STEM

The 2024 4-H LEGO ROBOTIC CHALLENGE IS LIVE!

Check out the manuals below.

The Maryland State 4-H Robotics Challenges provide the opportunity for members to participate in an organized statewide robotics activity. Members in each county will form teams that will build robots to perform specific tasks. The county teams will then have the opportunity to compete at the Maryland State Fair. Each year, teams of youth can compete in one of two Robotics Challenges: the “Lego Robotics Challenge” and the “Robotics Engineering Challenge” (REC). Both divisions will have a Jr. Division (8-11), Intermediate Division (11-13), and a Senior Division (14-18). In addition, mixed-age teams will be allowed and will participate in the age division of the oldest member on the team. 

Please click on this link to access the FAQ’s List

Have questions? Looking for help troubleshooting problems with building your robots or the field components? The 4-H Robotics Committee is here to help! You can ask questions and reply even without an account on our forum. Signing up will allow you to get notified of replies and contribute to other conversations, allowing for greater collaboration on best tackling this year’s 4-H Robotics Challenges. Take a look!

State Fair Registration

There is a cost of $5 per youth to register and participate in the Maryland 4-H Robotics Contests. Registration is done via 4-H Online and is NOT done via the Maryland State Fair website. Youth can not register as individuals for the robotics contests but only as part of an established team whose club has already been charted and fully enrolled via 4-H Online, with at least 2 fully certified volunteers listed as the team’s leaders. Youth will need to choose the county their club meets in when registering, and teams will need to provide their local educator with a list of all youth participating on their team. If a club is fielding more than one team and has multiple teams competing per division (i.e., signified with A, B, C… or 1, 2, 3… or Jr, Intermediate, Sr…. etc.), then the youth lists will need to be broken down for each team when submitted to the county educator. 4-H volunteers can coach more than one team, but youth can only compete on one team at the Maryland State Fair robotics contest. For more information on registration for these events, please contact your local 4-H educator. Registration for these events closes on 4-H Online on July 31st

Maryland State 4-H Lego Challenge

The Maryland 4-H LEGO Robotics Challenge has 4-H members build robots using parts from the LEGO Mindstorms NXT, EV3, SPIKE Prime and/or RCX kits. The challenge is run on a 4’ X 4’ table where robots start in a home base area and then travel autonomously throughout the board, completing predetermined tasks. Robots are preprogrammed and score points as they complete tasks within a 2.5-minute time frame. Each team plays in multiple rounds, with their best robot game performance counting toward their final score.

The Maryland 4-H LEGO Robotics Challenge will also require the team to prepare a technical presentation for a panel of judges. In addition, the teams will demonstrate how their robot and attachments work, share their engineering notebook, and explain how they worked together throughout the season.

The community service project is a third component of the Maryland 4-H LEGO Robotics Challenge. Each season will present a new theme for the LEGO field and this project where teams will be asked to develop a service project that relates to such. The team will then prepare a visual presentation for a panel of judges explaining their service project and its impact on their communities.

The final overall score for each team will be a combination of their best robot round, their technical presentation score, and their service project score.

Maryland 4-H Lego Robotics Challenge Documents: 

• 2024 4-H LEGO Robotics Challenge - The Bird Watchers 
• The playlist for the 4-H Lego Challenge Build Guide is here: https://bit.ly/20224-HLegoPlaylist

4-H Robotics Engineering Challenge

The Maryland 4-H Robotics Engineering Challenge (REC) will have 4-H members building larger, more complex robots up to 18” X 18” X 18” which will compete on a 12’ X 12’ playing field built from carpentry supplies. The robot can be constructed from a variety of robotic platforms, including, but not limited to, VEX, Tetrix, or LEGOs. The theme of the challenge will change every year and will integrate STEM topics relevant to careers and current priorities in the industrial & technological worlds. Each game lasts 2.5 minutes, with the first 30 seconds being where the robots will perform missions autonomously using code preprogrammed by the team. The final 2 minutes of each game will be driver-controlled (teleoperation) through wireless controllers. The team with the most points after the full 2.5 minutes wins the match.

REC Teams will also present their engineering notebook, which they started and maintained throughout the season, and be interviewed by a panel of judges in the technical round. Teams can also craft a custom presentation for the technical round if desired. Judges will ask questions and score the team based on information they shared during this round, including the robot’s construction, it's programming, the group’s overall teamwork, and their community service activities. 

