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University of Illinois Extension-Ogle County has been making yeast bread with approximately 500 first, second, and 3rd graders across the county every year for the past 12 years. Known as the "4-H Bread Program," a 90-minute 4-H project activity shows students how the common kitchen actually doubles as a science laboratory full of potions and mixtures that can be combined to create some interesting, often tasty, results. As they measure, mix, and knead, students learn that each ingredient in a recipe has a role and purpose and that putting ingredients together in just the right way is necessary if you want the positive results your taste buds are craving.
This year, students in Oregon, Byron, Monroe Center, Lindenwood, Kings, and Rochelle schools are testing out their kitchen skills as part of the program effort. Oftentimes, students see the local Extension staff in their classrooms for other programs, and comment on how great the bread tasted. "Many of the kids have never made bread before, or even helped in the kitchen, and for each one of them, its loaves of fun from the minute they tie on their plastic aprons and the containers of flour are set out," says Debbie Moser, Extension Unit Educator.
One of 4-H's National Mission Mandates is Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET). The 4-H Bread Program is just one example of how Ogle County Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program is addressing this mission mandate by showing kids how fun doing science can actually be. Other local SET efforts include the long-running 4-H Embryology project, Earth Day is Every Day program presentations, Ag Awareness Day efforts, and the multi-county Science Siesta event. They have also begun to offer robotics, GPS/GIS, and other science after-school enrichment programs at locations around the county.
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