. (This program has activities that utilize the Cubetto robot)

 

 

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Storytime STEM-Packs (PreK - 4th Grade)

From storytimestem.com:

  • Over and Under the Pond (K-2): Will engage children in a mathematics activity that addresses the concepts of counting, subitizing, and adding within 20 by using a number bead board/rekenrek.
  • On the Construction Site (PreK-2): Will engage kids in an engineering design task that also explores the concept of properties of matter.
  • The Rainbow Fish (1-4):  Will engage kids in a mathematics activity that addresses the concept of visualizing unit and equivalent fractions by designing a stained glass window.
Art-Lit To Go! (K - 3rd Grade)

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3

Art-Lit to Go! is an innovative Iowa 4-H program that supports the development of art and literacy skills for K-3 children. Lessons utilize a range of process-focused and product-focused art experiences to teach children a basic understanding of the foundational art elements of line, shape, color, form, and texture through integrated art-literacy activities. In addition, this exciting research-based program is designed to support the National Core Arts Standards and the Common Core English Language Arts Standards. Curriculum and kit available through county offices.

Delivery Modes: After School, Camps, Learning Community/Club, Event, School, Distance Learning

Priority Areas: Communication & The Arts

 

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STEAM'n Through the Seasons (K - 3rd Grade)

From Iowa 4-H Youth Development:

STEAM’n Through the Seasons is an innovative Iowa 4-H program that supports the development of STEAM and literacy skills for K-3 children. This informal education program is designed to teach children fundamental STEM and art concepts through integrated STEAM-literacy activities that focus on a seasonal topic. In addition, this exciting research-based program is designed to support the Next Generation Science Standards, Iowa Core Mathematics Standards, National Core Arts Standards, and the Common Core English Language Arts Standards.

 

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STEM-Lit To Go! (K - 3rd Grade)

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3

Format: Curriculum and kit available through county offices

STEM-Lit to Go! is a new and innovative Iowa 4-H Clover Kids curriculum that supports the development of STEM and literacy skills for children in kindergarten through third grade.  Each lesson includes engaging fiction and non-fiction picture books to build excitement and illustrate STEM concepts. Children explore key STEM concepts such as the engineering design process, conducting investigations, graphing, physics and much more! Each lesson provides children with a hands-on STEM experience and multiple opportunities to read, write, speak and listen about that experience. These lessons can be adapted for distance learning.

Delivery Modes: After School, Learning Community/Club, School, Distance Learning

Priority Areas: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

 

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STEM-Lit To Go! Iowa (K - 3rd Grade)

From the Extension Store:

STEM-Lit to Go! Iowa is an innovative program that supports the development of STEM and literacy skills for K-3 youth.

This program utilizes a unique instructional framework that integrates inquiry-based STEM activities and carefully selected children's literature. Through a variety of engaging topics including coding, space, and ice cream. Children explore key STEM concepts such as the engineering design process and how to plan and conduct investigations.

Each lesson provides youth with a hands-on STEM experience and multiple opportunities to read, write, speak and listen about that experience. This exciting research-based program is designed to support the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core English Language Arts Standards.

STEM-Lit to Go! Iowa has been successfully implemented in both out-of-school time settings and in K-3 classrooms.

 

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Growing in the Garden (K - 3rd Grade)

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3

Growing in the Garden Elementary Curriculum includes more than forty classroom and after-school program lessons and more than one hundred hands-on activities intended to enhance and increase knowledge of agriculture, natural resources, food and people.

Delivery Modes: After School, Camps, Learning Community/Club, School

Priority Areas: Healthy Living

Engineering is Elementary (K - 8th Grade)

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

EiE®, the award-winning curricula division of the Museum of Science, Boston, develops research-based, classroom-tested programs that empower children to become lifelong STEM learners and passionate problem solvers. Since 2003, we’ve designed our curricula to encourage all children, including those from underrepresented groups, to see themselves as engineers. Our flexible print, online and blended hands-on programs bring engineering, science and computer science together to prepare today’s students for a fast-paced, global, technology-savvy future.

