FOCUS

Cub Scout Roundtable Leaders’ Guide

Let's tour the united States by the letters: Austin, Baton Rouge and Cambridge to Xenia, York, and Zion. This month, Cub Scouts will explore scenic and historic landmarks in this wonderful country. What a great theme for your Blue and Gold Banquet!! A den or pack may choose a city or state, and the boys can learn all about it. Or you might decide on a theme such as national parks, zoos or museums. The boys can use their choice in their decorations, skits, and songs for the banquet.

CORE VALUES

Cub Scout Roundtable Leaders’ Guide

Some of the purposes of Cub Scouting developed through this month’s theme are:

ü Fun and Adventure, Boys will enjoy the trip through history and across the nation as they discover what America has to offer.

ü Preparation for Boy Scouts, Boys will learn to honor America as all boys should.

ü Family Understanding, Families will be strengthened as family members share the experiences of places they have been.

The core value highlighted this month is:

ü Citizenship, Through learning about people and places in America the boys will come to understand what being a citizen entails and develop pride in America.

Can you think of others??? Hint – look in your Cub Scout Program Helps. It lists different ones!! All the items on both lists are applicable!! You could probably list all twelve if you thought about it!!

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER

Look at the top - this is the halfway mark of the 2008-2009 Scouting year. And I am still running late. I spent the Saturday after Christmas working on Baloo (my daughter and wife were both at work) and much of this week, too.

Our Pow Wow is in a few weeks and then I have to get serious about Webelos Resident and Philmont. Busy!

Pow Wow Books have been arriving at my door or E-mail regularly. Thank you all so much. I have Sam Houston Area, Great Salt Lake, Oregon Trail, Catalina, National Capital Area Council, Buckeye, LaSalle County, Seattle Area, and Santa Clara County. I will be E-mailing those who sent me books with how I plan to get you my swaps. Thank you so much.

BUT if you have one I did not name -
do not hesitate to send it to me -
Write me for directions, please

Months with similar themes to

American ABC's

Dave D. in Illinois

Month Name	Year	Theme
American Geography
July	1955	Discovering America
April	1960	The Great Lakes
March	1963	Around the U.S.A.
April	1967	Mountains of America
July	1971	Travel around U.S.A.
February	1976	Horizons USA
October	1977	Discover America
November	1978	High Country USA
November	1981	Discover America
July	1991	High Country, USA
August	1996	High Country, USA
July	2001	American ABC's
American Heritage
February	1962	Parade of Presidents
October	1972	Discovery of America
February	1973	Famous Americans
June	1973	Flags of America
October	1976	Outstanding Presidents
June	1981	Flags of America
November	1985	Parade of the Presidents
September	1987	Flags of America
November	1989	Parade of the Presidents

Eagle Info

Mike Rowe from dirty Jobs is an Eagle Scout and he has a pair of great letters on his blog at http://discovery.blogs.com/mike_rowe_answers/ . The letters are to Boy Scouts - one to a boy getting close to Eagle and the other a congratulatory letter to a new Eagle Scout. A few years away for most Cub Leaders but great reading.

National makes a patch for every Cub Scout Monthly theme. This is the one for this theme. Check them out at www.scoutstuff.org go to patches and look for 2009 Cub Scout Monthly Theme Emblems.
(Actually, the file for 2009 patches has not yet been created!! Being a volunteer I do not get complete answers to my questions to Supply Division about these patches. They apparently don't feel any need to post them.)

THOUGHTFUL ITEMS FOR SCOUTERS

Thanks to Scouter Jim from Bountiful, Utah, who prepares this section of Baloo for us each month. You can reach him at bobwhitejonz@juno.com or through the link to write Baloo on www.usscouts.org. CD

Roundtable Prayer

CS Roundtable Planning Guide

O Lord, we thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us and this nation. Help us do our duty to you and our county. Help us do our best to guide the youth so they can grow up to be good men for this great nation. AMEN

Sam Houston Area Council

We are thankful to live in this country where we have the freedom to worship as we wish. May we always remember that all of us are Your children. Amen.

