Youth

From the list provided below, you can select a topic appropriate for your youth group. Due to the number of requests, we ask you to electronically submit your request via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Youth Programs at least 30-45 days prior to your event. Each request will be reviewed in the order of the date received. After scheduling a program, we will email you speaker information and program details. Currently, youth presentations are offered at no cost. However, donations are always accepted.

Programs are divided into rotating stations to accommodate groups with more than 8 children. The program does NOT need to include all the listed activities (stations). It can be adapted to focus on the best fit for the age group, the number of children expected, the time allotted, and the season presented.

Kids Learn About...Insects

What Makes a Bug an Insect?

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will move through 15-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• The anatomy of an insect involves taking turns, adding the defining parts of an insect (exoskeleton, three body parts, six legs, and more) to a participating adult. At the end of this activity, children will have transformed the adult into a moth.
• The two types of insect eyes by crafting an insect mask that includes a kaleidoscope to simulate sight through a compound eye.
• The diversity of insects can be observed by observing live insects (which can be purchased from a pet store if the program is in the winter season) with a magnifying glass, and then participating in an insect replica scavenger hunt.
• Fascinating facts about 12 different insects using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game.
• The different mouthparts of an insect, as the children drink from a juice box, lick a lollipop, and chew a piece of candy (healthier substitutions can be made)
• A fun conga line dance with Master Gardeners leading children while singing about insect parts and using hand motions.

Children will receive a take-home insect passport with fun facts, games, and space to draw their own insect. Choose four activities from the above selections for a 60-minute program; in-person

Our Fantastic Fireflies

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will move through 15-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• Two different PA fireflies and their importance. Children will search through a simulated habitat that supports all firefly life stages to find replicas of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. Children will also be taught what habitats do not support fireflies.
• Fascinating facts about fireflies using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game. Children will observe a larger-than-life 2D firefly to review its basic anatomy.
• How to craft a 2D adult firefly puppet with its own mini-glow stick.
• Review of firefly habitat requirements using an engaging activity based on the Candy Land game.
• Unique light patterns of each of the two fireflies, with the opportunity to duplicate them with their own battery-operated tea lights. (Usually done at the same time by the entire group at the end of the program in a darkened room.)

Children will receive a firefly passport with fun facts and games to take home. Choose four activities for a 60-minute program; in-person

The Amazing Monarch Butterfly

Elementary School Grade Level   

Children will be shown a kid-friendly PowerPoint and be introduced to:

• The Monarch butterfly’s complete metamorphosis life cycle, including photos of the egg, caterpillar (and its instars), chrysalis, and adult stages.
• The importance of native milkweed as the sole source of food for the caterpillar (HOST plant).
• The migration of the butterfly to Central Mexico in the fall and back north in early spring, including views of the overwintering sites in Mexico’s fir forests.
• Depending on time and season, LIVE eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises (and possibly an adult) will be observed during the program.
• The steps needed to build a Monarch Waystation on-site or at home (for older elementary school children interested in gardening).
• A review of the butterfly’s life cycle by making a necklace craft (early elementary school audience)
• A review of the adult butterfly anatomy by making a 3D cardboard Monarch butterfly figure.

Children will receive milkweed seeds and instructions on planting at home. This is a 60-minute program (especially if a craft is included); in-person

Leave the Leaves: Who’s Hiding in Your Yard?

Elementary School Grade Level   

Children will move through three 20-minute activities (stations) and be introduced to:

• The importance of leaving leaf litter in the yard, especially under the trees, for the survival of overwintering animals, compared to the unprotected turf lawn. Children will interact with a contained, yet realistic habitat filled with soil, leaves, rocks, and logs to find hidden replicas of life cycle stages of various butterflies, moths, fireflies, and an adult queen bumble bee.
• Fascinating facts about each of the animals found, using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game.
• How to craft a firefly larva using air-drying clay, complete with a small supply of glow-in-the-dark paint. 

Children will be given a container to take their still-wet creation home. This is a 60-minute program if all three activities are chosen; in-person

Befriending Beneficial Bugs

Elementary School Grade Level   

Children will move through three 20-minute activities (stations) and be introduced to:

• How insects and spiders can assist the gardener by acting as pollinators, predators, parasitoids, and/or decomposers, and how pesticides kill these beneficials, using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game.
• The lesser-known, immature life cycle stages of the lady beetle, lacewing, hover fly, and firefly are better predators than the adult insect stage (explained with a fun matching game).
• How to craft their own realistic beetle to take home.

