Bear Elective Adventure: A World of Sound

Bear Elective Adventure: A World of Sound

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1. Make an mbira.

Simple kids Mbira(thumb piano)
More complex tunable mbira
Altoids tin, Grounding bar and Bobby pins(you tube)
Simple wood one
Fun video(way too complex)

Cheap mbira using home depot stuff

• 14 terminal ground bar $4
• Wide bobby pins like in the pic (not as cheap as they say) 40 =$6
• Carriage bolts(2) + hex nut(4) + wing nut(2).. 
• I'll have to see which ones are thin enough for the grounding bar before i say what size to use.
• Hunk of wood.. solid wood is supposed to sound better than plywood

Steel fish tape for Mbia bars at amazon ($14)

If you have a better idea let me know 
You could use steel pallet strapping for this if you cut it's width down.

Wooden Cigar box for Mbira $4.19 each
Metal bus bar (easiest but not cheapest way to attach keys) max 7 keys
12 terminal ground bar for $6 at Home Depot

Free Android app to help you tune your Thumb Pianos or Mbira
Apple one

2. Make a sistrum.

http://www.kinderart.com/across/sistrum.shtml

 

Buy bottle caps for crafts 100 for $7

3. Make a rain stick

Full on legit rain stick, for the over achiever
Card board and tin foil rain stick (much easier)
Another easy kids rain stick
This one wraps the foil around a dowel to make it easier
You Tube video, tooth pick style
Another video, Foil style
Best video so far, foil style

Bear Elective Adventures: Super Science

Bear Elective Adventures: Super Science

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1. Make static electricity by rubbing a balloon or a plastic or rubber comb on a fleece

blanket or wool sweater. Explain what you learned.

2 min YouTube video on balloon static electricity experiments

Floating Bag static experiment

2. Conduct a balloon or other static electricity investigation that demonstrates

properties of static electricity. Explain what you learned.

2 min YouTube video on balloon static electricity experiments

3. Conduct one other static electricity investigation. Explain what you learned.

2 min YouTube video on balloon static electricity experiments

4. Do a sink-or-float investigation. Explain what you learned.

Sink or float coke vs diet coke, cool steve spangler  video
Quick science activity

For our foal sink experiment we made Cartesian divers like this... it's very cool
Cartesian divers out of pipettes and nuts

I used these Pipettes

and 5/16" nuts, and it worked perfectly , I didn't even have to add water into the pipette bulb.. it worked.. If you try it and they don't' float because you nuts are heavier, try a longer piece of pipette sticking out past the nut, or try adding salt to the water to make it heavier.

After we were done, we added 1 drop of 2 different colors of food coloring to the water, that was out color blending experiment.

5. Do a color-morphing investigation. Explain what you learned.

Another steve spangler color Morphing milk experiment

For our Color morphing experiment we made ooblek and added drops of food coloring to it..
have them wear disposable gloves, or accept that food coloring will get on their hands.
Ooblek and food coloring

Mostly I did this because kids dig ooblek so much, and added the food coloring to make it count.. 

6. Do a color-layering investigation. Explain what you learned.

Color layering vid 1 

Color laying vid 2  

I was lazy for color layering and bought these Gels, but honestly what am I going to use them for now?... So if you want, you can just put food coloring and a little water in ziplock bags and do the same thing by stacking them on white paper.

Bear Elective Adventures: Salmon Run

Bear Elective Adventures: Salmon Run

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For insurance reasons our pack has decidd nto to pursue the swimming electives, so I don't' have much guidance for these.

 

1. Explain the safety rules that you need to follow before participating in boating.

2. Identify the equipment needed when going boating.

3. Demonstrate correct rowing or paddling form. Explain how rowing and canoeing

are good exercise.

4. Explain the importance of response personnel or lifeguards in a swimming area.

5. Show how to do both a reach rescue and a throw rescue.
Reach and Throw are described here

Video from Corps of Engineers on Reach and Throw and more

6. Visit a local pool or swimming area with your den or family, and go swimming.

7. Demonstrate the front crawl swim stroke to your den or family.

8. Name the three swimming ability groups for the Boy Scouts of America.
See the link for #9, they are Non-swimmer, Beginner, Swimmer

9. Attempt to earn the BSA beginner swimmer classification.
The Reqs for the swim test are here, look under Beginner

Bear Elective Adventures: Robotics

Bear Elective Adventures: Robotics

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1. Identify six tasks performed by robots.

10 Strange-ish Very specific tasks
9 more normal ones

10 min youtube vid of alot of neat robots(mostly just vids with no sound or talking)
Better video best robot till 2015


2015 Darpa challenge robotics contest (rescue robots)
Better shorter Darpa Challenge summary video
What is Darpa Video
 

2. Learn about some instances where a robot could be used in place of a human for

work. Research one robot that does this type of work, and present what you learn

to your den.

