PACK AND DEN ACTIVITIES

S'More Ways to Have Fun

Alice, Golden Empire Council

ü  Be sure you start out by reviewing Safety in the Sun and taking the Safe Swim training available online from BSA. Remind everyone of the Buddy System and test them often to see if they are with their buddy.  Make sure sunscreen, shade and water are available whenever you gather in the Summertime

ü  This is a great time to review Campfire Safety – and it can be fun and tasty, too, if you use a graham cracker for the dirt, raisins for the fire circle, shredded coconut for the tinder, small pretzel sticks for the kindling, larger pretzel sticks for the fuel, a glass of water for the water you should have nearby a campfire, a spoon for the shovel (to bury the fire), and red hearts for the flame.  As you go through the procedure, give out the ingredients – each boy makes a campfire is completed, and then gets to eat it. Older boys can practice making different kinds of fires, such as teepee or log cabin.

ü  Celebrate Hot August Nights – gather at a wide-open spot for star-gazing.  Gather telescopes from pack members, or contact a local Astronomy club – your librarian will have some contact information.

ü  Another way to get out the heat – have your meeting at night and make and play some of the suggested nighttime games – anything “glow in the dark” will be a hit!  Be sure to go over rules and boundaries first, and have adults assigned to keep everyone in the area and out of harm’s way.

ü  Have the whole den or pack take part in the local library reading program – add to a “bookworm” made of overlapping colored paper circles – each time a book is read, add a new segment. The head of the bookworm can include a set of feelers made of pipe cleaners or black paper, complete with eyes and a big smile. Display the Bookworm at your meeting place. To celebrate completing the project, donate a book to the library from the den or pack.

ü  Make fruit leather and tea using the power of the sun. Directions under CUB GRUB.

ü  Celebrate frogs and pond creatures – check out a book about them, read it with the den, then make underwater viewers and visit a local pond. Then enjoy a Sherbet Frog from CUB GRUB.

ü  Take in an outdoor movie – some communities sponsor family “Movies in the Park” during the summer.

ü  Make Pinhole cameras and take photos of Summer scenes and happenings

ü  Have a “What I did on my Summer Vacation” Night – everyone brings pictures and souvenirs from their favorite or most exciting vacation

ü  Encourage boys to keep a travel journal, or even just a summer journal, with one page for each day.  Tell where you went, what you did, what you saw, what you learned, then draw a picture – see Fun Family Education website

ü  Make sun prints of all kinds of things, such as keys, leaves, etc – but use dark colored construction paper instead of costly blueprint paper.

ü  Instead of just suffering with summertime humidity, make a record of it with a psychrometer. See directions under THEME RELATED.

ü  Make a sundial and use it to tell time. Directions in the Dynamic Sun website.

ü  As a service project, help out a “Get out of the heat” site in your community – or take ice cold water bottles or slices of watermelon to deliver to people out in the heat.

ü  Invite local seniors to a cool location, such as your Chartered Organization site, and serve cold lemonade or ice tea and popcorn, while showing some old movies.

ü  Another easy service project would be to take along garbage bags, “grabbers” and gloves when you visit a local park or water site – clean up the area so everyone will enjoy it more.

SIDEWALK CHALK,

a book by Jamie Kyle McGillian

Utah National Parks

 This book is great for artist achievements and electives.  It has lots of wonderful ideas for things to draw.  Here are a few examples -

P Square Décor – Each square is an open canvas

P Rebus – Create a funny saying using pictures as words

P Creature Features – Each boy take turns drawing parts of a creature

P Alphabet Art (Names) – Draw names, decorate or create an animal or creature using the letters of name

P Shape Art – What can you make using only common shapes?

P Animal Mix-up – Head of a rhino, body of a lion, legs of an ostrich, feet of a duck, etc.

P Make-up anything!

P Mazes – Size just right for chalk line or go BIG and make it Cub Scout size!

