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Baloo's Bugle

 

June 2004 Cub Scout Roundtable Issue

Volume 10, Issue 11
July 2004 Theme

Theme: Fin Fun
Webelos: Aquanaut & Geologist
  Tiger Cub:
Activities

 

ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES

Fishing Trip Advancement Ceremony

Baltimore Area Council

Setting: The Cubmaster, or whoever is going to lead the advancement ceremony, is starting down memory lane of a recent fishing trip that he made. He starts to relate it to Cub Scouting.

Props: Cubmaster will need clothing for fishing, a pole that is hooked up with a magnetic hook. Cub Lake (some type of tub container to be the fishing hole). Advancements on fish as described below.

Cubmaster: Well, before I tell you who is getting awards tonight, I want to tell you about my latest fishing trip. You all know that any good fisherman will get up before dawn to prepare himself to go fishing. That is when this day started for me. There are seven things I have to do to get ready for a fishing trip, and as I was doing these things, I remembered the seven requirements that my son had to do to get his Bobcat Badge. Just like I prepared to go fishing, my son had to prepare himself to be a Cub Scout.

Call up Cub Scouts and their parents who are getting their Bobcat Badges.

Scouts, here at Pack ____, we are really proud of your accomplishment of completing the 7 requirements for the Bobcat Badge. And just like I have to have a license to go fishing, you have to become a Bobcat to go on in Scouting. Scouts, tonight I'm presenting your parents with your Bobcat Badge. When they give it to you, I want you to always remember how you prepared yourself for Scouting.

Present badges on pretend fishing licenses to the parents

Well, let me continue on with my fishing trip. You won't believe the trouble that I had! Before I even got to the lake, I got lost, and had to look at a map. I then had to make a phone call because I forgot to leave a note to let my family know where I was going to be. Then, once I was at the lake, things didn't get any better. I dropped my bait bucket, I cut my finger. I got knots in my fishing line, I even had to go back to the car for the lunch that I had packed. But you know, some nice things did happen to me too. The day was beautiful, birds were out singing in the trees, and the trail to the lake was clean. I saw some really neat plants growing along side of the path, and I found a really great rock for my son's collection.

Oh, yes you are probably wondering what all of this has to do with Scouting. Well, as I was having all of these problems I remembered the 12 Achievements that Cubs have to do to get their Wolf and Bear badges. And you know, some of the things that they had to learn I needed that day. The first aid for my cut finger, the knots in my line, and the lunch I did remember to pack. In Cub Scouts, boys get a really good understanding of nature and how to take care of the land around them. That path was so clean I bet some fisherman who had been in Cub Scouting had come before me.

So I did go fishing, and caught (insert number of Wolf and Bear advancements that you have) really nice fish. Here let me show you.

Cast your line into Cub Lake and catch fish for the Wolf badge(s), and the Bear Badge(s)

Call up the Cubs with their Parents.

Scouts, you are receiving your Wolf Badge tonight, and, along with your parents, your Pack is really proud of you and the work you have done. Congratulations.

Scouts. you are receiving your Bear Badge tonight and you have shown us that you take your Cub Scouting seriously. Congratulations.

Well, my fishing trip continued on for a few more hours and I continued to think about Cub Scouting. I thought about how each of the Webelos Scouts earn the different Activity Badges, the badges give the Scout a taste of what Boy Scouting will be like. They just sort of cover what a Scout that is in 4th and 5th grade needs to know.

Will our Webelos leader please come up here tonight. I'm going to go fishing and see if I can find any Webelos Activity Badges down here. Yes there do appear to be a few.

Have Webelos Leader give out the badges to the boys

I want to thank each one of you tonight for coming along with me on this trip, Scouting and fishing sure do have a lot in common, don't you agree?

SEA ADVENTURES

Circle Ten Council

Cubmaster (CM):                    When a boy wanted to be a sailor, he would hire himself on as a cabin boy. There he learned the terminology of the ship.  He learned his knots and the rigging.

Assistant Cubmaster (CA):   When a boy wants to become a Cub Scout, he must learn the basics of Scouting. When he learns the Promise, the Law, the sign, the salute, the handshake, the meaning of Webelos, and the motto, a boy then becomes a Bobcat. Will the Bobcat recipients please come forward with their parents?

(Present awards to parents to pin on their son)

CM:        A sailor boy’s knowledge of the sea did not end there.  As he traveled about the world, he saw many different types of ships and their uses.  His world would become larger.  So too, does a Cub Scout grow.  He learns about his national flag, about his family and world, about tools, and about many other things.  It is then that he is recognized as a Wolf.  Would our Wolf Cubs and their parents please come forward?

(Present awards to parents to pin on their son)

CA:         A sailor even today has to know the methods of ship communication, whether it be flags or radio.  He needs to know about radar.  A Bear needs to be more aware of God and worship, more about wildlife and the environment, more about family life and more about strengthening his body. Will our Bear rank recipients and their parents please come forward?

(Present awards to parents to pin on their son)

Webelos Leader 1(WL 1): A sailor soon learns about tides and the sea currents.  He learns to use these to travel.  A Webelos Scout must earn several different kinds of activity badges to help prepare him for the future. Will our Webelos and their parents please come forward?