 This is a 60-minute program if all three activities are chosen; in-person

Kids Learn About...Plants

Pollination and Pollinators

Elementary School Grade Level  

Children will move through 20-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• The anatomy of a flower to better understand the concept of pollination. Children will each receive a flower and, with help from Master Gardeners and a kid-friendly diagram, dissect and identify the key parts involved in pollination. The review will include the importance of pollination for plant reproduction (seed formation) in maintaining nature’s food web.
• Fascinating facts on pollination and the different pollinators in our region using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game.
• How to be a mason bee, making her nest. Children will use simulated materials, such as vinyl tubing for a plant stem and beads, fluff, and clay, to make their own “take-home” compartmentalized nest.
• How to record pollinators on specific flowers in the garden by visiting a flowering garden, if present on site (and if time permits and if in the late spring to fall season), and observing action.

If you choose the first three stations, this is a 60-minute program (longer if visiting a garden); in-person

Seed Germination and Beyond: A Sneak Peek at the Life Cycle of a Plant

Pre-K to Early Elementary School Grade Level  

Children will move through each 15-minute activity and be introduced to:

• The basics of seed germination and the resulting growth of a plant. Using a felt board with a removable felt flower pot, soil, seed, plants in progression, and sun and water, children will observe and interact with what happens in the soil, from seed germination to flowering plants. 
• How to make a living grass seed head (think chia pet). Each child, with assistance from Master Gardeners, will make a take-home seed head person with a stocking, grass seed, and potting soil, and decorate it with eyes, nose, and mouth.

This is a 30-minute program for younger children; in-person

Winter Sowing: A Fun (and Necessary) Method for Native Plant Germination

Middle School Grade Level

Children will watch a short, kid-friendly PowerPoint presentation and then participate in the actual winter sowing of native plant seeds. They will be introduced to:

• The definition of a native plant, their importance in our ecoregion, and why they need winter sowing (other methods of cold, moist stratification will also be reviewed).
• The plant information (including photos) of the seeds they will be sowing.
• How to prepare the proper container for winter sowing, including the materials needed such as potting soil and duct tape.
• How to properly sow the seeds and seal the container.
• Where to place their containers outside at home or at school, and information on caring for germinated plants in the spring.

The youth group requesting the program will purchase the recommended potting soil.  Master Gardeners will provide prepared containers, duct tape, plant markers, and native plant seeds. NOTE: This program should be presented only from late October through February.

This is a 45-minute program; in-person

Why Tree Leaves Are to Be Loved

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will move through 20-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• How tree leaves help both the tree and us. Children will be taught the basics of photosynthesis using a real tree leaf (provided by Master Gardeners) to prepare a leaf rubbing on paper. Features such as stomata and chloroplasts will then be added to their leaf rubbing.
• Children will observe stomata on a real leaf under a microscope. Preceding the program, tree leaves will be submerged in water to observe the appearance of oxygen-rich bubbles on the leaves at the end of the program.
• Children will receive a basic review of how the tree's leaf, through photosynthesis, provides sugars for the tree and oxygen for animal life. If approved by the youth group director, a maple syrup taste test would be effective at this station.
• How tree leaves provide food for the caterpillars. Children will learn both leaf identification of several local trees (samples provided by Master Gardeners) AND the importance of moth and butterfly caterpillars to the food web using an engaging spinner wheel game.
• How tree leaves, fallen to the ground in autumn, provide overwintering habitat for many insects and amphibians. Children will search for replicas of the different creatures in a leaf bin with soil, logs, leaves, and rocks.

This program must be presented from late spring through mid-fall, when tree leaves are available. Choose all three stations for a 60-minute program; in-person

Easy Gardening Using Vegetable Kitchen Scraps

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will be introduced to:

• How vegetables can be replicated (propagation)
• Sexual propagation and its benefits to a plant (seed derived from cross-pollination could result in a stronger plant) by removing seeds from a pepper and sowing them in a small container with potting soil to take home.
• Asexual propagation and its benefits to us (quick growth for harvesting). Children will be instructed on how to perform this asexual method of propagation using vegetable kitchen scraps (carrot tops; celery and lettuce bottoms). Regrowing these plant parts in water will be emphasized as a fun (and sustainable) way to reuse the plant rather than discarding unwanted parts.
  • What the outcome of kitchen scrap propagation, prepared in advance by Master Gardeners, will look like. These examples, including pepper in seed propagation activity) will be harvested and sampled by children during the program as tasty, healthy treats.
• How to start their own propagation experiment at home by being provided with a new top of a carrot, a propagation tray (reused shallow deli bottom trays), and an instruction sheet.

