Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Announcements & Blog Index


WHEN USING YOUR CELL PHONE -
To see the left & right hand sides of this blog, scroll down to the bottom and click on "View web version."


BSA Pack Meeting Plans: 

CLICK HERE: https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/pack-meeting-resources/pack-meeting-plans/

Recently Added to Blog:

1) New blog Index.  It list the crafts/projects by theme.  Plus it has pictures!  See below.
2) May 2019's News Letter. Located on the left-hand side of this blog



2 BLOG INDEXES
You now can see the projects and activities within this blog by theme!! see below for the link.


1) BY NAME OF ACTIVITY & PROJECT Click Here:  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_Rl9bEjDajIUKWV0aCB0HlIwWYApuaJQ

2) BY THEME - THIS ONE HAS PICTURES!! Click Here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1n0m_BSiEWyE2E_TJm-PatrjU2fV78SWI

2018May - Brave/Home of the Brave/Flag Ceremonies & Clean/Destination Parks/Duty - Respect - Honor


For May's Round Table We Shared Ideas For
July's SLP: Brave Theme Home of the Brave Interest Topic: Flag Ceremonies
August's SLP: Clean Theme Destination Parks Interest Topic: Duty - Respect - Honor

Opening Brain Teaser - This would be a great thing to write on the chalk or white board for boys and parents to have something to think about while they wait for everyone to arrive at a Pack or Den Meeting.  (An idea you could use would be to reward the cub scouts a piece of candy if they get it right).
What Am I?
"What kind of animal sounds like it lives in a medicine cabinet? 
Brain Teaser Picture
 *Answer is at the end of this section. (scroll down)
(Riddle is taken from the book: Just Joking Animal Riddles by J. Patrick Lewis; pg. 37&38)

Gathering Activity Idea
PVC Frame for Poster Boards - Airplane Target

*Note: This project can be used for many things!
1) Instead of attaching the Paper Airplane Poster, it can be used to attach a sign for an event,  like "Welcome to Pack 123's Carnival."
2) The Paper Airplane Poster can be used at a Pack Meeting for a Gathering Activity.
3) The Paper Airplane Poster and PVC Frame can be made by the Cub Scouts and given to their fathers as a Father's Day gift which encourages spending time with Dad!
4) The Paper Airplane Poster & PVC Frame can be made by a Den Leader.  Then at each den meeting the boys can earn points for good behavior.  The cub scout with the most points at the end of the den meeting, gets to take it home and play with it until the next den meeting when he brings it back. 
Materials: Two 10ft 1/2" PVC pipes, Four 1/2" T Connectors, Two PVC 1/2" elbows, ruler, Duct Tape (any color), Spray paint (I recommend using a dark color so you only need to spray on one coat), Rope or String (any color), Scissors, Paper hole punch, PVC Pipe cutters, measuring tape, pencil, black marker (not shown in picture), 1 large plastic bag, sledge hammer, Poster Board (any color), Red Hot Blue Glue & Purple Primer (to adhere the PVC pipes together), Dinner Plate, Lunch Plate & Dessert Plate
Directions:
1) First using the pipe cutters take the two 10ft PVC pipes and make  two 7" long pipes, four 10"  long pipes, two 22" long pipes and two 28" long pipes. Note: You will have 86 inches of pipe left over that you can use toward another project.

2) Lay down the large plastic trash bag to protect your garage floor. Then glue the "feet" of the PVC frame by using Red Hot Blue Glue inside the T-connector and Purple Primer on the ends of each 10" foot pipe. (The reason I like to put the glue inside the connectors is so the glue does not get everywhere). Note: apply the glue and connect the pieces you want one at a time since the glue dries very fast.  Quickly after inserting each 10" pipe into the T-connector, tap the very end with a heavy hammer to help the PVC pipes go in all the way.