2024 Maryland 4-H Robotics Engineering Challenge Documents: 

Updates to the 2024 REC manual are highlighted in the following updated document in yellow.

• 2024 4-H REC Manual V2 with pics_0.pdf
• 2024 REC Field Supplies and Assembly Information (Coming Soon)

4-H STEM Challenge

The National 4-H STEM Challenge is the premier national rallying event for year-round 4-H STEM programming, bringing together youth, volunteers, and educators to engage in a fun and exciting series of hands-on activities that touch on relevant topics in the modern world, including Computer Science, Astronomy, Engineering, Agriculture, Physics, and Environmental Science.

Launched in 2008 with Helpful Hydrogels, the 4-H STEM Challenge activities are designed for youth 8-18, and have included coding and animating a video game, building bristle bots, cleaning up an environmental spill, building a Mars Rover, investigating how to harness wind, and much more! The 2020 4-H STEM Challenge reached over 500,000 youth with the "Mars: Base Camp" kits, created and distributed in partnership with Google, Toyota, Bayer, and Maryland's own NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center! The 2021-22 theme is "Galactic Quest" sponsored by Bayer and the U.S. Space Force!

By being a part of these experiments, you can help Make the Best Better!

Go to the National 4-H STEM Challenge website for this year's challenge.

For more information contact: Mark DeMorra at mdemorra@umd.edu 

The next 4-H Engineering Camp will be in 2025. Stay tuned for information about the NEW Maryland 4-H Engineering Days coming this Summer!

The State 4-H Electricity/Energy contest is on hiatus until further notice. Coming in 2024: NEW State 4-H Drone Contest!

Maryland 4-H has a long history of offering in-depth and hands-on experiences involving Engineering. This includes our Engineering Challenges at the State Fair and Engineering Camp every Spring. More information about these 4-H Engineering opportunities, including helpful resources and event information, follow.

http://www.egfi-k12.org/about/ 

https://www.engineergirl.org/

https://www.kidwind.org/ 

http://ithare.com/fields-of-engineering-overview/  

For more specific information about Maryland 4-H Engineering programs, Mark DeMorra, 4-H STEM Specialist, at mdemorra@umd.edu.

4-H Engineering Days

More information about these new STEM events in the Spring & Summer is coming soon!

Engineering Camp:

One of the greatest weekends in the Spring is the 4-H Engineering Camp! Located at the Harford County 4-H Campgrounds (The Rocks), its purpose is to introduce some of the numerous Engineering projects available through 4-H and to provide hands-on experiences to prepare youth for some of the county, regional, and state contests. In addition to in-depth exploration of Engineering projects, there will be fun challenges that will test youth's ability to use the Engineering Design Process to solve problems and achieve goals. Topics that have been featured include large tractor operation, welding, aerospace, computers, environmental engineering, GPS/GIS mapping, and underwater robotics. 

Location: The Rocks 4-H Camp, Street, MD

• The MD 4-H Engineering Camp is for 4-H youth aged 12-18 (4-H age determined by youth's age on January 1 of that year). Youth must be enrolled in Maryland 4-H using the 4-H Online system to participate. There is a cap of 40 youth that can participate. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the date/time the registration is submitted through 4-H Online. 

4-H Engineering Challenges at the Maryland State Fair

Bicycle Safety: The State Fair "Bicycle Safety Challenge" tests youth's ability to operate, fix, and ride bicycles safely and effectively. The contest consists of a written test, Parts ID, and skills demonstrations by youth on to drive in a straight line, figure 8, on a city street, with double obstacles, and with double zig-zag obstacles. Resources youth can consult in preparation for the Bicycle Safety Challenge follow:

Purdue University Bicycle Safety Challenge: https://www.asec.purdue.edu/naengr/Bicycle.pdf

Bicycle Universe-Bike Laws in MD: https://bicycleuniverse.com/bicycle-laws/bike-laws-in-maryland/ 

Bike Law Blog-MD Bike Laws: https://www.bikelaw.com/2019/04/maryland-bike-laws/

Small Engine: The "Small Engine" Challenge at the Maryland State Fair evaluates youth knowledge of the safe operation and maintenance of small engines, present in many common devices such as lawn mowers, generators, tillers, and more. This is done through a written exam, parts ID, and a visual presentation given by youth. Resources youth can consult in preparation for the Small Engine Challenge follow:

