WEBELOS

Your Bears became Webelos on June 1 – have you set up to get them to Webelos Resident Camp??

HANDYMAN -- OUTDOORS GROUP
Baltimore Area Council

Scouts learn how to make minor repairs at home and around the garage. They also learn how to take care of tools and their proper use. Handyman is part of the Technology group of Activity Badges.

Objectives

To acquaint Webelos with odd jobs that they could do to help out around their homes. To help Webelos learn the proper care and storage of tools. To make Webelos aware of the importance of the proper storage of household chemicals.

NOTE – Normally I would have bicycle stuff in the section for this Activity Award but I figured there was enough bicycle stuff throughout Baloo this month. CD

Where to Go and What to Do

• Have a clinic on the care and repair of bicycles. Set it up like a shop and have each boy bring his bike and do repairs, etc. Demonstrate different ways to mark tools for ownership identification.
• Hold a nail-hammering contest. See who can hammer a nail in the fewest number of strokes.
• Visit a good home workshop and have the owner explain the use, storage and care of tools.
• Arrange a visit to a service/repair station. Have a mechanic explain the use of different types of equipment. He may show how to check oil levels, fluids and belts, tire pressure, and change light bulbs in a car.
• Organize a pack car wash.
• Organize a pack bike rodeo

Handyman Hints

• Place Dad’s old sock over shoes when painting.
• For plugged drains, mix 1 cup salt and 1 cup baking soda and pour down drain. Follow with kettle of boiling water.
• To seal a tiny leak in a plastic garden hose, touch the hole lightly with the tip of a Phillips head screwdriver that has been heated over a flame. The plastic will melt enough to plug the hole.
• Weeding is less tedious with the right toll. A claw hammer will pull out weeds by the clump. An apple corer is also an excellent weeder- it doesn’t disturb the roots of adjacent plants

Handyman Relay

Have other adults help you with the different stations for this relay. Time the boys, but emphasize that safety counts more than speed.

• Check oil level on car. Place clean rag on car hood, have boys open hood, check oil close hood, tell result, and place rag in box.
• Check tire pressure. Have boy open front car door, take pressure gauge out of glove box, find correct pressure on edge of car door, close door, take tire pressure, tell result, open car door, replace gauge in glove compartment, close door.
• Adjust seat on bicycle. Have bike seat too high. Have boy choose from 3 different tools the one he needs to loosen the saddle clamp bolt. Have him wiggle saddle until it is at a proper height for him. Then he tightens the clamp bolt and returns the tool.
• Replace light bulb in a lamp. Have a lamp set up at a station with an old burned-out light bulb. Have boy unplug lamp, screw out bulb, place bulb gently in a paper sack, look at lamp socket for proper wattage, choose correct wattage bulb from box of assorted new bulbs, screw new bulb into socket, plug in lamp, turn on lamp, and turn off lamp.
• Mark and properly store hand tools. Have a pegboard, toolbox, or piece of poster board with the outlines of the tools drawn on it. Set out several of the hand tools in a pile. Have boys use some red plastic tape (Available at grocery, hardware stores) to wrap around handle of a tool that hasn’t been marked yet. Then he sorts tools and places them neatly in their proper storage place.

Handyman Scavenger Hunt

In a boy’s home or meeting place, hunt for the following items or create your own list. Boys should be accompanied by a leader or parent. They should not gather the items but instead, have the boys write down the location of each.

Pruning shears          Gasoline can                       Pliers

Screwdriver                 Old rags            Aluminum cans

Tire changing tools   Edge trimmer                    Oil can

Hammer                     Air pump            Old newspapers

Tire pressure gauge    Lawn mower                         File

Auto jack and stand        Nails             Crescent Wrench

Tire tube          Window cleaning solution

After the locations for these tools are recorded, go over the list and see if any of the items are not stored in the proper locations. For example, are there old rags stored on top or next to the gas can in a closed cabinet? Are the pruning shears lying on the floor where young children may be able to “play” with them? Also check the tools for cleanliness and sharpness. These factors influence their serviceability.

• Two 2 x 4s 18” long,
• 2½” hole saw,
• 2 pieces of PVC, 1” in diameter 18” long,
• 1” spade bit.

