Record Books
Record Books
Record books are how a 4-H'er tracks their year. It is very important to allow time for 4-H members to reflect on their project workshops and club activities. Record books teach kids how to set goals, tracks their community service (great for scholarship applications), and helps them learn the cost of their project. Record books also offer a way for youth to reflect and apply what they are learning to their goals and life outside 4-H.
Electronic forms can be downloaded below or on the Montana 4-H website. Hard copies and 4-H binders are available through your club leader or the Extension Office for a small cost.
***Record books ARE NOT project books. Check with your project leader or visit the project pages to see if you need to download or purchase a separate project book. If you do not have a project leader or are not planning to attend project workshops, you will be required to complete a certain number of activities with a mentor, on your own, or in the project book to be eligible for Fair. Please visit this page to view the project books and number of activities required.
Resources for Completing Record Books
- All About Record Books Video
- A calendar template - for easy record-keeping throughout the year. Stick it on your fridge or bulletin board!
- ZSuites Online Record Book
- This is a free mobile-friendly record book!
- Information
- How to add a new account
- How to add a member profile
- My 4-H Year - Used to record club and general 4-H activities
- My 4-H Non-Animal Project Journal & Financial Record - You need one for each non-animal project
- My 4-H Animal Project Journal & Financial Record - You need one for each animal project
- Cloverbud Record Book pages
- New 4-H Family Handbook
Resources for Record Book Checks
Record book forms and project books are checked by project leaders prior to Fair, between May 1st and June 10th, and are then due to club leaders by August 31st. Please read through the guide below for more information, or reach out to your project/club leaders or the Extension Office.
- Project Completion and Record Book Check Informational Guide for families and members
- Project Completion and Record Book Check Informational Guide for project leaders
- Record Book Check Guidelines by Project
A copy of this checklist needs to be included with each record book and will need to stay in the record book through the project checks and turned in to your club leader for the final record book review. There are two versions, the fillable PDF will be better for sending it back and forth to project leaders electronically.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and the Montana State University Extension Service prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Jeff Bader, Director of Extension, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717