Good Turn for America

Alice, Golden Empire Council

If your pack den or pack is doing the Good Turn for America suggested on page 4 in Program Helps, use this time to put together School Kits for kids living in shelters, or who have lost homes in recent flooding. Pencils, notebooks, colored pencils, rulers, scissors, erasers, and other supplies can be picked up in order by everyone, then put in sealable plastic bags or backpacks and donated.

Grass Blade Whistle 

Sam Houston Area Council

Pluck a long, flat blade of grass and hold it between the edges of both thumbs. The blade of grass should be in the middle of the gap between your thumbs. Put your lips against your thumbs and blow hard through the gap. You’ll hear a variety of squeaks and squawks.

Buzzing Bug 

Swing this over your head and it will BUZZZZZ!

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials:

1 3x5 index card,

1 jumbo craft stick (tongue depressor),

2 small pieces of craft foam (3/4” to 1” wide, and about 2” long),

1 size-64 rubber band (1/4”),

string (2-3 feet),

double sided tape,

scissors,

markers.

Directions

1.       Draw a bug on the index card, color and cut it out. Make sure to use the card horizontally and not to shorten the bottom of the index card (it will be attached to the craft stick). The bug should have a large body or wings. Antennae and legs should be simplified or drawn on.

2.       Attach a piece of double-sided tape to each of the foam pieces.

3.       Place the uncut edge of the index card on the craft stick such that the index card covers half of the width of the stick.

4.       Fold one foam piece over the end of the stick so that the stick and the index card are joined together. This will keep the bug in place. (Optionally glue the bug to the stick.)

5.       Lay a string across the sticky side of the second foam piece, leaving a loose end of several inches. Place this second piece of foam over the other end of the craft stick in the same way as you did previously.

6.       Stretch the rubber band over the foam covered ends of the craft stick. Use the short end of the string to knot a loop around the foam, making a secure attachment.

7.       Swing the bug over your head. If your bug doesn’t buzz, adjust the rubber band. Make sure you have plenty of room away from people and objects. Try different speeds.

Sand Sculptures 

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials:

1 cup play sand,

½ cup cornstarch,

¾ cup hot water,

1 teaspoon powdered alum (available at the hardware store.),

a saucepan

Directions

P Mix the sand, cornstarch, and alum in a saucepan.

P Add hot tap water.

P Stir quickly until mixed.

P Have an adult cook the mixture over medium heat.

P Keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick.

P Let it cool.

P Mold the mixture into the desired shape.

P When finished, place the sculpture on a windowsill or somewhere it will get plenty of sunshine.

P Let it dry for several days.

P The sand sculpture will get so hard it won’t have to be sprayed with anything to protect it. It will last forever!

Cricket Chirper

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Crickets make their distinctive sound by rubbing their wings together – make these chirpers and you can add to their music on a Summer evening!

Materials: 

Two 10-inch wooden skewers

30 ½ inch wooden beads

Scissors

Tacky Glue

Directions:

·         Use scissors to cut the pointed tips from the wooden skewers.

·         Now thread fifteen beads tightly onto each skewer.

·         Secure the end beads to the skewer with tacky glue.

·         When the glue is dry, rub the beaded sections against each other to hear your “cricket” chirping!

Create a Box Compass

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Materials:

Square box with sides no more than 2" high (bottom of a half-gallon milk carton)

Cardboard circle small enough to lay flat in bottom of box

1 1/2" nail with head

1 large paper clip, straightened

Magnet

Glue or tape

Directions:

·         Pierce the center of the box bottom with the 1 1/2" nail from the bottom up into the box.

·         Take the straightened paper clip and compare to the diameter of your compass rose. If longer, trim it.

·         Rub the paper clip against a magnet for several minutes.

·         Glue or tape wire to the cardboard circle, slightly off center.

·         On same side, mark center of cardboard circle and pierce halfway through. place cardboard circle on point of nail in box. Let circle settle. It will turn gently until one end of the needle points to north.

