New 4-H program brings learning and biking together
NORWICH – Hoping to get the interest of a larger, more diverse crowd, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County 4-H is introducing a new program that combines trail biking with the essentials of science and mathematics.
The newly designed 4-H trail and mountain biking program will officially kick-off in the fall. Program coordinators say the objective of the program is to develop a “soft adventure” style of education for 4-H that connects kids’ learning to the outdoor environment.
“For a long time, 4-H has been primarily an agricultural organization,” said Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County Executive Director Ken Smith. “We want to keep it an agricultural organization, but we also want to make it more interesting for older kids or kids who just don’t have a farm background.”
The new biking program is designed to revolve around the basics of the New York State science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM curriculum. Taking hands-on learning and applying it to the curriculum piques the interest of kids while also teaching them about the value of being good environmental stewards, said Smith.
“A good way to make learning more compelling is by taking it into the field and tying activities into the curriculum,” he said. “I think this kind of program makes for a much more effective learning tool and it gives kids the opportunity to learn more about a healthy lifestyle.”
4-H program developers have designed a number of modules to relate biking to the STEM curricula. Modules include using bikes to teach about simple machines, biking through the forest to learn about the food web, and of course getting a crash course in the basic laws of physics.
Not to mention the benefits of getting kids outdoors for interactive learning. Smith noted research from North Carolina State University that shows children spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors and approximately 50 hours a week in front of screens. According to that research, outdoor education has shown to improve functions such as problem solving and creativity, academic performance, physical activity, eyesight, social relations, and self discipline. It also reduces stress and symptoms of attention deficit disorder among children.
“There’s a lot of research which shows that if you can connect kids with nature, there can be a profound impact on their later lives,” Smith said. “There are a number of researchers who are trying to foster connections between young people and the environment so they can form better connections and become better stewards.”
The Chenango County 4-H hopes to expand on the biking program by next year. For more information on 4-H, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension at 334-5841.
The newly designed 4-H trail and mountain biking program will officially kick-off in the fall. Program coordinators say the objective of the program is to develop a “soft adventure” style of education for 4-H that connects kids’ learning to the outdoor environment.
“For a long time, 4-H has been primarily an agricultural organization,” said Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County Executive Director Ken Smith. “We want to keep it an agricultural organization, but we also want to make it more interesting for older kids or kids who just don’t have a farm background.”
The new biking program is designed to revolve around the basics of the New York State science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM curriculum. Taking hands-on learning and applying it to the curriculum piques the interest of kids while also teaching them about the value of being good environmental stewards, said Smith.
“A good way to make learning more compelling is by taking it into the field and tying activities into the curriculum,” he said. “I think this kind of program makes for a much more effective learning tool and it gives kids the opportunity to learn more about a healthy lifestyle.”
4-H program developers have designed a number of modules to relate biking to the STEM curricula. Modules include using bikes to teach about simple machines, biking through the forest to learn about the food web, and of course getting a crash course in the basic laws of physics.
Not to mention the benefits of getting kids outdoors for interactive learning. Smith noted research from North Carolina State University that shows children spend as much as 90 percent of their time indoors and approximately 50 hours a week in front of screens. According to that research, outdoor education has shown to improve functions such as problem solving and creativity, academic performance, physical activity, eyesight, social relations, and self discipline. It also reduces stress and symptoms of attention deficit disorder among children.
“There’s a lot of research which shows that if you can connect kids with nature, there can be a profound impact on their later lives,” Smith said. “There are a number of researchers who are trying to foster connections between young people and the environment so they can form better connections and become better stewards.”
The Chenango County 4-H hopes to expand on the biking program by next year. For more information on 4-H, call the Cornell Cooperative Extension at 334-5841.
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