March 2017 Newsletter

Scout Law:  Thrifty

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Theme:  Power Up

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Roundtable Blog:  elkhorncubs.blogspot.com

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LDS Scouting Handbook: 

 https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/young-men/35814_scout-handbook_eng.pdf?lang=eng

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Upcoming Events

Basic Training

Elkhorn District:  Saturday, March 11, 8 am - 11:30 am, 110 S Main, Millville.

Old Ephraim District:  Saturday, April 15, 8 am - 12 pm, 940 Three Point Ave, Logan

Old Juniper:  Thursday, April 27, 6:30 pm, 1850 N 400 E, North Logan. 

Scouting for Food:  Pass out bags the week of March 18th.  Bags will be picked up on Saturday, March 18th, so make sure to get them passed out before then.

Outdoor Ethics Training:  March 24-25.  Register at trappertrails.org.

Cub Swim

Tiger/Wolf/Bear swim days will be Friday, April 14 (6 or 7 pm) and Saturday, April 22 (12 or 1 pm).   Attendees will complete Floats & Boats, Spirit of the Water, and Salmon Run.

Webelos swim days will be Saturday, April 15 (12 or 1 pm) and Friday, April 21 (6 or 7 pm).  Attendees will complete Aquanaut Adventure.  

Cost is $2/scout, bring swimsuit and towel.  Call Jen at 801-884-2127 if you still need to register.

Cub STEM Activity Days:  April 15 or May 27, Camp Fife.  Registration begins at 9 am.  Cost is $25 per scout (Adults free), lunch provided.  Participants will experience a day of dynamic adventures with hands-on experiments.  Adventure zones include: robots, solar van, levers & pulleys, gravity, rockets, bb guns, and geocaching.

Scout-a-rama:  Saturday, April 30, Weber State Fairgrounds.  More details to come.

Commissioner's College:  Saturday, March 11, 8 am - 3 pm, Ogden LDS Institute.  Cost is $20.  For all commissioners, Roundtable staff or interested scouters.

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Training Highlight:  Aqua Cubs

Safety around water is extremely important for everyone.  We have many opportunities in Scouting to help teach water safety and swimming skills to our families.  The buddy system, buddy tags, and Safe Swim Defense are essential tools that we can use to keep our Scouts and their families safe around the water.

The BSA Safe Swim Defense guidelines strongly recommend that all Scouting units engaging in swimming activities of any kind "have at least one adult or older youth member currently trained in BSA Aquatics Supervision:  Swimming and Water Rescue or BSA Lifeguard to assist in planning and conducting" the activities.  Leaders should complete the Safe Swim Defense training available at my.scouting.org, carry their certification card (No. 34243), and agree to enforce the Safe Swim Defense plan.  The plan applies to any place where Scouts may swim:  at a beach, private or public pool, wilderness pond, stream, lake, or anywhere else.

The following information is specific to Cub Scout swimming activities:

• The buddy system is critically important, even in a public pool.  Remember, even in a crowd, you are alone without protection if no one is attentive to your circumstances.  At Cub Scouting events where parents participate with their children, parent and Cub Scout should be paired as buddies.
• At large water parks where several activity features are spread over a large area, unit leaders should base supervision on age.  Den leaders should accompany Cub Scouts from area to area, serve as lookouts, and assemble everyone before moving en masse to the next feature.  Although it may not be practical for the entire den to line up together for each activity, buddies should be in line together.
• In pool environments, stick to the rule that people swim only in water suited to their ability and with others of similar ability.  Most public pools divide shallow and deep water, and this may be sufficient for defining appropriate swimming areas.
• Aquatics activities for dens often are held in backyards with swimming pools.  Safe Swim Defense must apply.  A certified lifeguard, though highly recommended, is not required.  A qualified supervisor must be present.  It is critical that the swimming activity be supervised by a conscientious adult who knowingly accepts the responsibility for the members involved in the activity.
• Free-flowing rivers are not recommended sites for Cub Scout swimming.

Have fun in the water this summer!

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Resource Highlight:  Safe Swim Defense Training

Before a BSA group can engage in swimming activities of any kind, a minimum of one adult leader must complete Safe Swim Defense Training, have a commitment card with them, and agree to use the eight defenses in this plan.  Safe Swim Defense must be renewed every two years.  You can find the training at my.scouting.org.

