Contact Information

Guide Leaders are more than welcome to 'borrow' material or meeting plans, but please drop me a line to let me know that you used the material, and what didn't work out / worked out well!

ravens (dot) rook (at) gmail (dot) com

Pages

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Water Conservation

Program covered:

o Conservation Badge #3, 6, 7, & 8
o Water Badge
o Ecology Badge #3
o Discovering You – Understand How to be Responsible #5
o Beyond You – Learn about our Environment #2, 3
o Beyond You – Try New Things #4
o Beyond You – Discover Your Community #2

Materials Required:

o Olive Oil
o Four tin foil pie plates
o Dish detergent
o Four empty cups
o Serviettes
o Sponges
o Drinking Straws
o Bingo Cards
o Blue or red food coloring - Watch out for stains!
o Vanilla ice cream
o Clear soda pop
o Crushed ice
o Variety of colored cake decoration sprinkles and sugars
o Clear plastic cups

Opening Song: Singing in the Rain


GROUP:
Fruit Salad on Water Game

Parts depending on how many girls your unit has.
1) Snow 2) Fog 3) Sleet 4) Hail 5) Thunder

Have all the girls except one sit on chairs in a circle. The extra girl is the caller and she stands in the middle of the circle. Each girl is given the name of one of the above water parts (including the caller). The caller then yells out one of the parts (ex. HAIL!) and everyone with that name and the caller must get up and rush to find a new seat. The girl left standing is the new caller. She now yells out another part and the seats change again. If RAIN is called, everyone gets up and moves to a new seat.
With older girls, they must move at least three seats away.


STATION ONE:
Oil Spill Game

Divide the girls into small groups. Each group gets:

  • 1 pie plate/bowl/basin/etc. of water (the "ocean")
  • 1 cup with a small amount of dish detergent
  • 1 empty cup
  • 1-2 paper napkins (serviettes)
  • 1-2 small sponges
  • 1-2 drinking straws

A leader pours an "oil spill" (darkly coloured oil, eg. olive oil, looks best) onto each group's "ocean". The group's task is to clean up the spill. For older girls, you can have leaders be "weather" (blowing through a straw = wind, a water gun = rain), interfering with the girls' progress. After a set period of time, have the girls get together to discuss what did or didn't work for them. It gives them a whole new understanding of how difficult it really is to clean up an oil spill.

Put one or two drops of liquid dish soap in the oil. What happens? When you put a drop of soap into the water, the oil scatters quickly to the edges of the dish. Normally, water has surface tension, meaning that the water molecules try to stick together. The soap breaks the connection between water molecules so that they move away from each other, radiating outwards from the soap. As they go, they carry the oil with them to the outer edges of the dish. This might make the water look clean, but is it really? If this were an oil spill in an ocean, the edges of the dish would be a shoreline. Covering it with oil would harm all kinds of plants and animals. And soap is a pollutant too, just like oil.

STATION TWO:
Water Wonders Bingo

Each girl gets a bingo sheet like the one reproduced below. Then the girls must get other Guides or leaders to sign off on squares that identify something water-friendly that that person does. First girl with a complete card wins!


Tries to conserve water in the home
Knows a female scientist
Uses salt when bringing a pot of water to boil
Has taken science classes in school
Has been inside a greenhouse
Enjoys gardening
Has made her own bubble solution
Has visited a water treatment plant
Has been water-skiing
Has been on a sailboat
Has been to Niagara Falls
Knows someone in a water-related career
Does not let the water run while washing dishes
Drinks seltzer water
Does not let the water run when brushing teeth
Has been to the Ocean
Can name all five oceans
Has taken swimming lessons
Likes to do science activities with her troop
Drinks 6-8 glasses of water every day
Has used a well
Has experienced a drought season
Knows how clouds are formed
Has been in a canoe



STATION THREE:
Edible Parfaits
(Page 19 – Science in a Box – BC Program Committee 2003)

This activity is a fun and easy way to understand the geology of an aquifer. You will build your own edible aquifer; learn about confining layers, contamination, recharge and water tables.

