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remove invasive species, conduct wildlife surveys, plant native
grasses along riverbanks, and put identification bands on migratory
birds.
REQUIREMENT 4 | Observe wildlife from a distance.
Describe what you saw.
If you’ve ever seen an animal in the wild, you know how
exciting watching wildlife can be. It is important to watch from a
distance, however. Some animals can be dangerous to you. Also,
you don’t want to scare an animal off or disturb it while it is
eating.
A good place to spot wildlife is along shorelines. Even if you
don’t see any animals, you’ll probably find lots of footprints
where they’ve come down to get a drink.
Some wildlife refuges and parks have blinds that you can get
behind to watch birds and other animals. A blind is a camouflaged
wall or shelter with windows in it. Sometimes, one-way glass is
used so you can see out but the animals can’t see in.
You can also use a periscope to peek over a wall or around a
corner at wildlife. The directions below show how to make a
simple periscope out of milk cartons. A field guide will help you
identify what you see.
Check with your den leader or another adult before
using a knife or scissors for this activity.
Make a Cardboard Periscope
1. Cut the tops off two quart-sized milk (or similar style)
cartons.
2. Cut a square hole on one side of one carton, just above
the bottom. Leave a ¼-inch border around the hole.
3. On the sides to the left and right of the hole, cut slits at
a 45-degree angle. The bottom of each slit should be
near the edge close to the hole. The top of each slit
should be near the edge away from the hole.
4. S lide a mirror into the slot with the reflecting side
facing the hole. Tape it in place so it doesn’t fall out.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 with the other milk carton.
6. S lightly crimp the open end of one milk carton. S lide
that carton into the open end of the other one with the
holes facing in opposite directions. Tape the two
cartons together.
REQUIREMENT 5 | Use a magnifying glass to
examine plants more closely. Describe what you saw
through the magnifying glass that you could not see
without it.
Plants are beautiful at a distance, but sometimes they are even
more fun to look at up close. When you examine a plant with a
magnifying glass, you can see all sorts of things that are hidden
from the naked eye.
What can you see? You can see the veins that form a leaf’s
skeleton. You can see tiny aphids sucking sap out of a plant stem.
You can see drops of dew rolling down pine needles. You can see
the tiny seeds that make up the eye of a sunflower.
Grab a magnifying glass and start looking!
The Outdoor Code (found in the back of your book) reminds
Scouts to be considerate in the outdoors. One of the ways you can
show consideration is by following the Leave No Trace principle of
“Leave What You Find.” Let future hikers enjoy the plants you see
as well. Instead of taking souvenirs, use the space below to jot
notes or draw a picture of your observations.
REQUIREMENT 6 | Learn about composting and how
vegetable waste can be turned into fertilizer for
plants.
When you eat a banana, do you throw the peel away? When
you scrape extra food off your plate at dinner, where does it go?
You can actually turn banana peels, food scraps, grass clippings,
and even paper into fertilizer for plants by composting.
Composting is a process where you mix organic materials in a
pile or a container, along with a little water. Worms and insects
chew up the material and help good bacteria grow in it. In a month
or two, you end up with a dark, rich fertilizer that you can spread
around plants to help them grow.
You can make a compost pile in the corner of your yard, or you
can use a special composting container. This page shows how to
make a compost bin out of an old trash can.
BUILD A COMPOS T BIN
Find a metal trash can with a tight-fitting lid.
Ask an adult to drill or punch 10 air holes around
the can near the top edge.
Ask an adult to drill or punch 20 drain holes in the
bottom, each one-quarter inch or three-eighths of an
inch in diameter.
Dig a hole about 15 inches deep in a corner of your
yard that drains well.
Set the can in the hole and push the dirt from the
hole up around it.
S tart composting!
Here are some things that can go into your compost pile or
container:
Table scraps (nothing greasy or meaty)
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Crushed eggshells
Leaves
Grass clippings (in thin layers)
Pine needles (in moderate amounts)
Flowers and chopped stems
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea leaves and tea bags
Newspaper and shredded paper (avoid glossy paper and
colored ink)
Shredded cardboard
Barnyard manure (no dog and cat waste)
Add water from time to time so the compost stays as wet as a
damp sponge. Once a week, stir the compost from the outside in.
