Wonderwise 4-H
Evaluation & Results / Materials and Activities
Wonderwise 4-H was developed by the University of Nebraska State Museum and Nebraska 4-H Youth Development, with funding from the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
The program consists of a series of nine learning kits, each focusing on a contemporary woman scientist and her field of scientific study. The kits invite students to take a “virtual” science field trip with these scientists and learn about their lives and their work. Each kit contains:
- A 15-20 minute "virtual field trip" video profiling the scientist and showing her actively engaged in her work.
- An interactive CD-ROM containing a biography of the scientist, and downloadable, printable versions of activity sheets in English and Spanish.
- Five hands-on, inquiry-based science activities related to the scientist's field of study, with assessment materials and links to National Science Education Standards.
The kits were originally developed for classroom use, and were thoroughly tested in formal classroom settings. In 2000, they were redesigned into Wonderwise 4-H for use in informal educational settings, in order to:
- Motivate 8-to-12 year old youth, particularly girls, to develop an interest in science and an awareness of scientific activities and careers.
- Create a positive image of women and minority scientists.
- Offer materials that are inquiry-based, multicultural, and tie science activities to the work of real scientists.
- Help youth connect agricultural topics and their underlying scientific principles.
- Enhance children's ability to use scientific reasoning.
Target age group: 8-12 years old.
Setting: Designed for use in 4-H clubs, but appropriate for all afterschool settings, with coed or single-sex groups.
Time needed: Each kit has five activities designed for classroom periods of 50-minutes. All the activities are self-contained, so they don’t have to be completed on consecutive days or in any particular order.
Training: Wonderwise offers a free activity book for each kit, in both an English and a Spanish version. These books can be downloaded for free from their website. The website also contains information on how to use the program. Preparation time for using the kits is minimal and each kit contains everything that group leaders will need in order to understand and to use the materials.
Cost:
- Activity books can be downloaded free of charge from the Wonderwise website, http://wonderwise.unl.edu
- Kits are $39.95 each, plus 5% shipping and handling and can be ordered from the Wonderwise website.
- Each kit comes with a detailed supply list for activities. These materials are mostly inexpensive and easily accessible. The more difficult-to-find items, such as dissecting needles or glass droppers, can be ordered from the Wonderwise web site.
Evaluation & Results
Results show that Wonderwise positively influences students' ideas of scientists and their work. Adult leaders reported that as a result of participating in the Wonderwise program, youth:
- Engaged in actual scientific activities.
- Increased their understanding of what science is.
- Broadened their view of scientists and their work.
- Became more confident and capable at scientific endeavors.
- Increased their understanding of the possibility of a science career.
Findings suggest that girls who participated were more likely to imagine a woman scientist with positive intellectual/work-related and personality traits than boys. They were also more likely to envision their scientists with a lot of friends and as a parent.
Wonderwise has received the highest award from NEA for multi-media broadcast materials for children and was selected for the Nationally Juried 4-H Experiential Learning Youth Development Curriculum Collection of 2003.
Materials, Activities, & Sample Lessons
Each of the Wonderwise Science Kits is a comprehensive instructional package, containing a video of the scientist at work, a book of engaging related activities, and a CD-ROM with a profile of the scientist, additional activities, and a list of useful resources.
Brenda Ballachey, Sea Otter Biologist:
This kit features Brenda Ballachey, a scientist who studies sea otters and their survival after an oil spill. By experiencing the work of a wildlife biologist, and then conducting investigations of their own, students learn about science topics ranging from animal behavior to fragile ecosystems.
Sample Activities
Peg Bolick, Pollen Detective:
Margaret (Peg) Bolick is a scientist who collects pollen in ancient bone beds and takes daily pollen counts for physicians. Students will learn, among other things, about archeological investigation and solving medical mysteries.
Sample Activities
Jannalee Caldwell, Rainforest Ecologist:
Janalee Caldwell, a research ecologist, investigates poisonous frogs and other inhabitants of a Brazilian rainforest. Students will participate in activities designed to illustrate scientific methodology as well as learn about the intricate layers of life in the rainforest community.
Sample Activities
Judy Sakanari, Parasite Sleuth:
Judy Sakanari is a parasitologist who looks for parasites in fish markets, restaurants, and other places where food is sold and handled. Students will explore topics ranging from the lifecycle of parasites to the links between parasites and our food supply.
Sample Activities
Fatimah Jackson, African Plant Explorer:
Biological Anthropologist Fatimah Jackson explores the world of plants and their uses as food and medicine. Students will study the chemicals found in plants and learn how plants spread themselves from place to place.
Sample Activities
Carmen Cid, Urban Ecologist:
Urban ecologist Carmen Cid studies urban wetlands and how to keep them healthy. Through the activities in this kit, students will learn about wetlands, watersheds, and the efforts made to preserve plant and animal diversity in urban areas.
Sample Activities
Adriana Ocampo, Space Geologist:
As a space geologist, Adriana Ocampo studies craters and meteorites. Students will learn about topics ranging from dinosaur extinction to crater formation.
Sample Activities
Tolani Francisco, Vet Detective:
Tolani Francisco is a vet whose research takes her to Native American reservations in New Mexico to study the health of bison and elk. In this kit, students will learn about topics ranging from animal diseases to herd management.
Sample Activities
Cathy Burson, Genetic Counselor:
As a genetic counselor, Cathy Burson investigates diseases caused by genes and searches for ways to treat these disorders. Students will learn about a range of genetic topics, from cells to DNA.
Sample Activities