Activities that i just want to save for fun time, but not really for a badge

Growing crystals in a super saturated solution

Playing with Dry ice


I bought thise 6 packs for the boys to make ther own woggles
the shippign took liek a month from britain, and I took my wife to
figure out how to make them work, but i still think they are cool.

plaited (braided) mystery woggle (neckercheif slides)

Notes for my Pack on how I run Pinewood derby for a 100 plus pack 685 pflugerville tx.

I'm trying to put in place some documentation on how I run Pine wood derby for my pack with 100+ kids

This is all going to be pretty specific, I just want the notes to exist... but feel free to look them over.

They are going to start pretty basic and get ore detail as we go along


On the macro level pinewood breaks down to the following parts

Done ahead of time:

• Buying stuff ahead of time:
• Patches, Trophies and Ribbons, Decorations
• Getting the space reserved at the church
• Big room for track, 2nd room for snacks movies and the inspection on the night before derby, Talk to Rudy& Meluinda to get this nailed down early. I be we can just use the big hall where we meet at Immanuel for everything but movies.
• Planning and Recruiting.
• Get team leads from the leaders, get them volunteers, find out what budget they have, and let them goto town.
• Revising the Pinewood Rules if Needed
• Unless we do a rules simplification, this should be done already
• The only rule change we have planned is changing the settings on the race software, to make the rules appear more "fair".

Done on the day(Pick a team lead & assistant to do each of these and get out of their way, answer any questions year)

• Set up Tear down team -  Picks up the track, Sets up and Tears down the track, delivers the track back to storage  - Rudy did great at this
• Software Team - Charlie Hedlin has run this since i started
• Decorations Team
• Snack & movie room team
• Inspection team - Need to do more like 2 years ago, have someone blocking the doors until we are ready (or keep the doors closed) We got bum rushed while setting it up last year . I have all the stuff for this, rules, check-in forms, station notes for the assembly line and all the tools  & supplies.
• Race Ops Team (You ran this last year)
• Cleanup Team

Done after

I always write up a post Mortem doc, while everything is fresh in my mind, of the changes I want to make for next year.

Things you can start on now... or later....

Buying awards -

Patches from the studio (https://www.thestudio.com/) the nice thing about the studio is they will copy any patch you find on the internet... So start googling pine wood derby patches, and looking at pictures to get a feel for what you want... Get the budget from Doc, I got 100 patches because that's a big price break point. we usually have in the 90s of scouts, about 70-80 of which actually show up whole process 2-4 weeks usually (but plan for more)

Trophies and Ribbons, from crown trophy, (http://www.crowntrophy.com/store-122) pick the one you want on the website, contact the Austin office,  order them, drive over to pick up when ready. It can't get much easier than this one. I did this early and put them on the shelf fora month or two, just so it was out of my mind. (whole process, once they got the  ribbons for the new year in, ie 2017) about a month.

Recruiting.  Start picking your team leads & assistants whenever,  for the bulk of recruiting  i start late November. I'll dig up my form form last year and you can use that to know how many to recruit. I try to recruit people of differing ranks for each "on the day" job, so nobody has to work when their kids are racing. I also recruit enough so that when each person is out we have enough to get by...

ve enough to get by...

Webelos Elective - Adventures in Science - Building Circuits

So we've actually finished Adventures in science, but I wanted to do the Circuit building activity anyway.. Here is how I came up to do it for the boys.

Building Circuits!

Video to teach Series VS parallel(short)

Please note I recommend switching from teh 12v /9v option to a 1.5 or 3 v options using 1 or 2 AA cells,. the (v were to powerful, a short caused a quickly melted wire. Use lower voltage. (v no 1.5 or 3v yes!

So first I printed out some circuit diagrams that I drew up for the  boys, 1 copy of each for each boy

Parallel Circuit Diagram (PDF)

Series Circuit Diagram (PDF)


Then I cut out some cardboard scrap from boxes, slightly larger than the circuits , one per each boy. They don't have to be perfectly the same size, just big enough to tape the normal sized printed sheet of paper to.

Then I taped the circuit to the cardboard with scotch tape

Punching Holes

Then I used a pencil to poke holes through through the paper and the cardboard behind it for the brass pins, one at a time. Be sure your fingers are not where the pencil goes through, it's best to put them to either side of the hole to support it, or put the board so the hold is just off the edge of the table as shown

Inserting Pins

Then I inserted a pin through the hole, and bent it over on the back side

When putting one for the switch put the paper clip on the left brass pin first,  then insert and fold it over, trying to put the paperclip on after the pin is in is too much work..

Be careful of the ones for the switch, you need to orient the tabs so they don't touch each other and tape them in place with scotch tape on the back side. if they touch, the paper clip will not work as a switch lever.

Cutting and Stripping wires

Then Cut pieces for wire to go between the pins on the diagram. make the pieces of wire 3" longer than the space between the pins or more (more is easier)


Then strip each one about 1.5" on each end (the long pieces of wire will be wrapped around the brass posts)

Then twist the exposed wire so it will not fray apart, hold the tip of the wire between 2 fingers of one hand, then twist the part with insulation with the other hand is the easiest way.