·         Create a compass rose either by printing an online example or drawing your own. it should be the size of your cardboard circle.

·         Glue the compass rose to the cardboard circle with the fleur de lis placed where the needle end points to north.

Create a Water Compass

Materials:

Small paper clip, straightened

Small piece of Styrofoam (packing peanut)

Bowl of water

Magnet

Permanent marker

Directions

·         Rub the paper clip with the magnet for several minutes.

·         Pierce the paper clip through the “peanut”

·         Gently place on the surface of water.

·         Allow the needle enough time to align along the magnetic fields of the earth. It will then point north.

·         Test this by gently blowing on the needle to push it out of alignment.

·         The same end of the needle should always return to the same direction.

·         Mark the north end of the needle with permanent marker.

Litter Sticker

Capital Area Council

Use an old broomstick, tape on a nail at one end.

How Hot Is It?

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Make a Sling Psychrometer to Measure the Humidity – Sometimes it feels a lot hotter than the temperature. That’s because the relative humidity, or moisture in the air, can make it seem much hotter. Our bodies are called by the evaporation of perspiration, and when there’s a lot of water in the air, the evaporation is slowed way down – it can’t go into already “wet” air.  Here’s a fun way to measure the relative humidity.

Materials:

2 indoor/outdoor wall thermometers

double sided mounting tape

small lengths of wire to fasten thru hole in thermometers

6 inch circle of fabric

rubber band

7”x12” piece of poster board or thin duct tape

hole punch

20 inch length of cotton string

Instructions:

Cut away a 3-1/2 by 3 inch section from the lower right corner of the poster board.

Tape the two thermometers to the poster board side by side, with the numbers facing up and the liquid filled ends sticking over the edge about 2 inches. 

Use the wire to secure each thermometer to the board through the hole in the top, just to be sure they stay on the board.

Wrap a piece of duct tape around the top of the poster board about ¾ inch from the top, and punch a hole in the center.

Thread the cotton string through the hole and tie the ends together to make a loop.

How to Use the Psychrometer:

«  Wet the fabric circle and wrap it around the bottom of the lowest thermometer, using the rubber band. (This is your wet-bulb thermometer)

«  Grab the loop of string and swing the psychrometer back and forth waist high in front of you. Take readings about every minute, until the temperature of the wet-bulb thermometer stops dropping. (About 2-3 minutes)

«  Write down the readings for each thermometer.

«  Now subtract the wet-bulb temperature from the dry bulb temperature to find the difference.

«  If the humidity is low, the air is dry and the water will evaporate quickly from the wet-bulb, so there will be a greater difference between the two thermometers.

«  If the humidity in the air reaches 100%, there will be no difference between the two, since the water on the wet-bulb has no place to evaporate).

«  Look at the table below. Find the dry thermometer temperature in the far left column and FOLLOW it to the right. FIND the difference between the two temperatures on the top, and FOLLOW it down. The number where the row and column intersect is the relative humidity.

Difference between the thermometers: 

You can take your own humidity reading and then check against what the weatherman says the humidity is.

Bird Call

Capital Area Council

Materials

1 - 2" long wooden dowel rod *

1 - "chunky" eye screw

1 - Baseball pitcher's powered rosin bag

* - The Pow Wow book does not give a size.  Dowel rod can be expensive for Cub projects but a replacement broom stick usually runs me $1.00 to $1.50 or closet rod is usually not very expensive.  CD

Directions

ü  Drill a hole slightly smaller than the screw threads, in the end of the dowel rod

ü  Turn the screw eye into it.

ü  Unscrew the eye,

ü  Put some powdered rosin from a pitcher's rosin bag in the hole.

ü  As you twist the screw eye back and forth in the hole, very slowly, you will make a chirp-chirp or trill

ü  With practice, this simple device will produce an astounding variety of bird noises.