You’ll need:
o Blue or red food coloring - Watch out for stains!
o Vanilla ice cream
o Clear soda pop
o Crushed ice
o Drinking straws
o Variety of colored cake decoration sprinkles and sugars
o Clear plastic cups (use new ones, not the ones from the Science Box)

1. Fill a clear plastic cup 1/3 full with crushed ice (represents gravels and soils).
2. Add enough soda to just cover the ice.
3. Add a layer of ice cream to serve as a "confining layer" over the water-filled aquifer.
4. Then add more crushed ice on top of the "confining layer”.
5. Coloured sugars and sprinkles represent soils and should be sprinkled over the top to create the porous top layer.
6. Now add the food colouring to the soda. The food coloring represents contamination. Watch what happens when it is poured on the top of the "aquifer." Keep in mind that the same thing happens when contaminants are spilled on the earth’s surface.
7. Using your straw, drill a well into the center of your aquifer.
8. Slowly begin to pump the well by sucking on the straw. Watch the decline in the water table.
9. Notice how the contaminants can get sucked into the well area and end up in the groundwater by leaking through the confining layer.
10. Now recharge your aquifer by adding more soda, which represents a rain shower.


Closing Song: Barges

Friday, January 8, 2010

Bringing the Outdoors In

Joint Meeting with both the Guides and the Brownies

Station One – Waterproof a Sleeping Bag (gym one)

Station Two – Pitch a Tent (gym one)

Station Three – Menu Planning (lunchroom)

Station Four – Compasses (gym two)

Station Five – Pack your Camping Backpack (gym two)

With a 1.5 hour meeting, and leaving ten minutes at beginning & end for opening closing etc, each station will be almost 15 minutes.

Girls will rotate from lunchroom to gym one (where the Brownies usually meet) then gym two (where the Guides usually meet). We will open and close as a group in gym one.

Program covered:

GUIDES:
Beyond You – Explore the Outdoors & Nature #3, #4, #6
Exploring - #5
Hiking #6

Camp Out #1 or Basic Camper #1
Camp Out #3

BROWNIES:
Coming Soon

Materials Required:

Waterproof a Sleeping Bag:
Ground sheet
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag
Extra blanket
Pillow (optional)
15 feet of rope

Pitch a Tent
Tent

Cardinal Points
3 – 4 compass
3 - 4 place marker
5-6 list of directions

Pack your backpack
Backpack
Tent
Sleeping bag
Ditty Bag
First Aid kit
Lantern
Headlamp
Mess kit
Stove
Pots / pans
Etc.

Stations

Cardinal Points
Equipment: Per team (2-3 girls),
one compass,
one place marker,
one list of directions.

Play in a large area such as a schoolyard. Scatter the teams around so each team starts at a different point. Have the teams mark their starting point with a beanbag, backpack, or other marker. (Gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins are a popular option!) From their starting point, teams follow a set of bearings and distances. If they do it correctly, they should finish at the same point where they started.

Course :
Walk 5 paces to the North.
Walk 10 paces to the West.
Walk 20 paces to the South
Walk 15 paces to the East
Walk 15 paces to the North
Walk 5 paces to the West.


Waterproofing a Sleeping Bag

Talk to the girls about:


Why we waterproof our sleeping bags

  • If you arrive at camp and it is raining….
  • If you’re on a canoe trip and you Dad yells ‘pry’ but instead your Mom draws, and you get pinned between two rocks with water pouring in….

That we roll the head first and the feet last

  • If it does get wet, you want it to be at the very bottom

That the extra blanket will keep us warmer if we put it in our sleeping bag, not on top of our sleeping bag

The sleeping bag has a moisture wicking layer on top that you don’t want to interfere with


A Bedroll is made of:
Tarp or plastic ground sheet
Foam mattress (air works too, but foam is warmer!)
Sleeping bag
Extra blanket
Pillow

First, lay the ground sheet flat on the ground
Next, place the foam mattress in the middle of the ground sheet laid flat
Place the sleeping bag on top of the mattress
Place the blanket on top of the sleeping bag
Place the pillow in the middle of the sleeping bag.

You should now have five layers!

Next, fold the extra sides of the tarp to cover up the top of your sleeping materials
Now, roll the tarp up, starting with your head. If water does get inside, the spot that you start with will get wet last. You want your head to be nice and Warm!

Last, tie the bedroll up using a clove hitch knot.


Menu Planning

Talk to the girls about:

  • The importance of a balanced diet, especially at camp
  • Need fuel to keep going, hiking, playing, fresh air, etc.

When the leaders plan a camp, we plan our meals from the Canada Food Guide to make sure we have healthy meals, and then we add a few treats! Now it is your turn to plan a day of meals! Be creative, and work together. Don’t forget about something to drink!