Purdue University Small Engine Challenge: https://www.asec.purdue.edu/naengr/Small%20Engine.pdf

John Deere Manuals & Training Resources: https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/manuals-and-training/

Lawn Tractor (Learn to Earn): The "Lawn Tractor" event at State Fair is designed to offer 4-H youth an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of lawn care, business management, tractor operation, maintenance, and safety. The day of the challenge at state fair features a written exam, parts ID, safe operation course, and a tractor driving course.  Resources youth can consult in preparation for the Lawn Tractor (Learn to Earn) Challenge follow:

Purdue University Lawn Tractor Challenge: https://www.asec.purdue.edu/naengr/Lawn%20Tractor.pdf

John Deere Manuals & Training Resources: https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/manuals-and-training/

Tractor Operator's Contest (4-H & FFA):  The “Large Tractor” event at State Fair is a joint challenge that both Maryland FFA and Senior-aged 4-H youth can participate in. It is meant to test their skills with operating agricultural tractors safely and effectively, including proper maintenance and care. The challenge consists of a written exam, practical exam, and 4 driving exams:

• 2-Wheel Drive Safety
• 2-Wheel Drive Operation Course
• 4-Wheel Drive Safety
• 4-Wheel Drive Operation Course

Competitors will be ranked both overall and via their specific program (4-H or FFA). Resources youth can consult in preparation for the Tractor Operator’s Contest follow:

Purdue University Tractor Operator's Safety Challenge: https://www.asec.purdue.edu/naengr/Tractor.pdf

Purdue 4-H Tractor Curriculum: https://extension.purdue.edu/4-H/projects/4-h-project-tractor-and-mower-safety-and-operator-skills.html

John Deere Manuals & Training Resources: https://www.deere.com/en/parts-and-service/manuals-and-training/

The Maryland 4-H Aerospace program blasts off into 2022! Youth ages 8-18 are encouraged to participate in this amazing program that may launch a STEM field career. The program focuses on model rocketry but incorporates educational and engineering activities into an out-of-this-world experience!

The 2022 Aerospace Contest Resources are LIVE!

• NEW FOR 2022: Registration for the 4-H Aerospace Workshops and Contest will be via 4-H Online. Registration for this event is through 4-H Online. To access the registration, log in to your 4-H Online family profile and click on the “Events” tab. You can find an Event Registration “how to” guide on the Maryland 4-H website. 
• The 4-H Aerospace Resource Guides have been revamped! These guides are intended to help youth prepare for the 4-H Aerospace Contest in the Fall. The guides are now split up by age groups to include ONLY the information needed in each guide for youth of that age group. These include:
  • National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Safety Code
  • Aerospace Glossary (including important people, NASA programs, scientific terms, rocketry parts & terms, and more!)
  • Recommended rocket kits for contest
  • Additional preparation resources in Aerospace Resource drive
  • Sample Challenge score sheets and contest forms
• Junior Guide (Ages 8-10)
• Intermediate Guide (Ages 11-13)
• Senior Guide (Ages 14-18)
• 4-H Aerospace Program Resource Folder (All age groups)

All 4-H youth ages 8-18 are eligible to participate in the 4-H Aerospace Challenge. There is NO requirement to carry a rocketry or aerospace project. 

All challenge participants will be required to bring a rocket they have built themselves and prepare to speak about their design and on relevant Aerospace topics. At the event, individuals will participate in craftsmanship judging on their rocket, a live interview with a parts identification test with judges, and a short, written exam about aerospace history and knowledge. Seniors will be required to create a maximum 5-minute presentation about their rocket that they brought, the engineering and design process of its construction, and the important concepts behind the modern Aerospace industry.

All 4-H youth members are eligible and encouraged to participate in the workshops, to learn more about the Aerospace project or to prepare for the State 4-H Aerospace Challenge. Participation in a 2022 4-H Aerospace Workshop is an eligibility requirement for a 4-H youth member to participate in the 2022 4-H Aerospace Challenge. Adult 4-H Volunteers who want to learn more about the Aerospace Challenge are also invited to attend. Registration via 4-H Online is required, which will also include the most up-to-date information on upcoming Aerospace workshops during the Spring and Summer. Volunteers will receive hands-on experience supervising and assisting youth with a model rocket build.