ü  If you wish, paint or decorate the birdcall with marking pen designs or your own initials or other means of identification.

HIKE ACTIVITIES:

Capital Area Council

NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT -- Divide boys into two teams, give each team the following list. Allow 15 minutes to see how many items they can collect for their team.

1..      Something green

2..      Something blue

3..      Something that looks old

4..      Something new

5..      Something old

6..      Something gold color

7..      Something alive

8..      Something dead

9..      Something red

10..  A tree leaf

Upon returning, see what they can make out of their collection.

Nature Collages Hike - Take a hike and collect nature things like bark, twigs, leaves, grass, shells, nuts, rocks, dried seeds, etc. These items can then be arranged on wooden boards, poster boards, tiles, etc. Use a tacky glue to glue items down and place a hanger on the back.

Sand Casting Hike -- With items you have collected on a hike you can also sand-cast them. Sand in a box works fine. Let each boy 'dig a small hole, place his items in the bottom with the best side pushed into the sand. Mix Plaster of Paris to pouring consistency and carefully pour in the hole. Let it set about 20 minutes, then lift out, and brush off the sand. A piece of wire can be pushed in the back while it is drying for hanging.

Nature Hike – Take along a book guide and identify plants or animals and what it eats and what it becomes.

Nature Field Trip – Visit Nature Center or Preserve, Zoo or Game Sanctuary.

Early Signs of the Season – Look for sign of the season in nature, discussing the changes the plants and animals go through from spring through summer, fall and winter.

Baby Hike – Look for nature’s babies. Plants and animals. Look, but don’t touch.

Caterpillar Hike – Pair the boys up and blindfold one of the partners. Have the un-blindfolded boy lead the other around slowly so they can listen, smell and touch nature while they try to explain what they hear, smell and feel. Reverse the partners after a time, blindfolding the boy who was leading the other.

Micro Hike – Lay out several areas 6 x 6 feet with strings and have the boys lay on the ground and look very closely to what goes on 6 inches from the ground. Discuss what they saw.

Undercover Hike – Try this with some homemade camouflage and have the boys move very slowly through the woods stalking what they can. Possibly blacken their faces also, while they test the wind and listen to the sounds of the forest.

Big Game Hunt – Sight as many animals as they can and make a list of what they saw and what it was doing.

Shadow Hike – Walk only in the shadows. This may require some jumping. (Don’t try this at noon when the shadows are the shortest).

Smell Hike – Sniff your way around the block. Write down the odors that you recognize. How did the smells make you feel?

Color Hike – Choose a color and hike only towards that color objects for as long as you can. How far can you make it?

Sound Hike – Listen to the sounds as you hike. Write down the sounds that you recognize.

NATURE CRAFTS AND IDEAS:

Capital Area Council

1..      Collect, mount and name as many seeds as can be found.

2..      Collect, mount and name twigs from as many trees as possible.

3..      Collect, mount and name leaves from as many trees, shrubs and flowers.

4..      Collect feathers, mount and identify or use in picture making.

5..      Make and paint totem poles out of rocks.

6..      Paint rocks to resemble animals--i.e. turtle, ladybug, beetle, etc.

7..      Paint rocks for paperweights.

8..      Dye sand with food coloring and use to create pictures.

9..      Make Plaster of Paris molds of animal tracks.

10..  Use Plaster of Paris in dish gardens to create pools or planting areas.

11..  Make star charts.

12..  Learn circumpolar constellations and mythology.

13..  Go on a star gaze (a strong beamed flashlight helps as pointer).

14..  Make a pin hole constellation from tin can or milk carton... shine light in the inside to reflect stars against wall.

15..  Make cloud charts with cotton.

16..  Make simple barometers.

17..  Paint and draw with ink made from berry juices.

18..  Recognize edible plants and berries.

19..  Weave mats out of grasses and reeds.

