WEBELOS

Scrambled Scout Law

Heart Of America Council

Here’s a game to help your Webelos learn the Scout Law. The first one to unscramble the Scout Law is the winner.

1.       HORRSTIUWY                                          Trustworthy

2.       YOLLA                                                                    Loyal

3.       LFEPULH                                                             Helpful

4.       RENFILYD                                                          Friendly

5.       SOTUCOREU                                                 Courteous

6.       DIKN                                                                         Kind

7.       TEIEOBDN                                                       Obedient

8.       URECHEFL                                                        Cheerful

9.       HITTRFY                                                              Thrifty

10.    RVEAB                                                                    Brave

11.    ANCLE                                                                    Clean

12.    EEENTRRV                                                       Reverent

Besides scrambling the letters you may wish to rearrange the order to increase the difficulty. Commissioner Dave

Fitness

Physical Skills Group

Circle Ten Council

NOTE: Requirement 7 for the Fitness activity badge in the Webelos Scout Book asks boys to "Read the booklet Don't Be Tricked by Drugs: A Deadly Game! Discuss it with an adult and show that you understand the material." The revised version of the booklet is now titled "Take a Stand Against Drugs." Local council service centers may have copies, or they can be purchased from the Drug Abuse Task Force, S202, Boy Scouts of America, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.

The fitness Activity Badge is recommended to be completed in a one month format, as outlined in the Webelos Program Helps booklet. This badge requires considerable work done at home. It is often possible to work something else in the Den at the same time that this badge is worked on. This is one of those badges that you REALLY need to get the parents on board to help early. I would send home the reporting sheet (see below) a week before the badge work starts. You can enlarge the sheet to the desired size.

Fitness Activity Badge Activities at Home

Your Scout is working on the Fitness Activity Badge this month.  This badge is required for the Webelos rank.  It requires work to be done at home.  The most important thing is to get your Scout stared on his 30 days of exercises.  He was given a 30 day exercise chart on which he chose six exercises to do.  It is not mandatory that he do these exercises for 30 days with no interruptions – He simply needs to be consistent, do his best and improve.  Please make sure he has the exercise chart in his binder as we will be doing tests throughout the month.

We will be discussing the following requirements in detail at the Den Meetings.  As your Scout completes the work in the Den, he needs to tell you about what he has learned.  The please initial where indicated and make sure this page stays in the binder.

Scout’s Name:______________________________

Requirement 1 –

With a parent or other adult family member complete the exercises in the pamphlet, “How to Protect Your Children from Drug Abuse,” found in the front of the book.

I have completed Requirement 1 with my Scout

__________________________________________

Requirement 3 –

Tell an adult member of your family five bad effects smoking or chewing tobacco would have on your body

I have completed Requirement 3 with my Scout

__________________________________________

Requirement 4 –

Tell an adult member of your family what drugs could do to your body and how they could affect your ability to think clearly.

I have completed Requirement 4 with my Scout

__________________________________________

Requirement 5 –

Tell an adult member of your family what a balanced diet is and whether or not your diet is balanced.

I have completed Requirement 5 with my Scout

__________________________________________

Requirement 6 –

Tell an adult member of your family why you should not use alcohol and how it could affect you.

I have completed Requirement 6 with my Scout

__________________________________________

Things Boys Can Do If They Don't Like Sports

Not everyone likes organized sports. Some kids may not enjoy all the rules that are used in sports like baseball and lacrosse. Other kids may like activities that don't require big groups of people.  For anyone who isn't into team sports - and even for those who are - there are some really fun exercise choices to keep you physically and mentally fit.

When It's Only You

1.        Just turn on some music and boogie! Dancing is a great aerobic exercise. Invent some new dance moves.

2.        Try hopping on your bike (don't forget your helmet!). Take a ride around the neighborhood and see what's going on.

3.        If you have skates or blades, give them a spin (don't forget your helmet and pads!). If you skateboard, grab your board, helmet, and pads, and try some new moves.

4.        Try jumping rope and counting how many times you can jump before you miss - jumping rope is a great way to get aerobic exercise.  Boxers often practice by skipping rope.

5.        If you play tennis, try hitting a tennis ball against a brick wall.

6.        If basketball's your thing, try shooting hoops and seeing how many you can sink.

7.        If you're into soccer, grab a ball, and see how long you can keep it in the air using your feet, knees, and head.