The Eight Defenses are:

1.  Qualified Supervision

2.  Physical Fitness

3.  Safe Area

4.  Lifeguards on Duty

5.  Lookouts

6.  Ability Groups

7.  Buddy System

8.  Discipline

Let's keep our Scouts safe in the water!

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Award Highlight:  Cyber Chip

Today's youth are spending more time than ever using digital media for education, research, socializing, and fun. To help families and volunteers keep youth safe while online, the Boy Scouts of America introduces the Cyber Chip. In developing this exciting new tool, the BSA teamed up with content expert NetSmartz®, part of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children® and training expert for many law enforcement agencies.

Netsmartz® has created a Scouting portal showcasing Cyber Chip resources, including grade-specific videos, for each level.  Check it out at http://www.netsmartz.org/scouting.  Requirements are divided by grade level (1-3, 4-5 and 6-8).

Topics include cyberbullying, cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming, and identity theft.  Scouts learn the information through videos and games.

Cyber Chips expire after one year, and then they must be recharged.  Each rank level requires the completion of the Cyber Chip requirements for that grade level.

Requirements can be completed as a den or as an individual.  Parents can use the Cyber Chip to create open communication with their Scout about staying safe online.  Unit leaders can:

• Tailor the requirements to your own unit rules. Complete the requirements for the Cyber Chip as a unit at a regular meeting, then hand out the cards and patches on the spot.
• Review the resources available on the website, including teaching materials, an implementation guide, and more.
• Create a fun challenge for youth to stump the unit leaders.
• Play a "Jeopardy!"-style game in a meeting to use what's been learned.
• Use the Cyber Chip as a foundational step in preparation for leadership positions such as Webmaster.

Pack Resource Sheet for July

Core Value: Courage

To have courage means to be brave and do what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties, or the consequences.

Scout Law: Brave

A Scout can face danger although he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at him or threaten him.

Supplemental Theme: Under the Sea

The oceans are the last unexplored frontiers on Earth. It takes courage to venture into undiscovered territory. This month, let us take our Cub Scouts under the oceans to explore and do what is right in caring for our last earthly frontier.

Preopening Activity: Under the Sea Nametags

Prepare nametags in the shapes of different creatures and objects found under the sea. As pack members arrive, give them a nametag and tell them to find others with tags that match theirs. Once the groups are formed, they can come up with “den yells” appropriate to their tags.

Example:

Octopus: “Den 8, we're great, 8 legs, den 8!”

Shell: “Do tell, Den Shell! Hard as nails, never fails!”

Sea Horse: “Neigh, neigh! It's Sea Horses on the way!”

Jellyfish: “Jelly, jellly, who's got the jelly? We do! We do! It's in our bellies!”

Opening Ceremony: OCEAN

Personnel/Materials: 6 Cub Scouts. Five of them are holding large cards with letters that spell OCEAN on the front. Lines are printed on the back of each card.

1: O is for Old Glory that we wave with pride.

2: C is for colors we see each night with joy.

3: E is for evenings that give us pleasant thoughts.

4: A is for awareness of the beauties of the see.

5: N is for Neptune, the mythical god of the sea, who rules his kingdom with love.

6: Put it all together, and it spells OCEAN. The oceans border our land and give us much to be thankful for.

Song: The Princess Pat

Tune: Repeat after me song

The Princess Pat--
Lived in a tree--
She sailed across--
The seven seas--
She sailed across--
The Channel Two--
And she took with her--
A rig of bamboo--

CHORUS:
A rig of bamboo--
Now what is that?--
It's something made--
By the Princess Pat--
It's red and gold--
And purple too--
That's why it's called--
A rig of bamboo--

Now the Captain Jack--
Had a mighty fine crew--
He sailed across--
The Channel Two--
But his ship did sink--
And yours will too--
If you don't take--
A rig of bamboo--

[CHORUS]

Now the Princess Pat--
Saved Captain Jack--
She pulled him out--
She brought him back--
She saved his life--
And his crew too--
Do you know how?--
With a rig of bamboo--

[CHORUS]

Advancement Ceremony: Fish Pond

Personnel: Cubmaster, dressed like a fisherman; leader standing behind screen/booth and attaching awards.

Equipment: Screen/booth resembling a carnival type fishing pond; fishing pole

CM: Our advancement fish pond is filled with many kinds of aquatic life. During the past month, we've had sightings of a Salmon Bobcat, Tiger Cub Shark, a great Sea Wolf, the entertaining Bear Porpoise, and the exotic Webelos Stingray. It was reported that even the rare Electric Arrow of Light Eel was spotted! We need some fishermen to try their skills in our advancement pond. (Call first boy) Mom and Dad, please come help your son land the big one. Throw in your line. (Tosses the fishing line over the screen. Leader behind the screen attaches the award to the line and throws it back over.) Oh, you caught a _______________!