20..  Make an insect net out of coat hanger, stocking hose, or cheesecloth.

21..  Carve or paint shelf fungus.

22..  Go on a bug hunt with hand-made boxes and jars.

23..  Carve simple nametags, whistles, and letter openers.

24..  Study different soils, collect, plant, test, and grow things

25..  Play tree tag--only safe when touching certain type of tree.

26..  Make terrariums out of wild plants found.

BALL CATCHERS

Utah National Parks

Here is a good way to recycle your old plastic laundry detergent bottles or plastic milk jugs, and
 have lots of fun afterwards.

NOTE: The plastic bottles can be hard to cut, so have help available for that step.

Materials:

2 Plastic milk jugs or laundry detergent jugs

Sharp scissors

Colored electrical tape or paint markers

Small rubber ball or tennis ball or socks

Directions:

P Rinse the milk or detergent jugs well before starting. (You will not be able to get the jug completely clean until the bottom is removed)

P Use the sharp scissors to cut the milk carton or detergent jug.

P First cut off the bottom, then cut a U shape under the handle.  (I usually do not cut the U shape under the handle.  CD)

P Make sure you don't cut into the handle so you can hold onto the jug while catching the ball.

P After cutting the bottom off, thoroughly wash and dry the jug.

P Use the colored electrical tape or paint markers to decorate the jugs.

P Have fun playing catch and toss.

BALLOON LAUNCHER

Utah National Parks

Materials:

Scissors

Plastic lid (e.g. from butter or cottage cheese container top)

Push/pull squirt cap (e.g. from dishwashing liquid bottle top)

Glue

Round balloon

Directions:

ü  In the center of the plastic lid, cut a round  hole ¾ inch in diameter.

ü  With the lid’s  writing facing up, center the squirt cap over  the hole and glue into place.  Use enough  glue so that no air can escape.

ü  Allow glue to dry completely.

ü  Blow up a round balloon  and slip the opening of the balloon over the opening of the closed squirt cap.

ü  Place your creation on a smooth surface.

ü  Lift the squirt cap opening so that air escapes from the  balloon.

ü  Your launcher will glide effortlessly!

OUTDOOR CLOCK

Capital Area Council

Materials:

12 x 12” cardboard

empty thread spool

glue

pencil

Directions

ü  Glue spool to center of cardboard and

ü  Glue the pencil in the hole of the spool, pointy end up.

ü  Choose a sunny day and take the clock outside at 9:00 AM

ü  Place the clock in a sunny spot and the pencil will cast a shadow.

ü  Mark where the pencil point ends.

ü  Do the same at 10:00, 11:00, etc.

ü  You can do this every hour until it gets dark.

ü  The next day check that it does the same thing.

ü  You have made a sundial

WINDSOCK

Capital Area Council

Materials:

1 - 9"x12" piece fun foam

Several ribbon pieces 13” long

1 - piece of ribbon 24" long

Glue

Directions

ü  Cut foam in half length-wise.

ü  Glue 13" ribbons on one long end with a 1/2 inch between pieces.

ü  Glue short ends together to form the windsock.

ü  Glue 24" ribbon on the inside of foam at the top for hanging.

ü  You can decorate with anything you want, i.e.: sequins, pom-poms, silk flowers, beads, lace, markers.

Recycled Wind Sock

Capital Area Council

Here is a fun way to utilize "trash" to make a festive craft that also reminds us to appreciate the clean, fresh air that we breathe.

Materials:

Plastic tub with lid (butter, whip cream)

Old party streamers/Crepe paper

Old Ribbon

Used, clean plastic bags

Directions

P Cut the bottom of the plastic tub out, and

P Cut the center out of the lid, leaving the outer ring.

P Cut 3-foot streamers from the crepe paper, ribbon and plastic bags.

P Arrange them around the rim of the tub so that they hang down over the edge. (You can also attach bells or metal washers to the ends of the ribbon for sound effects!)