8.        Practice hopscotch.

9.        See how long you can hop on one foot.

10.     Do jumping jacks.

Sometimes being by yourself lets you practice things over and over that you might not have a chance to practice otherwise. When you play with your friends again, they'll be amazed at what you can do!

Games That Promote Fitness…But Not A Loser

Gym classes introduce kids to team sports like football, basketball, soccer, and kickball - games that end with winners and losers. In no-loser games, everyone wins!

Hackey Sack - A Hackey Sack is a soft, leather, bean-filled bag about the size of a Ping-Pong ball. Using only their feet, knees, and legs, two or more players try to keep the sack in the air for as long as possible. Some kids practice Hackey Sack alone because it helps them become more balanced and coordinated.

Marco Polo -  Played in chest-deep water. This game works with just two players, but the more the merrier. One player is "it" (like in tag). He keeps his eyes closed during the game. At any time, he may cry out "Marco," to which every other player must respond "Polo." He then tries to tag another player. The first tagged becomes the new "it," and the game starts again. Marco Polo is not only fun, it can be a good workout. It also puts less stress on your bones and joints because the water makes your body float.

Resistance activity

Action that tones your muscles and keeps them strong is just as important as aerobic exercise. But helping around the house can do more for you than make your mom or dad proud. For example, playing badminton for 30 minutes burns about 170 calories, but 30 minutes of helping your mom or dad dig a garden can burn 200 calories!

A short list of "around-the-house" resistance activities includes raking leaves, shoveling snow, and even kneading bread. Bones, like muscles, become stronger from resistance activity. Splitting firewood, scrubbing floors, and moving furniture will help keep your joints well lubricated and protected.

Aim for Fun
The key to staying fit is finding activities that are fun and challenging. Who's going to stick with something that's boring? When fitness and fun are your goals, you don't need a sports uniform or a bunch of people.

Why Is It Important to Stay Fit?
Exercise is good for you for lots of reasons: it keeps you strong, healthy, and happy. Staying fit is the goal. How you do it - alone or with others, helping around the house, or joining a team - is up to you.

Other Calorie Burning Activities
Fitness activities you can do alone, with a group, or around the house!

biking                                       chopping firewood

cleaning windows                          climbing a tree

dancing                                                 flying a kite

doing laundry                                                hiking

horseback riding                             in-line skating

jogging                                               jumping rope

making a snowman                               martial arts

mopping floors                           moving furniture

playing hopscotch                                    pull-ups

push-ups                                           rowing a boat

running in place                           shoveling snow

sit-ups                                              skateboarding

skipping                                    throwing a Frisbee

tug-of-war                                              vacuuming

walking the dog                            washing the car

weeding                                                            yoga

Whatever is going on, it's always the right time to exercise! You don't need fancy equipment or expensive sneakers. You don't need a ton of friends around. Sometimes you don't even need to leave the house to get exercise.

Some things to do when there are two friends:

·         Have a handstand contest.

·         Ride bikes (don't forget your helmets).

·         Practice pitching and hitting a baseball. 

Some things to do when there are a lot of friends:

·         Have a skateboarding contest.

·         Play tag.

·         Play outdoor hide and seek.

·         Dance to your favorite music.

·         Take an adventure hike.

Some things to do when it's hot and sticky:

·         Wash your dog outside.

·         Wash your parents' or neighbors' car.

·         Play Frisbee over a sprinkler.

·         Practice doing sprints through a sprinkler.

Some things to do when you're stuck at home:

·         Gymnastics or tumbling (make sure you have enough room).

·         Set up a scavenger hunt.

·         Hit a balloon or balled-up sock around and try not to let it hit the floor.

·         Play Twister.

What Do They Say

What do you say when someone is pressuring you to break the rules, try drugs, alcohol, smoke a cigarette, or do something you don’t want to do? Here are some suggestions. Try role playing with the boys to help them feel comfortable with saying no. You can also try ignoring the remark or simply leaving the room.

FACTS ABOUT SMOKING

·         According to the World Health Organization, there are 1.1 billion smokers worldwide and 6000 billion cigarettes are smoked every year.

·         According to the US Centers for Disease Control, there are about 47 million adult cigarette smokers in the US. Moreover, tobacco use in the US results in more than 430,000 deaths each year (about 1 in 5 deaths.) The economic costs of tobacco use cost more than $100 billion.

·         The New Straits Times (August 11, 1997) reported on a "smoking contest" between two young men (ages 19 and 21 year old). These two men wanted to see who could smoke the most cigarettes at a single sitting. The result was tragic: the 19 year old died after smoking 100 cigarettes and the 21 year old was seriously poisoned after smoking 80 cigarettes. It goes without saying, "Don't try this at home!"