3) Then connect one of the 7" pipes to a 28" pipe with a T-connector in the middle (This will be one side of the PVC frame).  Repeat for the other side of the frame. Again use a heavy hammer to tap the ends so the pipes go into the T-connector all the way.
4) Take one of the 22" pipes and glue it into the T-connectors of both sides of the frame.  This will be the bottom cross bar.
5) With the second 22" pipe, glue on two PVC elbows on both ends.  Make sure you work quickly and twist the elbows so they both lie flat when you place the whole top bar on the floor.
6) Now glue the top bar to the side bars as show in the picture above.  

7) As you can see I did not glue the feet to the frame.  My thinking was that if you want to store it in a closet, you will want it as flat as possible.  Just tie the feet to the frame with string for storage.  This is purely personal preference.  You may find that gluing the feet to the frame will help keep them from getting lost and prefer to do that. That is great to.
8) Connect the feet to the frame for painting.  I started using yellow paint and found out that the bar codes and writing on the PVC pipes showed through.  I realized that I was going to have to use more paint for 3 coats.  So I switched to red paint.  I chose red, because I knew it would cover up the red writing on the PVC pipes.  The bar codes still showed through a bit, but  it was not that bad.  

9) While the paint is drying, you can make the Paper Airplane Target Poster.  First placed a mark that is 3 inches from the side and 3/4 inch from the end of the poster board.  Then make a hole where the mark is with a paper hole punch.

10) Repeat this for all the corners of the poster board.  

11) REINFORCING THE HOLES - Cut a 3 inch piece of duct tape.
12) Place half of the duct tape over the hole punch and then wrap the other half around the poster board onto the other side.

13) Cut out another hole through the duct tape with the hole punch where you made the previous holes. Note: The hole punch worked fine going through the yellow duct tape.  However, I am unsure if  with gray duct tape it may be more difficult to punch out the hole.  You may need to use the end of some sharp scissors to reopen the hole.
14) Then take a dinner plate, a lunch plate and a dessert plate and place them down on the poster board.  Draw around them with a pencil.

15)With the scissors cut out the circles.

16) With a black marker, write down the points earn when flying a paper airplane through each hole. 

17) Tie the Airplane Poster Target onto the PVC frame.
18) Now you are ready to play.  Make some paper airplanes and try to fly them though the holes.
Tip:  To keep the PVC frame from blowing away if you are using it outside, place a bag of beans over one or two of the feet.
POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO OR THAT CAN BE PASSED OFF - These are the updated requirements - November2016
Tiger Elective Adventure Earning Your Stripes - Requirement 5
Play a game with your den.  Then discuss how your den played politely.
Tiger Elective Adventure Tiger-iffic! - Requirement 5
With other members of your den, invent a game, OR change the rules of a game you know, and play the game.
Tiger Elective Adventure Tiger Tag - Requirement 3
Have your den choose a team or relay game that everyone can play, and play it at least twice. (This Airplane Target can be used in a relay game)
Wolf Required Adventure Running with the Pack - Requirement 4
Play a sport or game with your den or family, and show good sportsmanship.
Wolf Elective Adventure Air of the Wolf - Requirement 1a
Make a paper airplane and fly it five times. Try to make it fly farther by altering its shape.  Fly it at least five more times to see if your changes were effective.
Wolf Elective Adventure Code of the Wolf - Requirement 1c
Do five activities at home, at school, or in your den that use mathematics, and then explain to your den how you used everyday math.
Wolf Elective Adventure Paws of Skill - Requirement 6
With your den, talk about sportsmanship and what it means to be a good sport while playing a game or a sport. Share with your den how you were a good sport or demonstrated good sportsmanship in requirement 4.
Wolf Elective Adventure Motor Away - Requirement 1a
Create and fly three different types of paper airplanes. Before launching them, record which one you believe will travel the farthest and what property of the plane leads you to make that prediction.
Wolf Elective Adventure Motor Away - Requirement 1b
Make a paper airplane catapult.  Before launching a plane, record how far you believe it will travel and explain what information you used to make this prediction.  After you make your prediction, launch the plane and measure how far it flies.
Bear Elective Adventure Grin and Bear It - Requirement 1
Play a challenge game or initiative game with the members of your den.  Take part in a reflection after the game.
Bear Elective Adventure Grin and Bear It - Requirement 2
Working with the members of your den, organize a Cub Scout carnival and lead it at a special event.
Bear Elective Adventure Grin and Bear It - Requirement 3
Help younger Cub  Scouts take part in one of the events at the Cub Scout carnival.
Webelos/AOL Adventure: Game Design - Requirement 4
Teach an adult or another Scout how to play your game.
Webelos/AOL Adventure: Sportsman - Requirement 3a
Explain what good sportsmanship means.
Webelos/AOL Adventure: Sportsman - Requirement 3b
Role-play a situation that demonstrates good sportsmanship.
Webelos/AOL Adventure: Sportsman - Requirement 3b
Give an example of a time when you experienced or saw someone showing good sportsmanship.
Pack Meeting Opening Ceremony Idea
"Conservation is" & "Outdoor Code"
The ceremony was taken from August 2018's pack meeting plans.  Here is the link:   https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/2017/310-842(17)_August_Clean.pdf

