PRE-OPENING

American Heroes Brain Teaser

Heart of America Council

Match these American heroes with why they are remembered.

        Hero                        Why remembered

1.       Paul Bunyan            a. Spread the news the British are coming

2.       Blackbeard              b. Samuel Clemens

3.       Rip Van Winkle         c. Very big man with blue ox

4.       Benjamin Franklin    d. Freed the slaves

5.       Paul Revere             e. Slept for twenty years

6.       Daniel Boone           f. Congressman turned frontiersman

7.       Davy Crockett         g. Father of all Yankees

8.       Casey Jones            h. Father of mass production

9.       Mark Twain              i. Was a ghost at sea

10.   Henry Ford              j. Established apple tree nurseries

11.   Johnny Appleseed    k. Railroad hero

12.   Abraham Lincoln      l. Hunter of Kentucky

Answers – 1c, 2i, 3e, 4g, 5a, 6l, 7f, 8k, 9b, 10h, 11j, 12d

Famous Pairs

York Adams Area Council

As each person enters the room, he has a nametag pinned to his back. The object of the game is for each player to learn his or her secret identity.  Each player is allowed to ask only one yes or no question of each other player. Before asking the question, the two people introduce themselves (their real names) and shake hands. (This is the real purpose of the game – to meet other people)  Once you find your identify, find your partner by reading tag.  Use a list of names that are associated with how you are presenting the theme – fairy tales, folklore, knights, …  For a list of American Folklore names, use the Bear Book. 

Who Am I?

Indian Nations Council

As each boy arrives, tape a card with the name of a famous character from history on his back, but don't tell him the name on the card.  Each boy has to figure out who he is by asking others about the hero. For example, "Am I a man?" "Am I over 35 years old?" "Am I in sports?" "Do I wear a wig?" Play until everybody knows who they are.

People Bingo

Commissioner Dave’s Scouting Classics

Make a 5 x 5 grid, like a bingo grid. Write "FREE – Your Signature" in the center space. In all the other spaces, write things such as "Born in another state," "Is the youngest child in family," or "Plays a sport." Fill in all the grids with other items of interest. Run a copy for each person.  Players are to get the signature of a person who meets the criteria for each section. We always play that a person can only sign another person's paper in one spot. The first person with a completed card wins. Variation: Rather than a bingo board, create a "Treasure Hunt" sheet with items such as the categories listed above. Encourage participants to meet as many people as they can in order to fill their treasure hunt list.

Here’s how a sheet set up for the variation may look.  Give everyone a piece of paper with a list like the following and have them collect signatures of people who match the description on the line –

Wears size 6 shoes ______________________
Likes pizza _____________________________
Has the no. 5 on his telephone no. __________
Is left-handed __________________________
Birthday is in December ___________________
Favorite color is yellow ___________________
Drives a blue car ________________________
Plays tennis ____________________________
Went to the cinema last week ______________
Has a pet dog __________________________
Name beginning with "J" __________________
 Sings in shower ________________________
Talks in your sleep _______________________
Did not make bed today __________________
Reads "Peanuts" ________________________
Takes naps ____________________________
Loves ice-cream _________________________
 Snores when you sleep __________________
Never changed a diaper __________________
Detective story fan ______________________

We use this for pre-opening, so they have from when they arrive until the Opening ceremony or You can give them a time limit and set them loose to find people who match a description. The one with the most signatures wins.

Again, the purpose is to meet people and learn their names, knowing something about them helps the name stick in your brain.

Now if you want to get sneaky – slip in some Scouting skills or admin skills that your unit needs and see if someone signs those blocks.  Then you have a lead or two.  Some ideas are -

Is an Eagle Scout________________________
Has been in Scouting before________________
Likes camping___________________________
Is a secretary___________________________
Is an accountant_________________________
Makes crafts____________________________
Loves to cook___________________________
Owns 6 knives__________________________
Avid computer user_______________________
Is an artist _____________________________
Works with leather_______________________
Is a policeman or fireman__________________
Loves to go to museums__________________
Is a carpenter or woodworker ______________
Drives a full size van _____________________