Delivery Modes: After School, Camps, School

Priority Areas: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

            Available curriculum guides:

 

  • A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (Elementary); astronomy and aerospace engineering
  • Taking the Plunge: Designing Submersibles (Elementary); floating, sinking, and ocean engineering
  • Water, Water Everywhere: Designing Water Filters (Elementary); water and environmental engineering
  • Bubble Bonanza: Engineering Bubble Wands (3-5); materials engineering
  • Go Green: Engineering Recycled Racers (3-5); green engineering
  • Liftoff: Engineering Rockets and Rovers (3-5); aerospace engineering
  • The Sky's the Limit: Engineering Flying Technologies (3-5); aeronautical engineering
  • Don't Runoff: Engineering an Urban Landscape (6-8); environmental engineering
  • Plants to Plastics: Engineering Bioplastics (6-8); chemical engineering

 

4th Grade - 8th Grade:

Engineering is Elementary ( K - 8th Grade)

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

EiE®, the award-winning curricula division of the Museum of Science, Boston, develops research-based, classroom-tested programs that empower children to become lifelong STEM learners and passionate problem solvers. Since 2003, we’ve designed our curricula to encourage all children, including those from underrepresented groups, to see themselves as engineers. Our flexible print, online and blended hands-on programs bring engineering, science and computer science together to prepare today’s students for a fast-paced, global, technology-savvy future.

Delivery Modes: After School, Camps, School

Priority Areas: Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

            Available curriculum guides:

 

  • A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes (Elementary); astronomy and aerospace engineering
  • Taking the Plunge: Designing Submersibles (Elementary); floating, sinking, and ocean engineering
  • Water, Water Everywhere: Designing Water Filters (Elementary); water and environmental engineering
  • Bubble Bonanza: Engineering Bubble Wands (3-5); materials engineering
  • Go Green: Engineering Recycled Racers (3-5); green engineering
  • Liftoff: Engineering Rockets and Rovers (3-5); aerospace engineering
  • The Sky's the Limit: Engineering Flying Technologies (3-5); aeronautical engineering
  • Don't Runoff: Engineering an Urban Landscape (6-8); environmental engineering
  • Plants to Plastics: Engineering Bioplastics (6-8); chemical engineering
Where We Live (4th Grade - 6th Grade)

From the Where We Live guide:

As a continuation of Growing in the Garden, Where We Live encourages students to understand the connection between themselves and where they live, demonstrating respect and responsibility for our planet Earth. There are three different curricular themes: History of the Land, Weaving the Food Web, and Living with the Land.

Ready, Set, Drone! (4th Grade - 8th Grade)

From the PCS Edventures website:

Take to the skies with mini drones! Paired with thrilling, easy-to-operate aerial robotics equipment, these 12, one-hour, collaborative lessons are the perfect introduction to the world of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this exploration of UAV technology, safety is a priority as students learn to fly and capture aerial photos and videos, exploring the real-world applications and possibilities of drones. Putting critical thinking to the test, this multi-subject, inquiry-driven curriculum has students problem-solve through a thrilling exploration of drone physics, introducing learners to tomorrow's drone-filled future. (This program has activities that utilize Tello drones)

 

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Ricochet (6th Grade - 8th Grade)

From the 4-H Youth Development website:

Ricochet: An Extreme Leadership Adventure is a middle school leadership initiative created and sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Iowa 4-H. To Ricochet means to move round with a lot of energy, and be unpredictable - sort of like middle school youth. They bounce from one thing to the next trying on different roles as they find their place in the world.

Something else you can't predict: when opportunities for youth leadership will arise, but you can help prepare youth to become leaders. Help them be ready to accept the leadership opportunities that come their way.

Ricochet uses adventure and experience to bring about learning. Kids will learn by doing things themselves. You can help them build their leadership skills, as they get involved in a REAL project that their community needs.

InventSTEM (4th Grade - 12th Grade)

From the InventSTEM guide:

InventSTEM encourages youth to engage in the innovation process to solve real-world problems. This program contains six learning modules that utilize the national 4-H curriculum “The Power of the Wind” (2015).

Mindful Teen (7th Grade - 12th Grade)

From the 4-H Youth Development website:

Grades:  7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Mindful Teen: From Surviving to THRIVING! is a six-lesson workshop series for youth in grades 7-12 based on the book, The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time by Dr. Dzung Vo. The program can be implemented both in-person or virtually, empowering youth and equipping them with practical strategies and mindful practices to manage stress, difficult emotions, and improve and support their overall well-being, relationships, and performance in school, sports, the arts, and other daily activities.