Attaching Wires

Wrap each end of the wire _CLOCKWISE_ around a Brass pin, where the lines are shown to build the diagram (if you don't wrap them all the same direction, later wires will unwind earlier wires)

The Battery

Strip the ends of the 9v connector 1.5 inches also

Then attach the battery to the 9v connector

BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO COUCH THE WIRES TOGETHER, 9v WILL MELT THE WIRE IN LESS THAN A SECOND!  I didn't' realize how fast a short would melt the wires, but one of the scout did it and it was lightning fast.. like a flash bulb.

Don't short circuit the wires. Ever... not just on this project.

Then twist the wires to the battery pins getting + and _ (red and black) on correctly.
(Make sure the paperclip is not touching the second PIN, this is the switch in the OFF position.

If 9v makes you nervous, you can get 3v LEDs on amazon, and get a 2 aa batter holder instead. I did 9v, to save money. as long as the V of the batteries and the V of the LEDs match, it'll work fine.

Then I used a piece of Tape to hold the battery in place.

Then strip the ends of the LED wires, and put them in place. 

Be very careful to get the Black and Red wires of the LEDs hoked up as shown on the diagram.
Note that for the Pictures, I twisted the led wires at the LED end and then tied it into an overhand knot to make it look neater, but this is not required.

Be aware, that unlike regular light bulbs, LEDs don't work hooked up backwards. the D in LED stands for Diode, and you can think of a Diode as a one way valve for electricity. So if anyone is having trouble check this first.

Do not cut the LED wires short enough to match exactly, as stripping wires sometimes has to be done twice and will end up with a LED to short to fit. Leave some slack. as I was intending to reuse the LEDS for another project, I left them full length.


Double check everything then move the Paperclip to touch the second brass pin in the switch area, and it should all turn on.

Cool Tricks

Cool trick #1, if you bend the paper clip up away from the paper, and position it above the 2nd brass pin, you can press it down, and change the switch from a lever switch to a push button switch.

Cool Trick #2, Replace the 3rd led wtih a 9v buzzer or motor, so the boys can learn that circuits are universal, theyc an run anything, not just lights

if you have a 9v capable incandescent light bulb that cool too..  or a string of LEDs

Remember that there are 2 sheets of paper, and you have to build 2 circuits, if you want to walk them through both circuits that's fine, or you can tape both pieces of paper down, series on bottom and parallel on top, then pull the top paper off when you are done that's cool too...

Supplies

Here is what I bought on amazon to do this... this was an expensive one,

Red black 20 g wire

 

Brass Pins for fastening Binders

 Assorted 12 v LEDs (will run on 9v)

9v battery connectors

9 v batteries

I had some small paperclips lying around, so I used them, but you can buy them too.

Cheap wire strippers, 1 for every other scout (4) 20-30 gauge ($5 each)

If you don't want to get these, just pre cut and pre strip everything for the boys. I wanted them to learn how, so I pre cut and pre stripped most of it, and the boys will cut and strip just a couple wires each. This will keep the activity fast.

I didn't think of pre doing them all,  till after I'd bought all the wire strippers, so I had to make the best.

If you get with the other webelos den leaders in your den, maybe you can share the stuff to do this project. I'm thinking about lending my gear to the other two dens.
































 

Sterilizing camp cookware without the nasty smell of bleach...

See, I'm bleach intolerant, no it doesn't make me run for the bathroom, but it sets of my asthma something fierce, So when camping I usually just washed with antibacterial soap and went with that ...

Our pack asked us to start using the 3 bucket method of cleaning all camp cooking and eating ware, ( and to stop using disposable)

Soap, rinse, sterilize... Most folks use bleach, but clearly i can't... Or at least will not.

Luckily for me I'm also in to home brewing, mostly Meads and Ciders, but in so doing I encountered several instant sanitizes other than a bleach solution... the one I use now is Steramine...

no bad smell, after a brief time when it's dissolving, not much smell at all...  most importantly  because I cant' take most perfumes either (instant headaches).. NO perfume...

Works great, dunk, sterile, DONE!

Scout Skill Relay Games for the Scout Oath, Law, Motto Slogan and Outdoor Code, or just about anything

Scout Skill Relay Games for learning the Scout Oath, Law, Motto Slogan 

and Outdoor Code 

(or just about anything)

When I was a Webelos and Boy Scout, back in the 1970s we did a lot of what were called "Scout Skill Relays".

The Basic pattern was consistent across them all

At one end was a line of scouts, usually by Den or patrol, but sometimes by rank or age (to make handicapping easier)

At the other end was an adult with slips of laminated paper, and a laminated board.(and often a cheat Sheet)

One at a time, scouts ran down to the adult, picked one piece of paper and either

• Put the paper on the board in the right order,  
• Or Practiced the skill (tieing knots etc) 

CubScout Ideas has a similar game for earning BOBCAT, if you want to go see that.


You can use these for all levels of scout skills, from Learning Bobcat, to Mastering the Oath and law as webelos to knot tieing, map symbols and first aid for boy scouts,


For now lets talk about the first one.