• With the spade bit, drill one hole in each end of the 2 x 4s. Drill completely through one board and only 2/3rds of the way through the other. The latter will be the bottom board. The PVC pipes should slide freely through the top board, so sand the holes accordingly.
• With the hole saw, cut holes in the inside faces of the boards (bottom of the top piece top of the bottom piece) about 2½” across. These should not be cut all the way through the boards. these will hold the cans.
• Assemble the crusher, putting the bottom piece on the ground and the sliding pipes into place. Put three cans into the holes on the bottom. Slide the top board in place, hold tight to the pipes and jump on the board to crush the cans.

Pass Along Game

• Divide the den into two teams.
• Have two laundry bags of household items at the front of the teams.
• Place an empty grocery sack at the end.
• Begin by having the first boy pull out one item and pass it on.
• When the item is deposited into the grocery sack, the end boy yells, “Next.”
• Continue until all items are passed.
• Let the boys think that the object of the game is to be the first to empty their laundry bag and fill the grocery sack.
• Take the bags away and give each boy a piece of paper.
• They have two minutes to write down what objects they remember passing.

Great Salt Lake Council

Requirement #13--Help take care of the lawn.

Children need to be physically big enough and mature enough to run a lawn mower.

Although a WEBELOS scout may not be ready to mow, he should know the safety rules:

• Remove any young children from the area to be mowed.
• Remove any objects from the lawn that could be expelled from mower.
• Do not allow passengers on a lawn mower.
• Proper clothing. (Long pants, tight-fitting clothing, eye protection, sneakers)
• Make sure the mower blade is always sharp.
• Do not mow while the grass is wet.
• Never put gas in the tank when the engine is hot.
• Never do any maintenance when the mower is running.
• Keep away from the discharge area.
• Keep hands and feet away from the rotating blade.

Here are some other ideas for completing this requirement:

• Edge the lawn with a hand edger.
• Pull weeds, like dandelions, from the lawn.
• Spread fertilizer.
• Mow a lawn as Den or Pack service project.
• Watch younger siblings while a parent mows the lawn.

Requirement #14--Arrange a storage area for hand tools or lawn and garden tools.

• Create a rust resistant storage for garden tools:
• Obtain a large bucket or tub.
• Fill the bucket or tub with sand.
• Mix oil into the sand – used motor oil works well.
• Stick metal part of tools into the sand for cleaning or storing.
• Wipe off tools when removing them from the sand.

Requirement #15--Clean and properly store hand tools or lawn and garden tools in their storage areas.

• Clean off excess dirt.
• Wash and dry the tool.
• Clean any rust spots with steel wool.
• Sharpen all tools (including shovels) with a cutting edge.
• Rub oil into wooden handles.
• Lubricate metal surfaces.

CAUTION HORSE

Materials needed:

• 2 Pieces of wood 8 in x 2 ft
• 1 hinge
• 2-3 reflectors
• Black and yellow paint

Directions

• Paint one side of a piece of wood yellow and black striped like caution tape.
• On the other piece of wood place the reflectors down the middle of the wood.
• Connect the two pieces of wood with the hinge.
• Store the horse in your car and use it in case of car trouble on the road.

SCREWDRIVER HOLDER

Materials needed:

• 1 in x 2 in wood (cut to the length to hold all your screwdrivers)
• 2 small L shaped brackets

Directions

• Mark the wood every 2 inches.
• Drill holes big enough so that the tip of the screwdriver will fit through, but not the handle.
• Attach the brackets to the bottom edge of the wood, one on each end.
• Then attach the screwdriver holder to the wall.
• Add screwdrivers.

TRAVELER -- MENTAL SKILLS GROUP

Baltimore Area Council

The Traveler Activity Badge explores the preparation involved in taking a trip. Traveler is in the Mental Skills group of badges.

Objectives

To introduce Webelos to the excitement of traveling, to see new places and meet new people. To show Scouts some of the practical skills that are needed to get “there” successfully and efficiently so that when they are “there”, they can have a rewarding experience. To have the Scouts practice planning in a fun way.

In earning this badge, Webelos Scouts will learn to read maps and timetables of buses, railroads, or airlines serving your area. They will learn the comparative costs of the different transportation. They will also learn how to use highway maps and plan trips. The two trips required for the badge are family trips, but there is no reason why all the den families can’t go together on these trips as field trips. What the boys learn should help them in planning with their families for these trips.

