Thrifty/Cubstruction

March's Scout Law Point and Theme
Scout Law Point: Thrifty
Theme: Cubstruction

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 4-letter word comes before or after each group below?
1) CARD,LIFT,BOLD,GAME  2) APPLE,TRUE,SEAT,BIRD  3) SOUR, MAID,SKIM,BONE  4) ZONE, CARD,DOWN, HALF  5) MOON, BIRD, NAVY, TRUE 

*Answer is at the end of this section. (scroll down)
(Brain Teaser taken from: The Little Black Book of Mindbenders by John Samson and Elsie Samson; pg. 119)

Gathering Activity

NAME THE TOOLS

Cut different silhouettes of tools from construction paper, such as a hammer, plane, brace, bit, screwdriver, etc. Tape these to a board. (If you have a magnetic chalk board, you can use magnets). Then have everyone try to guess which tool the silhouettes are.
 
Flag Ceremony  
BUILDING CHARACTER

Cub #1 (carrying hammer): In Cub Scouting, we learn to build character.

Cub #2 (carrying plank): It is not what the boy does to the wood, but rather what the wood does for the boy.

Cub #3 (carrying a plane): Through Cub Scouting, we learn to remove the sharp edges off our personalities.

Cub #4 (carrying sandpaper): As we grow as Cub Scouts, we become more refined and smooth in our manners.

Cub #5 (carrying a tool chest): Our talents are gathered together, and we get a chance to try them out when our den works on a theme each month.

Cub #6 (walking with parent): When our parents help us earn adventure loops, we learn how to use the tools of life.

All: Thank you all for helping us grow into well rounded citizens.

Marble Tubes Game

Materials: Popcorn box (The perfect box for this game is the ACT II Popcorn box which contains 28 bags of unpopped popcorn. You do not need to paint it because it looks cool by itself), knife, scissors, blue painters tape, marker, Elmer's Glue, 6 toilet paper rolls, Number Circle page (print out on cardstock), Marble Tubes Sign (Print out on cardstock), utility knife and 1large popsicle stick.
Click here to print off the number circles: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4ORTFIQm4tMDZ1T0k
Click here to print off the Marble Tubes sign: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0revQcSgs4OSWZ5c3Rxc3RuNGc



Directions:
1) CUTTING THE BOX.  A-Open one side/flap of the BOTTOM of the box.  B-Cut that flap off. C&D -Then cut only the exposed part of the two side flaps.  E&F-Next, cut off the SIDE of the box G-Shows what the box and pieces you cut off should look like when you get done.


2) Cut a 1 inch section from each toilet paper roll.

3) With the LARGE flap that you cut off the box earlier, line up all the toilet paper rolls toward one side and draw around them.  cut this piece off. 

4) Using the LARGE flap that you just cut as a template, draw a line along the half circles on the SMALLER flap as show in the picture.  Then cut along the line.

5) Put a piece of painters tape on one end of a toilet paper roll.

6) Put some glue along the edge of one of the half circles on the cardboard of the large flap.

7) Place the toilet paper roll so it extends slightly beyond the edge of the large cardboard flap. Then use the tape to hold it temporarily until the glue dries. Note:  You want the brown side of the cardboard flaps to face outward when you are done otherwise you will see all the writing when you place the completed 'Toilet Paper Roll Piece' in the box at the end. (Also note: In this picture, I accidently cut off the top cardboard flaps of the first popcorn box I cut up; and not the bottom.  So on the flap you are using, it should be white on one side and brown on the other.  You will notice this mistake throughout the pictures.  However, the final pictures are of the 2nd box I cut up and your project should end up looking like those pictures).  

8) Place some more glue alongside the 1st toilet paper roll and the half circle of the cardboard flap.

9) Put some blue painters table on the ends and sides to help secure it until it dries.

10) Repeat until all the toilet paper rolls are in place.  Let this dry by placing it on the box so that the toilet paper rolls hang and do not touch the table.

11) Take the SMALLER cardboard flap and put glue along the edge and place it on top of the toilet paper rolls a little ways from their edge. Then temporarily secure with blue painters tape. When it is completely dry, take off all the tape. 

This piece will fit in snuggly into the popcorn box.  However, if you want to glue it in, you may. To position the "Toilet Paper Roll Piece" in the popcorn box, make sure the larger flap should be toward the front.  Then the edges of the toilet paper rolls should be touching the table when turned right side up.

12) Print out the two pages using cardstock paper and cut out the number circles and the sign. 

13) Then glue them onto the top part of the bottom of the box as shown in the picture above.

14) I made this Marble Tubes Game piece a while before I showed it at Round Table.  When I pulled it out, the sign had wilted.  To correct the problem I took the following steps.

15) I cut a slit the width of a large popsicle stick right next to the back of the sign. 

16) I slipped the popsicle stick into the slit and glued it in place. 

PLAYING THE GAME:
Each person gets to roll 5 marbles into the Marble Tubes Box. As they roll a marble into one of the tubes, they get that number of points.  To increase the difficulty, pick one or two of the tubes and subtract that number from the total if their marble goes in.
Option 1: Place a piece of tape about a foot away from the Marble Tubes  Box.  Place some marbles on the tape. Then with another marble, hit those marbles so they go into the tubes. 
Option 2: Use a piece of tape as the starting line.  Everyone has to roll their marble into one of the tubes without going past the piece of tape.  For increased difficulty, put this tape further away from the Marble Tubes Box.