P Snap the lid over the rim of the tub to hold the streamers in place.

P Tuck the 2 ends of a piece of ribbon under the lid, so that it forms a hanger.

P Hang your wind sock in the breeze!

Recipe for a Rainbow

Capital Area Council

Materials:

Bowl of fresh water,

small mirror,

piece of white paper,

direct sunlight.

Directions

ü  Prop up the mirror in the bowl of water so that it lies mostly underwater and reflects sunlight. 

ü  Hold the paper above the mirror so the reflected sunlight hits it. 

ü  Hold the paper steady. 

ü  You should see the colors of the rainbow appear on it. 

ü  Do not look at the reflected sunlight in the mirror.  It could damage your eyes.

Kite Neckerchief Slide

Capital Area Council

Materials:

Clean, unused foam meat tray (or Fun Foam)

Toothpick

Yarn

Slide Ring (1" long, 3/4" Diameter PVC pipe)

Glue

Directions

Cut kite shape from a foam meat tray.

Tie two toothpicks together crosswise and glue.

Cut point off picks to proper length for kite, and glue on kite.

For tail, knot yarn and glue in place.

Glue on slide ring.

Owl Neckerchief Slide

Capital Area Council

Materials:

1 - “tree cookie”—a ¼ to ½” thick slice of about 2” in diameter branch. 

Acorn caps

Orange Bump Chenille

Marker

Ring (PVC pipe, drapery ring, your favorite)

Glue

Directions

·         Glue on 2 acorn caps onto the tree cookie facing outward for eyes. 

·         Use marker for center of eyes. 

·         Glue on one bump of orange bump chenille folded in half for beak. 

·         Glue a ring on the back.

TIN CAN LANTERN

Utah National Parks

Materials:

Large tin cans, label removed

Markers

Towel

Hammers

Nails

Small screw-in hook

Stick or wooden dowel (about 20" long)

Coat hanger (for hanging loop)

Votive candle

Directions:

P Fill cans with water and freeze for two days.  (The ice keeps the sides from collapsing  while hammering.)

P On the outside of the  can, have Cubs draw a pattern for the  lantern holes.

P Place can on its side on top of  a towel and use the nail tips to hammer in  holes according to the design.

P Make two  holes near the top on opposite sides for stringing a handle.

P Remove any ice chunks  from can.

P Screw hook into one end of stick or dowel then string length of wire through  hook.

P Thread wire through handle holes  made in can.

P Crimp closed until secure.

P Use  melted wax to stick votive to bottom of can. 

P Use a long match or spaghetti noodle to  light.

BUBBLE CONE

Utah National Parks

Here is a sample of what you can find at

http://www.zurqui.co.cr/crinfocus/bubble/bubble.html 

If you go there the steps are completely illustrated.

Materials:

Plain white paper (2 sheets each)

Masking tape

Scissors

Directions:

«  Roll two sheets of paper into a tight cone or tube.

«  Small end can be a closed point, large end should measure about 1 ½ inches.

«  Tape edge closed with masking tape.

«  Place tape about 3 inches from pointed end.

«  Cut the mouth or small end of the cone so there is an opening approximately 1 cm. In diameter.

«  Look down the opening of the tube and judge the distance to where there are various layers of paper.

«  Cut down to this level and then start cutting around the tube, making the final cut where you started.

«  Edge should be smooth and cone should stand upright.

«  Trim to make adjustments if necessary.

For completely illustrate instructions go to http://www.zurqui.co.cr/crinfocus/bubble/tube.html

MONSTER BUBBLES

Utah National Parks

Materials:

6 cups water (Distilled is best)

3/4 cup corn syrup (Karo Light)

2 cups Joy (or Dawn) dish washing liquid

Directions:

«  Mix together.

«  Let set 4 hours (to let bubbles settle), then enjoy.

How to use cone and bubbles:

ü  Fill a shallow dish with Monster Bubbles.

