University of California

4-H Youth Development Program

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2010 4-H National Youth Science Day

2010 Experiment to Focus on Water Quality — 4-H2O

The 2010 National Science Experiment, 4-H2O, will focus on water quality and climate change. Using a three-tiered experiment model, the experiment engages youth of all ages to learn at the simplest level how carbon dioxide can affect aquatic animals, plants and other living organisms in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. Facilitators will lead discussions to help youth better understand climate change.

Visit the National 4-H Youth Science Day page for more information.

4-H National Youth Science Experiment Events in the Community

The 4-H National Youth Science Experiment is the perfect opportunity to promote 4-H to the community while sparking the interest of youth in learning more about 4-H science, engineering, and technology activities. In 2010, counties are encouraged to host at least one large NYSE event at a public venue. This could be at an existing community festival or a stand alone 4-H event. The event may be planned by the County 4-H Office, a group of 4-H volunteers and members, an All Star team, an Emerald Star project, or by a 4-H Club.

Experiment Overview

This year’s 4-H National Science Experiment which focuses on water quality and climate change. Using a three-tiered experiment model, the experiment engages youth, ages 5 through 19 to learn how heightened levels of carbon dioxide can affect aquatic animals, plants and other living organisms in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. These activities, briefly described below, help facilitators lead discussions to help youth understand the effects of climate change:

Youth begin the experiment through conducting a simple activity to understand how people increase the amount of CO₂ building up in the atmosphere. Using a bromothymol blue indicator solution (BMB), youth blow into a BMB/water mixture to demonstrate the concept of CO₂ gas and students can visually see how CO₂ levels can build-up in water by seeing how the indicator changes colors.
Youth continue the activity by introducing effervescent tablets into plastic sandwich bags in varying quantities to show how that CO₂ expands in the earth’s atmosphere. The bags represent the earth’s ability to capture greenhouse gases. Youth then add the tablets to water to connect back how the BMB shows higher levels of CO₂ in the tablet/water mix.
Lastly, youth take the above concepts and expand into a longer experiment that conceptualizes how algae use sun and the process of photosynthesis to grow. However, youth watch how higher levels of CO₂ result in higher air temperatures and, in turn, cause higher levels of algae growth. The experiment, which takes anywhere from 1-5 weeks to observe, provides classrooms, 4-H clubs and afterschool organizations an added element to continue the discussion.

Using worksheets and online guides, the experiment will help youth take the above activities and connect back to their lives by measuring their own carbon footprint, their family’s footprint, and estimate energy savings by looking at gas and electric bills.

By the end of the activity, youth will:

Learn through experimentation, the effect of CO₂ levels on water quality.
Calculate the amount of CO₂ a family contributes to the atmosphere to better understand the human impact of the carbon footprint.
Understand the key characteristics used to observe water quality, such as color, odor, and the presence of aquatic plants and animals.
Understand the impacts of CO₂ and nutrient runoff on the over-growth of algae in lakes, leading to changes in water quality.
Engage in a discussion about water quality and global climate change.

Event Sponsors

California Public Event Calendar

Contra Costa County
Carla M. Moore, 4-H YDP Administrative Assistant at carmoore@ucdavis.edu or (925) 646-6118

Tuesday, October 5, 7:00pm, Danville Grange Hall, 743 Diablo Road, Danville, CA 94526

Humboldt County
Contact: Sandy Sathrum, 4-H YDP Representative at sksathrum@ucdavis.edu or (707) 445-7351

October 9-10: Coastal Grove Charter School, during the Medieval Festival.
October 6: 4-H Science Presentations at the Arcata Library, 500 7th St, Arcata, CA 95521, 6:30-7:30pm, hosted by the Arcata Bottom 4-H Club.
October TBA: Several presentations at the Eureka Library, hosted by Freshwater and Cutten 4-H Clubs.

Imperial County
Contact: Mary Harmon, 4-H YD Advisor at mwharmon@ucdavis.edu or 760-352-9474

Tuesday, October 5: County Board of Supervisors meeting
Saturday, October 9: National 4-H Week Annual Bike Ride (Mulberry School to Wiest Lake). Picnic, games, bike safety demonstration and NYSD will be highlights of day. Two hundred participants are expected.
Sunday, October 17, 12noon – 5:00pm: 34^th Annual 4-H BBQ at the fairgrounds (200 East Second Street, Imperial). 4-H members may enter a 4-H poster contest about the experiment.