Tip:  I found these plastic containers helpful in storing the marbles.  The screw-on lids keeps the marble securely inside.
Idea was taken from this site: http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/52562/marble-tubes-game

Ping Pong Water Gun Fun

Materials: wooden block 15 inches long(Home depot will cut your pieces for you from a long wooden board.  However, for Webelos I would recommend they cut their own to help pass off a requirement), red paint, a clear protective finish & a bush to put it on with, wood glue, miter saw, drill or drill press, golf tees, painters blue tape.  For the 7 golf balls & water gun (can substitute a water spray bottle or a Nerf gun), the cub scouts can get those later at home or you can have them earn them by getting points for good behavior and/or turning in den meeting homework assignments. (Dollar stores would be a great place to purchase golf balls &/or water guns).
Directions:

1) Miter a rounded edge on the top of the block.
2)Then drill seven holes in the top of the block. The holes on the ends were 1 1/2 inches from the edge and the rest were 2 inches from each other.  Make sure the holes do not go all the way through. (A drill press would help to standardized the depth of the holes). Also, check the size of the holes that need to be drilled by comparing the width of the drill bit to the width of the golf tee.  The first hole my husband drilled for me was slightly large.  This problem can be solved which I show in step 6.  After learning that the hole was too big, my husband used a smaller drill bit for the rest of the holes which turned out perfect.

3) Paint the wood the color you want then let it dry.
4) Then brush on a clear protective finish to seal against the water from the water guns.

5) When everything has dried completely, glue in the golf tees. 

6) If your holes are bigger than the golf tees so they wiggle back and forth, use blue painters tape to secure them so they dry straight up and down as shown in the picture above.

Using a Water Gun or Spray Bottle: This is great for outdoors; perfect for a summer activity when it is hot.  Eventually they will start to squirt each other and it will help them cool off plus relieve them from being cooped up in the house due to our Arizona hot summers. Idea shared at round Table: To aid in cooling off, give them a bucket of water so they can refill their guns.  The activity lasts for a longer period of time.
Using a Nerf Gun: Perfect for inside.
PLAYING THE GAME: RULES
For each ping pong ball they knock off they get two points.  If they knock off two ping pong balls at the same time, they get penalized by one point. They then have to put both ping pong balls back.  If they knock off the different colored ping pong ball, they lose the game!  See if they can beat their best score.

Idea was taken from this site: https://www.pinterest.com/source/planetoftheapels.blogspot.com/
POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO OR THAT CAN BE PASSED OFF - I have updated these requirements from the ones given on November 2016
Tiger Required Adventure Games Tigers Play - Requirement 1a
Play two initiative or team-building games with the members of your den.
Tiger Required Adventure Games Tigers Play - Requirement 1b
Listen carefully to your leader while the rules are being explained, and follow directions when playing.
Tiger Required Adventure Games Tigers Play - Requirement 1c
At the end of the game, talk with the leader about what you learned when you played the game.  Tell how you helped the den by playing your part.
Tiger Elective Adventure Tiger-iffic! - Requirement 1
Play at least two different games by yourself; one may be a video game.
Tiger Elective Adventure Tiger Tag - Requirement 2
Play two team or relay games with your den.  Tell your parent/guardian or other caring adult or the other Tigers what you liked best about each game. (You could have the boys divide up into teams. Each person in line gets to shoot 1 - 2 times before it is the next person's turn in line on each team.  The first team to dislodge all ping pong balls wins).
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.
Wolf Elective Adventure Paws of Skill - Requirement 5
With your den, develop an obstacle course that involves five different movements.  Run the course two times and see if your time improves. (One of the obstacles could be to shoot all the ping pongs off the pegs).
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.
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.
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 (Once this project is done, it could be used at a Cub Scout Carnival)
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.
Bear Elective Adventure Roaring Laughter - Requirement 4
With a partner, play a game that makes you laugh.
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/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.

Audience Participation/Game
NAIL-DRIVING CONTEST
Materials: Provide each team with scrap wood, 10-penny nails, and a hammer.

• Divide the den into teams.

• Give each team a hammer and a piece of scrap wood with a 10-penny nail already driven a half-inch into it.

• Team members take turn hammering the nail until the head is flush with the wood. This is not a speed contest; rather, the team that drives their nail in with the fewest strokes wins.

• If a nail becomes bent, the team starts over with a new one.

Cheers
Timber: Divide audience into two sides.  One says, "Chip!" The other says, "Chop!"  After a few rounds, everyone yells, "Timber!"
Super Glue: Hands get stuck on the first clap and can't be pulled apart.  The pack then yells out a source of help (e.g., Home Depot, Lowe's, Mr. Fix It-be creative).  
Rubber Tree: Pretend you are using an ax to chop a tree.  Every time you swing, the ax bounces back.  Make a bouncing noise, "Boing, boing!"

Cool Ideas shared in the Breakouts at Round Table
Our breakout leaders show and talk about some really great ideas. Unfortunately I do not get to see all of them.  However, every now and then I get to see some of the ideas they share.  Here are some of those ideas.

Flag Pole Base:  Share by Crystal in the AM Pack Leader Breakout sometime in the Fall of 2015
 


Crystal says that extending the PVC pipe pole holder beyond the base allows her to grab and carry it easier!


PVC Outdoor Flag Pole:  Share by Carol at the AM Webelos Breakout February 2016 
   

Den Position Stick:  Share by Fawn in the AM Den Leader Breakout Feb 2016
 

Opening Brain Teaser Answer: 1)face 2)love 3)milk 4)time 5)blue