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

Photo Gallery

Southern NJ Council

Set up a photo gallery for the pack meeting by painting a backdrop made up of the bodies of storybook characters you choose then cut out the face.

At the pack meeting invite Cubs and their families to have their pictures taken as their favorite legend.

Who Said That

Southern NJ Council

This is a good one for pack meetings.  Have the boys and parents get together to solve this.  Some the parents will know about and some are strictly for kids.

1.       One For All, and All For One!

2.       Elementary, my dear Watson.

3.       Come, Cheetah.

4.       No case too small, $.25 a day plus expenses

5.       Head for the raft, Jim.

6.       If I only had a heart.

7.       All-righty then.

8.       Take a bite out of crime.

9.       Only you can prevent forest fires.

10.    It’s not easy being green.

11.    Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred.

12.    It ain’t over til the fat lady sings.

13.    What’s up doc?

Answers

These are in order. 
This is not set up to be a matching game.

1.       The Three Musketeers

2.       Sherlock Holmes

3.       Tarzan

4.       Encyclopedia Brown

5.       Huckleberry Finn

6.       The Tin Man

7.       Ace Ventura

8.       Mcgruff

9.       Smoky the Bear

10.    Kermit the Frog

11.    James Bond

12.    Yogi Berra

13.    Bugs Bunny

Figures in Folklore

Grand Teton Council

Find the following words in the puzzle above.  Words may be diagonal, horizontal or vertical.  Words may be forwards or sdrawkcab. 

Appleseed                          Hansel                             Pecos Bill

Arthur                             Jesse James                         Pied Piper

Cinderella                       Jim Bridger                    Robin Hood

Daniel Boone                John Henry                            The Cid

Davy Crockett                  Johnny                                         Till

Eulenspiegel                    Mike Fink                      William Tell

Gretel                             Paul Bunyan

Book Riddles

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Give your Cub Scouts a sheet wit these riddles when they arrive.  See who can get all the answers.

Riddle #1:

If you want to know the name of a book -

Or the book title, at this page take a look,

The illustrator you might discover,

By using these clues and just one other.

At the beginning I usually sit –

Guess what I am and you’ll score a hit!

                                                                                  Title page

Riddle #2:

Near or at the end you’ll find me,

And usually more than a page you’ll see,

The topics in a book I will tell,

I’ll help you seek if you use me well!

                                Index

Riddle #3:

After the title but before the index,

After the “contents” but before the appendix,

I give credit where credit is due…

Another name for a simple “Thank you.”

                                                                 Acknowledgements

Riddle #4:

I am the names of some books (in a book)

You can find me – take a look!

The alphabet helps to keep me in line,

As a source of more facts, I’m a real gold mine!

Near the end you will most often find me,

Unlock all these clues by using this key!

                                                                              Bibliograhy

Riddle #5:

I am the organizer, I am the key!

When you use a reference book, you need me.

I’m easy to spot for Z is my bottom and A is my top,

I am the __________, you see.

                                                                                   Alphabet

Riddle #6:

When you use a reference book,

it’s me you should heed,

I’m on every page and my job is to lead!

I’m always the first, and I’m always the last.

If you use me, you will find things FAST!

                                                                            Guide Words

NAME THAT HERO

Match the person with the sentence they said.

1)         Called “Little Sure Shot” as a child, she grew up to star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

2)         He once rode a cyclone through four states. When he leaped off, his landing formed Death Valley, California.

3)         This character is not fictional. This mighty steel-driving man had a rock drilling contest with a steam drill and won.

4)         An expert hunter, horsewoman, sharpshooter and scout, this colorful Wild West character risked her own life to nurse smallpox patients back to health in Deadwood, South Dakota.

5)         This might man of steel would stir boiling pots of molten metal with his bare hands. When the steel mill he worked in became too small, he melted himself to make more steel for a larger building.

6)         This boy and two of his friends outfitted a river raft with supplies and floated into the endless Mississippi River adventures.

7)         He became the most famous lumberjack of all time. He and his pet ox, Babe were used as advertising for the lumbering industry.

8)         He killed a bear when he was only three. He as a true historical character and he died at the Alamo.

9)         He lived on his father’s hacienda in Southern California. Hiding his identity behind a mask, he would ride to protect the cruel governor’s victims.

10)      He was a Christian missionary who planted apple orchards in the wilderness.

Answers:

1. Annie Oakley, 2. Pecos Bill, 3. John Henry,

4. Martha “Calamity Jane” Canary, 5. Joe Magarac,

6. Huckleberry Finn, 7. Paul Bunyan, 8. Davy Crockett,

9. “Zorro” Don Diego, 10. Johnny Appleseed.