Inyo-Mono Counties
Contact: Serena Dennis, 4-H YDP Representative at sldennis@ucdavis.edu or 760-873-7855

Nov: bi-annual Science Festival: Exploring Extreme Environments

Los Angeles County - See San Bernardino County below

Marin County
Contact: Allison Keaney, 4-H YDP Representative at alkeaney@ucdavis.edu or 415-4207

Tuesday, October 5 at 3:00pm: Venetia Valley School, 177 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael, CA

Orange County
Contact: Jeanne Lothridge, 4-H YDP Representative at cjlothridge@ucdavis.edu or (714) 708-1612

Wednesday, October 6: 4-H2O, 4:00pm, Solano Park, 21682 Via Regresso, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688. RSVP to Suzanne Frey at danceskate@earthlink.net.

Riverside County
Contact: Jeanne Lothridge, 4-H YDP Representative at cjlothridge@ucdavis.edu or (951) 683-6491 Ext. 229714) 708-1612

October 9-17: 4-H Booth at the Southern California Fair at Lake Perris. For more information about dates, times, and locations, please visit http://www.socalfair.com/
November 13 or 20: Riverside County Library System

Sacramento County
Contact: Trisha Dixon, 4-H Program Representative (916) 501-1839 or trishadixon@mac.com or Marianne Bird, 4-H Youth Development Advisor (916) 875-6423 or mbird@ucdavis.edu

Saturday, October 9: North Laguna Creek Park Day, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The wetlands in North Laguna Creek Park, Jacinto Avenue at Center Parkway, Sacramento.

San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties
Contact in San Bernardino: Cynthia C. Barnett, 4-H YD Advisor at ccbarnett@ucdavis.edu or 909.387.2193
Contact in Los Angeles: Keith C. Nathaniel, 4-H YD Advisor at kcnathaniel@ucdavis.edu or (323) 260-3845

Friday, September 24: East LA Science Day for local elementary schools, 1:30-3:00pm, 4800 Cesar Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90022.
Saturday, October 2: 4-H2O World of Water, 10:30am - 3:00pm, Fontana Lewis Library and Technology Center, 8437 Sierra Avenue, Fontana, CA 92335.
(not open to public) Tuesday, October 5: Morongo Junior High School 4-H Science Day! Featuring water quality experiments in collaboration with UC ANR Water Quality Advisors.
Thursday, October 7: 4-H2O World of Water, 3:00pm - 6:00pm, Highland Sam J. Racadio Library & Environmental Learning Center, 7863 Central Ave., Highland, CA 92346.
Friday, October 8, 3:15pm - 6pm, Lanai Road Elementary School, 4242 Lanai Road, Encino, Ca. RSVP to Susan Bernardo at encinooaks4h@gmail.com or 818-905-7789.
Thursday, October 14: 4-H Science featuring the Power of the Wind and There's No New Water! at Magnolia Elementary School, 465 W 15th St Upland, CA 91786-2282, 1:00 - 3:00pm.

San Diego County
Contact: H. Steve Dasher, 4-H YD Advisor at hsdasher@ucdavis.edu or (858) 694-8874

Saturday, October 9, 11:00am – 3:00pm, Rueben H. Fleet Science Center, Balboa Park, City of San Diego: 4-H Day! Exhibits setup around the fountain in front of the Center. 4-H members and volunteers will host hands on activities related to science in a family’s everyday life. Special focus on water conservation.

San Mateo County
Contact: Mary Meyer, 4-H YDP Representative at mgmeyer@ucdavis.edu or 650-726-9059 x 106

Monday, September 27: County 4-H Leaders' Council meeting, 7:00pm, Benjamin Fox School Elementary School
Saturday, October 2: Countywide Awards and Enrollment Social, San Mateo Event Center in Sequoia Hall, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo. More information is available at http://cesanmateo.ucdavis.edu/newsletterfiles/4-H_Highlights_Newsletter24910.pdf
Saturday, October 9: 4-H2O World of Water Seminar, 10:30 - 3:00pm, San Mateo County Event Center. The seminar will feature SET ready, hands-on, experiential learning activities and models about water conservation and water quality. The activities can be completed at 4-H camp, at club meetings or at project meetings. In the discussion groups, participants will look at the data collected from the National Youth Science Day and brainstorm local implementation practices for improving and preserving water quality and increasing water conservation. RSVP at http://ucanr.org/4h20.wow

Siskiyou County
Contact: Jacki Zediker, 4-H YDP Representative at jkzediker@ucdavis.edu or (530) 842-2711

(not open to public) October 7: 8:30am-12:30pm, Experiment with all Yreka, CA 8th grade classes; approx 107 youth. Afterwards, youth will participate in a 5-week study of part 3 with algae.