Duct Tape Cushion
This cushion is nice for sitting around a campfire on the ground or participating in a simple Reader's Theater or going to a library or to change things up and use them for a pack meeting.  (While the parents are sitting in the chairs, the boys can be sitting on their cushions up front).

*Note: Working with Duct Tape is fun, but it would be a good idea to have adults help the cub scouts stretch and hold the tape throughout this project.  Also, when making the bag, I used a table that had a surface (Formica) which allowed me to stick and lift the Duct Tape on and off. It would be a good idea to test your table top surface to see if it is forgiving to Duct Tape or not before doing the project.

Materials: 1 bag that has a handle like the picture on top.  These bags are a little more sturdy than the plastic grocery bags, 40-50 plastic grocery bags, gray Duct Tape, red Duct Tape (optional), Measuring stick, black marker, wax paper and scissors.
Directions:

1) Using the T-square ruler, draw a straight line across the top of the sturdy plastic bag. 
2) Cut off the top with the handle.  (With the bag I was using , it was a little long, so I cut off more of the top.  With some bags, you would want to cut right below the handle.)

3) Completely tape the sides except the 'Opening side. Then tape half of the "opening side." (To tape, follow the instructions starting with Step # 4 to step 9)
4) Cut a piece of Duct Tape a little longer than the side of the plastic bag you are taping. Place half of the tape, length-wise, on top of the plastic bag with the ends of the tape extending past the sides of the bag.
 5) Turn the bag over and with scissors, cut down the middle of one of the Duct Tape Ends to the bag.  Repeat on the other end of the tape.
6) Fold in the top Duct Tape Tab onto the bag. - see picture above.

7) Make a slant cut on the Duct Tape Tab that is left as shown in the picture.

8) Fold the Duct Tape, length-wise, onto the bag.

9) Turn the bag over and fold the left-over Duct Tape tabs on both ends over the bag.

10) TO MAKE THE HANDLE, cut a piece of Duct Tape 14inches long.
11) Then with a black marker, place a dot in the middle of the tape 3 inches from both sides.
12) Put a piece of wax paper, wax side facing the sticky side of the tape, on both ends right up to the black marker dot.
 
13) Cut down the middle from the end of the tape to the dot on both ends.
14) Fold the Duct Tape in half length-wise so the sticky part is facing inward.
 
15) With a black marker, mark the points dividing the bottom side of the bag into thirds.
16) Take one of the pieces of wax paper off of the handle and place this strip of the duct tape under the bag at one of the black marker dots you made. Place the strip all the way up to the 'Duct Tape crotch'.  (In the picture above you are not able to see this strip of duct tape because it is under the bag.  What you are seeing is the other strip of duct tape with it's wax paper still on lying up over the handle).
17) Then take the wax paper off of the other strip and adhere it to the bag as show in the picture.  Repeat for the other side of the handle. (This now becomes the top of the bag/cushion).
18) Begin to tape layers of Duct Tape around the bag. When you have completely gone around the bag once, cut the tape and start a new layer. 
 
