Month: May 2021

Growing Chia Pets

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Growing plants is an activity that has success happening right before your eyes! Plants need five things to grow: light, water, air, nutrients, and the proper temperature. Light is absorbed by the plant causing it to produce food that is utilized by the plant for growth. We all need food and water so make sure you are providing adequate water to the plant. Air is vital to provide carbon dioxide for making that food and making sure our environment is an acceptable temperature for growth. Most plants are not excited about frosty mornings, so covering outside plants is a must for those with flowers, bushes, and vegetables until May 15. Nutrients are the last thing that is necessary for plant growth and is typically provided in the soil and absorbed into the plant through the roots.

What is a “chia pet”? As advertised on television, chia pets are round, clay objects that grow grass resembling hair. The best part is we can give them “a haircut”, and then watch it grow to be cut again. We still need to provide all the necessary ingredients to grow our “hair” but can find many of these items around the house or at the local store.

Supplies needed: small Styrofoam cup, knee high pantyhose, potting soil, grass seed, markers, googly eyes and glue.

  1. Place grass seed in the bottom of the pantyhose (make sure you are covering a good section to make its head full of hair).
  2. Now add 1 ½ cups of potting soil on top of the seed.
  3. Tie the pantyhose tight around the soil, making it round like a human head.
  4. Decorate your cup (which is your flowerpot) and then fill it ½ full of water.
  5. Turn your head upside down (so extra pantyhose is hanging down) and place the pantyhose full of soil and seed in the cup.
  6. You can add eyes, ears, nose, etc. to make your chia pet come alive!
  7. The pantyhose acts as the roots of the plant. In just a few short days, your chia pet will start growing hair.
  8. Make sure that you provide sunlight and add water as needed to help your “hair” grow!

Ohio 4-H Cloverbot Challenge

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The 2021 Cloverbot Challenge will help Cloverbuds imagine how could they live on a newly established colony on the planet Mars. They will explore what a colony might that look like, where to live and how they could move from place to place.

The 4-H Cloverbot Challenge is a statewide event designed just for our youngest 4-H’ers. Teams will work together to research a topic, build a model out of interlocking bricks and create a poster highlighting their experience. Teams will present and share virtually via Zoom either Monday, July 12 or Thursday, July 22.

Cloverbud teams will learn about the planet Mars and potential modes of transportation. Teams will also learn more about the challenge by answering these questions:

  • What are similarities and differences between Earth and Mars?
  • What might your colony look like on Mars?
  • What kinds of transportation do you use on Earth?
  • How would transportation you use on Mars be different or similar to what we use on Earth?
  • What jobs are associated with space travel?
  • How might you stay safe when using transportation on Mars?
  • How does the environment on Mars impact transportation?

Teams may have a minimum of two members, but no more than eight, and are coached by an adult team leader. Details and registration information can be found at https://ohio4h.org/families/cloverbuds/cloverbot-challenge

Questions? Contact Christy Millhouse at millhouse.10@osu.edu or Rhonda Williams at williams.418@osu.edu. And a special thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation for their ongoing support of the Cloverbot Challenge.

Flyer: 2021 Cloverbot Challenge

Nature Color Match Lesson

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This is a great activity that can be done anytime throughout the year and can be combined with a nature hike or other outdoor activities.

MATERIALS & LOCATION NEEDED:

  • Paint color chips/swatches (available free at paint or hardware stores) or your can print a color wheel
  • Depending upon the season, but greens, yellows and browns are a great place to start
  • It is best to do this activity outside on a nature walk or even in a backyard

WHAT TO DO:

  1. Before going on a nature hike, talk about all the colors in nature to help children prepare for the activity.
  2. Give each child a paint swatch and talk about all the various shade of each color. For example, green. In nature there are lots of green items, but different shades.
  3. Give each child at least one paint swatch as you head out for a nature walk and ask them to find three natural items that match the colors on their swatch. (Caution them to not touch or pick any plants or flowers.
  4. After several minutes of exploring, gather the children together and ask them to share their discoveries.
  5. Then ask:
    • Was it hard to find the exact color matches?
    • Did you find more than one kind of thing that was exactly the same color?
    • Were you surprised by how many different shade of green, yellow and brown you found?

APPLICATION:

Ask:

  • Look around your home and school – how many of nature’s colors can you find? Look at clothing, books, and even paint on the walls.

BOOKS TO READ:

  • Tell me, Tree by Gail Gibbons
  • Over in the Meadow by Olive A. Wadsworth
  • Nature’s Hidden World  by Ingrid Selberg
  • The Listening Walk by Paul Showers

This printable activity and others can be found at: https://u.osu.edu/cloverbudconnections/click-it/

Source: This Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities at Home works well with Chapter 19 in The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities available through OSU Extension offices or online at extensionpubs.osu.edu. Ohio residents get the best price when they order and pick up their purchases through local Extension offices.