On the board is "The Scout Law"


So lets imagine one of the games in Detail


On the floor are the following piece of paper (1 per comma)

A Scout is,
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient ,
Cheerful ,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean,
and Reverent.

All face up

But they are all mixed up in a random order

The scouts run down and pick the next one and add it to the top of the board in correct order.

The Adult tells them if it,s right, or wrong

If wrong they have to take it back off the board and put it with the random ones, if it's correct they leave it...

either way, they run back, tag the next scout in line, and return to the end of the line.

The first line to get all the piece onto the board correctly, wins the relay.

We had a point system for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and the points were accumulated for the Lead Patrol that got to be in front on hikes parades, etc... and got a special ribbon to go on the patrol or den flag.

I thought it would be really nice to play these games, but my Den/Patrol meets outside, so the pieces of paper would blow around...

So I printed them all out on magnets, and the magnetic dry erase board instead of a large piece of paper for the "board".

The Scout Law magnet is at the top, so everyone knows what we are working on.
the rest are at the bottom

Boys pick the next one of the bottom and add it up under the ones there already

Everything else is the same

I've got 2 sets, so I can divide my Den/Patrol in half and they can play against each other ( always swap the team around after each race, at the Cub Scout Level, make sure to swap the best players around so each side gets roughly the same number of wins.

To make it easier for the cub scout level, we will have a 2nd adult, back with the boys who has a cheat sheet and can help the boys in line practice the Oath and law, etc...

Just to make it easy, here are my quick and dirty word docs, all you have to do is print them out on the special magnet paper, cut them out and find something magnetic to play on..

with my boy we did it on the front of the fridge, just for fun/practice.

Boy Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan, and Outdoor code 2 pages
and Here is one for the learning the points of the compass
Here is one for learning all the knots they will use as boy scouts, and are supposed to have learned as cub scouts, plus some extra ones for later, like Blind folded and one handed to keep the game fun.

Just so you can print them yourself,

Here are the sheets you use if you have an inkjet printer: 5 for $9

Here are the sheets you use if you have a Laser Printer 10 for $28

I'll try to make more, like basic knots, first aid, skills,  and such and add them here later

Please realize these are just done quickly with word doing all the formatting, so the boxes are not all the same size... but it's good enough.

If you want to make your own and like me that kind of thing bothers, you , get the magnetic business card sheets, and get a business card template and work from there... it's all pre cut, and they will all be the same size. I was trying to get the most games out of the least sheets.

MAIN INDEX POST

This is a main page, added to try to make mobile navigation easier.

We have requirements for Bear, Webelos and Arrow Of Light Scouts

Page with a couple ideas for Bobcat

Page with all New Bear requirements

Main Webelos Page

      Page with all Webelos 1 requirements

      Page with all Webelos & Arrow Of Light Electives

Page with Scout Skill Relay Games

Here are the newly revised easier Reqs

Webelos AOL, activities that count for more than one badge

Webelos AOL, activities that count for more than one badge

How to get the most bang for your buck...

I'm staring a list of ways to do one activity and have it count for 2 or more requirements on different badges.

If you think of any , comment below so we can all share them!

1. First aid kits make a nice hiking/camping pocket first aid kit, count it for First Responder & Webelos Walkabout.

2. Engineer requires 3 projects with blueprints copied by the boys, with proper planning you can use these for the time capsule (Looking Forward Looking Back), the tool box as carpentry project (Build It & Fix It), and the 3rd on for another who's name I'll put her later.

3. You have to design & play a game for Game Design and for Castaway, pick one that meets both requirements.

4. Visit a nature center counts for both Into the Woods and Into the Wild, and it can count as going to visit scientists for Adventures in Science.


5. Cooking meals and Going grocery shopping can count for Castaway  Cast Iron Chef and Project Family.

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Adventures in Science - 3c Build a scale solar system

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Adventures in Science - 3c Build a scale solar system

The key to this experiment IMHO is enabling you to do it quickly.

One option is a 100 ft tape(100 ft tape measure best price on amazon.)

But I wanted to teach the boys some cool lessons about measuring and I didn't' have one.

So I used you existing tape measure (12')  and a piece of rope

link to image if it stops showing up

1. I measured out 50" of rope with  black sharpie marks every 10 ft.
1.  This teaches them how to make their own measuring device. I did this ahead of time but I'll talk about how I made it and a why later. 
2. Using the rope I found out I had 100 ft in my back yard from my deck to the corner.


1. I measured 100 ft, by having a boy at one end, standing next to a fixed object and myself at the 50' end. 
2. Then the boy walked past me as I rotated in space. so the boy who was at zero was now at 100  (Teaching them how to measure space larger than the tape) 
3. Then I measured out the spaces from the inner planets and put marks on the rope... 
4. The marks were too hard to see, so I added blue painter tape "flag" on the rope with the initials of the planets on them. 
1.  
   
   
   
2. link to image
5. After I put the inner planets, I added the outer planets through Uranus.

If I'd made a 100 ft rope I could have put Neptune and Jupiter but I have a plan for using the rope and a 12' measure to do that.

