Communications and Expressive Arts

Communications

Communications
  • Learn about interpersonal relationships, cultural understanding, speech making, safety in online spaces, and job interviews
  • practice communication in a variety of situations
  • Learn about communication preferences, active listening, identifying aggressive communication, using visual aids, making introductions, and writing letters and songs
  • Learn about interpersonal relationships, cultural understanding, speech making, safety in online spaces, and job interviews
  • Practice communicating in a variety of situations
  • Learn about and practice conflict resolution, online communication and social media, cultural differences in communication, writing thank you notes, press releases, and speeches, and career in communications
  • Learn about interpersonal relationships, cultural understanding, speech making, safety in online spaces, and job interviews
  • Practice communicating in a variety of situations
  • Learn about interpersonal electronic communication usage, evaluating advertisements, writing resumes and cover letters, safety in online communication, leadership and teamwork, and digital storytelling
  • Prepare for a video shoot
  • Learn proper shooting techniques (framing, lighting, audio)
  • Edit your footage using digital video software to tell a story
  • Share video with others
  • Prepare oral communications
  • Gain poise while speaking
  • Participate in a county, district or state speaking contest
  • Learn the principles of effective posters
  • Design and execute a poster
  • Learn about tone
  • Make a monologue
  • Overcome stage fright
  • Make various kinds of puppets
  • Set up your own puppet stage
  • Discover the purpose of puppets
  • Practice dialogue and use props
  • Create sound effects for a story
  • Design and apply makeup

Printed Youth Materials:

  • Movie Magic (Montana State University)
  • Theatre Arts: Level 1
  • Theatre Arts: Level 2
  • Theatre Arts: Level 3
  • Communications Curriculum - Module 1
  • Communications Curriculum – Module 2
  • Communications Curriculum – Module 3

Printed Leader Materials:

  • Theatre Arts Helper's Guide

Communications References and Forms:

  • 4H Filmmaking Studio and Workshop
  • The Versatile 4-H Presentation
  • The Four P's of Planning a Presentation
  • Getting Ready to Give a 4-H Presentation
  • Presentation Visuals
  • Using Powerpoint in 4-H Presentations
  • Evaluating a 4-H Presentation
  • How to Prepare a Multimedia Presentation
  • Nebraska 4-H Communication Program website
  • Nebraska 4-H State Presentations Contests website
  • Nebraska 4-H State Public Speaking Contests website

Photography

Photography
  • Get to know your camera
  • Practice keeping camera steady and level
  • Practice taking photos, noticing natural light
  • Notice shadows and their potential in photography
  • Practice using natural light from several different directions
  • Practice using flash for fill, solving red-eye problems
  • Evaluate background, middle-ground, and foreground when taking photos
  • Practice filling the frame with the subject
  • Practice eliminating background clutter in photos
  • Practice using different viewpoints and perspectives in photos
  • Compose creative, unusual photos
  • Compose variety of selfies
  • Take photos of people, places, and things
  • Sequence photos to tell a story
  • Create black and white photos
  • Evaluate photos using critical thinking
  • Get to know your camera's capabilities using zoom
  • Practice using different lens filters
  • Practice using light to portray a specific mood
  • Practice taking photos of reflections
  • Practice taking photos without the flash feature on your camera
  • Practice using the Rule of Thirds and the Rules of the Golden Triangle and the Golden Rectangle
  • Practice taking photos from different points of view/perspectives
  • Practice creating photos with interesting negative spaces
  • Practice capturing unposed, candid shots of a subject or event
  • Practice taking photos of "bits and pieces" of ordinary objects to create a work of art
  • Practice using a camera to create a panorama
  • Use color to create photos that are cool warm, monochromatic, contrasting, and/or complementary
  • Practice taking photos with a specific purpose in mind to teach, instruct, or sell a product or service
  • Evaluate photos that represent body of work
  • Get to know your camera's capabilities using the mode dial
  • Practice capturing a focal point understanding how camera equipment and depth of field effects the photo
  • Practice taking photos in low-light situations
  • Practice taking photos that help you get the correct exposure
  • Practice taking silhouettes
  • Practice composing photos that include geometric shapes and interesting framing
  • Practice composing photos that break photography "rules"
  • Practice taking still-life photos
  • practice capturing portraits showing a person's character and personality
  • Practice taking photos of interesting shapes, patterns, and textures
  • Practice capturing photos where the subject is in motion
  • Practice taking photos that are outside the normal limits: astrophotography, underwater, infrared
  • Practice creating creative joiners
  • Evaluate photos that represent body of work

Printed Youth Materials:

  • Photography Level 1: Photography Basics
  • Photography Level 2: Next Level Photography
  • Photography Level 3: Mastering Photography

Printed Leader Materials:

Photography References and Forms:

  • State Fair 4-H Fairbook: Premier Science Award
  • State Fair 4-H Fairbook: Photography

Visual Arts

Visual Arts
  • Practice drawing, fiber arts, and sculpting
  • Develop artistic talents and skills
  • Understand the visual arts in relation to history and culture
  • Learn painting, printing, and graphic design techniques
  • Make connections between visual arts and other disciplines
  • create original artwork
  • practice using design elements and principles
  • explore and experiment with various mediums and techniques
  • practice self-expression
  • learn to communicate a personal voice through artwork

Printed Youth Materials:

  • Sketchbook Crossroads
  • Portfolio Pathways

Printed Leader Materials:

Visual Arts References and Forms:

  • State Fair 4-H Fairbook: Premier Science Award
  • State Fair 4-H Fairbook: Visual Arts