Types of robots from a how they are built perspective

3. Build a robot hand. Show how it works like a human hand and how it is different

from a human hand.

Canada scout plans for a robotic hand.. this is way less robotic than you are afraid it is...

Pintrest with lots of robots including hands


Cool "robot" hand out of cardboard and string (and bits)

4. Build your own robot.
Cub Books recommend bristle bots
Instructable on bristle bots 

Pintrest with lots of robots including hands

 
5. Visit a place that uses robots.
Remember, this includes alot of places you don't think about,  
Dentists that have CNC crown cutting, or the Xray that moves around your head, 
The kind of car wash where you drive in and it washes your car... anything where a computer or electronic switches makes things move when needed is a Robot.
Metal cutting or wood cutting places with CNC,

Bear Elective Adventures: Roaring Laughter

Bear Elective Adventures: Roaring Laughter

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1. Think about what makes you laugh. Write down three things that make you laugh.

2. Practice reading tongue twisters.
Scout tongue twisters

3. Create your own short story. Remove some nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs

from the story, leaving blanks. Without telling the story, have a friend insert his or

her own nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in the story you created.

Free madlibs


4. With a partner, play a game that makes you laugh.

5. Share a few jokes with a couple of friends to make them laugh.

Bear scout jokes

6. Practice at least two run-ons with your den, and perform them at a pack meeting or campfire

program.

Run Ons

Notes: Tongue twister & jokes handouts, parts of a short story handout , paper & Pencils for story(must be pencils for madlibs), mad lib turn into madlib, Practice and Do run ons

Required:

Here is my handout I used for this den meeting, I printed out a bunch of madlibs from online and then handed one to every 2 scouts (becasue listening to 7 madlibs in a row was a bit much) Madlibs are kind of borderline, OK, you might want to have the boys write a story and remove verbs as written to fulfill this requirement fully.

Bear Elective Adventure: Marble Madness

Bear Elective Adventure: Marble Madness

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Hint: save this for cold weather and play indoor on a carpet using string and masking tape for field.

1. Discuss with your family and den the history of marbles, such as where and when

the game began. Talk about the different sizes of marbles and what they are made

of and used for.

Marble, history and slang (brief if  you stop when history is over)

Not brief history of marbles 

2. Learn about three different marble games, and learn to play the marble game

“ringer.” Learn how to keep score. Learn and follow the rules of the game. Play the game with

your family, friends, or your den.

How to play marbles(youtube ~3 min) 

Ways to shoot marbles and a bunch of different games
 

3. Learn four or five words that are used when talking about marbles. Tell what each of the words means and how it relates to playing marbles. Share this information with your den.

(see the link on #1 with slang)

4. With the help of an adult, make a marble bag to hold marbles.

5. With your den or family, make a marble obstacle course or marble golf course. Share what you create. Invite everyone to go through your course.

6. Create your own game using marbles, and design rules for playing the game. Share the game

you created with your den, family, or friends. Explain the rules and how to play the game.

7. With your den or family, create a marble race track. Have at least two lanes so you can race your favorite marbles against each other. 

Dont' over think your marble race track take alook at this

8. Make a marble maze.

Marbles in a box from amazon

Notes: 
Marble game ringer handout, 
marble history handout(with vocabulary 5 words min), 
make marble race track stuff for rube gold berg machine, re use here.(PCV pipe cut in half?)

Required: Marbles fo several sizes, Sew/make a Marble bag (cloth or leather), marble obstacle course, or golf game supplies,

 

Bear Elective Adventure: Make It Move

Bear Elective Adventure: Make It Move

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1. Create an “exploding” craft stick reaction.
Jumbo Craft sticks on amazon 
Non video tutorial
Tutorials 
Brit Tutorial
3rd video tutorial 

2. Make two simple pulleys, and use them to move objects.
Russian girl making them with cardboard and bottle cap and straws.
Plastic bobbins for pulleys(small) on amzon, just need small dowels for axles

3. Make a lever by creating a seesaw using a spool and a wooden paint stirrer. Explore

the way it balances by placing different objects on each end.

4. Do the following:

a. Draw a Rube Goldberg–type machine. Include at least six steps to complete your action.

b. Construct a real Rube Goldberg–type machine to complete a task assigned by your den

leader. Use at least two simple machines and include at least four steps.

Notes: Rube gold berg handout

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/popsicle-stick-chain-reaction

Cool Rube Goldberg for kids page:
http://tinkerlab.com/engineering-kids-rube-goldberg-machine/

Required: Craft sticks (for catapult?), pulley, windlass, rpe, lever(Paint stirrer)  & Fulcrom(thread Spool), rube goldberg parts to setup..(pre make specific parts)(include Marble track)

Bear Elective Adventure: Forensics

Bear Elective Adventure: Forensics

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1. Talk with your family and den about forensics and how it is used to help solve

crimes.