We are going to use the 50' rope to mark out the nearest 10 ft, then the 12 tape measure to add Neptune, and Pluto is at 100ft so we just put it at the end.

This teaches them to use the high and low accuracy measurements to get a measure, but also allows the whole experiment to be put together quickly. (The boys only have to work through 1 measurement together)


From here on out, this is what I'm planning I'll update it later with pics and notes.

1. We'll use a basket or soccer ball (about 12") for the sun 
2. Then measure out the planets marked on the rope using Marking Flags with the planets names and 12" scale diameters on them. 
3. After they get a feel I'm going to show them the 12" sun reduced to the real scale of 1/4" so they can get an appreciation of the real scale of the objects.... but i want them to see them first, so i'm starting at the 12" sun scale in her document.. then reducing 48x to the real scale.
1. I could have gotten  get golf balls and ping pong balls and bbs to show scale, but it's not required so I'm just going to draw circles for how large the planets are onto the flags instead. Also I'm trying to spend less money than I did last year. If you want to make the planets, go to Lowes and get 12" nails for hanging gutters, then hot glue the planet sized object to the nail, then just push it into the ground to make the planet itself.
   
   Here are the flags, note the extra flag was used to create a "sun, actual size flag, that after they got a feel for the scale, was used to replace the 12" soccer ball... also on the Jupiter flag, i drew a tiny dot the scale size of Jupiter, in the bottom corner (it being the only one I could conceivably draw) and I had them go look at that.

Link to image

Photos of the parts of the document I used to set up the model...

Chart of planet sized on 12' scale

Link to image

Planet distances on 100' scale

link to image

So in summary here are the steps

1. Mark the planets on the 50' rope, except for Neptune and Pluto
2. Put blue tape flag with the initial of each plant on the rope.
3. Mark the flags with each planet and it at it's it's 12" scale size
1. Make an extra dot, as tiny as you can draw it on the Jupiter flag
2. Make an extra "sun actual size flag" with a 1/4" circle on it.
4. Get a 12" ball, like a soccer ball
5. When you are ready to start, place the soccer ball
1. Put the sun end of the string on the soccer ball
2. Stretch it out to full length
3. Place the flags for all the inner planets 
1. This goes quickly, gave flags to each boy, after showing them how to do the first couple, they ran off and did the rest.
4. Have someone hold the far end of the rope, 
1. Rotate around them till the sun end of the rope is farthest away from the sun.
2. Place Pluto at the end that used to be the sun end of the rope 
3. Have them help you measure out Neptune location, it's halfway between Uranus and Pluto, plus 16 inches...
5. Have them walk around and get a feel for the scale of the solar system.
6. Go back to the sun and replace it with the 14/ sun actual size flag
7. Have them go look at the teeny tiny dot on the Jupiter flag, to see it in actual scale to the sun.

Webelos & AOL Electives Summary Page

Webelos and Arrow Of Light Electives Summary Page

These links take you to my webelos pages, I'll be adding notes to them over the summer,
The ones I'm doing in Den meeting will get done first.


Here you can buy an electric copy of the Webelos Leader guide and den meeting plans for about $10 on amazon, there is a free web kindle viewer... You can also get an electronic copy of the webelos guidebook  there as well.

I have been told there are free PDF copies of the leader guide out there, I'll post it when I find it.

If anyone has links to good ideas for any of these send them to me and I'll add the ones I think best over the summer of 2016...(have to cherry pick the best to keep the signal to noise low enough)

I hope it helps you  out,

Eric-

•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Adventures in Science (has notes)
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Aquanaut
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Art Explosion
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Aware and Care
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build My Own Hero(EASY)
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Castaway
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Earth Rocks!
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Engineer
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Fix It
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Game Design (EASY)(has notes)
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Wild
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Woods
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Looking Back, Look...(EASY) (has notes)
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Maestro!
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Moviemaking (EASY)(Has Notes)
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Project Family
•  Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Sportsman

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Sportsman (EASY)

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Sportsman

Do all of these:

1. Show the signals used by officials in one of these sports: football, basketball, baseball, soccer, or hockey.
1. Football Clock and Ref Signals document (ref is pages 3 and 4)
2. While you are a Webelos Scout, participate in two individual sports.
1. List of individual sports
1. I'm going to pick 2 that are easily done at a Den Meeting and do them as our game time, basically free, since we play every meeting.
3. While you are a Webelos Scout, play two team sports.
1. List of Team Sports
1. I'm going to pick 2 that are easily done at a Den Meeting and do them as our game time, basically free, since we play every meeting.
2.  
4. Complete the following requirements:
   1. Explain what good sportsmanship means.
   2. Role-play a situation that demonstrates good sportsmanship.
   1. Role play how to act if you win a game
   2. Roleplay how to act if you lose a game
   3. Roleplay how to act if you lose a game and are ANGRY about it.
   3. Give an example of a time when you experienced or saw someone showing good sportsmanship.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Project Family

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Project Family

Do 1 through 5, then choose two of 6 through 8:

