4-H Record Book Tips

February Tips!

Start your record book at the beginning of the 4-H Year!

• Write goals for the new year at the BEGINNING of the 4-H year!
  • Try to write 3-4 goals for each project that you are taking!
    • Examples
      • Teach my Market Lamb to brace when prompted to
      • Learn how to blow-dry my steer without my parents hands-on help
      • Learn a new baking or cooking technique
      • Hit the bullseye with my bow at every meeting
      • Teach my dog a new command
    • These goals are important for you later in the year when you hit a "lull" in your projects and want a challenge
    • Also, think about how exciting it will be when you hit your goal(s)!!

March Tips!

Each 4-H project has unique and specific guidelines for project completion.

Here's some basic Completion Criteria for you to think about!

• Complete a minimum of seven activities found in your project book
  • No they don't have to be in order, unless your book specifically tells you!
    • Pick and choose your projects but don't do all the easy ones this year because you don't want to be stuck with only hard ones next year!
      • Maybe do 2 easy ones, 3 somewhat difficult ones, and 2 hard ones!
    • Split up your projects over the 4-H year!
      • Try to do ones that you can do indoors now and save the outside ones for when the weather is nicer
      • Don't save all of your projects for the night before interview day! I have done this and it is not fun for you or your parents!
  • Complete a minimum of three learning experiences throughout the year!
    • This can include demonstrations, taking a tour, job shadowing, and even exhibiting at the fair can be included! :)

April Tips!

Writing your "My 4-H Story"

"My 4-H Story" is supposed to be a story all about your 4-H year whether is about a trip you went on, an experience you had over the summer, fun things you did with your animals, or even different tricks you learned when working on your project.

Here's a couple tips to you help you write your "My 4-H Story":

• Personalize it
• Write your story as if you are talking directly to the reader
• The story should have four parts and be no longer than two side of one page
• Write about yourself
• Write about your projects
• Share any experiences you had with your club members
• Write about fun things that happened during your school year
• Write what new things you have learned and how they helped you

Your "My 4-H Story" does not have to be just about your 4-H projects. It can be about anything that happened during your year! Make it fun to write and fun to read!