19) Skip over a layer to go back later and cover with Red Duct Tape for decoration.  (This is optional)
20) Tape layers until you cover the bag except for the small opening at the bottom.
 
 
20) Stuff the bag with grocery bags.  I used 45 grocery bags for my cushion which is 12" x 14".
21) Duct tape the opening closed.
22) When done, clean the sticky residue from the tape off your scissors with Goof Off.

Wooden Rank Signs 


Used to designate a place to display the Cub Scout's crafts or projects on a table at Pack Meetings.

*Note 1: Instructions for the Base of these craft signs can be found by going to the blog archive section of this blog (Left-hand side) and clicking on the triangular arrow for June 2015. Then scroll down until you see the title, "Flag Block for Table Top Small Flags".  Note: For the Wooden Craft Signs, make the hole in the base with a 5/8" drill bit.
*Note 2: I chose to wood burn the Cub Scout Rank pictures onto the signs, but you could also paint or Modge Podge them on as well.
Materials: Take a 2x6 board and make four cuts at 5 1/2" each.  This will make 4 squared blocks (You will only need 3 if your pack does not include Tigers). (A 2x6 board is not exactly 2 by 6.  It is more like 1-1/2" by 5-1/2 inches), 2 dowels 4ft x 5/8" diameter, 100 grit sand paper, 400 grit sand paper, a copy of the cub scout signs, painters tape, pencil, wood burning tool, metal sheet to wood burn on (I used an old cookie sheet), a light colored stain, clear finish of your choice, brushes to use for the clear finish, rag for staining, plastic gloves to protect hands when staining, 1 to 2 plastic trash bags, newspaper, small electric belt sander or sand paper, drill press, 5/8" drill bit.
Directions:
1) Cut your dowels in half so that you have 4 dowels 20" in length. (You only need 3 if your pack does not include Tigers).

2) Drill a hole using a drill press and a 5/8" drill bit into one corner of each wooden block.

3) Sand your wooden sign blocks using 100 grit sand paper first and then 400 grit sand paper last.

4) Sand both around the ends of the dowels so they will be able to fit inside the holes you made for the block signs as well as the wooden bases.

5) Make a copy of the Cub Scout signs by clicking here:

   
 
6) Cut the pictures apart.  Then tape them to a window with the picture facing towards the window.  This will allow you to see the picture on the back side of the paper. Using a pencil scribble over the lines of the picture on the back side of the paper.  
 
 
7) Place one of the pieces of paper on top of one of the wooden blocks with the picture facing up.  Tape it down.  Then with a pencil,  press somewhat hard and draw over the lines of the picture. Be careful to not press too hard when over the hole in the block.

8) To check how well the picture is transferring to the wood, carefully lift up the paper from one side with another side still taped to the wood.  If you need to re-draw an area, then replace the paper and draw over that area again.
9) When you are done, it should look like this.  

10) Working on a metal sheet or old cookie sheet, Wood burn over the lines you drew.  

11) First put down some plastic bags and then some news paper over that to cover the floor before staining.  Then using a light colored stain, stain all the wooden block signs and the dowels. Let it dry at least one day.
12) After waiting a day, then bush on a clear finish.  After waiting another day for the first coat of the clear finish to dry, brush on a second coat. When this dries you are done.

POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO OR THAT CAN BE PASSED OFF - These are the updated requirements - November2016
Note:  There are a ton of requirements in which the Cub Scouts have art or projects they could display using these Wooden Craft Signs.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 1
Discover which hand tools are the best ones to have in your toolbox.  Learn the rules for using these tools safely.  Practice with at least four of these tools before beginning a project.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 2
Select, plan, and define the materials for the project you will complete in requirement 3.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 3
Assemble your materials, and build one useful project and one fun project using wood.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 4
Apply a finish to one of your projects.
 Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 1
Learn about some basic tools and the proper use of each tool.  Learn about and understand the need for safety when you work with tools.
Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 2
With the guidance of your Webelos den leader, parent, or guardian, select a carpentry project and build it.
Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 3
List the tools that you use safely as you build your project; create a list of materials needed to build your project.  Put a checkmark next to the tools on your list that you used for the first time.
 Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Art Explosion - Requirement 4
Choose one of the following methods to show your artwork: A. Create a hard-copy or digital portfolio of your projects.  Share it with your family or members of your den or pack., B. Display your artwork in a pack, school, or community art show.