2. Analyze your fingerprints.

3. Learn about chromatography and how it is used in solving crimes. Do an

investigation using different types of black, felt-tip markers. Share your results with your den.

4. Do an analysis of four different substances: salt, sugar, baking soda, and cornstarch.

5. Make a shoe imprint.

6. Visit the sheriff’s office or police station in your town. Find out how officers collect evidence.

7. Learn about the different jobs available in forensic science. Choose two, and find out what is

Required to work those jobs. Share what you learned with your den.

8. Learn how animals are used to gather important evidence. Talk about your findings with your den.

Notes: Integrate this one with the Justice Center Visit
Black Pen Chromatography experiment
https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/black_magic.html

Required: Different black tip markers(not permanent) and Chromatography kits (uv & white light mini flashlights, Light , color filters, coffee fitlers to put ink on, clear cups water), salt, sugar, baking soda, and cornstarch, stuff for a shoe imprint

Bear Elective Adventure: Critter Care

Bear Elective Adventure: Critter Care

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1. Care for a pet for two weeks. Make a list of tasks you did to take care of the pet. If

you do not have a pet, research one that you would like to have and write about the

care it needs.

2. Learn more about your pet or a pet you would like to have. List three interesting

facts that you learned about your pet.

3. Make a poster about your pet or a pet you would like to own. Share your poster with your den, pack, or family.

4. Do your best to train a pet to perform a trick or follow a simple command, and explain how youtrained it. (If your pet is a hermit crab, fish, snake, or the like, you may skip this requirement.)

5. Tell three ways that animals can help people.

6. Tell what is meant by an animal being “rabid.” Name some animals that could have rabies.

Explain what you should do if you are near an animal that might be rabid.

7. Visit with a local veterinarian or animal shelter caretaker. Find out what types of animals he or she might see on a regular basis. Ask what type of education is needed to become a veterinarian or shelter caretaker and why he or she chose to pursue this career.

Notes: Set up Visit to the Local Vet (on 685)

1.   Home Town Animal Care

www.hometownanimalcare.com

1001 FM685
Pflugerville, TX
(512) 251-2242

Required: Poster supplies (collage?)

Bear Elective Adventure: Beat of the Drum

Bear Elective Adventure: Beat of the Drum

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1. Learn about the history and culture of American Indians who lived in your area at the

time of European colonization.
Texas Native tribesNative American info for kids
Cool short Rap  song teaching about Various Native Tribes, about one sentence per tribe

Do an atl atl demonstration and boys, maybe let the boys try.
(Yes I have an atl atl... big boys = big toys)

2. Write a legend.
Gift of the Sacred Dog  

3. Make a dream catcher.
Paper Plate Dream Catcher Crafts
 

4. Make a craft.

Bear claw necklace kits on amazon ($25ish)
(You can get all the pieces seperately, but it works out about the same, unless you have some of it already, I'm doing this one)
100 bulk bearclaws $13 not Amazon
Other crafts on a pintrest board
Head band craft

5. Make a drum. Once your drum is complete, create a ceremonial song.
Packing tape headed Drums 

6. Visit an Order of the Arrow dance ceremony or American Indian event within your community.

 Austin Powow: http://www.austinpowwow.net/heritage-day/ Friday, September 25, 2015

7. Learn and demonstrate ceremonial dance steps.
A simple form of the hoop dance might be fun
Kids hoop dancing  
Hoop dancing with one hoop
How to make hoops
Hoop dance instructable

Pex Pipe from home Depot 1/2"matches the connectors, just make sure you get the right coupler ask the guy at homdepot cause I'm not sure the one below is 100% (it's too big) but it gives you the idea of what it looks like, might be brass instead of plastic
+ coupling to turn it into a loop
You ought to be able to make hoops out of that, and  you can buy it by the foot at home depot too since a 100" is a lot.. then decorate it with colored electrical tape and you are in the right place. 

8. Create a dance.
Let the boys watch this because its' so cool, supaman prayer loop song
Ex 6 time national champ hoop dancer

Notes: 
Organize trip to OA Dance Ceremony? Get Oa to come to us?(Presents for Oa dancers?)

Required: Drum kits Supplies(rubber top easier than leather?), Dream Catcher Kits, another craft kit (leather work?)

indian 4 hole flute

Information about the Tonkawa tribes (local to our area and our OA chapter is named after them)
More Tonkawa

Bear Elective Adventures: Bear Picnic Basket

Bear Elective Adventures: Bear Picnic Basket

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1. Do the following:

a. Create your own Bear Cookbook using at least five recipes you can cook or

prepare either on your own or with some adult help. Include one page with

information about first aid. You should include one recipe for a breakfast

item, one for lunch, and one for dinner, and two recipes for nutritious snacks.

b. Prepare for cooking by explaining the importance of planning, tool selection, and

cooking safety.

c. Go on a grocery shopping trip with your den or with an adult. Check the price of

different brands of one single item, and compare the price of a ready-made item with

the price of the same item you would make yourself.

