Developed by

Karen Blyler, Ph.D.

4-H State Science Coordinator

Dates and Location of 2017 MEE

Saturday, November 4, 2017 at the Osceola County Extension Office in Kissimmee, FL

For map and directions go to: http://osceola.ifas.ufl.edu/

For information on the event, contact Dr. Karen Blyler at 352-294-2903 or e-mail kblyler@ufl.edu

Goals of this slide program Provide counties with a greater understanding of

how the MEE is organized and conducted. Help county agents and leaders better prepare

youth for the contest.

This slide program will cover… 1. Overall goals of event

2. Overview of MEE guidelines and policies Who can enter/age groups Teams vs individuals Entry fees Study materials and CD How awards/recognition will be handled/ties

3. Contest format

4. Roles for volunteers

5. Handling observers/non-participants

6. Strategies for identifying organisms

7. Using the Companion Guide

Goals for 4-H State Marine Ecology Event

To help youth gain greater awareness of and appreciation for marine

environments.

gain important life skills and science skills through subject matter learning experiences.

develop self-esteem and confidence through a cooperative learning experience.

AND Provide youth with opportunities to be recognized and rewarded for what they learned and/or achieved.

Who Can Compete? Age Groups

Juniors (8-10) Intermediates (11-13) Seniors (14-18)

Teams vs individuals All participants are considered individuals A team is composed of at least 3 but no more than 4 youth

Rules concerning teams No merging of cross county teams due to missing team

members Try to have extra individuals as alternates

NEW – Advanced Level

Only for Senior youth

Past years’ First Place Senior winners may return and compete in the MEE but can only do so at the “Advanced Level.”

Second and Third Place Senior Winners may choose to do so, but entry at the Advanced level is optional.

More information is provided in the MEE Guidelines and on MEE website.

Entry Fees and Guidelines Fees - $12 per youth

Helps to cover: Event handling costs/insurance coverage Cost for awards and supplies

Obtain contest guidelines off the MEE website at http://florida4h.org/mee.

Read guidelines carefully and follow instructions for registering youth through 4-H online.

4-H Online Registration for MEE

All youth who plan to enter the contest will need to register for the MEE through 4-H Online.

Registration for the MEE will open in mid to late September. Deadline for youth to be registered online for the MEE is Friday, October 20, 2017.

County 4-H agents are responsible for approving youth registrations and team designations. Deadline for approval of county entries is Thursday, October 26, 2017.

Reminder Participation forms will be needed for each

participant. These forms will be obtained through 4-H Online.

Adults and other family members who plan to attend the MEE event are asked to register for the MEE as an “observer”. (No charge.)

Those who would like to volunteer for a role at MEE should indicate this through 4-H Online.

Descriptions of the different roles can be found on the MEE website.

Lodging

Lodging – A block of rooms for Friday /Saturday nights have been reserved at the Flamingo Waterpark Resort. Hotel is about a mile from Osceola County Extension office and the KVLS pavilion.

Rate is $53/night. Call 407-846-2221 for reservations. Tell them you want the “4-H State Marine Ecology“ rate.

There is an additional $21 charge if you want to use the waterpark, but the pass is good for up to four people.

Hotel website: http://flamingowaterpark.com/resort/

Lunch Counties are responsible for bringing/getting

their own lunches.

There are a limited number of restaurants in the immediate area.

Check with the Flamingo Waterpark Hotel for a possible list of restaurants.

2017 Study Materials

Juniors Species list

MEE Species ID CD

MEE Species ID

Companion Guide

MC Test

Intermediates & Seniors

Species list

MEE Species ID CD

MEE Species ID Companion Guide

MC Tests (2 different levels)

Lesson 4 – Coastal Ecosystems

Special topic – Sea World – Sharks and Rays

Advanced Level Seniors

Species list

MEE Species ID CD

MEE Species ID Companion

Guide

M/C questions

Lesson 4 – Coastal

Ecosystems

Special topic –

Sea World – Sharks and Rays

PLUS

New plant species

New invertebrate species

New vertebrate species

Additional M/C questions

2017 Study Materials Study materials may be downloaded of website at

http://florida4h.org/programsandevents_/marine/

The MEE Species ID CD can be obtained by contacting the state 4-H headquarters at 352-294-2903.

Additional resources See resource list in guidelines (nature guides, text books, etc.)

Some Sea Grant agents provide helpful resources on beaches,

estuaries, coral reefs, fish, etc http://stjohns.ifas.ufl.edu/SEA/education.html

http://collier.ifas.ufl.edu/SeaGrant/Educators.shtml Other web sites: Florida Museum of Natural History

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/

Fish and Wildlife resources – Fish species ID http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/fish/saltwater/

Companion Guide to Species ID

Contains identifying features for each organism, habitat(s), and interesting fact(s).

Companion Guide follows the order of the PowerPoint slide program which has photos of all the organisms youth need to know.

Together the two create more consistency in what is being learned and how organisms can be identified.

Awards & Recognition Determining winners

Teams - Drop lowest of 4 scores, 3 scores added together = final team score

Note: no dropped score if team of 3

Recognizing and Reporting winners

Website and through e-mail Photos will be taken

County scores will be mailed/e-mailed to County 4-H agents after contest

Awards & Recognition Types of awards given

Team awards (3 age levels, 3 places)

Individual Awards (3 age levels, 3 places)

Trophies/plaques awarded

Small Scholarships will be awarded to all first place winners Must be used within one year! For marine camp or other approved marine activity/event

All participants get “Certificates of Achievement”

Youth can get both team and individual awards.