Where to Go and What to Do

• Discuss timetables and how to read them
• Using maps and timetables, calculate the cost and speed of a trip to the same location by bus, train, and air
• Have contests locating specific destinations and how to get there, using maps and timetables.
• Identify the different symbols used on maps and know what they mean
• Make a car first aid kit
• Discuss the importance of good car safety-using seatbelts, not fighting, keeping inside the windows
• Learn how to pack a suitcase properly. Bring in stuff to pack for different trips and let them decide what they should take for the weather, how long of a trip, etc.
• Play some games that the boys can play while traveling, ask them what to bring to occupy them
• Make a travel logbook, including destinations, dates of trips, and activities
• Learn traffic sign shapes and what they mean
• Make a travel tool kit, discuss what should be in there for different types of weather, etc
• Visit a travel agency, airport, or rail line to see what goes on
• Ride on any public transportation
• Let the boys help plan the route for a field trip the den will take, decide what is needed for the trip

Games

Geography

Players are seated in a circle. First player names a geographical term- city, river, country, mountain, etc. Second person must give a place: River-Mississippi, Mountain-Everest, etc. Continue around the circle. The same word is not to be given twice. This could also be made into a relay race.

Plotting Your Route

Give each boy a state map. Tell them you are leaving this city and going to_________(another city in the state), and have each boy plot the route. The object is to be the first to plot the most direct route to that point. After several attempts, have them plot an entire trip, with several designated stopovers.

I Pack My Suitcase

One boy starts the game by saying, “I’m going on a trip. I packed my suitcase, and I put in a ______.”The next player says the same thing but first must repeat what the first boy said and then add his item. Each boy in turn repeats the entire thing and adds an item. If a boy is not able to repeat all previous items correctly he is out of the game. The game ends when only one boy is left.

Alphabet Eye-Spy

This is another touring game. When you reach the town or city limits start looking for objects. Start with the letters of the town name. Boys call them out. If the town is Lincoln, a boy might say, “Eye-spy a library for the first letter or a Ice rink for the second letter and so on. This can be played at a den meeting with objects that can be seen in the room.

Traveler Quiz

Let the boy try to answer these questions by using a world map.  The correct answer is not usually the one I would guess.

• You are on a ship five miles from an entrance to the Panama Canal and sailing due west towards it. In what body of water is your ship?---Pacific
• Flying due south from Detroit, what foreign country do you reach first?---Canada
• Which is nearer Miami, California or Brazil?---California
• Which is farther north, Venice or Halifax?---Venice
• Which is farther south, Venice or Vladivostok?---Vladivostok
• Which is larger, Japan or Great Britain?---Japan
• What four states in the U.S.A. touch at one point?---Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
• Does a great circle from Tokyo to the Panama Canal pass east or west of San Francisco?---East

Find the Mystery City

Divide the den into two teams. Give each team captain a state highway map. Call out the names of various cities in the state and have the team locate them on the map. The first team to locate the city wins the round (win or lose, make sure both teams to the locate town before moving on the next). The team that locates the most towns first wins.

Packing a Suitcase

Provide a medium size suitcase and bring plenty of items to pack into it. Included in the items should be the necessities of any trip (extra clothes, toiletries, etc. ). Be sure that you deliberately bring too much to fit into the suitcase so that the Webelos are forced to select only what they cannot do without for the trip. Have the Webelos select items and practice packing the suitcase.

20 Questions

One person thinks of a person, place or thing for everyone else to identify. The rest of the family members may asked questions that can be answered “yes’ or “no”. If no oneguesses after 20 questions have been ask, the person who thought of it has stumped the others and is declared the winner. Take turns presenting the mystery to be solved.

Find the Most

The point is to see who can count the most of something by the time you reach your destination or within a specified time limit. People choose different objects to count: green cars versus red cars, cows versus horses, pickup trucks versus trailer trucks, Chevrolets versus Fords, or the license plates of two nearby states.

Loco Location

A guessing game everyone in the car can play. “It” dreams up an unusual place to hide in the car (behind the rearview mirror, in the glove compartment, etc.). The “it” ask, “Where am I in the car?” Everyone guesses and “it” can answer only yes or no. If the guessers have a hard time, then “it” can give clues with “warm”, “hot”, “red hot”, “freezing” etc. The first one to guess becomes “it”.

Alphabet Game

Look for the letters of the alphabet in alphabetical order on road signs as you travel along and shout them out as you see them. The object is to see who can spot all the letters of the alphabet first.

Scrap Map

Make a map of your neighborhood. Use cancelled stamps to show the locations of mailboxes or post offices. Use washers to show where stop signs are. Use scraps as symbols for stoplights, houses, and fire hydrants. Use paper clips or pop tops to indicate stores.

Learn how to read a map. A legend is very important in helping someone read a map. It contains symbols used in the map and tells what they are. Make a legend m one of the comers of your map. Show the scraps used in the map, and tell what each means.