This is a 30-minute program (which includes a sampling of the regrown examples); in person

Discover the Fascinating World of Microclimates: Make a Closed Terrarium

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will be introduced to:

• The definition of a microclimate is given using several examples in nature.
• The plants and mosses that will survive in a closed terrarium microclimate, as they choose what live flora they want to utilize (supplied by Master Gardeners).
• How to assemble their terrarium using a 2L clear bottle (cut in advance by Master Gardeners) with pebbles, charcoal, potting soil, and their chosen plants, in addition to trinkets (all supplied by MGs), and finishing with watering and sealing to close.
• How to maintain their closed terrarium at home.

 This is a 45-minute program; in person

Guaranteed Planting Success: Plant a Succulent  

Elementary School to Middle School Grade Levels

Children will be introduced to:

• The definition of a succulent plant and the benefits succulents provide to humans (aloe’s soothing gel, jade plant’s air cleaning ability).
• The proper soil, light, and watering requirements for growing succulents.
• How to plant the succulent chosen (Master Gardeners will supply containers, growing medium, and a variety of succulents to choose from).
  • If time permits, small containers can be decorated using permanent markers or decoupaged colored tissue paper prior to planting the succulents.
• Proper instructions for care and further propagation of their succulents at home.

 This is a 45-minute program; in person

Kids Learn About...The Soil Beneath Us

Make a Pretend Compost Bin, Then Do the Real Deal at Home

Elementary School Grade Level 

Children will be introduced to:

• What compost is, including the process that makes compost, and the resulting decrease in trash in landfills. Children will physically move simulated trash from a garbage “bag” to a compost bin.
• What the definition and examples of brown and green materials are, and the ratio of how they are added to a compost bin for the decomposition to be effective.
• What trash materials should not be added to a compost bin.
• The role of decomposers in the compost bin. Children will add simulated bacteria, fungi, beetles, and worms to their compost bin.
• The benefits of aged compost used in the garden. Children will observe a living example of a plant grown with compost added, compared to one grown in poor soil.

This is a 45-minute program; in person

Make a Compost Pizza to Learn How a Compost Bin Works

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will be introduced to:

• The composition of trash that can and cannot be composted. Children will place laminated photos of various trash and kitchen refuse, separated into brown, green, and unusable groups, on a "compost pizza" form.
• The role of decomposers in the compost bin. Children will add laminated photos of bacteria, fungi, beetles, and worms to their compost pizza.
• The benefits of aged compost used in the garden. Children will observe a living example of a plant grown with compost added, compared to one grown in poor soil.

This is a stand-alone 30-minute program; in person. It could be added to the above Make a Pretend Compost Bin program as a “test” for the children.

Earthworm Farming (Vermicomposting) for Kids

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will move through 20-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• The anatomy of an earthworm using a large earthworm puppet that displays the external and internal parts of an earthworm. Children will observe live earthworms (nightcrawler) using a magnifying glass.
• Fascinating facts on earthworms and “do’s and don’ts” of vermicomposting, using an interactive spinner wheel (or fishing) game
• How to make a mini-vermicomposting farm, with live red wigglers, a container, bedding, and acceptable food (all supplied by the Master Gardeners except food scraps). Children are given instructions for caring for their farm at home.

Children will receive an earthworm passport with fun facts and games to take home. Choose all three stations for a 60-minute program; in-person

Earthworms!

Early Elementary School Grade Level    

This program supplements a first-, second-, or third-grade teacher’s curriculum on earthworms by providing related hands-on activities for students. The teacher must review the book Earthworms by Jasmine Wilhelm with the students before the program.             

Children will move through three 15-minute stations/activities (including a short review of the book) by the Master Gardeners and be introduced to:

• Earthworm anatomy, habitat, food, and effect on leaf litter and soil using a 4-slide presentation of the book’s info to review these subjects.
• How the red wiggler earthworm is used for vermicomposting to provide nutrient-rich garden soil while preparing the classroom’s container to be kept at the school. Children will be taught the correct diet of this earthworm.
• How the nightcrawler earthworm is often found deeper in the outside soil. Children will be taught about wild earthworms' diet while setting up an experiment with two 2 L clear bottles (partially prepared by Master Gardeners before the program), one with earthworms and one without.
• Observing the container habitat of the red wiggler and nightcrawler earthworms over thirty days.
• How the invasive Jumping Worm destroys the forest leaf litter layer and garden soil, and why, using a YouTube link provided to the teacher for review post-program.