Delivery Modes:  After School, Learning Community/Club, Event, School, Distance Learning

Priority Area: Healthy Living

 

9th Grade - 12th Grade:

InventSTEM (4th Grade - 12th Grade)

 

From the InventSTEM guide:

InventSTEM encourages youth to engage in the innovation process to solve real-world problems. This program contains six learning modules that utilize the national 4-H curriculum “The Power of the Wind” (2015).

Mindful Teen (7th Grade- 12th Grade)

From the 4-H Youth Development website:

Grades:  7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Mindful Teen: From Surviving to THRIVING! is a six-lesson workshop series for youth in grades 7-12 based on the book, The Mindful Teen: Powerful Skills to Help You Handle Stress One Moment at a Time by Dr. Dzung Vo. The program can be implemented both in-person or virtually, empowering youth and equipping them with practical strategies and mindful practices to manage stress, difficult emotions, and improve and support their overall well-being, relationships, and performance in school, sports, the arts, and other daily activities.

Delivery Modes:  After School, Learning Community/Club, Event, School, Distance Learning

Priority Area: Healthy Living

 

Resources:

Additional educational resources that can be utilized in conjunction with programs listed above or as individual learning tools!

 

Bee Bots (set of 12)

Bee Bot robots introduce youth to computer programming. The program buttons are located directly on the Bee Bots.

Best for K - 3rd grade.

Used with the Storytime STEM-Packs program.

Cubetto Robot

Cubetto Robot introduces youth to computer programming through the use of physical coding blocks.

Best for PreK - 2nd Grade.

Used with Tiny Techies program activities.

Dash and Dot Robots

Dash and Dot are robots programmed by youth on a tablet, allowing them to learn different levels of coding. Dash and Dot have their own apps, allowing youth to explore several activities and challenges through different forms of coding.

Best for 3rd - 8th grade.

Hummingbird Robotics Premium Kit (includes micro:bits)

The Hummingbird Robotics kit includes a variety of motors, sensors, lights, and more that will work with several programming languages. 

Best for 4th - 12th grade.

iRobot

iRobot has technology that allows youth to control it to drive, draw, detect, light up, play music, and more.

Best for 2nd - 6th grade.

Makerspace Activity Resources

Materials and supplies for sewing, building, and technology makerspace activities that can be applied to a variety of educational areas.

Makey Makey

Allows youth to connect their world to their computer, creating things like a banana piano! With the Makey Makey board, multiple clips and wires, and project guides, the possibilities are endless!

Best for 4th - 12th grade.

Mindfulness Activity Resources

Materials and resources such as yoga for kids, breathing techniques, exercise dice, books, and more to teach youth mindfulness skills. Can be used in a variety of educational areas or as 'brain breaks'.

Snap Circuits Junior (two kits)

Snap Circuits Junior teaches basic engineering, electronics and circuitry concepts by using building components with snaps to assemble electronic circuits on a simple “rows-and-columns” base grid. Youth can following along with the project guide or simply explore.

Best for 4th - 8th grade.

Squishy Circuits

Squishy circuits use play-dough, wires, LED lights, and a battery to introduce youth to circuits.

Best for K - 6th grade.

Tello Drones (set of 6)

Tello Drones are small, indoor drones that use an app controller to fly. They have a camera and sensors, and are a great introduction into the world of drones.

Best for 4th - 12th grade

Used with the Ready, Set, Drone! program.

3DUX Building Kit

3DUX Building kit comes with a variety of cardboard pieces and connectors that allow youth to construct 3D models.

Best for K - 12th grade.

 

Events:

Join ISU Extension and Outreach for special learning opportunities that go along with the events listed below!

Read Across Iowa

From the Iowa 4-H Curriculum Catalog:

Read Across Iowa is a special event celebrated throughout the month of March to help motivate children to read. The month-long celebrations bring the joys of reading to youth of all ages and make all youth feel valued and welcomed.

Delivery Modes: After School, Camps, Event, School, Distance Learning

Priority Areas: Communication & The Arts, Healthy Living, Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

 

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Computer Science Education Week

Computer Science Education Week is a special event held in December to spark youth interest in computer science, enhance digital literacy skills, and foster creativity and innovation through the exploration of new ideas. 

Classroom lessons are available for K-3, 4-6, and 7-12 classrooms.