Faith/My Family Tree

At March's Round Table we shared ideas for
April's Core Value and Theme
Core Value: Faith
Theme: My Family Tree

April Pack Resource Sheet (begins on p. 100)

April Pack Meeting Plans: “Faith” AND “My Family Tree”

Gathering Activity
Where Are You From?

Materials: Large U.S. map and world map. Direct participants to the maps mounted on a wall or easel. Ask them to put a pushpin in the maps indicating where they grew up and in the place where their ancestors lived. See how many states and countries we come from!

Opening Ceremony
Family Tree

Personnel: Six Cub Scouts and Cubmaster

Materials: Large cutouts of leaves each with a letter from the word “family” written on them. A large
“tree trunk” (carpet roll, papier mâché). After the opening, the tree trunk will be positioned on stage
so the word “family” remains visible for throughout the pack meeting.

Cub Scout 1: F is for FAMILIES we belong to.

Cub Scout 2: A is for ANCESTORS and all who have come before us.

Cub Scout 3: M is for the MANY things that we can learn from them and about them.

Cub Scout 4: I is for the INDIVIDUALS who make up each family.

Cub Scout 5: L is for the LEGACY we can leave through service and good works.

Cub Scout 6: Wait a minute! Isn’t there something missing?

Cubmaster: Yes! Y is for YOU! (Cubmaster gives Cub Scout 6 the leaf with “Y” on it. Cubmaster positions the trunk of the tree. The Cub Scouts place their leaves on the tree.)

Cubmaster: We need YOU to make our pack family complete!

ALL: Let’s honor our ancestors and legacy by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. (Everyone stands and recites.)

Training Topic
Reverence and Religious Emblems

• Ask: “Which of the following chartered organizations worked with the most traditional Scouting units in 2011?”

a. Civic

b. Religious

c. Educational

—Answer: (B) Religious (69.39%); Civic (22.74%); Educational (7.87%)

• BSA is a faith-based organization—Duty to God and the Declaration of Religious Principle

—Tiger Cub Handbook Elective 8—Your Religious Leaders

—Cub Scout Core Value—Faith (having inner strength and confidence based on our trust in God)

—Wolf Handbook Achievement 11: Duty to God

—Bear Handbook Achievement 1: Ways We Worship; achievement 2: Emblems of Faith

—Webelos Badge Requirement 8: Your Religious Duties

—Scout Oath

—Scout Law—12th point is “Reverent.”

• Religious awards are sanctioned by the BSA and allowed to be worn on the uniform but are not
Scouting awards.

• Religious awards are earned and confirmed by religious leaders.

• Religious awards are age-appropriate.

—Youth can earn the first-level emblem as a Tiger Cub or Cub Scout.

—Webelos can earn the second-level emblem.

—Boy Scouts can earn the first- and second-level religious emblems for Boy Scouts.

—Older Boy Scouts, Venturers, Varsity Scouts, and Sea Scouts can earn the second level emblem.

• Benefits of earning religious awards:

—Character development is one of the three purposes of the Boy Scouts of America.

—Strengthens family ties through family involvement

—Strengthens Scout’s religious ties through guided exploration and learning

—Opportunities for leadership positions (chaplain aide) in troops

—May lead to a faith-based career—pastor, priest, rabbi, imam, counselor, etc.—or service to the
religious institution in non-ordained roles

• The council and district religious emblems coordinators are adult leader positions; they encourage all youth to earn the emblem of their faith.

• Display slide/poster of youth religious awards, youth religious emblem square knot, and adult religious emblem square knot.

• Ask: “What do these square knots represent and who can wear them?”

—Answer: Youth wear youth religious emblem square knots to prevent loss or damage to their award.

• A silver knot on a purple background is worn by youth, and a purple knot on a silver background is worn by adults.

• If a Scout earns more than one religious emblem, he only wears one square knot with the appropriate device(s); (Cub Scout, Webelos Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing).

• Display websites for a variety of religious organizations.

