GATHERING ACTIVITIES

Note on Word Searches, Word Games, Mazes and such – In order to make these items fit in the two column format of Baloo’s Bugle they are shrunk to a width of about 3 inches.  Your Cubs probably need bigger pictures.  You can get these by copying and pasting the picture from the Word version or clipping the picture in the Adobe (.pdf) version and then enlarging to page width.  CD

Transcontinental Obstacle Course:

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Before the pack meeting, set up various obstacles or required games to represent those the builders of the transcontinental railroad had to overcome:  mountains, deep gullies to be bridged, not enough workers, bad weather, delays in getting supplies,  bridges burned down, explosions that blocked tunnels, not enough money.  Have families divided into either Central Pacific, who have to start from Sacramento on one end of the room or location, and Union Pacific, who have to start from Omaha at the opposite end of the room.  You might also include a map, or have them delayed while a “surveyor” makes a map of some area.  Use some of the games or facts in the packet to help lay out your course. Have Promontory Point in the center of the room – all must wait till everyone arrives, then have an opening ceremony based on the Driving of  the Golden Spike. This would be a lot of fun in an outdoor location.  You can add to the drama and fun by having everyone come in costume, and assigning boys to certain roles for the opening ceremony.

All Aboard! Quiz

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Match the railroad slang word with what it means

1 – Brass Hat                       A – Fastest Speed

2 – Frog                                 B – Where 2 rails meet at a switch

3 – Gandy Dancer               C - Conductor

4 – Highball                          D – Railroad Worker

5 – Piggyback                       E – Railroad Big Boss

6 – Skipper                            F – Trailer on a flat car

Answers - 1.-E., 2.-B., 3.-D., 4.-A., 5.-F., 6.-C.

Which is which?

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Passenger trains carry people and freight trains carry food, cars, and other products. Which one is which?  What are the differences?

Discussion ideas - The top one is a passenger train – some of  the cars have windows to look out.  The second one is a freight train, with different cars to carry ore, boxes, pipe or lumber, liquids – but no passenger cars with windows.

Railroad Safety

Alice, Golden Empire Council

What do these Railroad signs mean?
What do you do when you see them?

LOCOMOTIVE CROSSWORD PUZZLE

http://www.nps.gov/gosp/research/lococrossword.html

From the word bank fill in the crossword puzzle:

Whistle              stack                    engineer                 light

Steam                 bell                        boiler                 wood

Fuel                   water                       coal              fireman

                           sand

ACROSS

1          The "Jupiter" locomotive burns _____ to heat up the water

5.         The locomotive is powered by _____.

6.         The fireman rings the _____.

7.         When the track is slick, the engineer puts _____ on the track from the dome on the top of the locomotive.

9.         Kerosene burns in the ____.

10.      The ____ drives the locomotive.

DOWN

1          The engineer blows the ______ to let people know the train is coming.

2          The _____ adds fuel to the fire box

3          The "119" locomotive burns _____ to heat up the water.

4          The boiler is filled with _____.

6          The water is heated inside the _____.

7          Smoke blows up through the _____.

8          _____ burns in the fire box.

Help the Conductor Find His Train

Utah National Parks Council

All Aboard for Train Terms

Heart of America Council

Match the train term on the left with the definition on the right.

1. Train                              a. I’m the place the driver sits.

2. Locomotive                  b. I’m the last car of the train.

3. Cab                                c. I’m on the front of the locomotive to push objects off the track.

4. Rolling stock                d. I’m a warning device at the side of the tracks.

5. Caboose                        e. I’m pulled along a track by an engine.

6. Signal                             f. I’m a heavy nail that holds the rail to the tie.

7. Observation Car          g. I’m a car that cannot move by itself.

8. Coach                            h. I have large windows to view scenery.

9. Spike                              i. I’m a car that carries passengers.

10. Cowatcher                  j. I’m the engine of the train.

Answers: 1-e; 2-j; 3-a; 4-g; 5-b; 6-d; 7-h; 8-i; 9-f; 10-c

Train Engine Maze

Heart of America Council

Get from the smoke stack to the outlet by the cab.

All Aboard

Heart of America Council

ü  Ahead of time, cut strips of plain paper and make ticket books.

ü  Each ticket book should contain about 20 tickets

ü  Make a cover to the book which says “All Aboard the Cub Scout Express Number (pack number).”

ü  Staple together.

ü  As people arrive, give each person a pencil and a ticket book.

ü  Direct them to go around and ask people to write their name once on each ticket.

ü  Later, tell people that the names on the tickets are their destinations and they (the person whose book it is) are the conductors of the station.

ü  Now the conductors y must find the stations and give that person their ticket.

ü  Cheer those who re-distribute their tickets quickest with an appropriate cheer.