Bear Scout - wooden tic tac toe project for Baloo the Builder

Hi everyone!
So I am a den leader of our Bear Den this year. I'm trying very hard to get all the bear requirements done by March.
One of the new changes or modifications for the requirements is that they changed Grin and Bear it to an elective and made Baloo the Builder a requirement for rank.
So, since most packs are on a budget  and I'm not very knowledgeable with working with wood, I had the great idea to make the Tic tac toe board on page 131 in the handbook.

What you need: 

Saw (we used a table saw)

Drill

Different size drill bits

2 x 4 wood (to be cut into 4-5 inch blocks

Sand paper

Safety glasses or goggles

1st aid kit

Latex gloves (or latex free gloves)

Paint brush

Rag

Wood stain

Polycrylic protective finish

Something to protect work station (drop cloth or thick cardboard)

Golf tees at least 2 colors (5 for x and 5 for o's)

I asked a friend for some left over 2 x 4 wood they had.
Then I asked my hubby to cut them to 4 inches. He used a table saw and they were not all the same size and some were uneven. But we work with what we have.
So next I measured where to add the lines. Well, since every single one was not uniform, after awhile, i just started guessing. I mean, i have drawn so many tic tac toe boxes in my life, it wasn't hard. I even had a line to write the name of the game at the top. The block was bigger than 4 x 4..
Next I predrilled some wholes in the middle of the boxes drawn. I only predrilled because I wanted the boys to drill only once due to 1 drill and 5 boys in a den meeting. Plus, my husband said if i drilled the bigger hole first, it would split the wood.

So now everything is precut, predrawn and predrilled. 

So at the meeting, the boys drilled each hole once with a thicker bit ( I made one at home 1st so I knew what drill bit to use. I drilled it bigger and bigger until the golf tee fit nicely.)

NOTE TO LEADERS- I was told afterwards that the boys couldn't use power tools for BSA projects. Then I had them sand all the sides so they were smooth.  I explained they didn't want a splinter later. Remember they HAVE to wear safety glasses or goggles. Also, when they drill, make sure you are holding the wood hard so the wood doesn't spin and hurt them. I had some boys hold it themselves and I had some that didn't hold it hard enough and it spun. Only 1 Band aid used during this meeting. Not bad! 

After drilling and sanding, I had them choose 10 pegs from a bag of golf tees (5 one color for "x" and 5 another color for "o"). Then I explained they should finish it at home. They can stain it, paint it, whatever they want. And they have to put a finish on it. 

My son loved this so much that he asked if we can use the extra wooden blocks for Christmas gifts. So on December 23rd, we were drilling and sanding. 

We also bought a dark stain for wood and a sealer at Walmart . 

We wanted it dark .. so we used latex gloves (you can get the latex free gloves if someone is allergic), and sponge brushes for the stain And an old white t-shirt cut up as a rag. 

Follow directions on can for each product. 

We painted 1 side with stain and wiped off with rag. Make sure you have a work place with something to protect your surface. We used an old popcorn box from the scout popcorn that we just delivered. Have them do each side. Of the block. Set aside to dry. We let it dry 3 hours. 

Next we traced the square and words with white paint ( we used acrylic paint). We also wrote on the back who its for, who made it and the year. Let dry. 

Then we used the sealer with a soft paintbrush. We left 1 side unfinished so we can place it down without sticking to the cardboard. Then 2 hours later, we would repeat the process but this time we made sure to get the side not sealed. We repeated this 4 times with 2 hours in between applications. 

Now grab your "x"'s and "o"'s and your set.  

Helped Plan a den Meeting for my den leader

I am not a den leader.. ( in 2016 I became a den leader. LOL) .but I do try to help ours out. 

So for last week's meeting, I planned it and filled the whole hour with stuff to do.

I gave the boys assignments of researching their heritage.  I bought a trifold poster for my son to write and glue all his info. Much more organized and easier to read off a board than a phone. And good practice for the years to come. 

Anyway, they were given 6 things to do before they came to the meeting. 

1. Bring in and share 5 things orange 

2. Share a story or bring in something to tell about your heritage

3. Interview a grandparent ( I made my son interview both grandmothers)

4. How did you get your name and what does it mean

5. Where did your family come from

6. Bring in a snack that represents your heritage

I made my son type his grandmother's responses... I made him write about family traditions on the board. I made him learn to research his name. I made him do most of it while I sat there and helped. 

Then at the meeting we brought soft pretzels,  german kinder chocolate,  and German cookies. The cookies were the biggest hit but we Had to bring something healthier because that's what the book said. 

Our boys were so bored during each others presentation. . We had to keep telling them to pay attention. 

Then after that, I had them make a den sheild together. Neither of them wanted to. But I made it easy and what I thought was fun. 

Then I had them make Derby neckerchefs. I premade everything for easy assembly.. apparently too easy. My son loved it and wore it as a ring. The other boy just looked at me like I was dumb.  But the boys got a lot done towards achievements.  And they were busy the WHOLE hour. That's success in my book. ( My son wears that Derby Neckerchief slide at every Pinewood Derby!) 

