PACK/DEN ACTIVITIES

Fun Facts

The Lincoln penny is the only U.S. circulating coin currently produced in which the portrait faces to the right.

The official title of the Statue of Liberty is Liberty Enlightening the World.

Freedom Park in Virginia holds the largest display of original pieces of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany.

The ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone.

Frog Facts
http://www.frogstore.com/frogfacts.htm

Some types of frogs have a round iris in their eyes, but some have horizontal slits, some have vertical slits, and some are even triangular or heart-shaped.

The smallest frog in the world is from Cuba, and is only 1/2" long. The largest frog in the world is from West Africa (Conraua goliath) and is about 12 inches long.

The red-eyed tree frog from Central America lays its eggs on leaves that are over the water. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water below.

Because frogs have eyes and nostrils that are on the tops of their heads, they can see and breathe while the rest of the body is under water. Adult frogs breathe with lungs, but also absorb oxygen through their skin.

Frogs have smooth skin, and long legs to help them leap. Toads have drier warty skin and short legs, and they move by crawling or hopping rather than by leaping. Technically, though, toads are just a type of frog.

There are over 4000 species of frogs in the world, though only 88 species in the US and Canada. They are all over the world, except for Antarctica and Iceland.

Some tree frogs live their whole lives in the trees, and never come down. They even lay their eggs in the tree branches or on leaves.

Some frogs lay as many as 25,000 eggs while others may lay as few as 4.

The frog has been a symbol of prosperity, wealth, and abundance in some cultures; fertility in others. The people of Ireland believed them to be close relatives of the leprechaun and capable of playing tricks on you when least expected.

In the Native American culture of the Southwest, the frog carries a piece of wood in its mouth because the Mojave people believe frogs brought fire to humans.

The three-legged toad from China is the traditional pet of the immortal Liu Hai, who is also the Chinese god of wealth. This toad would convey him to any place he wished to go. Occasionally it would escape down a well, and he would lure it out with a line baited with gold coins. This toad is a symbol for riches, and is often pictured with a gold coin in its mouth.

The frog was an ancient Egyptian symbol, later adopted by the conquering Romans. The Frog-headed goddess Hekt was the goddess of birth and fertility, and later also of resurrection.

York Adams Council

Did you know that York, Pennsylvania was the nation’s first capital?

Activities
Trapper Trails Council

Instead of Christmas Caroling, take your den or pack caroling patriotic songs.  You’re neighborhood will think this is a real treat.  You could also do this at a rest home, senior center, or children's ward at the hospital.

Have a pack meeting parade.  You could have everyone dress up, play instruments, carry red, white, and blue streamers and balloons, or sing as you go.  You could have each family do something different or individuals.  Take your parade around your area.

Parade Wavers
Simon Kenton Council

Fold a red paper plate in half.  Glue one large blue and one large white star cut out from construction paper onto the front and the back of the folded plate.  Glue about 2 feet of red, white, and blue crepe paper streamers to the inside of the folded plate, alternating colors.  These streamers should be glued near the center of the inside fold so that they remain secure while waving.  Staple or glue the unfolded edges of the plate together.   Attach a tongue depressor or paint stick for a handle by gluing one end of the stick to the backside of the plate.

Pebble Trivet and Coasters
Sam Houston Area Council

Materials: Small, smooth, flat pebbles, Quart jar lid for each coaster (such as mayonnaise jar lid), Large metal lid for each trivet (ask a restaurant to save one for you or use some other suitable base) Plaster of Paris and mixing tools.

Directions:

You can make a single trivet or a whole set of matching coasters on which to set hot or cold drinks.

1.        With the help of an adult, mix the plaster, following package directions.

2.        When it begins to thicken, spoon it into the jar lids, filling each lid half full.

3.        Select pretty pebbles and press them into the plaster before it hardens, filling the area inside the jar lid with stones.  You may want to create a design, if you have different colors and sizes of pebbles.  Plaster may squeeze up and out of the lid, but it can be wiped away later.

4.        Let the plaster harden; then use old towels to rub away any plaster that covers the tops of the stones.

5.        Brush a coat of acrylic finish or acrylic floor wax over the plaster and stones to give your trivet and/or coasters a shiny finish.

6.        You may want to glue some felt scraps to the bottoms of the coasters to prevent scratches on furniture.

Flag Tie Slide
Circle 10 Council

Materials: Plastic bottle, Glue, Plastic curtain ring, Coarse sandpaper, Felt, Needle, and thread, Acrylic or model paint

1. Make a paper pattern of the flag. Tape it to the plastic bottle and cut out, remove the pattern.

2. On backside of plastic, using coarse sandpaper, rough up the plastic.  Cut a felt backing slightly smaller than the plastic.  Set the plastic ring to the center of the felt.

3. Glue felt to the plastic back.  Paint a flag on the front.

Film Canister Sewing Kits
Northwest Suburban Council

Save those little sewing kits you get in hotels and they can be made to fit into a film canister.  You can attach a pipe cleaner through two small holes punched in side of film canister to make a tie slide, hang from belt, or just keep in backpack for emergency repairs and sewing on patches.