Solano County
Contact: Valerie Williams, 4-H YDP Representative at vawilliams@ucdavis.edu or (707) 784-1319

Saturday, October 2: Fall Festival, 10:30am-2:30pm, Tremont Elementary School, 355 Pheasant Run Dr., Dixon, CA 95620.
Tuesday, October 5: County Board of Supervisors meeting

Sonoma County
Contact: Judy Ludovise, 4-H YDP Representative at jeludovise@ucdavis.edu or (707) 565-2681

Saturday, October 2: Walnut Park at the Petaluma Farmers Market, 310 D Street, Petaluma, CA. Led by the Two Rock 4-H robotics project. The experiment will be led, and then the second element will demonstrate the use of robotics using a Lego NXT robotic car that will sample containers emitting CO2 gasses. More information at http://rovbuilder.blogspot.com/2010/08/2010-4-h-national-youth-science-day.html

Tuolumne County
Contact: Sue Moore, 4-H YDP Manager at samoore@ucdavis.edu or (209) 533-6990

Saturday, October 2: 4-H Field Day at Mother Lode Fairgrounds, 9am-12noon. Includes a variety of 4-H activities, the national science experiment parts 1 & 2, games for kids and a barbecue.
Sunday, October 10: Annual 4-H Awards Program, Sonora high school, 3-5pm. Slides/video of science experiments, 4-H teen leaders will lead follow up discussions.

Ventura County
Contact: Diana Enos, 4-H Volunteer at Diana.Enos@csuci.edu

Thursday, October 7: 4-H Science Night at Somis Elementary School, 6:30 - 7:30pm, 5268 North Street, Somis, CA 93066

Yolo County
Contact: Marcel Horowitz, 4-H YD Advisor at mhorowitz@ucdavis.edu or (530) 666-8722

Wednesday, October 6: Winters Library, 2:00-4:00pm, 708 Railroad Ave, Winters, CA
(not open to public) October 7 & 8: Woodland Montsessori School
(not open to public) October 5/7: Cesear Chavez 3rd grade class

Extension and Application Activities - Offer Extended Learning Opportunities

Lead a 4-H water project using the There's No New Water! curriculum. The curriculum is grounded in a simple yet powerful concept that water is a finite natural resource whose quantity and quality must be responsibly preserved, protected, used, and reused. The There’s No New Water! curriculum is designed for high school age youth, beginning with an exploration of the natural water cycle; exploring human interventions that affect water quality and quantity; examining the effects of the urban/rural interface on water quality and quantity; and includes the identification and implementation of service-learning projects that address local water conservation issues. More information is available at http://4-h.org/curriculum/water/
Participate in a 4-H2O World of Water (WOW) seminar located in both San Mateo and San Bernardino Counties. The seminar will feature SET ready, hands-on, experiential learning activities and models about water conservation and water quality. The activities can be completed at 4-H camp, at club meetings or at project meetings. In the discussion groups, participants will look at the data collected from the 4-H National Youth Science Day and brainstorm local implementation practices for improving and preserving water quality and increasing water conservation. More information is included in the list below.
Partner with member from a local chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA). CLCA supports 4-H in their mission to work with youth through hands-on projects related to science, gardening, agriculture and healthy lifestyles. CLCA is excited to partner with 4-H, by connecting their local membership with 4-H programs and to support 4-H projects with volunteer time and expertise. For more information, please contact Steven Worker at smworker@ucdavis.edu.
Participate in the Water Drop Project is in conjunction with a current research expedition to Antarctica called ICE AGED, which is studying the changing conditions of sea floor communities in Antarctica. Youth are invited to create a “water drop” and send it to the scientists at the Moss Landing Marine Lab in Antarctica, and then follow along with updates about the expedition. Complete details can be found online at http://iceaged2010.mlml.calstate.edu/water-drop/.
IBM has partnered with National 4-H Council to create the 4-H Eco Challenge!, an online interactive game for middle school and high school youth that teaches how daily choices impact the planet and guides young people on a journey to making a difference. This three-level game challenges users to test their knowledge of environmental issues by determining which actions are most eco-friendly for their home, neighborhood and community. Players will think critically about environmental issues including water use and quality, transportation, pollution and waste management. View more information at https://site.4-h.org/nysd/eco-challenge-game.php
Participate in the World Water Monitoring Day on September 18, 2010 or after. Participation in this day helps engage youth by conducting monitoring of local water bodies in order to conserve and protect water resources. More information can be found online at www.worldwatermonitoringday.org.
Participate in 350 on October 10, 2010 (10-10-10), the planet is getting to work on climate change! 350 is a grassroots effort to reduce the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide to a sustainable 350 parts per million (ppm) from its current state of 392 ppm. On October 10, 2010 there will be events throughout the world aimed at reducing the global carbon footprint. More information is available at http://www.350.org/