(Cubmaster presents awards to parents to pin on their son)

WL 2:    Finally, a sailor has a destination, a goal; he must know where he is and how to get where he is going.  He uses the constellations and the North Star to guide him.  He uses a compass and a sextant to chart his course.  So, too, does a Webelos Scout.  He has earned more activity badges to give him skills for the future.  He has visited Boy Scout troops, as he plots is course.  He has filled out a Boy Scout application form.  He is deciding on his goal, maybe even an Eagle Scout. Will our Arrow of Light recipients and their parents come forward?

(Cubmaster presents awards to parents to pin on their son)

Goin' Fishin' Advancement

Baltimore Area Council

This ceremony can he used indoors or at the waterfront.

If you are indoors,

Pin the badges that were earned to a cardboard fish.

Make a fishing pole out of a dowel, string, and a paperclip hook.

Put paperclips bent into circles into mouths of the fish.

Make the fish different colors according to the badge pinned to it and tell each boy who earned an advancement to go fishing for a (color) fish. (e.g. red fish for Wolf)

Make a statement about the boys’ achievements and have the parents help the boy if needed.

If you are at the water, you could use the same process or you could use the water instead of a bucket to put the fish in. Simply wrap the badges tightly in aluminum foil and have the one who swims best in the water with the badges. When the boy casts his line out, the swimmer can attach the proper badge to the hook and give it a tug.

SCHOOL OF FISH ADVANCEMENT

Circle Ten Council

Equipment: A poster board or a sheet colored blue imitating water gradually getting deeper, four different size fish made of cardboard, awards.

Setting: Cubmaster is in front of room with water behind him.

Cubmaster: The small fish starts out in shallow water (Place smallest fish in shallow water) and the first step is to learn how to maneuver in the water, just as our beginning Scout is becoming familiar with Cub Scouting. The first part of becoming a Cub Scout is that of a Bobcat. Would the following boys please come forward with their parents? (Award badges)

Wolf  Leader: As our small fish becomes stronger and larger (place the next fish further out in the water) he moves further into the water finding new adventures and discovering new areas. Just as our fish is developing so is our Cub Scout. The next step is that of a Wolf. Would the following boys please come forward with their parents? (Cubmaster awards badges and/or arrows)

Bear Leader: Our fish has grown into a larger fish (place 3rd fish further out in the water) and has moved out further into the water becoming more acquainted with the other fish and is learning to maneuver faster in the water. Just like the fish, the Cub Scout is learning and meeting more challenges and is becoming more acquainted with the pack. The next step is that of the Bear. Would the following boys please come forward with their parents? (Cubmaster awards badges and/or arrows)

Webelos Leader   Our fish has finally reached the stage where he can go into the deepest water (place largest fish in the deepest water) and has learned quite a lot about the water and what lies in it. This stage of growth is like that of the Webelos. The Webelos has matured and learned much about the pack and is ready to move on into Boy Scouting. Would the following boys please come forward with their parents? (Cubmaster awards Webelos badge and/or activity pins)

Assistant Cubmaster          Just as the fish has developed and has gone out into deeper water, we know our Cub Scouts have learned and developed as we send them on into Boy Scouting and beyond.

SHIPS! SHIPS! SHIPS! ADVANCEMENT

Santa Clara County Council

Arrangement:  The Cubmaster has eight large cut-outs of different kinds of ships (battleship, rowboat, canoe, frigate, submarine, etc.).

There are many kinds of ships in Cub Scouting, just as there are many ships that sail the seas.  Here are some of the ships in Cub Scouting.

WORKMAN-SHIP:  This ship is neat and clean.  When you do your best with the arts and crafts you make in den meetings, your workmanship shows.

FRIEND-SHIP:  This is one of the best ships of Cub Scouting.  You meet new boys and learn to get along with those in your den.  Would the following boys please come forward?  They are the new Bobcats in our pack.  (Present the badges.)

SPORTSMAN-SHIP:  This ship is fair and square.  At den meetings you put this into practice when you play games.  Congratulate each other often.

FLAG-SHIP:  This ship proudly carries our country’s flag.  In Cub Scouts we proudly fly our American flag at den meetings and at pack meetings.  Would the following boys please come forward?  They are the new Wolves in our pack.  (Present the badges.)

SCHOLAR-SHIP:  A very important ship in the sea of education.  In Cub Scouting you learn many new things when working on achievements.

FELLOW-SHIP:  Cub Scouts come to den meetings every week to work together, to play together and to have fun!  Would the following boys please come forward?  They are the new Bears in our pack.  (Present the badges.)

LEADER-SHIP:  Everyone wants to board this ship.  As Cub Scouts you take turns acting as denner.  This helps you practice leadership with your friends.

TOWN-SHIP:  This ship is named for (city), our hometown.  We are happy to live here with our families.  I hope you will always remember this is where you started in Cub Scouts.  Remember your leaders and your friends here.  Would the following boys please come forward?  They are the new Webelos in our pack.  (Present the badges.)

(Pointing to all the ship cut-outs)  These are the ships in Cub Scouting.  Keep your fleet sturdy and strong.  The ships you launch here in Pack ___ will sail many seas and weather many storms, and they will last your whole lifetime!

 

 

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