Environmental Sciences

Exploring Science using the 4-H Horticulture Project!

The 4-H Horticulture project can help engage youth in the exploration of science in exciting and meaningful ways, helping youth create a sense of wonder about the world around them. Horticulture provides youth with the opportunity to plan, create and care for their own environment. In the process, they ask questions about their environment, make observations, research topics, and can set up experiments in search of answers.

Many children do not realize the connection between their growth, the food they eat, and where this food comes from. They have a hard time understanding the intertwined relationship between themselves and all living things on earth. The 4-H horticulture curriculum provides topics on plant science and human nutrition that help to join these connections through simple concepts.

Youth can learn a lot in a garden, it encourages children to dream and use their imaginations and promotes environmental stewardship and provide opportunities to learn about science, nutrition and health. When youth work with plants, they have to make many important decisions. To make the best decision, youth have to know about plants and what they need. Some of the science skills and experiments that club members can learn in the Horticulture project are listed below.

• Learn the parts of a seed
• Learn the parts of a plant
• Learn how to germinate seeds
• Learn what plants need to grow
• Learn about plant parts and how they help the plant grow
• Learn about plant life cycles
• Learn how to transplant and set seedling plants in the garden
• Learn about soil and what it is made of
• Learn about the human impact of gardening

Do a service project!  Make a meal for an elderly person(s) once a month; host a bicycle inspection day; volunteer at a local senior center; find a walking partner. Encourage members to participate in county contests like favorite foods, presentation contest, speech contest, tractor driving contest, clover challenge, meats judging, livestock judging, vegetable I.D. contest, or farm safety events.

Credit: Nebraska Extension

Like all of our 4-H programs, the purpose of shooting sports programs is a youth development and teaching of life skills to young people.

Our programs are valuable for helping young people develop self-confidence, personal discipline, responsibility, teamwork, self-esteem and sportsmanship. The discipline and self-control required for responsible firearms and archery use carry over many other aspects of life.

Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports includes:

• Air Rifle & Smallbore Rifle
• Archery
• Air Pistol
• Blackpowder
• Shotgun
• Hunting and Wildlife
• Shooting Sports Coordinator
• Any Many, Many, More

Each discipline teaches safety, concentration, self-discipline, self-confidence, goal-setting, decision-making, and build toward more advanced activities.

Programs allow for the development of individual cooperative and competitive skills. Participants are exposed to local policies, regulations, laws, and ethical behavior both by repeated demonstration and thorough personal practice.

4-H Shooting Sports Responsibilities

A 4-H Shooting Sports Leader is

• Interested in youth and their development
• Interested in some phase of shooting, hunting, or wildlife
• Willing to learn how to teach shooting effectively
• Willing to be helpful, open, and supportive
• Interested in challenges with rewards
• Enthusiastic, positive, and energetic
• Honest, self-disciplined, and kind

Leader Responsibilities

• Learn and practice the highest standards of safety
• Learn and practice cooperative coaching techniques
• Learn and practice 4-H teaching techniques
• Invest your time, energy and spirit
• Focus on helping youth develop and learn
• Be a robust, positive role model.

Shooting ability is not essential, but a willingness to learn coaching skills is. Training is available for interested people. Program materials provided excellent support.

Skills for Life...Activity for A Lifetime

Youth Development Through 4-H Shooting Sports

Why Does 4-H Have Shooting Sports?

• Like all of our 4-H programs, the purpose of shooting sports programs is a youth development and teaching life skills to young people. Our programs are valuable for helping young people develop self-confidence, personal discipline, responsibility, teamwork, self-esteem and sportsmanship. The discipline and self-control required for responsible firearms use carry over into many other aspects of life.
• Nearly two-thirds of the homes in the U.S. have firearms. Exposure to safety and responsible handling is vital to preventing accidents at home, at neighbors, or at a friend's home.
• 4-H programs provide a positive experience for youth and promote the safe and ethical use of firearms and archery equipment. 4-H youth may learn to shoot, but we teach, first and foremost, the appropriate handling and use of firearms.
• We believe that firearms education reduces gun accidents.
• Hunting and shooting sports are rich American traditions. 4-H shooting sports programs help continue this tradition through the involvement of the total family: youth, teens, parents and even grandparents.
• The Shooting Sports rank third in popularity among International & Olympic Sports behind track & field and swimming. The uniqueness of shooting sports as a lifetime sport makes it exceptional.
• Each of the shooting sports disciplines teaches safety, concentration, self-discipline, self-confidence, goal setting, decision-making and build toward more advanced activities and opportunities.
• As is the case with other sports and scholastic programs, college-bound youth have opportunities to vie for college scholarships.