Next week they have more homework. They have to show loyalty at school for a whole week. I already wrote my son's teacher about that. They also have to find a task to do at home. My son's task is cleaning the table for dinner every night. And they have to build a castle out of recycled material to display at next week's pack meeting. 

But with limited den meetings, I suggest packing as much as possible into each meeting. Especially the "share with your den" ones...lol

Wolf Requirement- Running with the Pack

Running with the Pack

Running With the Pack

* 2017 BSA Modifications are exactly the same as in the handbook for Running with the Pack

 Complete the following requirements.

 Requirement 1. Play catch with someone in your den or family who is standing 5 steps away from you. Play until you can throw and catch successfully at this distance. 

Take a step back and see if you can improve your throwing and catching skills.

( Easy- had our boys do this with a ball from the dollar store . Did not take long.)

 2. Practice balancing as you walk forward, backward, and sideways. 

(did this at Camp on a tree that was down. The boys loved it.)

3. Practice flexibility and balance by doing a front roll, a back roll, and a frog stand. 

( Had the boys do this during a den meeting. Easy and they were laughing at how they looked.)

4. Play a sport or game with your den or family, and show good sportsmanship.

(We started playing this during a den meeting with just wolves but others started joining in .)

 5. Do at least two of the following: frog leap, inchworm walk, kangaroo hop, or crab walk.

( We did this at the same time as the front roll, back roll, ect from Req 3.)

 6. Demonstrate what it means to eat a balanced diet by helping to plan a healthy menu for a meal for your den or family. Make a shopping list of the food used to prepare the meal.

(My son decided on grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and salad. )

After that, your child will get the Running with the Pack  beltloop. 

Remember, have fun doing it!

Wolf Requirement- Paws on the Path

Paws on the Path with BSA modifications

My son did all the requirements from the handbook BUT 

BSA has issued a 2017 modification to the Wolf Scout handbook

to make it easier. So to make life easier on your scout, thats what I will post.

Paws on the Path

 Complete requirements 1–5. Requirements 6 and 7 are optional.

( In the handbook you have to do 8 requirements vs these 6, even though #2 combines req 2 and 3 together))

 Requirement 1. Show you are prepared to hike safely in any outdoor setting by putting together the Cub Scout Six Essentials to take along on your hike.

(Req 1 in handbook)

(I wrote a whole post on this that you can view here. )

 2. Tell what the buddy system is and why we always use it in Cub Scouting. Describe what you should do if you get separated from your group while hiking. 

( Req 2 and 3 from book)

3. Choose the appropriate clothing to wear on your hike based on the expected weather. 

( Req 4 from book)

4. Before hiking, recite the Outdoor Code and the Leave No Trace Principles for Kids with your leader. (This may be combined with requirement 3 of the Call of the Wild adventure.) After hiking, discuss how you showed respect for wildlife.

(Req 5 from book)

 5. Go on a 1-mile hike with your den or family. Find two interesting things that you’ve never seen before and discuss with your den or family.

( Req 6 in handbook)

Now after you did 1-5, choose one more from below to do.

 6. Name two birds, two insects, and/or two other animals that live in your area. Explain how you identified them.

( Req 7 in book)

 7. Draw a map of an area near where you live using common map symbols. Show which direction is north on your map.

( Req 8 in book)

Motor Away- Wolf Scout

Motor away

Ok, so anyone who has read anything on my blog

knows my son is not athletic. So for his STEM patch, he had the choice of 

doing either Motor Away or Paws of Skill. 

He chose Motor Away!

So lets follow the directions to finish it. 

Also, it seems like there are no changes for this even with the modifications.

So lets begin!

I always read what it say in the book to my son, then we do what it says to do.

Requirement 1A

Create and Fly 3 different types of paper airplanes. ( Love this!) Before launching them, record which one you believe will travel the farthest and what property of the plane leads you to this prediction. 

( We made it into a competition. Like I would let him choose one, I wrote his name on it. I chose one too. Then we flew them. Then we would scream " Mine beat yours", if it did. )

Here is the Arrow Plane above from page 269. 

Great this about that Wolf Handbook is that it GIVES you the 

directions on how to make 3 airplanes. We followed those directions.

Here below is the Delta airplane from page 271.

And Lastly, here is the Dart from page 272!

Now here is all 3!

If you noticed, we wrote on them, which will go farthest and which will go least.

We did multiple races. It was funny!

Requirement 1B-

Make a paper airplane catapult.  Before launching, record how far you believe it will travel and explain what info you used to make this prediction. After, launch the plane and measure how far it flies.

We used the 3 airplanes from 1A. We punched a hole in all 3. After launching one, we would take the rubber band out and and launch the next 1. 

Remember to record at least one on how far it flew. We had to go back and do that because we forgot the measuring tape.

See, more fun if it's a competition.
Again, make sure to record your measurements!!

Requirement 2
Make 2 different boats and sail them. Choose 2 different shapes.

