Opportunities for School Enrichment

Embryology Project

How the Program Works:

An incubator may be checked out for a maximum of 1 month along with resource materials. (Value of up to $236 in each kit) Any damage may result in a charge for repair/replacement.

Teachers will need to secure their own eggs from limited county resources or through mail order.

Your kit includes:

(The complete kit needs to be returned)

Eggcellent Adventures in Classroom Embryology
Incubator: circulating air fan with a solid state thermostat control, thermometer, automatic egg turner and tray liner
Candler
Instructions and Troubleshooting Guide
Brooder Box and Heat Lamp

Before your class can participate, the appropriate forms must be completed and turned in. (See below)

4-H Responsibilities:

Provide teacher with available, working incubator with instructions
Serve as a resource, as needed for the teacher

Teacher Responsibilities:

Complete the following:
School Enrichment Registration Form
Embryology Teacher Agreement
Embryology Pre&Post Test
Secure permission of school principal for project
Identify how chicks will be dispersing when they are grown
Teach the curriculum
Clean the incubator when empty

Student Responsibilities:

Through the guidance of the teacher, students will:

Understand the appropriate conditions for incubating and hatching the eggs.
Assist teacher in keeping food dish and water container filled
Learn about embryonic development and the uses for chickens and eggs
Handle eggs and chicks carefully and appropriately
ENJOY and LEARN!

LIMITED incubators are available – contact us to schedule your class or afterschool program.

Other Embryology Resources:

Tropicana Speech Contest

ORGANIZING YOUR SCHOOL PROGRAM

Classroom contests are to be held for all sections of 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Teachers are encouraged to require this activity for all students; it may or may not be a graded requirement. Follow the Teacher Lesson Plans provided in your packet. Select a day for classroom competition; invite another teacher or community resource person to come and judge speeches. The top three winners receive ribbons: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. At all levels, 4th and 5th graders compete against each other; while 6th graders are in a separate division. First place classroom winners advance to the school contest. The school contest is essentially the county finals. The Baker County 4-H Agent will organize the school contest with the 4-H Tropicana School Coordinator. School contest Judges will select the top three winners in each division, plus an honorable mention which does not necessarily have to be the 4th place scoring speech.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

A number of printed materials are available to you:

Teacher Lesson Plans

This curriculum guide provides step-by-step suggestions for teachers to implement the weeklong program in their class.

Letter to Parents - communicates with parents their child’s participation in the project.
Tips for Giving A Great Speech! - One for each student to help them remember tips for success.
Certificate of Participation - Each teacher gives a certificate of participation to every student.

SPEAKING CONTEST RULES

Speeches must be the original work of the student. Students must use the same topic for classroom, school/county competition. It is permissible to make changes to the speech to improve it, based on learning at the different levels of competition. Of course, offensive material or language is not permitted.

Speeches should last between two and three minutes. Speeches that are less than two minutes are penalized five (5) points for every second they are under or over the time limit allowed. The maximum penalty for timing is a 100-point deduction. (See “Judging” for additional information.)

Students may not use visual aids, props, pictures, or costumes.

Students may work from note cards, an outline, or memory. No points are awarded or subtracted based on this format.

Each speaker should be introduced by an emcee that will indicate the student’s name, classroom, and the title of the speech. Speakers should not begin their speech with this information.

We encourage the use of a podium and microphone at the school competition. We suggest having a box available for students to stand on if they are unable to see over the podium and speak into the microphone.

For school and county competitions:

It is recommended that students dress in attire that is comfortable such as pants for boys and slacks or a skirt for girls. Suits and dresses are not necessary. Parents are encouraged to help their child select an outfit that makes them feel comfortable and confident. Judges will not add or subtract points for attire.

It is suggested that a random drawing of names predetermine the order of speeches. This is the procedure that will be used at the School/County Finals.

JUDGING

Judging is based on two areas - composition and presentation. Each of these areas have 6 subjects for which the judges may award a total of 100 points each for a maximum of 1200 points. It has been suggested that 100 point range is too large and is awkward for the judges. Feel free to drop that to a 10 point range for a total of 120 points, if you feel that would make your judging more manageable and consistent, as long as all students are judged with the same scale.

Composition of Speech:

Choice of material - student uses original material, subject is unique
Effective introduction - interesting, captures attention and indicates the topic
Effective body or main portion of speech - a logical and smooth flow of material
Use of language - effective selection, combination and use of words
Effective conclusion - summarizes material and concludes speech effectively; not too abrupt
Time length - automatically receive 100 points if within time limit; any penalties will be marked by staff tabulating the results.

Presentation of Speech:

Audience bond - establishes and maintains eye contact with members of the audience
Delivery - fluent and smooth and appears relaxed
Pronunciation - correct
Articulation - clear, easy to understand
Volume - appropriate volume level; effective changes to volume level throughout speech
Speed - speaks at a speed that can be understood, varies speed and uses pauses effectively

We will be striving to use a minimum of three impartial judges representing different areas of expertise (such as teaching, business, and civic organizations) for the school contest. It is also valuable to have a diverse panel of judges including males, females, and minorities. Local Toast Master Chapters are often willing to assist with judging. The judges have a very difficult job and we will announce that the decision of the judges is final. Individual scores not be released. The judges may want to make a comment card for each child that would help him/her improve their presentation.

AWARDS

Tropicana Products, Inc. provides awards for a maximum of two divisions - a 4th/5th grade division and a 6^th grade division.

Classroom Contest - Ribbons should be presented to the first, second, and third place winners in each classroom.

School/County Contest - Plaques will be presented to the first, second, and third place winners and one honorable mention for each division. Tropicana Products, Inc. also provides a scholarship to 4-H Camp for the 1st place winners in each division.