OPENING CEREMONIES

Digging for America
Alapaha Area Council

Set up – Each Cub Scout has a sand pail

Bits of costuming (hats or other) depicting the occupation may be added for better visual appeal

In each pail is a prop for the Cub scouts line

Cub 1:I am a geologist.  I love digging in the dirt to find beautiful rocks. (Show some.)

Cub 2:I am a farmer.  I love digging in the dirt to plant seeds to grow food. (Holds up vegetables.)

Cub 3:I am a landscape architect.  I love digging in the dirt to produce beautiful scenery. (Holds up a picture.)

Cub 4:I am the curator at an arboretum.  I love digging in the dirt to plant seeds to grow beautiful flowers. (Holds up flowers.)

Cub 5:I am a Cub Scout.  I love digging in the dirt to see what goes on down there to make our land so beautiful.  (Flags are brought in.) Oh, look, here comes our flag – that’s another beautiful sight! (Everyone stands and joins in the Pledge of Allegiance.)

Alapaha Area Council must have thought this ceremony from the CS Roundtable Planning Guide was pretty good.  I like it, too - CD

Digging for America – More Ideas
Commissioner Dave’s Imagination

Have more than 5 Cubs in your den??  I took the above ceremony and played with it a little.  I am sure your Cub Scouts could come up with even more lines.  Let them use their imaginations in creating their own opening.  CD 

I am an Archeologist.  I love Diggin’ in the Dirt for traces of American History. (Hold up Arrowhead)

I am a Paleontologist.  I love Diggin’ in the Dirt to find dinosaurs (Hold up dinosaur)

I am a Bulldozer Operator(Tractor Operator, Operating Engineer, pick one, your choice) I love Diggin’ in the Dirt to create new highways (Hold up bulldozer)

I am a Miner.  I love Diggin’ in the Dirt to help our energy supply (hold up coal) or to supply our country with (hold up what is mined locally) or to produce gold to help our government (hold up gold painted stone)

I am a Back Hoe Operator. I love Diggin’ in the Dirt to make holes for foundations for new homes. (Hold up model (toy) house or picture of house)

I am an excavator.  I especially love Diggin’ in the Dirt when it is to plant a new flagpole to display our American Flag.  (Hold up American Flag) Let us all join now in the Pledge of Allegiance.  And remember what it says in the Tiger Book, that the phrase “One Nation Under God” is said without a pause

Cub Scouting Garden:
Sam Houston Area Council

It figures that this would be in the SHAC Pow Wow Book for this theme.  The first time I saw this it was presented by Dianne of SHAC at a course I was taking at the Philmont Training Center.  She sis it with a slide for each row of each crop on her giant Felt Board.  This could, also, be an opening or closing ceremony.  CD

Have the boys make pictures of peas, lettuce, squash, and turnips with the key words printed on them. (Ex. Peas - preparedness, etc.)  As the Narrator reads, have each boy walk out, show his vegetable and sit down in a row.  Each row should be higher than the one in front so, when all signs are down they can all be seen.

Cubmaster (or Leader): Here is how to plant a thriving, productive Cub Scout Garden.  One that all parents want their sons to grow up in.

FIRST: Plant five rows of peas

1. P is for Preparedness
2. P is for Promptness
3. P is for Perseverance
4. P is for Politeness
5. P is for Praise

SECOND: Plant five rows of lettuce

1. Let us be faithful
2. Let us be unselfish
3. Let us be loyal
4. Let us be truthful
5. Let us help one another

THIRD: Plant three rows of squash

1. Squash impatience
2. Squash criticism
3. Squash indifference

TO COMPLETE YOUR GARDEN: Plant three rows of turnips

1. Turn up for pack meetings
2. Turn up with a new idea
3. Turn up with determination

BUT WITHOUT MANY HOURS OF WORK AND CARE, YOUR GARDEN WILL NOT GROW, SO…

1. Don’t wait to be asked — Volunteer!
2. Don’t say "I can’t" — Just do it!
3. Don’t wait for someone else — Be first!

WITHOUT THE HELP OF EVERY PERSON IN THE PACK, OUR GARDEN WILL TURN TO WEEDS.  SO HELP BUILD TO PLANT, WORK THE SOIL, PULL THE WEEDS, AND SPREAD THE SUNSHINE.

Growing Carrots
Heart of America Council

Equipment: A package of carrot seeds and a few carrots with tops.

• Cub Scouts are like carrots. We need certain things, too .Carrots like o grow in the dirt.  We like to go “Diggin’ in the Dirt.”
• Inside this package of seeds are tiny carrot seeds. They don’t look like much because they are tiny and fragile.
• But if we plant it in good soil, they will grow up to be big, healthy, delicious carrots like these. 
• We learn while we are “Diggin in the Dirt” and that helps us grow up big and healthy.
• We, also, make sure that it gets plenty of sunlight, air and water.  That is like us getting good food, rest and exercise.
• But we Cub Scouts need something more. We need to have healthy minds and spirits if we are to be like the men we admire now.
• In Cub Scouting , and later on in Scouting, boys can develop that extra quality of mind and spirit. They do it by following the Cub Scout Promise and later on, the Scout Oath.  Will you please stand and join us in repeating the Cub Scout Promise?

Boy Fun
Heart of America Council

Boys hold up cards with letters on them in front and their parts on back in LARGE letters.

• B is for Boys and family adventures
• O is for Outdoors where we have our summer fun
• Y is for You.  You can join us for some of our family activities.
• F is for Fun, that’s what we will have this summer.
• U is for using  our surroundings for fun and games.
• N is for Nature's playground - a boy’s delight.