Breakfast
Fruit / Veggie:
Grain:
Protein:
Dairy:

Morning Snack:

Lunch:
Fruit / Veggie:
Grain:
Protein:
Dairy:
Dessert:

Afternoon Snack:

Dinner:
Fruit / Veggie:
Grain:
Protein:
Dairy:
Dessert:

Bedtime Snack:



Pitch a Tent

Talk to girls about:
what makes a good site

  • flat
  • sheltered
  • etc.

The importance of a good site

  • If you’re at the bottom of a hill and it rains, you may flood
  • If you're at the top of a hill, you could blow away
  • If a storm comes up and you’re in the open, you are very exposed
  • Etc.

Care for the tent

  • It is fabric, not indestructible
  • If you touch the sides of a canvas tent, it will leak
  • If you touch the sides of a nylon tent, it could leak
  • Etc.

Compasses
Talk to the girls about:

  • Cardinal directions (N, S, E, W)
  • Discuss pacing
  • Each pace should be the same length

Pack Your Camping Backpack
Talk to the girls about

  • Why it is important to have all the items that you do
  • Spreading the load around (multiple people)
  • How to we store our food?

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Enrollment Prep & Lady Baden Powell Award

Program covered:
Begin Lady B-P Challenge (2nd & 3rd years)
Event Planning (1st Years)
You in Guiding – Understand the Promise, Law & Motto #1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (1st Years)
You & Others – Learn How to Plan #1 (1st Years)
Event Planning Badge (1st Years)

Materials Required:
Lady B-P info
Cards / Envelopes
Paper
Promise / Law Cards
Guide Ties
Paper etc. for Invitations

Opening

Discussion – Patrol leader Elections
Discuss what a patrol leader is, how many patrols, and speeches

Discussion – Enrollment November 18
Refreshments
Decorations
Ceremony
Invitations

Activity – Promise Relay (1st years)
In teams, put the cards with the promise on them in order.

Activity – Guide Tie relay (1st years)
In teams, tie the tie of the girl behind you. Once her tie is tied properly, she will tie the tie of the girl behind her, until the whole team is done.

Activity – Guide Handshake (1st years)
Teach the girls what the Guide handshake is (shake with the left hand) & why

Craft – Invitations to enrollment (1st years)

Activity – Discuss Lady B-P Challenge (2nd & 3rd years)

Practice enrollment

Closing

Leave Nametags for next week

Friday, October 30, 2009

Chemistry

Program Covered:
Beyond You – Try new things #4
Chemistry Badge #1, #2, #5, #8
Engineering Badge #4
Science Badge #3, #4
Tasty Treats Badge #3


Materials Required: See each activity individually

Opening

Station One: Science in the Deep Freeze!

Materials:
Whole Milk, Cream, or Half & Half
Vanilla extract or chocolate syrup
sugar
ice
salt
several large Ziploc-style bags
1 small Ziploc-style baggie for each person

Each person should have her own sandwich size Ziploc-style baggie to mix the ingredients in.
Add 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of sugar.
Add 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of milk, cream, or Half & Half.
Add a dash of vanilla extract or about 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) of chocolate syrup.
Seal the small baggies and squish everything around to mix it up.
Take the large Ziploc-style bag and fill it half full of ice.
Next, add approximately 150 grams (10 tablespoons) of salt to the large bag.
Take a few of the small baggies and place them into the large bag with the ice and salt (maximum of 3-4 small baggies at a time). Seal the large bag.
Carefully shake the large bag for about 5 minutes.
What is happening to the contents in the small baggies?
Pass out spoons and eat!

What is happening?
Water freezes at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). As the water is cooled, the water molecules slow-down, and when the temperature reaches 0 degrees

Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) the water molecules bundle together, not quite immobile, and make ice. The freezing point of salty solutions is lower than 0 degrees Celsius. So when you add salt to the ice, it can turn liquid and still be at 0 degrees or lower. Since liquids are able to “share” their coldness better than solids, you will be able to make ice cream faster if you add salt to the ice, causing your bag to be filled with extra-cold water!

Station Two: Slippery Stuff
You’ll need:
oil
soap
water

Rub a few drops of cooking oil on your hand.
Wash your hands with water? What happens?
Wash your hands with soap. Does this make the slippery oil go away?
Why do you think you should wash your hands with soap before you eat?

What is happening?
The water molecules stick together tightly and will not mix with the oil on your hand. Soap molecules are friendly with both water and oil. One end of the soap molecule sticks to oil, the other end sticks to water. The soap breaks up the surface tension and keeps the oil drops mixed in with the water so that the oil can be washed off your hand.

Station Three: Ack, It’s Gak!

You’ll need:
1/4 cup cornstarch
3-1/2 teaspoons water (add more if needed)
a bowl
food colouring (optional) (Watch out for stains!)