 What Participants Gain

• Lifetime Sports
• Useful Knowledge and Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Safe Habits
• Self-Discipline & Self-Esteem
• Respect
• Personal Responsibility
• Confidence & Concentration
• Poise
• Opportunities to Set Goals
• Opportunity to Achieve Goals
• Sportsmanships
• Reasoning Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Ethical Standards
• Friendship
• Exposure to Careers
• Opportunities for Recognition
   

Registration is now open for Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructor Level 1 Training. 

Event Details

• Date:  Saturday, November 19, 2022 (rain date November 20)
• Time: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Location:  Dug Hill Rod & Gun Club, 4100 Wine Rd, Westminster MD
• Fee:  $100.00
• Participation:  Maximum 15 participants.  A waitlist will be established when filled.
• Registration Closes:  November 7, 2022

Eligibility

Certified UME 4-H Volunteers who will serve as 4-H Shotgun Instructors for 4-H clubs or programs.  Volunteers must have an approved enrollment for 2022.

Pre-Event Coursework 

Participants are required to complete 4-5 hours of online coursework prior to the start of the training. A link to this training will be sent in your approval and confirmation email.  This is a mandatory requirement to attend the Instructor Training. Individuals who are unable to complete the online coursework prior to the start of in-person training will forfeit their spot and be asked to attend a future training.

Complete information and rules can be found on the Maryland 4-H website.

How to Register

Registration for this event is through 4-H Online.  To access the event 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.

All event registrations must be submitted by 11:59 pm on November 7, 2022.  Registrations will be verified and approved by local 4-H Educators and the State 4-H Event Manager.  Contact your local 4-H office or visit the Maryland 4-H website for more information. 

ANNUAL INSTRUCTOR REPORT

Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Instructors,

Thank you for another safe and productive year of Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports. Your Volunteer Efforts are extremely valuable, and we appreciate all you do.

It is that time of year when we need to know more about your teaching in the shooting sports program. Thus it is time to submit your Instructor Report.  

Annual Instructor Report – MD 4-H Shooting Sports     

Instructions and an example of how this form should be completed.

1. Please fill out the county from which you are instructing. 
2. Report year of teaching. 
3. If there was no teaching for the year, please place an “X” to show that there was no teaching to report. 
4. Under youth participation, add all numbers of youth taught by the instructor(s).   
5. List all instructors who will receive credit for teaching this program. Include all hours per discipline. Multiple disciplines can be included if you are certified for more than one discipline. 
6. Please sign (by hand or electronically) before submitting. If filling the form out online, please “CC” the educator so they receive a copy of the form too. 
    

We prefer that each instructor submit their teaching report to ensure that your information gets submitted.

Instructor Report Worksheet (Excel)

Please submit your report before the end of January.  

Contact Amanda Wahle at awahle@umd.edu

 OTHER RESOURCES

• Archery Level 1 Instructor Training
• Matching Mini-Grant Application
• STEM Connections

Links are provided as an information service only. They do not constitute an endorsement of any non-affiliated organizations, businesses, products, or content of these pages by Cooperative Extension or the University of Maryland. We are not responsible for their content. Also, the 4-H Name and Emblem is a federally protected mark; 4-H programs are subject to federal regulations, including the 4-H Name and Emblem shall not be used in any way to imply endorsement of commercial firms' products or services.

• Beretta U.S.A. Corporation
• National Rifle Association
• National Shooting Sports Foundation
• Remington Arms Company, Inc.
• Quail Unlimited
• Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA)
• Maryland Hunter Safety Education
• Maryland DNR Wildlife Heritage Division
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• PSE Archery
• International Hunter Education Assoc.
• Safari Club International
• Browning
• Crosman Corporation
• Daisy Manufacturing Company
• Thompson Center Arms
• Winchester-Olin Corporation
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• USA Shooting
• Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Kids Page
• Champion Shooters Supply
• Maryland State Chapter NWTF
• National 4-H Shooting Sports

Shooting Sports Policy Document

Shooting Sports Program Position Statement