American ABC’s

Scouter Jim, Bountiful UT

One early morning, while waiting for the bus, after not working for a while, I realized I had missed road noise. As Scout Leaders, we are all about nature and the outdoors. When we think about Scouting, most think about quiet and solitude or the wilderness, the sound of a mountain stream, the call of wild birds. We don’t often think about the places we live, in the cities and towns of America. Roads as we know them are an invention of the last century. Many if not all of us have heard the song about Route 66, the road that crossed the country from Chicago across the country to Los Angeles. There is also the Lincoln Highway, the Dixie Highway and many other named roads. There are Scenic Byways all across the country, place to visit, with a history to tell

The street where I catch the bus every workday morning has a number, but just down the street it changes to a named road. Most people don’t remember why they call it “Orchard Drive.” On the far south end many years ago there were orchards where people would come from miles around to purchase fruit. On the far north end, there used to be a church owned farm with fruit trees and a small dairy, all of which, for the most part, were operated by volunteers with all the production of the orchard and dairy being processed and given to needy families. I remember being taken there by my father with my older brothers to do volunteer work. I did what little work a young lad could do, picking up branches and hauling them out of the fields after other had pruned trees. The orchards and the farm are now gone, replaced by urban sprawl and a subdivision.

There is a another road in my county that runs east to west named Antelope Drive. Should you drive the road west from I-15to the edge of the Great Salt Lake, you would come to an entrance booth to the causeway to Antelope Island State Park. After paying a Park entrance fee, you could drive the road across the Great Salt Lake to a wonderful State Park with clean sandy beaches and its own herd of Buffalo roaming the Island.

I am not trying to brag about where I live. I am merely trying to raise the competitive spirit in the reader to say, Oh yea, well you aught to see what we have around here. There is this great place right down the road. We have some wonderful history right here in our city park. That is the reaction that this month is all about. Teaching boys about where they live and the reasons that things are the way they are. Where did your town get its name. I bet there is a story to tell there. Beyond the boundaries of your community, to the wonders of you state, what stories are there to tell? What places are there to visit near where you live? Beyond the boundaries of your state, what places of history and beauty are there in you region? Let us teach our Cub Scouts about the America, and the States and the towns where they live.

Web Link: http://www.byways.org America’s Scenic Byways

Bless The Cub Scouts

Catalina Council

(Tune: Bless This House)

Bless the Cub Scouts, Lord, we pray.

Keep us healthy all the day.

Let us know our Cub Scout sign,

Have it always on our mind.

If you do, we promise then,

We'll become good future men.

Hear our prayers at night and day,

Guide us, O Lord along your way.

Bless the Cub Scouts, Lord, we pray,

Keep us healthy all the day.

Quotations

Quotations contain the wisdom of the ages, and are a great source of inspiration for Cubmaster’s minutes, material for an advancement ceremony or an insightful addition to a Pack Meeting program cover

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. St. Augustine

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. Anatole France

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
Lin Yutang

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. Seneca

The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing." Daniel J. Boorstin

It is not down in any map; true places never are.
Herman Melville

The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land. G.K. Chesterton

To get away from one's working environment is, in a sense, to get away from one's self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change. Charles Horton Cooley

And that's the wonderful thing about family travel: it provides you with experiences that will remain locked forever in the scar tissue of your mind. Dave Barry

I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within. Lillian Smith

I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them. Mark Twain

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. Mark Twain

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. Hilaire Belloc

Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen. Benjamin Disraeli

Sam Houston Area Council

America’s future walks through the doors of our schools each day. Mary Jean Le Tendre

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. Henry Miller

Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings. Hodding Carter

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. Walt Streightiff

It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs, looking up at stars, and we didn't even feel like talking aloud." Mark Twain (from Huckleberry Finn)

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it. Not Your Average Dictionary

TRAINING TIP

What Do Ceremonies Do??

Bill Smith, the Roundtable Guy

What do Ceremonies do?

Celebrate the Occasion

Our ceremonies often observe the importance of an event. We need to stop what we are doing and reflect on the moment. Ask: Why is this time important? What really happened? What does it mean to us?

The range of events we celebrate this way is expansive from simple, personal to profound and universal. A ceremony can mark the opening of a den meeting: The fun is about to start! A Blue and Gold banquet acclaims: Scouting is one hundred years old! Special times like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July extol our heritage and history.

We stop doing our usual routines and honor something of value in our lives. We gather together, we hold a ceremony for the occasion. These moments are special and contribute to the meaning and spirit of our lives.

Ritual replaces our normal-day discourse and activities in these ceremonies. Reciting the Cub Scout Promise at a den meeting, singing the Star Spangled Banner or Take Me Out To The Ball Game at MLB games and throwing the bouquet at a wedding are just some of the rituals we use at these special times. They are important and we should do our best to punctuate our ceremonies with rituals that instruct and inspire.