Add cornstarch to water in a bowl. Mix with hands (not spoon; needs warmth of hands).
When you touch the mixture gently, it should yield like a liquid. When you smack your hand down on it, it should resist like a solid. Add colouring if wanted. Play away!

What is Happening?
Substances can be solid, liquid or a gas (states of matter). This change between states can occur when there is a change of temperature or pressure. Gak is borderline between a solid and liquid.

Station Four: Mix ‘n Match

You’ll need:
pH kit
vinegar, water, and ammonia
1 cup for clean water
1 cup for the waste liquid
plastic syringe
paper towel

Put your gloves and glasses on and spread the paper towel on the tabletop.
Take the red lid off the pH tester. The yellow side is for chlorine so we won’t need it.
Use the syringe to take some of the liquid out of one of the containers labeled ammonia, water, or vinegar and place it in the pH tester.
Fill up to the MAX line.
Add 5 drops of the phenol red dye, put the lid on tightly and shake it a bit.
The liquid will have changed colour. Look to the left and match the colour and the number.
Now look on the pH scale above to find out if the liquid is an acid or a base (alkaline).
Pour the used liquid into the waste cup
Use some clean water to rinse out the kit with the syringe.
Now repeat with the other two liquids

What is happening?
An indicator is a special type of compound that changes colour depending on the pH of the solution you mix it with. The phenol red dye that you have in your pH kit is an indicator.

Test all kinds of different liquids. Start with the liquids you drink, such as pop, milk, and juice. Then take the pH kit on a hike and sample a creek, river, pond or puddles of water.

Station Five: Bouncy Ball

You’ll need:
3 clear cups (5 ounce plastic cups work well)
Water
Borax (from the detergent aisle at the supermarket)
White liquid glue
Food coloring
2 spoons

Fill one cup halfway with water and add a spoonful of borax. Stir. Some of the borax should still be visible at the bottom after you stir.
Add enough white glue to the second cup to fill it a quarter of the way. Add an equal quantity of water so the cup is half full (this is to the cup of glue). Then add a drop or two of food coloring. Stir this together with the second spoon.
Pour half of the coloured glue and water mixture into the third cup. Add an equal amount of the borax and water mixture to the third cup.
Stir this combination together. It will change to something very different.
Take out the putty, squeeze out the liquid, and roll it into a ball in your hands. Test to see if your ball will bounce when you drop it on a hard surface.


Closing

Leave nametags for next week

Thursday, October 22, 2009

1910-2010

Program Covered:
You In Guiding – Learn About Guiding #6
Canadian Guiding #1

This year marks the hundredth year of Guiding in Canada.

Last night, girls and their leaders form all over Ontario gathered together to hold a campfire & sing songs. There were several locations throughout the province, so no one had to travel more than a half hour or so to get to a gathering spot.

The girls at all of the campfires used the same song list, so across the province, everyone was singing together. Interspersed in between the songs were facts of Guiding history throughout the years. It was very well done, and the facts were relevant, yet each one short enough that they didn't loose interest.

Our unit had a very good turnout of all four leaders, and 19 of our 28 girls.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Discovering You Some More

Program Covered:
Discovering You - Discovering What’s important to you #2
Beyond You – Learn About Our Environment #4
Conservation #1

Materials Required:
o Washable Paint
o Scrapbooks
o Envelopes
o Paper
o Pens

Opening

Game
I am going camping, and I am bringing……

Game
o Fish tag

Craft (White then Pink)
o Take handprints & Footprints for scrapbook
o Begin filling in Scrapbook Information

Activity (Pink then White)
Write a letter to yourself. We’ll open these in May.

Craft
Write your name and decorate the inside front page of your scrapbook.

Closing

Leave nametags for next week

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Discovering You

Program Covered:

Discovering You – Discover What’s important to you #2

Discovering You – Discover Your Creativity #6

Creative Craft #8


Materials Required:
o Picture Frames
o Washable Paint
o Paint for Frames
o Puzzle pieces to glue onto Picture frames
o Glue
o Scrapbooks
o Scrapbook info sheets
o Pens
o Stickers to decorate nametags

Opening

Welcome etc
o Washrooms
o Partners
o Expectations
o Routines

Nametags

Initiative Games
o Get in pairs, find out about your partner, then introduce your partner to the group

Craft (Pink then White)
o Glue puzzle pices onto picture frames

Craft (White then Pink)
o Fill in Scrapbook Information

Closing

Leave nametags for next week