BSA Reference Materials

• P.R.A.Y. Publishing: www.praypub.org

• National Catholic Committee on Scouting: www.nccs-bsa.org/

• National Jewish Committee on Scouting: www.jewishscouting.org

• The National Islamic Committee on Scouting: www.islamicscouting.org/

• BSA Religious Awards: www.scouting.org/Awards/ReligiousAwards.aspx

• Guide to Awards and Insignia: No. 614937

• Religious emblems coordinator: www.praypub.org/REC/

Duty to God

Suggested discussions questions and information to be covered and included in the discussion:

1. What does duty to God have to do with Cub Scouting?

• “The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training.Its policy is that the home and organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life. Only persons willing to subscribe to these precepts from the Declaration of Religious Principle and to the Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America shall be entitled to certificates of membership.” (Excerpt from the Declaration of Religious Principles, included in “Information for Parents” inside the front cover of the BSA youth application; also included in the adult application.)

• The Cub Scout Promise states: “I, (name), promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my
country, to help other people and to obey the Law of the Pack.”

2. How does the Cub Scout program include duty to God?

• Boys must complete Duty to God requirements to earn their Wolf (Achievement No. 11), Bear
(Achievements Nos. 1 and 2), and Webelos (Requirement No. 8) badges.

• Faith is the Cub Scout Core Value for April every year.

3. How else can duty to God be worked into the Cub Scout Program?

• Say grace before meals (nonsectarian).

• Have an opening prayer at pack meetings (nonsectarian).

• Hold a “Scout’s Own” service at family camping events.

• Plan and conduct an annual Scout-oriented religious observance during Scout week in February.

• Recognize God’s work in the things that He made, such as animals, plants, and the beauty of the
outdoors.

• Participate in den or pack service projects that help other people.

4. Are there any Cub Scout awards or recognitions that have to do with duty to God?

• Religious emblems programs have been developed by numerous religious groups to encourage their
Scouting members to grow stronger in their faith.

• These emblems are available for the different levels of the Scouting program, with age-appropriate
requirements. The BSA has approved of these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the
official uniform. The various religious groups administer the programs.

• Check with your local council service center or contact the religious organization directly to obtain the curriculum booklets and to find out who teaches the program in your area.

Resources:

• Grace before meals   (http://www.boyscouttrail.com/graces.asp)

• Scout’s Own Services (samples available at http://macscouter.com/scoutsown/)

• Duty to God Religious Emblems: full-color brochure, available online at www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-879_WB.pdf

Audience Participation Activity
Song:“Family Trees”

Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”

Leaves, branches, trunk, and roots, trunk and roots,

Leaves, branches, trunk, and roots, trunk and roots,

We’re studying our family groups.

Leaves, branches, trunk, and roots.

(After each has mastered the words, sing it faster. Then add action):

Leaves: point to head

Branches: point to shoulders

Trunk: point to waist

Roots: point to legs

Studying: put hands to together as if reading a book

Family groups: arms spread out wide

Commissioner’s Minute

“When a society or civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they
came from.” Carl Sandburg

“If you don’t recount your family history, it will be lost. Honor your own stories and tell them, too. The tales may not seem very important but they are what binds families and makes each of us who we are.” Madeleine L’Engle

Cheers

Newton’s Apple: Hold your hand above your head as if holding an apple. Let the apple fall (make sound effect!) onto your head and jolt you awake. Pick up apple, look at it, and exclaim, “Great idea!”

We Are Family: Everyone stands and places their arms around the shoulders of their neighbors.
Everyone sways back and forth, chanting “We Are Family.”

Brown Paper Lunch Sack Family Tree

1- Cut lunch bag into half inch strips. Start at the opening and cut half way down the bag.

2- Open bag and stand it up.

3- Hold base of bag with one hand and twist the middle of bag to create the trunk of the tree.

4- Twist two of the bag strips together to create branches.

5- Cut out leaf shapes, write family names on the, and glue them all over the branches of the tree.

 

 

 

 

 

My Family Sticks Together

1-Select a 6-8 inch stick to represent each member of the family.

2-Glue google eyes on each stick.

3-Tie the sticks together with jute or twine.

4-Add a sign that says “My Family Sticks Together."