Find your Match

Alice, Golden Empire Council

As people arrive, put half of a book title on the back of each person – the second half goes on the back of another person.  They must ask questions that can only be answered with “yes” or “no” in order to discover what book they represent.

Or

As people arrive, put stickers with book titles on the backs of about half of the people.  Put stickers with the authors names on the other half.  Participants must ask questions that can only be answered with “yes” or “no” in order to locate the author of their book or the book they wrote.

Or

Using characters from books, i.e., Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Benny Alden, etc., make small tags with the names of the characters on the backs of boys and parents (if at pack meeting).  Asking any questions that can be answered yes or no, the individual tries to figure out who his character is.

Write a message telling everyone what to do –
but using an unusual writing system,

For example you could write it in the one used in ancient Greece, where the words were written on wood or stone as if a farmer were plowing his field.  The text might start at the top or bottom, but at the end of the line, the words didn’t go back to the original side, but continued on – this is called Boustrophedon text or literally, “ox-turning.” See if you can read this message or write a Cub Scout related one for the boys or families to decipher.  After they have deciphered a message, have each of the boys write their own.

Hint:  Start at the bottom left corner.

Scrambled Books

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Each of these scrambled words is the name of a part of a book.  See how quickly you can unscramble them:

1.  NIPSE                                                   _ _ _ _ _

2.  ROVEC                                                _ _ _ _ _

3.  GAPES                                                  _ _ _ _ _

4.  TUDS KAJCTE               _ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _

Now write the correct unscrambled word on the pictures below:

Dewey Decimal Decisions:

Alice, Golden Empire Council

In the library, books are sorted according to a system.  Most public libraries use the Dewey Decimal System.  Many academic libraries use the Library of Congress system. 

Use the key below and see if you can sort the books on this list using the Dewey Decimal System.  Write the correct code category in the blank next to the type of  book:

Dewey Decimal System:

000-009     General Works: Encyclopedias, Newspapers, Library Science, Collections

100-199     Philosophy: Logic, Ethics, Metaphysics

200-299     Religion

300-399     Social Sciences: Economics, Law, Customs, Etiquette, Folklore

400-499     Language

500-599     Science: Math, Astronomy, Physics, Life Science, Chemistry, Geology, Botany, Zoology

600-699     Technology: Medicine, Engineering, Buildings, Home Economics, Manufacturing

700-799     Art/Music/Theatre

800-899     Literature

900-999     Geography/History

Book is About:                          Dewey Decimal # Section

Airplanes                                                              _________

Television                                                             _________

Italian Language                                                _________

Western Music                                                    _________

The Bible                                                              _________

History of Africa                                                _________

Building Tunnels                                                 _________

Weather                                                                _________

You could also add the actual titles of some books.  This could be a Gathering Game as well, with each family being a team and working together.

SPLIT SIMILIES

Heart of America Council

Players:        6 or more

Equipment: A card for each player with half a simile on it.

Preparation and Play:     

ü  Write half a simile on each card.

ü  Give the first part of the similes to one group and the last word to another group.

ü  Then they need to match up the cards.

His could work as a  gathering activity where you give half a simile to each person and they find their partner.  CD

Here are a few similes to work with:

Blind as a bat                                               Bright as a penny

Busy as a bee                                                           Cold as ice

Crazy as a loon                                                    Dark as night

Dead as a doornail                          Fast as greased lightning

Fat as a pig                                                   Flat as a pancake

Fit as a fiddle                                                     Hard as a rock

Green as grass                                                Happy as a Lark

Mad as a wet hen                                              Heavy as lead

Light as a feather                                              Old as the hills

Neat as a pin                                            Nutty as a fruitcake

Scarce as hen’s teeth                                     Playful as a pup

Proud as a peacock                                               Sly as a fox

Slippery as an eel                                          Slow as molasses

Still as a mouse                                     Snug as a bug in a rug

Sour as vinegar                                                     Thin as a rail

Straight as an arrow                           Sweet as honey (sugar)

Fun with Facts Games:

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Use the “Facts” sections under Theme Related to make your own games.  It would especially be fun to go over lots of the information with your dens, then challenge parents to a contest on Pack Meeting night – something along the lines of “Are You Smarter than a Fifth-Grader?”  except the name of the game would be “Are you smarter than a Cub Scout?”

You could also create a matching game using the facts.  For example, list various kinds of books or book discoveries opposite a list of answers. 

Here’s a sample to get you started:

1.     Invented moveable type

2.     The Father of Children’s Literature

3.     Greek text type named for an ox

4.     Told children stories on a river

5.     Donated funds to build libraries

A     Boustrophedon

B.    Carnegie

C.    Newbery

D.    Cuttenberg

E.    Carroll

Answers                 1D, 2C, 3A, 4E ,5B

Mixed-up Folktales

Southern NJ Council

Figure out who each of the mixed up names are.  Not all of them are people.

