| Explore the Changing Season: Preparing for Summer | |
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
-Anais Nin
The sun shines brighter, the flowers blossom, and the school year nears its end. The month of May signals that summer is almost here! As the weather warms and you find yourself gravitating towards outdoor activities, why not try morel hunting this month (after all, May is known for its morels in Michigan)! If you are feeling up to the challenge, check out this guide before you begin (and to avoid the poisonous false morels):
May is Morel Month in Michigan. May is also the start of festival season--check with your local program to see what is going on in your area such as art festivals, outdoor concerts, and more!
What are you looking forward to the most this summer? Let us know on our Facebook page! |
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Activity Idea: Herp Hunting
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If you would like to pilot these activities or other 4-H Guided Adventures curricula, please contact Kristy Oosterhouse at oosterh6@msu.edu.
 Does your mentee like reptiles or amphibians? Herptile (Herp for short) is a collective term for these animals. Spring or early summer is a good time to go hunting for herps with your mentee. Visit your local library and browse through an identification guide, such as the "Peterson First Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians" to help identify the species you find (and avoid the dangerous ones). Before handling the animals, make sure your hands are wet and clean of lotions or sprays. Never attempt to handle an animal unless you are sure it is safe.
If you are ready to go herp hunting, start by looking for salamanders in a forested area. You can find the salamanders by turning over logs. To find frogs, approach bodies of water slowly and watch for movement on the surface of the water or the ground. You may not catch the one that jumped away, but there may be more near by. Turtles can also be found around bodies of water, basking in the sun on rocks or logs. Move slowly through long grasses and look and listen for anything else moving in the grass--you may find a snake! Allow the snake to rest on and wrap themselves around your arm--this will keep them calm. You can put the animals in a bucket for further observation (separate buckets for each species is best). When releasing the animals, try to release them near where they were found. |
| Match Highlight: Wendy and Marissa |
Article submitted by Barbara J. Steele, Program Coordinator with Montmorency County 4-H Adult to Youth Mentoring Program, Montmorency County MSU Extension.
 Matched in November 2010, Wendy and Marissa started their match at the end of the year right around Marissa's 13th birthday. Wendy gave Marissa "joy" cards, a journal, pens and some gum. Marissa liked everything. Wendy helps out at the library, so they can meet there on a day the library isn't open. They share poetry as Marissa enjoys reading and writing poetry and Wendy has a collection of poetry her son has written. They also get on the computer, playing computer games as well as teaching each other new things. Wendy didn't have an easy time when she was growing up, so she understands some things Marissa is facing.
Wendy says that Marissa is on her way to becoming a young lady. "I'm having fun getting back in touch with the journey filled with all the joy and wonder and amazing transformation she is making."
Marissa says that Wendy is a great and phenomenal mentor. "I am so glad that I could be blessed with such a wonderful person. She helps me with all these hard times and makes me feel like a better person every time I get to see her."
For more information about the Montmorency County 4-H Adult to Youth Mentoring Program, contact Barb by email at steeleb7@anr.msu.edu or phone at 989-785-8017. |
| Save the Date for 4-H Mentoring Weekend! | 
The dates for the 4th annual 4-H Mentoring Weekend are July 22nd through the 24th at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, MI! To view a flyer that you can print and hang on your fridge, click here. Registration packets will be available soon- watch your email for details!
We hope to see you there! |
Seasonal Craft: Paper Flowers
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 April showers bring May flowers, as the popular saying goes. These flowers don't need rain and will keep forever! Paper Flowers Materials Several sheets of colored paper (not construction paper) Pencil Scissors Glue Twigs or sticks Vase Cut the colored paper into 4 inch x 4 inch squares. With your pencil, draw a spiral onto the paper, closing the outside end of the spiral. Cut around the outside edge (forming a circle), and then cut out the spiral along the line you drew. Starting at the outside edge of the spiral, roll the paper up until there is no more left to roll. Poke a stick through the bottom and glue the flower to the stick. Repeat steps with as many flowers as you desire. Place flowers in a vase to display. |
Thinking Ahead: Education Planner
| Does your mentee ever think about what to do after high school? No matter the answer to that question, Education Planner, developed by the American Education Services (AES), has something to say. This comprehensive resource for learning about a post-secondary education is split into 6 sections: Discovering, Preparing, Selecting, Applying, Deciding, and Paying.
Start by visiting the "Discovering" section with your mentee. This section will explore career assessment, study tips and learning styles with interactive quizzes and advice and even explains why dropping out of school isn't a very good option. Then, head on over to the "Preparing" section to find information about preparing for college while in high school, test preparation, more study tips, and even a tool to help your mentee plan and organize their portfolio.
If your mentee is ready to start looking for a college, check out the "Selecting" section, where you will find information on things to consider when looking for a school, searches for schools including two-year, four-year and vocational and technical schools, and things to do when visiting colleges. After your mentee selects a few colleges and is ready to start applying, visit the "Applying" section to get tips on filling out the application, putting together a portfolio, and writing a college essay.
Your mentee has applied to colleges and received acceptance letters--now what? Visit the "Deciding" section to learn about some reasons not to choose a college, what happens if your mentee is on a wait list, and to check out the award analyzer to figure out the cost of college. If your mentee is wondering about the cost of college, visit the "Paying" section to learn all about the different options available, including filling out the FAFSA, learning about different loan options and grants and scholarships, and a financial aid FAQ.
Visit www.educationplanner.org to get started!
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Did You Know?
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How will you and your mentee spend time during the month of May?
20th - Endangered Species Day - Visit http://www.stopextinction.org/10athome.html to learn about 10 ways that you and your mentee can do to help protect endangered species.
21st - American Red Cross founded - Contact your local Red Cross to see how you and your mentee can give back and lend a hand to this organization that does everything from disaster relief to educational programming to collecting and distributing lifesaving blood.
23rd - Taffy Day - Get sticky with your mentee and have an old fashioned taffy pull!
Homemade Taffy
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 & 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
Flavoring and coloring as desired (for example, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and blue food coloring, or peppermint extract to taste and green food coloring)
Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a heavy non-reactive saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Raise heat and cook quickly, approximately 20 minutes, without stirring. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to brush down the sides of hte pan to keep the mixture from crystallizing. When the candy thermometer reads 265 degrees, remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, flavoring, and coloring and stir gently. Once the taffy is cooled enough to touch (but not completely cool, otherwise you won't be able to pull it), rub butter on your hands and pick up a lump of taffy and pull and stretch it. As you stretch out the taffy, bring the ends together and twist it, and stretch it again. Keep repeating until the taffy is ready. Lay the taffy down on a buttered sheet of waxed paper and cut the taffy into small pieces with a buttered pair of scissors.
30th - Memorial Day - Take a moment on this day to remember those soldiers who have given their life during military service. |
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MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
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