OPENING CEREMONIES

OPENING CEREMONY IDEAS

Twinkling Stars

• Put a flashlight under a colander and turn out the room lights.
• As the flag is brought in, move the flashlight around to make the stars swirl on the ceiling. 
• Den stands at attention for the Pledge, then sings the "Star Spangled Banner".
• Keep the stars swirling until the end.

Adventure In The Sky
San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Preparation: Have large pieces of construction paper with a picture representing each of the eight different aircrafts of the inventors.  You can then put the boys lines on the back of each.  Have the boys hold their paper down until it is time for them to say their part and then they should hold it up so everyone can see.

• Leonardo DaVinci had a vision of man in the sky.
• Orville and Wilbur built a plane, the first one to fly
• The sound barrier was broken by Chuck Yeager they say
• John F. Kennedy said we'd land a man on the moon one day.
• The Shuttle Atlantis now soars overhead.
• As I settle and snug in my bed.
• I lay down to rest and sleep I do try.
• But all I can dream of is "ADVENTURE IN THE SKY."

OUT IN SPACE
Grand Canyon Council

Setting:

4 Cub Scouts are standing on stage looking up to the sky.

• Cub 1: What's out in space?
• Cub 2: Mostly lots and lots of space, but also billions and jillions of stars, galaxies and solar systems, planets, and moons, blazing comets and deadly rays.
• Cub 3: Yeah, and sometimes even people!
• Cub 4 walks out dressed in a space helmet and says those famous words of Neil strong: ""One small step for man. One giant step for mankind".
• Cub 5: That's what's out in space!
• Let's all stand and remember the American flag flying on the moon. Please join with us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

STAR WARS
Grand Canyon Council

Cub Scouts have large cards each with a letter on front.  The cards spell out STAR WARS.  On the back of the cards are their parts in LARGE print.  As each one steps forward, he holds up his card and says his line:

• S stands for seek. 
  Seek the mysteries of the future.
• T stands for Top.  Top the obstacles of youth.
• A stands for Advance.  
  Advance in the Cub Scouting program
• R stands for Reap. 
  Reap the fruits of your labors.
• W stands for Watch.  Watch for imperfections.
• A stands for Attack.  Attack your shortcomings.
• R stands for Reach.  Reach for the sky.
• S stands for Shoot.  Shoot for the stars.

All:          And may the force be with you, all the days of your lives.

Constellations
San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach & Verdugo Hills Councils

Thoughts can be read by a leader.  These could be used as part of opening or interspersed throughput the Pack Show.  Maybe even used as a Cubmaster’s Minute for Closing.

• For thousands of years, people have gazed at the night sky with wonder and awe. As they studied the patterns of the stars, the early sky watchers drew imaginary lines from star to star, outlining the shapes of objects, animals, and gods. Some of their names for these constellations are familiar to us today.
• Stonehenge, a ring of mammoth boulders built several thousand years ago on the plains of Southern England, may well have functioned partly as a prehistoric observatory used to record important positions of the sun and moon, and perhaps even to predict eclipses. Some Egyptian pyramids were erected with features in line with certain stars, as were some of Central America's Mayan Temples.
• Even though most celestial features are far more permanent than terrestrial ones, our point of view is constantly moving, and thus different star charts are necessary to reflect the appearance of the sky overhead at different hours of the night and during different seasons of the year. The center of each chart usually corresponds with the zenith of the sky (the point directly overhead), and is marked with a small cross. The horizon, that line where the sky appears to touch the ground, is the circle bordering each chart.

Our Nation's Pledge
Sam Houston Area Council

D Ldr:     The pledge was first used on October 12, 1892, during Columbus Day observances in the public schools. The original wording of the pledge was as follows:

               I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands: one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

               The pledge was amended with the substitution of the words "the flag of the United States of America" for the phrase "my flag." The newly worded pledge was adopted officially on Flag Day, June 14, 1924.

               By joint resolution of Congress the pledge was further amended in 1954 by the addition of the words "under God."
Den __ will now present you the meaning of the pledge of allegiance, written by humorist, and Scouting supporter, Red Skelton.

•  “I - - Me; an individual; a committee of one”
•  “Pledge - - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.”
•  “Allegiance - - My love and my devotion.”
•  “To the Flag - - Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is everybody's job.”
•  “United - - That means that we have all come together.”
•  “States - - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.”
•  “And to the Republic - - Republic--a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern.  And government is the people; and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.  For which it stands…”
•  “One Nation - - One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.”
•  “Indivisible - - Incapable of being divided.”
•  “With Liberty - - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.”
•  “And Justice - - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.”
•  “For All - - For All- -which means, it's as much your country as it is mine.”

D Ldr:     “Over 50 years ago, two words were added to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God.  Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that the pledge is a ‘prayer’, and tried to eliminate it from schools too?

               Now, please join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance:

CM          I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.