1. Interview a grandparent, another family elder, or a family friend about what life was like when he or she was growing up. Share his or her story with another family member.
1. I think this is a perfect opportunity for a phone call to any and all Grandparents for some cool family stories, and stories about life when they were kids....
2. Talk with members of your family about your family name, history, traditions, and culture. Create a family tree of three generations or make a poster or Web page that shows the origins of your ancestors. Or choose a special celebration or holiday that your family participates in, and create either a poster, picture, or photo slideshow of it. Share this project with your den.
1. Online family tree maker
2. Downloadable family tree form
3. Show your understanding of your duty to family by creating a chart listing the jobs that you and other family members have at home. Choose three of the jobs you are responsible for, and chart them for two weeks.
1. Bunch of printable 1 week chore charts, print two.
4. Select ONE of the jobs below that belongs to another family member, and help that person complete it:
   1. Create a grocery shopping list for the week.
   2. Complete the laundry for your family one time.
   3. Help prepare meals for your family for one day.
      
5. Create a list of community service or conservation projects that you and your family can do together, and present it to your family. Select one project, plan it, and complete it with your family.
1. 35 service ideas
2. 1K+ Service Ideas
3. More ideas
4. Even more
5. This is just my personal advice, but look for something, small, concrete and achievable either in the course of something you do already (like at church or or school) or able to be completed in 1 trip/day. 
1. Examples: 
1. Be extra diligent about recycling for a week, take the recycling to the bin when it's full.
2. Take a walk with a bag and pick up all the trash you see
3. Plant a plant or tree in your Yard.
4. Volunteer to help out at church for several services(4?)
5. Etc...
6. With the help of an adult, inspect your home and its surroundings. Make a list of hazards or security problems that you find. Correct one problem that you found, and tell what you did.
1. Some household hazards
2. Red cross home safety worksheet to teach about home safety
3. Personally, talk with your kids about this and then walk around together and take photos on your phone of the safety hazards, then sit down together, review the photos on your phone and make the list. If you correct any problems as you go, take an "after" photo as well.
7. Hold a family meeting to plan an exciting family activity. The activity could include:
   1. A family reunion
   2. A family night
   1. Personally I'd have a family night with popcorn and movies or board games.
   1. 50 movies kids should watch before they turn 12
   3. A family outing
   1. Always good too..
8. Have your family event. Afterward, tell your parent or guardian what you liked best about the event.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Moviemaking (Easy)

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Moviemaking

Do all of these:

1. Write a story outline describing a real or imaginary Scouting adventure. Create a pictured storyboard that shows your story.

1. Story board work sheet 
2. Making a story board for kids 
3. How to story board with post it notes  (5 min, kind of rambling, for adults, but good)
4. How to write a story video
5. Elements of a story
6. How to write a simple screen play
   .

2. Create either an animated or live action movie about yourself. Your movie should depict how you live by the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

1. Lets story board one video for all the boys, story board that and shoot it as a den.
1. Maybe just work one big story board, for one big video with all the boys making at leas one pic & description... Instead of one story board per boy...
2. Or break the boys up into smaller groups with a parent to shoot the video... 
1. Story board by groups
2. Then shoot as groups.
2. Shoot it with a cell phone..
1. I made a bracket like this to go on a tripod/mount to make the video look better.
3. If you don't know how to edit software, plan the move as one shot, for example, have your scenes set up in a circle. stand in the middle and turn.
1. Example Video, have all the boys stand in line, with a small script card they wrote about one one or 2 point of the scout law means to them, and how they apply it in their life. walk down the line with your camera, they read/speak her lines, play it on your phone, or upload and play it on the tv, DONE.
1. If you are going to upload it to You-Tube, to watch it on you TV. be sure to leave out identifying info, like last name, schools, etc... Keep your boys safe.
4. Be aware that a one shot video has to be restarted if you screw up too badly, it can take lots of attempts, so keep it simple. if you have access to video editing software and know how to use it (or want to learn) that's the cool too, you can add all kind of cool effects and titles and the like, but if you don't multiple attempts at a single shot is a better call, imho.
1. Microsoft movie maker is included in most versions of Microsoft (up to 8), or can be downloaded free.
1. Here is a video tutorial
2. Another, in case you don't' like that one, 
3. Lots more on youtube, including once for specific parts like how to add titles, etc.
4. Be aware, this is cool and addictive stuff, but it takes a looong time...a One shot video is the best way out of this pin alive, if you have never done it before. 
1. Really :D.
5. My idea is a one shot battle of Scout Jedi, all proclaiming what part of the law is most important.. then a battle to the end with nerf light sabers made from fun noodles.
1. Go down the line, each boy talks abotu his point, then turn around they run out and start fighting as silly as possible, as goofy over the top dramatic as possible, the idea here is for the boys to laugh when they see it back.
   .

3. Share your movie with your family, den, or pack.

1. Watch the move as a den 
1. On your TV in your den if you can!

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Maestro!

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Maestro!