·         "Bidi" cigarettes are NOT safe alternatives to regular cigarettes. A bidi cigarette has THREE times more nicotine and carbon monoxide and FIVE times more tar than a regular American cigarette. (Statistic from Yen et al., Archives of Pediatric and Adoles. Medicine, 154:1187-1189, 2000.)

·         The cost of a pack of cigarettes in New York is about $7.00. Therefore, a person who smokes one pack of cigarettes each day will spend $2,555.00 each year on tobacco. (Reference: Associated Press story, "With packs hitting $7, smokers try to kick habit" reprinted in the Seattle Times, July 13, 2002.)

·         More than 100 chemicals are added to tobacco to make cigarettes. These chemicals include benzaldehyde, butyric acid, decanoic acid, ethyl acetate, hexanoic acid, 3-methylbutyraldehyde, methylcyclopentenolone, and tolualdehydes. (Reference: Philip Morris USA.)

ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HELP THE BOYS UNDERSTAND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF CIGARETTE SMOKING

·         Discuss pollutants in the air  - Use pictures from magazines or newspapers. Include: factory smoke, car exhausts, rocket launches, and smoke from someone else’s burning cigarette and so on.

·         Explain how all living things need air to breath.

·         Put a plant under an airtight container. What begins to happen? The same thing is happening to your lungs each time you smoke a cigarette.

·         Put ants or other insects in an airtight jar. Give them everything else they need except air. What happens? Why? (When the insects activity begins to decrease open jar and set them free)

·         Talk about the fact that smoking cigarettes is harmful to our health and how it “pollutes” the internal environment of our body (the lungs).

·         Demonstrate the effect of sick or injured lungs:

·         Light a candle. Ask a boy to stand a reasonable distance from the candle. Instruct the boy to take a deep breath and then blow out the candle

·         Relight the candle. Ask the boy to stand at the same distance from the candle. Instruct him to take a deep breath and blow out at least half of the breath before attempting to blow out the candle. With the breath that is left, ask the boy to blow out the candle. What happened?

FACTS ABOUT SMOKELESS TOBACCO

Some ads you see now try to make the smokeless tobaccos appear clean and good, sort of like a “safe” or “good” substitute for smoking. Try to give your Webelos Scouts a closer and more realistic look at the act and consequences of chewing and dipping.

Chewing tobacco calls for a golf ball sized wad to be placed in the pouch of the cheek and sucked. Just think about that close contact between your flesh and tobacco. The spitting that goes with getting rid of the tobacco juices is unmannerly.

Why put something in your mouth so repulsive that you have to spit it out again?

Dipping is the process of putting a pinch of tobacco (snuff) between the lower lip and teeth. There it stimulates the flow of saliva and mixes with it. The saliva must either be swallowed or spat out frequently.

As repulsive as spitting is, the use of smokeless tobacco seems to be increasing. It is important to counter this with solid facts on the dangers of smokeless tobaccos.

Smokeless tobacco does not carry the same health hazard warning that cigarettes do, but they should. Smokeless tobacco is dangerous and is habit forming.

Habitual use of chewing tobacco and snuff can cause oral cancer. It also can cause a lessening sense of smell and taste. It also causes dental problems like receding gums, tooth decay, bad breath and discolored teeth.

ACTIVITES TO HELP THE BOYS UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF SMOKELESS TOBACCO

·         Have a dentist come and talk to the boys about the use of smokeless tobacco

·         If you know of an individual who used to use smokeless tobacco, see if he or she would be willing to talk to the boys.

·         Call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER and request information to share with your scouts.

·         During 1996, the danger of smokeless tobacco have received more publicity than usual due to baseball pro pitcher BRETT BUTLER being diagnosed with mouth cancer although he gave up the use of smokeless tobacco several years ago. Butler is an example of a fine, healthy young man whose past habits have perhaps caught up with him. 

·         For the story of another professional ballplayer whose use of smokeless tobacco apparently contributed to his battle with oral cancer, see the October 1996 issue of “READER’S DIGEST”, page 120. In this article, “My War with a Smoke-Free Killer, former professional ballplayer Bill Tuttle describes his three year battle with mouth cancer.  Reprints of the Bill Tuttle article are also available through the Reader’s Digest Reprint Service at 1-800-289-6457.