That’s all you have to do. The worms and insects will do the rest!
A Scout is thrifty. One way to be thrifty is to keep food
out of landfills by composting it.
REQUIREMENT 7 | Plant a vegetable or herb garden.
Growing your own vegetables and herbs is a fun way to learn
how plants grow. And nothing tastes better than food you have
grown yourself.
Some people think you have to have a big yard to have a
garden, but you can grow vegetables and herbs in a small space
using pots or plastic trays.
Grow a Pizza Garden
If you like pizza, you’ll love growing your own herbs to
put on it. Fresh herbs make any pizza better, whether you
baked it yourself or bought it at a store.
What you need:
Some small pots with drainage holes (and trays if your
garden will be inside)
Potting soil
Herb plants like basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and
parsley
A place where the herbs can get lots of sunlight
What to do:
Put some soil in the bottom of each pot so your plants will
sit a couple of inches below the top.
Remove the plants from their nursery containers. Place one
in each pot and gently fill the pot with soil. Pat the soil
down.
Water the plants enough that water runs out the bottom.
Place the pots where they can get sunlight.
Water them when the soil feels dry, and add some fertilizer
every two weeks.
Once the herbs grow, just pinch off pieces to put on your
pizza. (You can also dry herbs to use later.)
Snapshot of Adventure
The Grin and Bear It adventure is very special because you
will share it! In this adventure, you will play some games
with your den, and then you will help plan a Cub S cout
carnival for all the other Cub S couts and their families.
At the carnival, you will have stations where kids and
adults can play midway games like Clothespin Ring Toss and
Keep Your Balance. You might also do activities like face
painting or making balloon animals or maybe have someone
demonstrate juggling. Adults and Boy S couts might provide
snacks and prizes or play music. The Cubmaster will serve as
the ringmaster, just like in a big carnival. It’s a great way to
“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.
Lots of games are fun to play. Some also teach you important
things. Challenge or initiative games help you learn more about
yourself and your friends. They also teach you how to work
together as a team. One great thing about these games is that
everybody can win!
A Scout is loyal. Team-building games help you practice
being true to the other members of your den.
Here are some games you might play with your den. Your den
leader knows other games you can play.
Batting Down the Line
Needed: Large indoor or outdoor playing area, any number of
players, an inflated balloon
Stand in a line with Scouts about 2 feet apart. On a signal, the
first player bats a balloon to the player next to him, who bats it to
the next player, and so on until the balloon reaches the end of the
line. If the balloon touches the ground, a player must take it to the
starting line, and the players must begin again.
Two or more dens can play this game at the same time by
forming parallel lines.
Blanket Ball
Needed: Indoor or outdoor area, any number of players, sheet or
blanket, playground ball or large soft object
Lay the blanket on the ground and put the ball in the center.
The players stand around the blanket, grab its edges, and pick it
up. They throw the ball up and catch it by moving the blanket up
and down together, trying to get the ball as high as possible.
Two or more dens can play this game. You just need extra
blankets and balls. For extra fun, try to toss a ball from one blanket
to another and back!
Group Stand-Up
Needed: Indoor room or grassy outdoor area, long thick rope
(about an inch thick) tied to form a circle
Players sit in a circle holding onto the rope, which is on the
ground in front of their feet. Everyone grabs the rope and then
pulls gently and evenly on it. If everyone pulls together evenly, the
entire group should be able to come to a standing position.
Line Up
Needed: Any number of players, one blindfold per player or
“honor blindfolds” (players promise to keep their eyes closed)
Players are blindfolded and told that no one may talk during the
game. The leader asks them to line up by height. When they are
done, they should stand in place and remove their blindfolds to see
how they did. You can substitute other requirements, such as lining
up by shoe size.
You can also play with eyes open. Players cannot talk but can
use sign language to communicate. This time they line up by
birthday, middle name, number of brothers and sisters they have,
or any other direction.
