CLOSING CEREMONIES

Magic Mud
Heart of America Council

Sam Houston Area council had this as an opening.  It is great for either!!  SHAC suggested individual props to go with each part such as a plaster cast of an animal track, a blue feather, an elm tree, a large pebble, a blower, a large "worm" etc and a large brown or black construction paper mud puddle to be on the ground with a sign in the center that says "Mud Puddle".  CD

Cubmaster:      Did you ever wonder, as you pass
A little stretch of mud and grass.
What nature may be hiding there,
Within this spot a few feet square?

All Together:   Let's gather round and take a look
And like the pages in a book,
We'll study it with open eyes,
Can soil like this hold a surprise?

All get down on hands and knees in a semi-circle around imaginary patch of ground or piece of cardboard painted black and green. Each player is assigned one or more of the two-line stanzas.  Some of the items may be held up as they are found. The bee sting gets everyone to his feet, and the victim is smeared with some black substance. All line up for the final stanza.

One:     Here's a freshly patterned animal track
Where a rabbit hopped across and back.

Two:     I see a stream of busy ants
Carrying tidbits as they dance.

Three:    Look, a feather blue and gray
Dropped off by a screaming jay.

Four:     Sprinkled here are sprouting seeds
From lofty elms and sprawling weeds.

Five:     A pebble smothered by action slow,
Formed a million years ago.

Six:      In a puddled spot not yet dried out,
A water beetle swims about.

Seven:   And here an eager plant is set-
An early-blooming violet.

Eight:    A wiggly worm comes up to twitch,
No one knows which end is which.

Nine:     The mud itself, with food stores vast,
From life that grew in ages past.

Ten:      It's not all Nature mud reveals -
Here's a candy wrapper and two toy wheels.

Eleven: There's something moving.
What's that now?  I'll pick it up a  BEE! Ow! Yow!

Twelve: Quick, here's some mud upon the spot
To take away the soreness hot.

All        Together: In mud, there's stone and living things,
Healing power for bitter stings,
Through it flows the earth's life blood.
Our Soil is really magic MUD!

Who is Akela?
Sam Houston Area Council

• Who is Akela?
• Akela is the leader of the Pack.  Someone that I trust.
• Akela is my Cubmaster.
• Akela is my Den Leader.
• Akela is my Mom.
• Akela is my Dad.
• Akela could be you.
• Please repeat with us Law of the Pack (Lead everyone in the Law of the Pack).

Formula to Grow
Heart of America Council

• Growing requires starting with a solid foundation and strong values and clear.
• Add a seed -- a young spirit eager to grow.
• Use lots of warm support and a safe protection.
• Feed frequently with fun activities.
• Water daily with encouraging words.
• This is the formula to grow a successful Cub Scout into a leader for tomorrow.