Do all of these:

1. Do a or b:
   1. Attend a live musical performance.
   2. Visit a facility that uses a sound mixer, and learn how it is used.
   1. Free mixer board software for your computer, teach the boys how to use it, bam, done!(Vote if you've never used a mixer before it takes a bit to get it figured out)
2. Do two of the following:
   1. Make a musical instrument. Play it for your family, den, or pack. 
   1. We never made the Sistrum or Mbira as bears, so that's doable.
   2. Or this simple way to make a drum 
   3. Or this set of easy home made instruments
   2. Form a "band" with your den. Each member creates his own homemade musical instrument. Perform for your pack at a pack meeting.
   3. Play two tunes on any band or orchestra instrument.
3. Do two of the following:
   1. Teach your den the words and melody of a song. Perform the song with your den at your den or pack meeting.
   1. Personally I'd pick one that's based on a common song then get a video of the tune off youtube...
   2. Here are Scout songs
   2. Create original words for a song. Perform it at your den or pack meeting.
   1. This is great fun pick a song you already all know and make up new words
   1. Example: On the first day of come scout the Den leader gave to mee
   3. Collaborate with your den to compose a den theme song. Perform it at your pack meeting.
   4. Write a song with words and music that expresses your feelings about an issue, a person, something you are learning, a point of the Scout Law, etc. Perform it at your den or pack meeting, alone or with a group.
   5. Perform a musical number by yourself or with your Webelos den in front of an audience.
   1. Make this simple, use 2b, perform at the pack meeting and at a den meeting for practice.., done.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Looking Back, Looking Forward (EASY)

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Do all of these:

1. Create a record of the history of Scouting and your place in that history.

1. Timelines of scouting history, print one out and have them write a line on it to represent them selves either when they were born on when they joind scouting.... If any of the parents were scouts too, have them put a mark to represent themselves too. Also have boys and parents put a stick for when the turn 18 and "graduate" from scouting.
   .

2. With the help of your den leader, parent, or guardian and with your choice of media, go on a virtual journey to the past and create a timeline.

1. Video Timeline of Scouting, lots of them
2. Just watch one of the videos.
   .

3. Create your own time capsule.

1. The lesson/meeting plan link at the bottom contains instruction on making a Time capsule out of a piece of PVC pipe. I'm going to do something similar
2. Another example of a PVC time capsule, I'm thinking about making one like this, but with glue on caps on both ends, and stashing it in my attic instead of burying it. I'm going to put pictures printed out, and on a thumb drive. When John gets eagle we'll dig it out and put it on the table of eagle memorabilia. One of the boys from my older sons Den was an eagle with him in troop 685. So this would be extra cool if one of john den mates sticks it out as well.
3. I'm planning something like this for the boys& myself but not such a long pipe., I'm going to put things in a mylar ziplock bag to protect them from the PVC fumes which break down organics (like paper)
4. We included one of the Time capsule worksheets , and a photo of the den, then told teh boys to add something from home if they wish and to hide it in the bottom of a drawer in their room , so they can discover it years later.

Interesting Resources:
Scouting History Talks about how Baden Powell Taught using Games
Games actually used by Baden Powell, it's a little weird click the links to go to chapters, only then can you go to the actual games. Clicking on the game names doesn't work. My plan is to pick an Baden Powell game play that as the game at the meeting and talk about how Baden Powel taught and used that game from the very first scouting meetings when he was test out his first kid specific version of scouting books.(Flag raiding or as we call it now, capture the flag was created by Baden Powell for scouts)

I whipped up this word doc with a sheet to include in the time capsule to help capture some nostalgia for later.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Meeting Plan for this Elective

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Woods

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Woods

Do all of these:

1. Identify two different groups of trees and the parts of a tree.
1. Evergreen deciduous and part of a tree
   .
2. Identify six trees common to the area where you live. Tell whether they are native to your area. Tell how both wildlife and humans use them.

1. Last year I got a bunch of different pocket guide, like these, trees plants flowers animals snakes, we used them on the nature hike, I'll use these again.
1. Follow the links at the bottom find more, I picked one up a paycheck till I had enough.
2. They are laminated single sheets folded up to fit in a pocket, I got enough for each boy to have 1 or two and told them to keep trading them off during the hike, combined wtih cheap magnifying glasses the boys had a blast.
   .
3. Identify six plants common to the area where you live. Tell which animals use them and for what purpose.
1. See #2 above get lots of different of these folding pamphlets.
   .
4. Visit a nature center, nursery, tree farm, or park, and speak with someone knowledgeable about trees and plants that are native to your area. Explain how plants and trees are important to our ecosystem and how they improve our environment.
1. Plants 
   .
5. Develop a plan to care for and then plant at least one plant or tree, either indoors in a pot or outdoors. Tell how this plant or tree helps the environment in which it is planted and what the plant or tree will be used for.
1. I used this to teach the boys about one of my favorite plants found in Texas, it's not native but i have many boyhood memories of it. It's called the Sensitive Plant, or Mimosa Puddica, it used to grow in the sidewalk and curbs near my grandmothers house in San Antonio...(Video above)
2.  How to sprout and plat to get then to come up in a week or two
1. Be aware the leaves of the new sprouts dont' move, in about a month new leaves will come in, those are the ones that move.
2. I used clear plastic cups and miracle grow potting soil to make it easy. This is exactly how we grew a plant for our Bear elective.
3. A pack of 100 seeds for Mimosa Puddica $6 shipped
   .
6. Make a list of items in your home that are made from wood and share it with your den. Or with your den, take a walk and identify useful things made from wood.
   .
7. Explain how the growth rings of a tree trunk tell its life story. Describe different types of tree bark and explain what the bark does for the tree.
1. Short Handout 
2. Web Page with better and more info 
3. Not growth rings but interesting general tree info

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Wild

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Into the Wild

Do six from requirements 1 through 9.