We chose to make 3 different boats.
I asked the question about paper boats. He said paper doesn't float.
So, we followed this video on YouTube to make one.

And here is our special paper boat!

We made 2 and yes they float.

Here my son used recycled stuff to make a sail boat.

And lastly, a aluminium barge.

All 3 floated. Sail boat was the most difficult to sail in the bathtub later because the sail kept falling off. The Barge held up a lot of weight. Also learned about displacement. Made a small one vs a large one and kept adding coins to both until the smaller one sank.

Requirement 3
Create a car that moves under its own power

We tried 2 different Balloon cars. Had 4 adults and my son work on them. Both cars failed to move. I think if you plan on making one, maybe try a bendy straw and see if you can have the straw blow against the ground. Might work then.
So since that failed for us, we also made the Spool car.
Make sure if you do this one, that you have the washers. I forgot at 1st and it did not move. After the washers were on, it moved. My son played with it till the rubber band finally popped.

And there you go. If your child likes crafts,  creating something, science or even competition,
he will love Motor Away!
So have fun with it. And if something doesn't work like it should, ask your scout what he would change to make it work. Add some suggestions. Make sure they try their best.
And remember, if your scout is doing STEM, the Motor Away works for either Tech Talk or Swing. But you can NOT use it for both.
Have a great day.

STEM Experiment- The Thirsty Candle/Rising water secret

I honestly don't know what the actual name of this experiment is

but I heard someone refer to it as the thirsty candle or Rising Water Secret.

Here is an experiment that I saw in my 3rd grade science fair and forgot about.

Until Scouting University, where they did the experiment in a Nova class I took!

So for Spring Break, I allowed my son to do it.

Note: This uses dye. My son spilled the watered dye on our light counters in the kitchen.

It took a lot of bleach to get off. Please put plate in something so that it doesn't spill. Or use an aluminum tray instead of the plate.

Ok, so what you need is:

1 candle

1 plate or aluminium tray

water

dye

lighter/matches

clear glass

Experiment

1. Adult Supervision because of the matches or lighter.

2. Fill a cup with water, doen't need to be a lot.

3. Add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring to the water. My son used the gel stuff and gave it a good squeeze.

4. Pour the water into the plate or pan and place the candle in the middle of the water.

5. Light the candle.

6. Cover the candle with the clear glass and think about what is taking place both inside and outside of the vase. What invisible thing is

inside the vase? Carefully observe what happens to the water around the vase. It's bubbles a little. What happens to the candle flame?

It goes fast, so you may want to do multiple times. We did it once and then searched for answers. Apparently it wasn't as cool as the Elephant toothpaste, according to my son.

What Is actually happening?
How Does It Work?
The candle flame heats the air in the vase, and this hot air expands. Some of the expanding air escapes out from under the vase —
you might see some bubbles. As the flame goes out, the air in the vase cools down and the cooler air contracts and creates a
vacuum. This imperfect vacuum is created due to the low pressure inside the vase and the high pressure outside of the vase. We
know what you're thinking; the vacuum is sucking the water into the vase right? You have the right idea, but scientists try to avoid
using the term “suck” when describing a vacuum. Instead, they explain it as gases exerting pressure from an area of high pressure to
an area of low pressure.
A common misconception regarding this experiment is that the consumption of the oxygen inside of the bottle is also a factor in the
water rising. Truth is, there is a possibility that there would be a small rise in the water from the flame burning up oxygen, but it is
extremely minor compared to the expansion and contraction of the gases within the bottle. Simply put, the water would rise at a
steady rate if the oxygen being consumed were the main contributing factor (rather than experiencing the rapid rise when the flame
is extinguished).
*This information was sent to me by one of the SHAC STEM guys out of Brazos.

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Scout card with stats

OK, So I am the one in our Pack that does all the awards and crafty stuff for us.
After searching Pinterest, I found something that was like a pit pass for someones Pinewood Derby.
They made the frame and had each boy take pictures in it, then printed them.
So of course, I had to do that too but I knew I didn't have time to do everything 2 weeks before derby. So I made a stat card for each boy for Blue and Gold.
I made the frame out of black poster board.
Then I cut out some shapes and glues it on for the derby car, the tent, the boat and the fire. I even used some paint for the fire to make a little more real.

 The Pack # was in gold because it looked cool and they were getting these at Blue and Gold!
I glued on the year and the pack # permanently to the board, along with those designs of the car, boat and fire/tent.
The names were done with letters that were like sticky notes, so I was able to redo them over and over without messing up the frame. This is what I used:

And here is a link where you can buy them:

Letters

It made it personalized for each kid and they loved it.

Then, I just took the pics, printed them and glued them on to a thick scrapbook paper that I bought at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. I also found out info on each kid and put it on the back.

Like, what year did they join?

What is their fave food?

Fave scout activity?

Birthday?

Just basic stuff.

Then I laminated each card. I don't know how the other boys like them but I know my son loves his. I made 2 for each that way they can give one to their parents as a keep sake, or trade them like baseball cards. Here are some examples of the  cards. Enjoy!