November Week 3
Scout Meeting Schedule
Theme: Community Exploration
(See detail planning sheets)
Time
Activity
Additional Information
Run by
6:30 pm
Opening Ceremony
(See the Scout Leader Handbook)
All
6:40 pm
Skills
Rotation One
7:10 pm
Game
Human Pinball
7:25 pm
Skills
Rotation Two
7:55 pm
Closing
(See the Scout Leader Handbook)
Badge
Links:
Voyageur Citizenship #3,
Pathfinder Personal
Development, #6
Meeting Notes:
Thanks to 1st Stittsville Scouts for this meeting plan.
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JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Community Exploration 1
Skills
GROUP #1 Time: 30 minutes
Community Exploration
Ask Scouts to write on pieces of paper the names of the
types of locations identified in the table. Put the pieces
of paper into a bucket. Each Scout picks two of the
pieces of paper from the bucket. Now ask the Scouts the
following questions:
This is an activity that our group performed at an indoor
meeting. A leader went to our local library and signed
out a current map of our community. We then listed
locations within the community; feel free to add other
features unique to your community.
Locations identified:
1) Show on the map the fastest and shortest direction
between the two locations identified on the two
pieces of paper (left/right, street names).
2) Provide directions to the two locations starting from
the main street in your community.
•
Library
•
Swimming Pool
•
Community Centre
•
Soccer fields
•
Fire Station
•
Police station
•
Municipality buildings
•
Schools
•
Grocery stores
•
Tim Horton’s
•
Local Restaurants
•
Directions to HWY
•
Legion Hall
•
Insurance building
•
Local gas station
Your children encounter strangers each and every day of
their life. Most people are harmless but it is the minority
that we must take seriously. It is important to remind
your children about the dangers of speaking to strangers
and what to do if they are approached by someone they
do not know.
•
Local corner store
Explain what a stranger is to your kids...
•
Fire Pit
•
Local Parks
•
Parish Churches
•
Local businesses
Many times children think of strangers as scary people
who look different. It is important to explain to them
that strangers are ordinary people and that you cannot
tell by looking at them whether they are bad or good.
Remind them that a stranger is anyone that your family
does not know by name.
Divide the Scouts into two groups. After each 30 minute
activity, run a game and then rotate the Scouts to the
other activity.
2
You can setup a challenge between the Scouts if this
makes the activity more enjoyable.
GROUP #2 Time: 30 minutes
Hold a discussion on the dangers of youth speaking to
strangers. The following material was taken from an
excellent article on these dangers.
Teach Your Kids the Dangers of Speaking to
Strangers
You must explain to them that there are safe strangers
and these include policemen, and firefighters. Let
them know safe places to go if they ever need help for
instance: home of a neighbor, a local store or restaurant,
a post office or library.
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Community Exploration
How to handle dangerous situations...
Talk to your children about what to do if your child is
approached by someone they do not know. Key
points to stress include:
•
A stranger in your neighborhood invites your child
to come in for some cookies she just baked.
•
An adult approaches your child in the park and
asks for help locating a soccer ball that went into
the woods.
•
Never approach a vehicle of someone you
do not know.
•
Do not talk to a person that they do not know.
•
Always tell a responsible adult what happened if
they have been approached by someone.
•
A stranger in the mall approaches and ask them if
they would like to come for a free promotional meal
at the fast food restaurant in mall.
• It is OK to say “NO” to adults if you do not know
them.
•
An adult that they know says or does something to
make them feel threatened or uncomfortable.
•
Run away as fast as you can and yell as loud as
possible for help.
•
You talk to someone in a chat room on the internet
and they want to meet for ice cream.
•
Never keep a secret from your parents
•
Never listen if someone tells you to disobey your
parents or do something without permission
•
An adult you do not know, should never ask a
child for help.
•
If you feel threatened or uncomfortable in any
way run.
• They think they are being followed home by
someone.
Other ways to protect your children...
•
Know where they are and who they are with at
all times.
•
Talk to them about safe places to play in your
neighborhood and places to avoid. Set firm rules
regarding what they are allowed to do and what
they can’t do.
An easy way for them to remember this is “No, Go, Yell,
Tell”. If your children feels threatened or uncomfortable
they should say no, run away, yell loud and go
immediately and tell a responsible adult.
•
Teach them to follow their instincts and run if they
feel threatened.
•
Always have a buddy with them if they are walking
or riding a bike.
Equip your child with strategies needed to keep
them safe...
•
Play in a group, not alone.
•
Never be afraid to say no if you feel threatened.
•
Stay in touch via cell phones.
•
Keep important emergency numbers posted and
readily available for your kids. This includes police,
fire, work numbers, parent’s cell phone number, and
the number of a neighbor and/or relative.
•
Be sure your children are mature enough to handle
the situation that you put them in.
Every parent explains the details of strangers to their
children and you think that they understand. You then
see TV shows with hidden cameras, where they set kids
up to see how they would react in the situation with
a stranger, and the kids fail. You should take the time
to role play with your children and help them come up
with a strategy to protect themselves in each scenario.
Examples of a few possible scenarios:
•
A man in a car holding a piece of paper asks your
child to come over and help him with directions.
•
A woman carrying a dog’s leash approaches for help
looking for her lost puppy.
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Community Exploration **NOTE**
This information can also be used as a segue for
Pathfinder Personal Development, Requirement #6.
3
Explore at least two issues of public safety and security.
Subjects may include: Neighborhood Watch, Block
Parents, swarming, the homeless, public facility safety,
or safety inspectors
Badge Link:
Voyageur Citizenship #3,
Pathfinder Personal
Development, #6.
Closing
Form into the horseshoe for announcements.
1. Remind Scouts to dress for the outdoors next
meeting, as they will be doing a community hike
with the Beaver Scouts.
•
Scout Silence.
Game
Human Pinball
Purpose
Here’s your chance to be a flipper in a giant pinball
machine—your dream come true! The lights and bells
may be missing on our organic model, but there’s
plenty of action.
Equipment: A volleyball
How to Play:
All Scouts except one stand in a circle, facing outwards.
Spread your legs as wide as comfortable until your feet
are touching your neighbours’ on either side. Everyone
should bend down and swing their arms between their
legs. This is what it feels like to be a pinball flipper.
The one non-flipper enters the circle as the movable
target. The flippers try to hit the target by knocking
a volleyball or rubber playground ball back and forth
across the circle. Whoever hits the target gets one point
and also gets to be the new target.
Every time the ball goes out of the circle, the target
scores a point. (However, the target’s only job is to avoid
the ball. Only flippers can flip it.) Exactly what these
points are good for is questionable, since everyone is
entitled to as many “Free Games” as they want. And
considering the circumstances, it’s far more likely that
the rushing blood would swell your head long before
any phenomenal score could. Maybe that’s why no one
yet claims to be the World’s Human Pinball Wizard!
4
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Community Exploration