Forehead Squeeze Relay
Needed: Large playing area, even number of players, several tennis
balls or oranges
The object is for two players on each team to carry a ball or
orange across the room and back again by holding it between their
foreheads. If they drop it, they must start again. When the first
pair returns to the starting point, the next pair begins. Keep
playing until all players have had a turn. The trick with this game
is to see how fast you can move without dropping the ball or
orange!
REFLECTION
After you play a game, sit down with your den and talk
about these questions:
How did you know you did your best?
How did you make sure everyone was included?
How was this game related to the S cout Law?
How do you know that everyone had fun?
How would you make the game different next time?
What did the game teach you about teamwork?
Some games are called feats of skill or are played just for fun.
You can play these games at a den meeting or choose a few to teach
at the Cub Scout carnival.
Clothespin Ring Toss
Materials: Bucket or wastebasket, clothespins, jar rings
Clamp clothespins around the rim of a bucket or wastebasket.
Players stand 10 feet away and try try to toss jar rings over the
clothespins.
Keep Your Balance
Materials: Six- to 8-foot-long two-by-four board, neckerchief for
blindfold
Lay the board flat on the ground. One by one, blindfold each
player and have him try to walk the length of the board. If he steps
off at any point, he falls into the water and is out of the game. If
you have more than one team, put boards side by side and have a
relay race.
Smile
Materials: Coin for flipping
Two teams line up facing each other about 10 feet apart. One
team is Heads; the other is Tails. Flip a coin and call it. If heads
comes up, the Heads team laughs and smiles while the Tails team
members try to keep their faces serious. Any player who laughs at
the wrong time switches teams. Then flip the coin again.
Marble Chop Suey
Materials: Supply of marbles or small candies, several pencils or
chopsticks, two dishes for each team
Put six marbles or candies in a small dish. Using two pencils or
chopsticks, and using only one hand, players try to move the
marbles or candies into a second dish. Using pencils with eraser
tips can make this a little easier for younger Scouts. Play this as a
skill activity or relay race.
Juggler Toss
Materials: Ball or orange for each player
Pairs of players stand about 5 feet apart in two lines facing each
other. Each player has a rubber ball or orange. They toss their balls
simultaneously. Score one point for a team when both make the
catch. After each catch, they take one step back and repeat. The
pair with the most points after a set time limit wins.
With your parent’s or guardian’s permission, search for
additional game ideas in the How-To Book or on
www.scouting.org.
REQUIREMENT 2 | Working with the members of
your den, organize a Cub S cout carnival and lead it
at a special event.
You and your den will help plan and lead a Cub Scout carnival.
Other dens may help, and the leaders will help, too. At a den
meeting, take turns sharing ideas about what you would like to do
at the carnival.
Talk about these things:
What games and activities will take place at the carnival?
Who will run each game or activity?
When and where will the carnival take place?
How will you tell the other dens about the carnival?
If the weather will be nice out, you could have the
carnival outside. If not, plan to have it indoors.
It helps to write things down when you plan an activity. You
could also draw pictures of how the carnival will look.
Pick an activity to lead. M ake a list or draw a picture to show
what you need. You might like to work with a friend so that you
can practice teaching the activity. This will help you get ready to
lead it at the carnival.
Be sure you know what you need to do to get ready for the
game you will lead. If you are not sure, ask your den leader or your
parent or guardian for help.
REQUIREMENT 3 | Help younger Cub S couts take
part in one of the events at the Cub S cout carnival.
When the time for the carnival arrives, your Cubmaster will give
a signal and the fun will begin. Everyone will get a chance to try
out the games you and your den brought to play.
Your job will be to help younger Cub Scouts or their brothers or
sisters take part in one of the activities. The activity may be new
to many of the players, so take time to explain how to do it.
Demonstrate the activity and answer any questions the players
have. And be sure to cheer for them, even if they don’t do well at
first. If you make sure that they have fun, you will have fun, too.
A Scout is friendly. You can show that you are friendly
by being patient and nice with the younger Cub Scouts
at your carnival.
REQUIREMENT 4 | After the Cub S cout carnival,
discuss with the members of your den and your den
leader what went well, what could be done better, and
how everyone worked together to make the event a
success.
Your Cub Scout carnival should be a lot of fun. After all, there
will be games and snacks and prizes. Cub Scouts, brothers and
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