1. Collect and care for an "insect, amphibian, or reptile zoo." You might have crickets, ants, grasshoppers, a lizard, or a toad. Study them for a while and then let them go. Share your experience with your Webelos den.
1. If I buy stuff for this it will quickly get out of hand, 
2. I think we'll pick up pill bugs on our nature hike, or something similar, ganddaddy long legs, cricket, whatever we see.
1. Keep them in Clear Solos cups covered with plastic wrap held on with a rubber band 
2. Or in a ziplock baggie inflated with a breath of air
   
   
2. Set up an aquarium or terrarium. Keep it for at least a month. Share your experience with your Webelos den by showing them photos or drawings of your project or by having them visit to see your project.
1. This kind of thing you have to let the family do, I'd skip this one
 
 
3. Watch for birds in your yard, neighborhood, or town for one week. Identify the birds you see, and write down where and when you saw them.
1. For this I'll re use the bird handouts from the Bear Nature hike
2. like these, but find them from you area
4. Learn about the bird flyways closest to your home. Find out which birds use these flyways.
1. Here is a nice map, not a lot of detail
2. This one explains it better, but doesn't have nice pictures
5. Watch at least four wild creatures (reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, fish, insects, or mammals) in the wild. Describe the kind of place (forest, field, marsh, yard, or park) where you saw them. Tell what they were doing.
1. Use the worksheet for this
   .
6. Identify an insect, reptile, bird, or wild animal that is found only in your area of the country. Tell why it survives in your area.
   .
7. Give examples of at least two of the following:
   1. A producer, a consumer, and a decomposer in the food chain of an ecosystem
   2. One way humans have changed the balance of nature
   3. How you can help protect the balance of nature
      .
8. Learn about aquatic ecosystems and wetlands in your area. Talk with your Webelos den leader or family about the important role aquatic ecosystems and wetlands play in supporting life cycles of wildlife and humans, and list three ways you can help.
1. Texas Aquatic Ecosystem
2. Just google '<your state> aquatic ecosystems kids', to find local info.
   .
9. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Visit a museum of natural history, a nature center, or a zoo with your family, Webelos den, or pack. Tell what you saw.
   2. Create a video of a wild creature doing something interesting, and share it with your family and den.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Game Design (EASY)

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Game Design

Do all of these:

1. Decide on the elements for your game. 
1. How to design a board game
2. List at least five of the online safety rules that you put into practice while using the Internet on your computer or smartphone. Skip this if your Cyber Chip is current.
3. Create your game.
4. Teach an adult or another Scout how to play your game.

The key to this is, you do not have to make a computer game, you can make a paper game, or a hopscotch game or a checkers game.... or any kind of game at all, once you realize this it's pretty easy.

The Second key, is each boy does not have to make their own game completely solo.  make the game as a Den, each boy adding something, each boy contributing, then teach each other to play it. We have a little brother who shows up to meetings we just teach him, maybe ask for a sibling volunteer?

After you play it for a few(5) min, stop and ask the boys how to make the game better, focus on making the game more fair and more fun for the boys who are not doing as well (but without calling the boys out by name). this is called Game Balance. if everyone is doing well, then focus on more fun for everyone, talk about both of these on each round,

Tweak rules, Play test, Discuss, repeat...

If you think this is cheezing out, I was a professional game designer and Programmer for 10 years,
I'm telling you if you build it based on rules and iterate the right way, this is totally comparable. The key is after each time they play the game for 5 min, ask them how to change the rules to make it cooler, fairer, more fun for everyone.... This process of iteration, play balance and rule/Mechanic tweaking is exactly how computer games are made. It'll teach them way more than some HTML tic tac toe game you make because you don't' have tech skills. Trust me, Remember the boys are in charge, you frame things to keep it on the rails you want. Fun is paramount, but fun for everyone,

Example:

Super Ninja Death Tag of Doom.

1. Freeze tag, 
2. but you have to walk like a ninja, 
3. and if you don't make a ninja noise when you tag them it doesn't count.
4. If an adult yells "Ninjas Hide" you have to freeze where you are, hiding behind what ever is there. even if it's a blade of grass.
5. If an adult yells "Death ninnjas go" everyone who was froze by being tagged is free
6. If an adult yells "All ninjas go" everyone is free...

Now play that for 5 min, stop and ask the boys how to make it cooler, Guide the boys towards rule that make it more fair, not less fair.

Pick the best 1 or 2 ideas and try them out. then repeat, make sure that over the meeting each boy gets one idea in, and then has to think about if that idea made the game better or worse,and gets a chance to tweak it.