2. Do the following:

a. With the help of an adult, select one food item, and follow a recipe to prepare it for

your family in your kitchen. Clean up after the preparation and cooking.

b. With the help of an adult, select one food item and follow a recipe to prepare it

outdoors for your family or den. Clean up after the preparation and cooking.

3. Select and prepare two nutritious snacks for yourself, your family, or your den.

Notes: Build Recipe book, Cook at home 1 Cook at outside one. (Remember nutritious!= healthy, just cant’ be empty)

Required: Assorted Recpies for kid friendly per req 1, take a trip to stor to get the stuff as a den? Or have each family get something?

Bear Elective Adventure: A Bear Goes Fishing

Bear Elective Adventure: A Bear Goes Fishing

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1. Discover and learn about three types of fishes in your area. Draw a color picture of

each fish, record what each one likes to eat, and describe what sort of habitat each

likes.

Coloring book with reference pics for fish at Camp Green Dickson (where we are going fishing)

Fish Coloring Book (free)
Page with coloring sheets of fish(free)
Kid Fish in Lake Pflugerville
Stocking report for lake pflugerville

Types of Pan fish in Texas (the kinds kids will most likely catch)
links to other states at the bottom

2. Learn about your local fishing regulations with your leader or a parent or guardian.

List three of the regulations you learn about and one reason each regulation exists.

Texas Fishing Regulations

3. Learn about fishing equipment, and make a simple fishing pole. Practice casting at a target.

Several simple fishing poles for kids, I'll probably do the PVC

NEW!!!

Here is my step by step document on just about the simplest fishing pole that i think bear scouts can learn to make using the knots they basically already know, or a super simple to tie.

Here is a web page of the same instructions, in case you just want to browse it.

If you need it here is a closeup video of the finished pole



4. Go on a fishing adventure, and spend a minimum of one hour trying to catch a fish. Put into

Practice the things you have learned about fish and fishing equipment.

Notes: Make Fish Handouts, make Fishing Rules Handouts, or order from state

Required:Make, Fishing Poles, worms

 

Bear Elective Adventure: Baloo the Builder

Bear Elective Adventure: Baloo the Builder

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1. Discover which hand tools are the best ones to have in your tool box. Learn the

rules for using these tools safely. Practice with at least four of these tools before

beginning a project.

I searched all voer for a good hand tools lesson and they all teach way to many tools here is my list
I'll try to develop it into a lesson later

Hammer, claw (a small heavy hammer like this is better for kids than the longer lighter ones)
Screwdriver, flathead and phillips. (again stubby ones are better)
Tape measure
Speed square
Pencil
Hand saw, rip and cross cut (teach but don't make them actualy use this)
Electric Jig/saber saw
Electric drill (in drill mode and in screw driver mode, teach to change tips)
Pliers Needle nose and regular
File (teach them to push forward life bring back set down and repeat, file teeth usually only cut one direction)

Optional:
Nail set (to hammer finishing nails down where they don't stick out)


2. Select, plan, and define the materials for the projects you will complete in

requirement 3.
Lots of woodworking plans for free designed for kids 

3. Assemble your materials, and build one useful project and one fun project using wood.

My useful project:
Top one, simple shelf, replace curves on bottom with straight lines
Another Option fora simple useful shelf
Simple stool
Another simple tool , all rectangles(youtube video)

Simplest stool, no plans just a pic

Fun Project: the Catapult:(shoot marshmallow or ping pong balls for safety)
Several simple catapult designs
Tiny Catapults
The simplest one yet
This is the catapult design I went with

A company that makes cheap premade kits for those of you who are low on power tools
Lots of different kits down the left had side.. if you don't want to do a catapult.

simple napkin holder for camping...

4. Apply a finish to one of your wood projects.

We are going to spray/hand  paint or hand rub on  some stain

Donations from Lowes and Home Depot:
Be aware of this trick when looking for donations from Lowes, or Home Depot. Each store gets a Monthly budget for community outreach, so when you go ask for donations or help, go early in the month. The Mangers have a monthly meeting where they talk about all the people they helped. Make up a sheet of notes for them to make this meeting easier for them, describing who you are and what your project is. (You can thank my oldest, the eagle scout for this knowledge)

Notes: Shelf, step or Door stop, catapult(fun thing), whatever you finish, sign with a hand print like the Indians did, to tie this into the Indian section .

Required: Supplies for both projects, Make Catapult Kits, enough basic tools for each kid (gather cheap tool sets? See if Lowes /HD will donate them?

Pintrest of Ballo the Builder Projects

More cubscout oriented woodworking projects

Instructable of beginning wood working projects