1.             BOMY KIDC

2.             SECOP LIBL

3.             GIB OTOF

4.             ROZOR

5.             NOEL NEARRG

6.             ATHAWAHI

7.             GINK HAMEMAMEAK

8.             BAE NILNOLC

9.             MOT YESRAW

10.          LUPA YABUNU

11.          LEANID NOBOE

12.          YESCA SNOJE

Answers:

1. Moby Dick, 2. Pecos Bill, Big Foot, 4. Zorro,
5. Lone Ranger, 6. Hiawatha, 7. King Kamehameha,
8. Abe Lincoln, 9. Tom Sawyer, 10. Paul Bunyan,
11. Daniel Boone, 12. Casey Jones

Matching Game

Southern NJ Council

1.    Paul Bunyan                    a.    Spread the news the British are coming

2.    Blackbeard                       b.    Samuel Clemens

3.    Rip Van Winkle               c.    Very big man with blue ox

4.    Benjamin Franklin          d.    Freed the slaves

5.    Paul Revere                      e.    Slept for 20 years

6.    Daniel Boone                   f.    Congressman turned frontiersman

7.    Davy Crockett                 g.    Signed Declaration of Independence

8.    Casey Jones                      h.    Father of mass production

9.    Mark Twain                      i.     Was a ghost at sea

10. Henry Ford                       j.     Established apple tree nurseries

11. Johnny Appleseed           k.    Railroad hero

12. Abraham Lincoln            l.     Hunter in Kentucky

Answers:

1-c, 2-i, 3-e, 4-g, 5-a, 6-l, 7-f,  8-k, 9-b. 10-h, 11-j, 12-d

Who Am I?

Southern NJ Council

Make signs with the names of the characters from the books that you have been discussing. When the boys enter the room, pin a name on every boy, making sure that the boy does not see whose name is on his back. Each then has to go around the room asking questions of the other boys which can be answered with "Yes or No.” The first one to correctly figure out who he is wins.

Match The Americans

1.    Johnny Appleseed           A.   Was the man of steel

2.    Bigfoot or Sasquatch      B.   Was of royal blood

3.    Daniel Boone                   C.   Slept for a long time

4.    Molly Brown                    D.   Cracked a whip

5.    Paul Bunyan and Babe  E.   Bravest of all

6.    Ichabod Crane                 F.    Knocked off of his horse by a pumpkin

7.    Davy Crockett                 G.   Built with a precious metal

8.    El Dorado                          H.   Died at the Alamo

9.    John Henry                       I.    She was unsinkable

10. Hiawatha                          J.    Got tired of the sea

11. Casey Jones                      K.   Beat a machine

12. King Kamehameha         L.   Robbed the rich, gave to the poor

13. Lost Dutchman                M. Planted trees

14. Joe Magarac                     N.   Is famous in Kentucky

15. Old Stormalong                O.   Gold gone forever

16. Pecos Bill                           P.    Felled trees and dug valleys together

17. Pony Express                    Q.   Rode a strange horse

18. Charlie Parkhurst             R.   Brought water to artillery men

19. Rip Van Wrinkle              S.    Strayed with his train

20. Zorro                                  T.   Isn't a man but a something

21. Molly Pitcher                    U.   Carried the mail

Answers:

1-M, 2-T, 3-N, 4-I, 5-P, 6-F, 7-H, 8-G, 9-K, 10-E, 11-S,
12-B, 13-O 14-A, 15-J, 16-Q 17-U, 18-D, 19-C, 20-L, 21-R

Historical Objects

Southern NJ Council

Distribute copies to all guests and see how many persons they can identify by the following clues:

1     A rainbow                         a.    George Washington

2.    A kite                                 b.    Little Red Riding Hood

3.    A glass slipper                   c.    Noah

4.    An apple                            d.    Samson

5.    A slingshot                        e.    William Tell

6.    A coat of many colors    f.    Ben Franklin

7.    A wolf                                g.    Cinderella

8.    Long Hair                          h.    Joseph

9.    A hatchet                          i.     David

10.  A footprint                        j.     Abe Lincoln

11.  A cloak                              k.    Florence Nightingale

12.  A steamboat                     l.     Robin Hood.

13.  A rail fence                       m. Paul Bunyan

14.  Three ships                        n.    Little Jack Horner

15.  A plum                               o.    Robert Fulton

16.  A blue ox                           p.    Sir Walter Raleigh

17.  Steals from the rich         q.    Columbus

18.  A famous nurse               r.     Robinson Crusoe

Answers -

1-C, 2-F, 3-G, 4-E, 5-I, 6-H, 7-B, 8-D, 9-A, 10-R,
11-P, 12-O, 13-J, 14-Q, 15-N, 16-M, 17-L, 18-K