Webelos Cross Over Bridge


Note:  My dimensions are based upon the boards used for the steps being exactly 2x12x10.  The actual width of these boards is less.  If you want your steps to fit exactly on each level of the Webelos Cross Over Bridge, you will need to recalculate all the dimensions based upon the ACTUAL width of the 2x12x10 boards.  The dimensions used in these instructions are fine as long as the person leading the ceremony explains to those helping assemble the bridge, to place each step right at the edge of each rise on the Cross Over Bridge. 

Materials:
Either a Drill Press or a Hand Drill (A Drill Press will help ensure those 90 degree angles needed, but a Hand Drill is fine if you have a steady hand.), Two 2x12x10ft board (From this you will need five 3ft boards), One 4x4x12ft board & One 4x4x10ft board (From these you will need two 5ft long boards, two 3ft long boards, and two 1 ft long boards.  I had these cut at Home Depot), Spray paint in the colors of scout-green, red, blue, gold (The color shown in the picture was not bright enough, so I ended up using a more mustard color for gold), stain of your choice, Clear Finish of your choice (optional), 2 large plastic trash bags, Black Marker, Pencil,  6 to 8 Sheets of 100 grit sand paper, 2 to 4 sheets of 400 grit sand paper, Gloves to protect hands from splinters (not shown in picture), measuring tape, painters blue tape, news paper, cloth (for wiping off the saw dust), cloth for staining, Eight 1/4"x 5-1/2" screws, 1/2" socket and socket wrench to drive in screws, 5/8" Screw Bit (long enough to go through one 4x4 and part way through another), 3/4" Spade Screw Bit.
Directions:

1) After coming home from the Home fix-it store where they cut the wood for me, roughly stack and assemble the Webelos Bridge to make sure all pieces are going to fit together.

2) Using the 100 grit first and then the 400 grit sand paper, Sand all the boards.  If you as the leader is doing this project by yourself, you may want to get an electric sander.  It will go much faster.  If you are involving the Webelos, assign a board for each boy to sand.  Be sure to use gloves.  I found that the gloves prevented many splinters from penetrating my hands.

3) Stack the bridge's side boards  on top of each other using measuring tape to give you 12" on each side of the next-level board and then draw a line with a pencil along the bottom of each rise. This pencil line will help you reassemble the boards after staining. (Although looking back on it, it may be easier to stain and put a clear finish on all the SIDE-boards FIRST before drilling the holes so that you will not have to keep track of how the boards fit together through the process of making this bridge.- But I will continue with the steps I took).

4) On one of the 4x4's that is 3ft long, measure and mark a dot that is 4 inches from an end and  1 & 3/4" from a side.  Repeat this for the other end of the 3ft 4x4. Then repeat for the second 3ft 4x4.

5) On one of the 4x4's that is 1ft long, measure and mark a dot that is 2 inches from an end and  1 & 3/4" from a side.  Repeat this for the other end of the 1ft 4x4. Then repeat for the second 1ft 4x4.

6) Just to get an idea of how deep to drill the pilot hole, place one of the 1/4" x 5-1/2" screws along the side of the stacked side-boards and mark the depth on the side with a pencil.

7) Use either a Hand Drill or a Drill Press.  The Drill Press will make sure you drill at a 90 degree angle.  If you use a hand drill, just make sure you have a steady hand and do your best to drill at a 90 degree angle.  Drill the pilot holes where you place your marks on all the 4x4s.