(Continue until all advancements have been awarded. If a mistake is made, tell everyone that the fish was too small and you must throw it back)

Cheers:

Deep Sea Diver: “Blubb, blubb, blubb”

Giant Clam Cheer: Bend both arms, one over the other, in front of your face. Quickly open and close your arms like a clamshell, and make a large “Ruuuppp! Ruuuppp!” sound.

Wave Applause: Each row in the group stands in turn, raises their arms over their heads, and sits down- as done at sports events.

Fish Tales Applause: Hold your arms up, hands far apart, and say, “It was THIS big!”

Sailor Cheer: Point, and yell “Land ho!”

Seal of Approval: place arms together from elbows to wrists, then slap hands together while barking like a seal.

Skit: The Fisherman

Scene: a fish market with a customer and a merchant

Customer: I want you to do me a favor.

Merchant: What can I do for you?

Customer: I just got back from a fishing trip.

Merchant: Did you catch anything?

Customer: No, that's the problem. My mom said I wouldn't and I don't want to look bad, since I said I would.

Merchant: Well, how can I help you?

Customer: Let me have six of those medium-sized fish.

Merchant: Want me to wrap them up?

Customer: No, throw them to me, one at a time.

Merchant: Well, I don't understand, but here goes. (He tosses fish to the customer) What was that for?

Customer: Simple, I caught them, didn't I?

Cubmaster's Minute: Anchors

Anchors have a vital purpose in sailing. They hold our boat steady, even in storms, and keep us from drifting. Cub Scouts, all of us need anchors too. The love of our family, values handed down through generations, traditions, stories, and courage. All of these link us to those who have lived before us. Simple things such as our Pledge of Allegiance, our Motto, Oath and Law; These give our Cub Scouts a firm hold and keep them from drifting, even when other people and circumstances would lead them into dangerous waters. The Cub Scout program, as well as the courage they show when trying new things as part of their advancement, helps them grow into men of character. There is a time to feel the wind in our sails, but the wise sailor never casts off without an anchor. Take time this week to think about and talk about those things that anchor you as a family.

Closing Ceremony: Captain of All Scouts

1: Now may the great Captain of all Scouts

2: Who created the seas and all things that live therein

3: And Who gave us dominion over them

4: Be with us till we meet again

Game: Fish in the Sea

All players but one stand behind a line. “It” stands midway between the line and another line thirty feet away. He shouts, “Fish in the ocean, fish in the sea; don't get the notion you'll get by me!” The fish leave their line and try to cross to the opposite line without being tagged. Players who are tagged join “it” and help catch the others.

Game: Fishing

Equipment: Soda straws, paper fish.

Give each player a soda straw. On the floor place 15 paper fish. Fish are caught by suction. See who can catch the most fish. (Fish could be made different and each boy fishes for his kind.)

Project: Paper Plate Aquariums

Materials: two 9” paper plates per boy, small amount of sand, green and blue construction paper, 8” square of clear sandwich wrap per boy, glue and scissors

Cut center out of one plate and glue clear sandwich wrap on inside.

Cut a circle of blue construction paper and glue it inside the other plate. Spread a light coat of glue over a 1” strip at the bottom of the blue circle. Sprinkle sand over the glue, let dry, and shake off excess sand.

Draw several fish or cut out some pictures of fish from a magazine. Glue them above the sand on the blue circle. Use a piece of green paper for seaweed. A few wavy lines made with a dark green marking pen will make the water look as though it's moving.

Staple the plates together or sew them together with colored yarn so you can see the aquarium picture through the clear sandwich wrap.

Cub Grub: Cracker Aquariums

Each boy should work on a paper plate. Place one graham cracker square on the plate. Top with blue-tinted cream cheese, spread evenly over the cracker. Broken pieces of graham crackers or some of the cereal can be crumbled to make “sand” to sprinkle on the bottom quarter of the cracker. Lay approximately five fish-shaped crackers on their sides in the “water.” Dab additional cream cheese on the backs of the fish-shaped crackers, if needed to get them to stick. Put a few cheerios above the fish to look like air bubbles. Attach very thin celery strips for sea grass.