Choose all three stations (first three activities) for a 45-minute program; in-person

Learn the Lowdown About Landfills

 Elementary School Grade Level   

Children will move through 20-minute stations/activities and be introduced to:

• The presence of landfills where our garbage is dumped. Children will be taught ways to reduce landfill use by reviewing Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle practices using an engaging spinner wheel game that includes examples of each of the 4 R’s.
• “Refuse and Reduce” practices using decomposable products vs non-composable products. Children will interactively compare two (garbage) bins filled with appropriate products in one (decomposable spoon) vs inappropriate products in the other (plastic spoon, etc).
• The concept of using the reusable grocery bag vs the single-use plastic bag by decorating a canvas bag* with their handprints and a related slogan that includes the “For Our Tomorrow” phrase. Children will take home their special bag for their adults to use.
• How to set up an experiment at home using a single-use milk carton, soil with non-composable and decomposable items mixed in, and grass seed planted on top to be dissected six weeks later and observed for decomposition. Lessons provided by the KidsGardening website will be given to each child. Sample dissection results from an experiment conducted by Master Gardeners will be shown to children at the end of the program.

 This 60-minute program (if craft is requested); in-person. If the canvas bag craft is chosen for the program, there may be a $5.00 fee for materials/ child

Kids Learn About...Our Special Friends

Turtles in Trouble

Elementary School Grade Level

Children will be introduced to:

• The basic anatomy, lifecycle, diet, and habitat of the Eastern Box Turtle, including the female turtle’s migration to nesting grounds. Other native turtles to our area will be mentioned, showing photos of all. If time permits, this material could be presented using an interactive spinner wheel, fishing, or a matching game.
• The definition of habitat fragmentation and its effect on box turtles reaching nesting sites. Children will be taught that the box turtle and other native turtles are declining in numbers due to habitat fragmentation while participating in a game called “Help Mom Turtle,” with barriers set up to simulate roads, parking lots, lawn mowers, and endless turf-grass lawns as perils and acceptable habitat as shortcuts. The game can be played as a board game or a physical activity on the floor or outside, if the venue permits (patterned after the Candy Land game). Solutions for decreasing habitat fragmentation in our neighborhoods will be observed during the game.
• How a box turtle’s shell can indicate its general health during its lifespan, while crafting a painted rock with a realistic turtle shell to take home.

This is a 60-minute program; in-person

Bats Are Our Buddies

Elementary School Grade Level

 Children will be introduced to:

• The basic anatomy, lifecycle, and habitat of the bats in our Southwestern PA area, and the reasons why bats are declining in number.
• The diet of the bat and how it relates to its position as an effective biological control of pests.
• How bats “hear” their prey in the dark using echolocation by playing a fun “Be a Bat, Eat a Mosquito” game.
• How to make an origami or clothespin bat to take home.

This is a 45-minute program; in person

Kids Learn About...Mr. Yuk and Poison Prevention

Mr. Yuk for Homeschooled Children

Elementary School Grade Level

Westmoreland County First Graders in public and private schools are introduced to Penn State Pest Education’s Poison Prevention Program by Master Gardeners in February and March. This Youth Speakers Bureau program will reach homeschooled children who missed this opportunity. It is a 30-minute presentation using an engaging prop box and is divided into three sections, introducing the students to:

• What is a Pest?
• Integrated Pest Management concepts (cultural, mechanical, biological, and last resort chemical controls of pests by an adult)
• Poison Prevention in the home and Mr. Yuk, ending with a fun, educational song about Mr. Yuk.

Children will receive a student packet with a parent/guardian letter, fun activities, and 10 Mr. Yuk stickers. This program can be requested at any time, except in February and March, when the public and private schools schedule their Poison Prevention Programs. This is a 45-minute program; in person

Mr. Yuk for Preschool-Age Children

Pre-Kindergarten Grade Level

Westmoreland County First Graders in public and private schools are introduced to Penn State Pest Education’s Poison Prevention Program by Master Gardeners in February and March (see the above program for a detailed description).

This Youth Speakers Bureau program will review the essential basics of poison prevention for the preschool-age child

• Definition of a poison in simple terms
• Ways that poison can get into their body (mouth, eyes, skin, nose)
• Description of different poisons that include cleaning products and medicines that can look appetizing to eat.
• Medication safety, including proper use of vitamins.
• Introduction to what the Mr. Yuk sticker means (DO NOT TOUCH)
• Active participation in a guessing game that shows the different forms of cleaning products and medicines, compared to acceptable, safe products. Emphasis will be on always asking an adult for help when they have questions.
• The program will end with the "Stay Away" song led by the Master Gardeners.

Children will receive 10 Mr. Yuk Stickers and a special parent/guardian letter to take home, describing what their child learned. This is a 30-minute program; in person

Please submit your request at least 30-45 days prior to your event via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Youth Programs.