For youth ages 5-18. 

Your mission is to address the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) challenge below. Each team/individual that submits an entry that successfully addresses all six criteria will be awarded a participation prize for their efforts. 

“Spark Tank”: Design a new invention or an improvement on an existing invention aimed at helping youth and families to live healthily. Remember that Healthy Living can address social, emotional, physical, and financial health. You will submit a recorded video entry (max 3 minutes) outlining:

• Problem Identification - Is the problem (the need for the invention/improvement) explained clearly and completely?
• Proposed Solution - Does the invention/improvement represent a realistic, practical solution to the problem?
• Healthy Living Connection - Does the invention/improvement clearly relate to, inspire, and/or support healthy living?
• Ease of Use/Replicability - Is the invention/improvement easy to use and replicate? 
• Creativity/Innovation - Does the invention/improvement represent a creative STEAM response to the problem?
• Presentation Quality - Does the presentation as a whole clearly and completely explain/demonstrate the five criteria listed above?

All participants will have the opportunity to showcase their video presentations during the
MD STEM Festival.

Submit entries on or before October 14, 2021, using this link,
https://forms.gle/1fw5ECAWhqZxPx3y7

The top 5 entries will be invited to present virtually live via Zoom at an interactive Spark Tank experience where Tank judges will evaluate, ask follow-up questions, and recognize the top entries. The Spark Tank event for the top 5 entries will be held virtually the week of
November 14.

Healthy Living Spark Tank Examples and Illustrations

Physical Healthy Living Innovations

• When your 4-H club visits the local nursing home, you notice that many of the older residents have a hard time reading what type of medicine is in their various medicine bottles, so you develop a “Medicine Magnifier”. It’s a simple invention, but it will help so many people. The magnifier is a flexible plastic lens that you can lay over a medicine bottle label to magnify the text. The nursing home residents and so many others are so thankful for your invention.
• Your class took a field trip to NASA. Your tour guide shared the many challenges astronauts face when they are in outer space. One challenge that really struck you was how difficult it is to use the restroom without gravity to hold your body on the toilet seat. So you decide to design a self-cleansing human waste removal system for a spacesuit similar to the self-cleaning cat litter boxes you’ve seen advertised on television. NASA and the astronauts will be forever grateful. 

Emotional Healthy Living Innovations

• You are sad to see so many of your friends struggling emotionally. So you decide to create something that will help them cope with the stress and anxiety some of them wrestle with. You develop a coping strategy wheel and share it with them. They are so thankful for this new tool to help them cope with daily challenges.  
• You’ve noticed that kids at school are being mean to each other. So you decide to build upon the concept of painted rocks and begin a campaign to create “Kindness Rocks”, which can be painted and decorated in any manner, but they all will have a tip on how to show kindness. The rocks are a hit, and before you know it a “kindness rocks” club is flourishing at school.

Social Healthy Living Innovations

• Your 4-H club has been learning about healthy living. You were surprised to learn that so many kids today feel lonely since anyone can talk to anybody at any time with all of our social media tools and apps. You decide that kids will feel less alone if they are actually spending time with other people, instead of with their phones or computers. So you design an app that records how much time is spent on social media and reminds people to go outside and interact with the world and all the fascinating people in it.
• You have a friend that has been severely bullied at school. You decide to raise awareness of bullying by designing and distributing anti-bullying buttons. These are pins with anti-bullying messages. You work with your teachers and principal to develop incentives to encourage kids to purchase and wear the anti-bullying buttons.  

Financial Healthy Living Innovations

• You are taking a financial wellness class in school. In class, you learn that nearly 70% of Americans have less than $1000 in savings. So, for your class project, you decide to create an app to track spending, savings, and sharing (giving).  
• Your little sister thinks she can have anything she wants. She doesn’t understand that money is a limited resource. To help her, and other young kids understand this, you develop a fun activity to help kids clarify needs from wants. 

 Score sheet

Adventures In Science is a partnership between the University of Maryland Extension and AIS Inc. It is a science-based hands-on educational program reaching about 330 youth ages 8-14 in Montgomery County. The program is provided at six locations managed by organizational leaders and instructors. Parents and other volunteers help teach interactive 2-3 hours sessions every Saturday for 18 weeks.