Obviously make your own game with the boys, but Tag is a simple game to modify into something entirely custom, and kids are always adding rules, admittedly usually to make if more fun for themselves, but the idea of changing the rules of tag, it natural to them... but changing the focus to making it more fun for everyone, and making it specifically more fun for the boys who were not having as much fun (not doing as well) to make a level playing field will do wonders.



Example of rule tweaks,  

1.  Some boys are way faster than others, the boy who is it, instead of freezing a boy upon tagging, converts them to also be It. the faster boys still last, but the slower boys build up numbers till eventually they get everyone.

2.  Last boy not tagged, stop the game, that boy is it for the next game. (fastest boys are it first, no long periods of one boy running and not catching)

3. periodically the den leader can make the fastest boy hop on one foot.

4. If the same people are it to long,  with no tags, the den leader picks the scout who is  "resting" and they also become it..

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Fix It

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Fix It

Do all of these:

1. Put a Fix It Tool Box together. Describe what each item in your toolbox can be used for. Show how to use three of the tools safely .
1. How to use a hammer safely
2. How to use a screwdriver safely (not for kids)
3. How to use a hand saw safely
   
   .
2. Be Ready. With the help of an adult in your family, do the following:
   1. Locate the electrical panel in your home. Determine if the electrical panel has fuses or breakers.
   
   1. Basic home electrical system,  
   2. How Home circuit breakers work (with pic of Circuit breaker panel on left)
   3. Video on how circuit breakers work internally (not for kids)
   4. How fuses work (Video)
   2. Determine what sort of heat is used to heat your home.
      .
   3. Learn what you would do to shut off the water for a sink, a toilet, a washing machine, or a water heater. If there is a main shut-off valve for your home, show where it is located.
   1. How to shut of water to a fixture (any of the things above)
      .
3. Describe to your Webelos den leader how to fix or make safe the following circumstances with help from an adult:
   1. A toilet is overflowing.
   2. The kitchen sink is clogged.
   3. A circuit breaker tripped, causing some of the lights to go out.
      .
4. Let's Fix It. Select and do eight of the following. You will need an adult's supervision for each of these Fix It projects:
   1. Show how to change a light bulb in a lamp or fixture. Determine the type of light bulb and how to properly dispose of it.
   2. Fix a squeaky door or cabinet hinge.
   3. Tighten a loose handle or knob on a cabinet or a piece of furniture.
   4. Demonstrate how to stop a toilet from running(new style).
   1. Old style
   5. Replace a furnace filter.
   6. Wash a car.
   7. Check the oil level and tire pressure in a car.
   8. Show how to replace a bulb in a taillight, turn signal, or parking light, or replace a headlight in a car.
   9. Help an adult change a tire on a car.
   10. Make a repair to a bicycle, such as adjusting or lubricating the chain, inflating the tires, fixing a flat, or adjusting the seat or handlebars.
   11. Replace the wheels on a skateboard, a scooter, or a pair of inline skates.
   12. Help an adult prepare and paint a room.
   13. Help an adult replace or repair a wall or floor tile.
   14. Help an adult install or repair a window or door lock.
   15. Help an adult fix a slow or clogged sink drain.
   16. Help an adult install or repair a mailbox.
   17. Change the battery in a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide detector, and test its operation.
   18. Help an adult fix a leaky faucet.
   19. Find wall studs, and help an adult hang a curtain rod or a picture.
   20. Take an old item, such as a small piece of furniture, a broken toy, or a picture frame, and rebuild and/or refinish it. Show your work to an adult or your Webelos leader.
   21. Do a Fix It project agreed upon with your parent or guardian.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Engineer

Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Engineer

Do all of these:

1. Pick one type of engineer. With the help of the Internet, your local library, or a local engineer you may know or locate, discover and record in your book three things that describe what that engineer does. (Be sure to have your Webelos den leader, parent, or guardian's permission to use the Internet.) Share your findings with your Webelos den.

1. For this kind of Req. I usually print out 1 sheet summaries for several kinds, have the boys each pick on, go off with their parents and then tell us what they read about and a few col things... if you ask them what the learned they can clam up, if you ask what they thought was cool, they usually speak right up. 
2. Here is a great page with links to lots fo types of engineering, designed for kids
   .
   

2. Learn to follow engineering design principles by doing the following: Examine a set of blueprints. Using these as a model, construct your own set of blueprints or plans to design a project.

   1. 
      
   1. Print out simple blue prints for your Build it carpentry project, have the boys copy them. Teach them the important parts of a blue print, drawing, measurements, instructions.

   2. Using the blueprints or plans from your own design, construct your project. Your project may be something useful or something fun.

   1. Use for Build it Carpentry project

   3. Share your project with your Webelos den and your pack by displaying the project at a pack meeting.

   1. Have the boys do the project together and share with each other.
      .

3. Explore other fields of engineering and how they have helped form our past, present, and future.

1. See the links above for #1
   

4. Pick and do two projects using the engineering skills you have learned. Share your projects with your den and also exhibit them at a pack meeting.

Workbook for use with these requirements: PDF Format DOCX Format