First Place Winners

Seniors who win a first place, either as a member of a team or as an individual, may compete again but only in the “Advanced Level”.

Or they may return the following year(s) as helpers!

Contest Format: Coming to the Contest What to bring - IMPORTANT!

Pencils w/ erasers, small pencil sharpener Flat clipboard only (no clipboards w/ storage abilities ) Special county/team attire (optional) Great attitude!

Checking–in

Check in teams, individuals by county Volunteers help sign-in

Youth will be assigned to color groups for duration of

contest (4)

Contest Format

Sections of the contest 1. Coastal Plant Identification 2. Coastal Invertebrate Identification 3. Coastal Vertebrate Identification 4. Natural History Scavenger Hunt 5. Multiple Choice Questions

Youth will be lead by an adult group leader

through each of these sections

For Sections 1, 2, and 3 Specimens have color coded letters for each

age level.

Youth should select correct name of organism from a given list, then write down its number on answer sheet.

Make sure youth write their “ID” number on top!

Have clipboard, pencils, and sharpener.

Section 1 – Plant identification

Youth may touch plants.(15-20 plants)

Section 2 –Invertebrate ID Youth can not touch invertebrates but can ask for assistance. (20-30 invertebrates)

Youth should select

correct name of

organism from a given

list.

Section 3: Vertebrate ID – Youth should not touch organisms but can ask for assistance. (20-30 Vertebrates)

Section 4: Natural History Scavenger Hunt (20 to 25 specimens)

• Youth are given a list of clues based on “Did you know” information from the “companion guide”.

• Youth need to match clues with actual specimens and/or photos.

Section 5 – Multiple choice “test” Each 4-H age category has own set of questions. (25-35 questions)

How Can Volunteers Help? Help state staff check-in participants

Help check-in volunteers and provide directions

Assist in the scoring room by scoring answer sheets

Be a “runner” and collect completed answer sheets

Help Extension Specialists by monitoring contest sections

Be group leaders and lead youth through contest sections.

Be a Reader and assist those with reading concerns.

VOLUNTEERS CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE CONTEST AND

INDICATE THE ROLE THEY WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER FOR.

Volunteers – Help with checking in participants, assigning color groups, give out photo ballots, etc.

Volunteers score youths’ answer sheets.

Volunteer “readers” read questions and choices – youth provides answer orally or points to it, then writes choice on the answer sheet.

IMPORTANT!

If you want to receive additional information on the MEE or ask questions and share ideas with others about the MEE, make sure you are on the e-mail list. To be added, e-mail kblyler@ufl.edu and ask to be placed on the list.

Family Members and other Non-participants Only those volunteers assigned to monitor tables/sections

will be allowed to enter the testing area during the actual contest.

Counties may send a limited number of observers. These observers should be registered through 4-H online and MUST check in in order to be escorted through contest area.

Observers should not approach or speak to participants during test.

After the contest rotations are done, all are welcome to come into testing rooms and see the contest specimens.

Other activities at the MEE! Sea Perch Mini-Challenge – See flyer on MEE website

Other activities at the MEE! Marine and Aquatic Photo Contest – See website

Strategies for Preparing Youth Important to help youth see real/live organisms if possible… Ideas…

Arrange field trips to beaches/coastal habitats

Arrange snorkel/dive trips with family members

Contact/work with your local Sea Grant agent, Fish and

Wildlife staff, or possible Master Naturalist in your area.

Visit marine science centers,

aquariums, and zoos

Contact educators teaching

marine science

Seafood markets, too!

If at all possible, provide youth first hand experiences with marine life.

The more exciting it is, the more youth learn and remember!

Seeing something alive creates a more exciting experience.

Strategies for Preparing Youth If live/preserved specimens are not available - show

different photos/perspectives of organism from other sources, such as (see resource list in guidelines)… nature guides text books websites (IGFA, FWCC, FLMNH, etc.)

Other strategies to help youth learn mock contests study groups create flash cards and group learning games field trips to the coast, nature centers

ID Strategies for Specimens

Plants: Important to look for more than one key characteristic such as…

seed shape flower color/shape leaf shapes, arrangement, texture, etc. Also growth pattern. Is it bushy, spreading, vine,

or grass-like, etc? A unique feature such as

salt crystals, notches, spines, etc.

WHAT PLANT IS THIS? Look at the colors! What does it remind you of?

Note: Plants MAY be touched. In some cases only part of plant will be available to identify versus the whole plant!

Sea oats How might this be identified if you saw it lying on a table?

4-H Photo by Austin Davis, St. John’s County

Invertebrates – Learn key features of organisms and/or use “association” techniques

“Ghost” crab

“Horse” conch

“Horseshoe” Crab

Sand “dollar”

Morphology and Anatomy

Body shape, fin types, mouth location, etc., not only help youth identify the animal but are features that provide clues as to where and how a fish lives! Which is a fast swimmer?

Which one feeds near the bottom?

ID Strategies for specimens

Fish: look at physical features that do not change, such as… body shape (flat, round, streamlined, etc.) shape and number/types of fins (spines vs

rays) Shape and location of mouth, etc. Do NOT rely on colors since they may fade

after death

Live Xfish, dead Xfish, small xfish or Xfish in a bottle.. Do they look the same? What fish is this? Notice the “downward” slope of its head (It is called a Lookdown!)

It is important to look at features that do not change whether live or dead.

Spadefish

Amberjack

Black seabass

Any questions? Contact: Dr. Karen Blyler at kblyler@ufl.edu or call her at 352-294-2903 Thank you for your interest in the 4-H State Marine Ecology Event Hope to see your county youth at the Event!