8) Using a 3/4 " SPADE Drill Bit, drill a depression hole for the head of the screws to sit in.

9) All throughout this project I used painters tape to label the boards so that when assembling them after staining I could stack them so all the pilot holes line up. 
FOR STAINING, I placed labels on the table and put all the "A-s" at the same end of the table to keep them straight. 
Before staining cover your surface with the two plastic trash bags. The rocks you see in the pictures are just to hold down the plastic so the wind could not blow it over and on top of the wood after staining.

10) Stain the boards. To get inside the depression holes, use a stick with one end wrapped in cloth.

11) Before spray painting, place some newspaper down first for ground cover.  Then either find some rocks or boards to place underneath 4 of the step-boards before spray painting. After the first side dries, turn them over and painted the other side.  Finally give each step-board a 2nd coat.
 

12) After waiting for all your boards to dry at least one day or more, it is time to screw the side boards together. First using a 1/2" socket with a socket wrench, screw the 2 screws into one of the 4x4 posts until they are peaking on the other side.  Then fit them into the holes of the next 4x4 post below.  Continue screwing until the heads of the screws are sitting inside the depression holes on top.
DOING THE WEBELOS CROSS OVER BRIDGE CEREMONY
 

1) Before your pack meeting, mark the floor with some tape as a guide for everyone who is going to help assemble the bridge during the ceremony. You do this by slightly assembling the bridge before the meeting and putting tape around the ends.  After finishing this preparatory step, be sure to stack the boards to one side, ready to use in the ceremony. See pictures above.   

2) During the ceremony, when you have everyone place their step-board down direct them to place the step at the edge of each rise.
 Click Here for the Crossover Ceremony, "Scouting Trail":https://drive.google.com/open?id=1d9xNw_fHI_Ns2_t5s8rU4NYPnMtAcc5W
This ceremony is from the Cub Scout Roundtable Guide 2011-2012; page 39.  (Mentioned is a simpler Webelos Cross Over Bridge to make.  They suggest just using two 4x4s about 5ft long and then placing all the planks across it.  You could do this if you do not want to make steps for the Webelos Cross Over Bridge).
POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO OR THAT CAN BE PASSED OFF - These are the updated requirements - November2016
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 1
Discover which hand tools are the best ones to have in your toolbox.  Learn the rules for using these tools safely.  Practice with at least four of these tools before beginning a project.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 2
Select, plan, and define the materials for the project you will complete in requirement 3.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 3
Assemble your materials, and build one useful project and one fun project using wood.
Bear Required Adventure Baloo the Builder - Requirement 4
Apply a finish to one of your projects.
 Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 1
Learn about some basic tools and the proper use of each tool.  Learn about and understand the need for safety when you work with tools.
Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 2
With the guidance of your Webelos den leader, parent, or guardian, select a carpentry project and build it.
Webelos/AOL Elective Adventure: Build It - Requirement 3
List the tools that you use safely as you build your project; create a list of materials needed to build your project.  Put a checkmark next to the tools on your list that you used for the first time.

Cheers / Run-ons
Fireworks Cheer: Look up at the ceiling and point.  Then say "OOOOO!" "AHHHHH!"
Relay Clap: First person claps second person's hand and then relay it on through the row of people.
Tree Cheer:
Everyone raises their arms above their heads and waves them back and forth at different speeds dictated by the cheer.
GENTLE BREEZE (slow and easy)
STEADY RUSH (faster)
BIG GUST (jerking motion to one side)

Opening Brain Teaser Answer:  
 
"You'll find pill bugs living in moist humid places with lots of vegetation, because that's what they feed on. They are decomposers and herbivores that eat mostly decaying plant matter. This is why you find them under leaves, rocks, and logs. They are not considered major agricultural pests, and their lack of fangs, stingers, or barbs makes them perfect for showing kids and handling."
The Infinite Spider A Science and Nature Blog for Naturalists and Educators;The Secret Life of Pill Bugs; November 10, 2013; http://infinitespider.com/the-secret-life-of-pill-bugs/