Geography

The first player begins by saying the name of a city, state, or country. Each person that follows must give a geographic name that begins with the last letter of the place immediately preceding. For example, the first person says “Chicago”. The next person might say “Oklahoma”, the next “Austria” and so on. No name can be used more than once. A player is out when he can’t think of a suitable name. The last remaining player is the winner.

I’m Going on a Trip

The first player begins by saying “I’m going on a trip and I’m going to take -(fill in the blank; for example a suitcase )” .The next person repeats the exact phrase and adds another item. Each player in turn repeats the phrase, including all the previous objects in order and then adding a new one. A player is out when he forgets an item or confuses the order. The last remaining player is the winner.

Count the Cows and Horses

Assign players equally to different sides of the road. Each player counts the number of cows and horses on his side of the road. The maximum number that can be counted for a single large herd is 10 (a single herd of 25 cows count only 10 points). The player to reach a pre-selected number (100 for example) is the winner. Variations to the game can be added. The player that passes a church or school on his side can double his points. A graveyard on your side takes away all of your points (the player on the opposite side must see the graveyard and announce that the other player(s) have just lost all his (their) points. White horses can count 10 points.

Car Passenger Code of Conduct

This code provides hints on how car passengers can get help making each trip a safe and pleasant one.

• Help yourself by:
• Always wearing your seat belt
• Sitting down, so you won’t be hurt if there is a sudden stop
• Keeping your hands away from the door handles, gear stick, ignition Key and the driver
• Help the Driver by:
• Sitting down, so that you don’t distract him
• Looking out for road signs
• Keeping the noise done.
• Help other passengers by:
• Not teasing younger passengers
• Not putting anything dangerous on the back ledge
• Saving all litter until you get home; use litter bags
• Help others on the road by;
• Staying in the car while it is moving (if you put your arms and head out of the window you
• could lose them)
• Not throwing things out the window
• Getting out of the car on the side away from the traffic

Car First Aid Kit

Place in a small box (small tackle box) the following items:

• A roll of 2” gauze
• Cravat Bandage
• Sunburn Ointment
• Insect repellent
• Small Scissors
• Adhesive Tape
• First Aid Cream
• Candle
• Sterile gauze dressings (2” to 3” square)
• Soap
• Baking Soda
• Tweezers
• Various sizes of Band-Aids
• Jackknife
• 2 – 3”X17” splints (1/4” thick)

Additional Supplies:

• Flashlight
• Fire extinguisher
• Flares or red flags
• Jack/Lug Wrench
• Tow chain or rope
• Games to keep young children occupied

Winter Supplies:

• Small Shovel
• Extra pair of Gloves/Boots
• Sand or Cat litter
• Hat
• Chocaloate Bars

State Match Up

Match each of the states listed below with its state capitol. (Any number of states can be used).  Be sure to include your home state!!

• Utah                          A.   Helena
• Washington                 B.   Carson City
• California                   C.   Topeka
• Delaware                     D.   Santa Fe
• Montana                     E.    Atlanta
• Nevada                       F.    Olympia
• Kansas                       G.   Frankfort
• Georgia                      H.   Sacramento
• New Mexico                I.     Dover
• Kentucky                    J.    Salt Lake City

Answers: 1-J, 2-F, 3-H, 4-I, 5-A, 6-B, 7-C, 8-E, 9-D, 10-G,

Been There, Seen That

• I am famous for making maple syrup.
• Mount Rushmore is one of my more popular tourist sites.
• Dorothy and Toto is a couple of my famous residents.
• I’m home to the Grand Canyon.
• The Rio Grande separates my southern border from Mexico.
• I am home to the Liberty Bell.
• I am home to Pikes Peak, one of the highest peaks in the Rockies.
• My nickname is the Golden State.
• I have one very large salty lake.
• Three of my major lakes are Lake Tahoe, Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.
• I am home to the Carlsbad Caverns.
• I’m famous for a horse derby and rolling green hills.
• The Chesapeake Bay divides much of my land area.
• I am home to over 10,000 lakes.
• I am spread over many islands.
• My name is from the Choctaw words “okla” & “homme”.
• I am the largest state in land size.
• Most of Yellowstone National Park is in my Northern region.
• My nickname is the Sunshine State.
• I am surrounded by four Great Lakes.
• I’m home to the Ozarks, Gateway Arch and Silver Dollar City.
• The widest river in the USA shares my name.

Answers are towards the end of Baloo