ü  First dip: dip cone for 30 seconds.

ü  Other dips: 2 sec.

ü  Begin blowing downward and move slowly up as bubble grows.

ü  When the bubble is the size you want, you can separate it from the cone by rapidly flipping the cone up or down.

For more formulas for bubble mix and tricks with bubbles go to http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/explore/bubbles.htm

BOOMERANG

Utah National Parks

Here’s how to make your own returning boomerang out of cardboard. Give it a whirl!

Materials:

Cardboard measuring 8" x 11"

Color markers

Scissors

White glue or stapler

Directions:

After you assemble the materials go to -http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/trythis/try11.html

And get the blade patterns and all the details on building this boomerang.

When you are ready to fly it, follow the tips below.

«  Find an open area outdoors away from other people.

«  With your arm raised, hold your boomerang vertically (pointing up) by one of its blades so the curved tips bend toward you.

«  Throw the boomerang with a quick snap of your wrist using just a little force.

«  Throw it like you would a baseball.

«  Adjust the folds and practice your throw to make the boomerang fly better.

Tie Slide - Life Preserver

Capital Area Council

Materials:

White 1 ½  round plastic buckle (from a fabric notions department),

Red acrylic paint.

Instructions: 

Use paint to make rope lines around the life preserver. 

Let dry before threading scarf through the buckle.

Rocks, Shells and Fossil Prints

Capital Area Council

Mix:

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup salt

3/4 cup flour

Add:

Warm water to make into a dough  ball

ü  The dough can be rolled, formed or used to press shells, rocks or other natural found objects into. 

ü  Let the dough air dry, turning each day until dry or microwave one minute on each side. 

ü  It may be necessary to adjust the microwave time according to the thickness of the dough and microwave temperature. 

ü  Dry dough can be painted with tempera

Make Your Own Fossils

Capital Area Council

The paleontologist uses this technique in reconstructing the shells of long-dead animals.  Casts are especially useful in working with fossil footprints

Materials

Small cardboard box,

Clay,

Plaster and water,

Small snail or clam shell.

Directions

1)         Cover the bottom of the box with modeling clay to a depth of several inches.  This represents the soft mud found on the ancient sea floor.

2)         Press the shell firmly into the clay.  Lift out carefully so a clear imprint remains, making a mold.

3)         Mix a small amount of plaster with water in paper cup.  Stir with a spoon until thick, and then pour over the mold.

4)         After the plaster has dried, carefully remove it from the mold.  This is now a cast of the original shell.

5)         Compare the original shell with the plaster cast.  Notice that even some of the more delicate markings have been preserved.  Compare your cast to some real fossilized stones.

VINEGAR ROCKET-LAUNCHER

Capital Area Council

Materials:

Quart plastic soda bottle

Water

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Paper towel

Cork

Thumbtack

Ribbon steamers

Directions

1.       Put ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vinegar into a quart plastic soda bottle.

2.       Put a teaspoon of baking soda on a 4” x 4” piece of paper toweling.

3.       Roll up the paper and twist the ends to keep the baking soda inside.

4.       Outside, where you’ll have plenty of altitude available, drop the paper into the bottom of the bottle and put the cork on as tightly as you can.

5.       Eventually The cork shoots skyward with a loud pop!

What is Happening

«  The liquid slowly soaks through the paper toweling.

«  Then the baking soda reacts with vinegar to produce carbon dioxide gas.

«  As more gas forms, pressure builds up inside the bottle.

«  You can’t have an accurate countdown, so just stand back wait.

«  Eventually the pressure causes the cork to shoot skyward with a loud pop!

MORE  GAMES  AND  ACTIVITIES  

 Sam Houston Area Council

From the Cub Scout Leader How-To Book –

ü  -How to Hold a Summer Celebration, page 6-18 to 6-20

ü  -How to Hold a Pack Picnic, pages 6-22 to 6-23