Each pack and each den will have its own set of rituals that make Cub Scouting and its character connections part of a boy’s life. Families too have their own rituals, like those described by Michael Gurian in Scouting Magazine.

Protect your family rituals like they are gold.

We Recognize the Person

Our ceremonies acknowledge the importance and value of the individual. Ceremonies are formal opportunities to present awards and honors to Cub Scouts who have worked hard for them. Ceremonies are your chance to praise a boy's work in front of his parents, his friends and even in front of strangers, thus making him the focus of attention for a short, but significant period of time. At the same time ceremonies encourage other Cub Scouts to complete their own programs. The key to any and all Cub Scout ceremonies is the boy.

How often do parents get to thank
and praise their sons in public?

We respect the boy’s accomplishments when we present him with rank badges and arrow points. We use ceremonies to show how much we appreciate the fact that he is here with us. We call out his name and repeat it more than once during those few second he is in the spotlight. It’s the boy we applaud, not the badge.

I am a big fan of dramatic lighting at ceremonies. A Scout trainer once pointed out to me that a single candle in a darkened room is effective because there is nothing else to look at except what the candle illuminates. So when you use candle-lit ceremonies, make sure that the boy faces the audience and the light shines on his face so that everyone in the room can see just him. Don’t block the view. This is his moment!

We Commemorate the Importance

Our ceremonies fix the events in our memory. One of the most important aftermaths of a good ceremony is that we remember it. Years later we can recall what was done, what was said and what effect it all had on our lives. Make your ceremonies occasions to remember and treasure.

Surprising, dramatic effects help to make the ceremony memorable. Vary your methods enough each time so that you catch and hold everyone’s attention. Change the sight, sound, and atmosphere to catch your audience a bit off-guard. Both participants and the audience will pay closer attention and remember it longer.

The glow of a campfire or other lighting effects can emphasize the action and effects. Recorded sounds of nature or music add to the experience. The smell of pine boughs or wood smoke evokes strong feelings that many hold dear. Your ceremonies should trigger as many senses and communication channels as possible.

Symbols representing Scouting’s ideals are essential to make a ceremony meaningful and to perpetuate the experience. Typical are candle (fake or real) representing the spirit of Scouting and three lights standing for the critical Character Connection areas. Neckerchiefs are invitations to the outdoors and adventure. Use lots of symbols to emphasize your message.

Participation intensifies the experience. Remember that boys are happiest when they are doing things so give them something to do in their ceremonies. Using simple props like the Ceremony Ladder or the Pack Advancement Board {How-To Book, pp1-2, 1-3} where the boy moves his token to the next rank work well.

Packs that tie their ceremonies to the monthly themes have lots of opportunities to surprise their members with unique and unforgettable times. Getting your badge as pirate booty or an astronaut discovering a new planet is a lot more vivid and easier to relive than just having it handed to you. Activity badges have more impact when your ceremony ties the pins to Geology, Travel etc. You may recall those spectacular Run-On awards of Kriste Ryan we related in the October 2007 Bugle. It’s worth the time to go back and read it again.

The Tiger Cub Scout who pops a balloon to discover that it contains his Bobcat Badge will remember that night. So will the graduating Webelos who is greeted at the far end of the bridge by Boy Scouts holding a flaming troop neckerchief.

Career Arrow -1967

There was a great Scouting Ceremony two years ago that lasted several months and that involved thousands of people.

Scout and Guide Spirit Flame

February 22, 2007 marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of Scouting’s founder: Robert Baden-Powell. On that day, several thousand Scouts and Guides from around the world assembled at his grave site in Nyeri, Kenya where a torch was lit.

The flame was carried by Scouts and Guides through Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, Belgium and finally the UK to arrive on Brownsea Island, UK on the eve of Scouting's Sunrise. After the Sunrise celebrations on 1 August 2007, the flame continued onwards to the 21st World Scout Jamboree.

The flame that traveled from Africa was used to light a campfire that burned through the night, marking the passing of the first 100 years of the Scout movement.

I would imagine that most of those who walked from BP’s home to his grave site, or lit the Spirit Flame, or carried the torch or who tended the campfire were moved by the experience and will remember it for years to come.

What are YOU going to do now?

Go get ‘em. We need all the help we can get.

The best gift for a Cub Scout.......
......get his parents involved!

ü Also, be sure to visit Bill’s website

http://www.wtsmith.com/rt

to finds more ideas on everything Cub Scouting.

Have any Comments for Bill
just click right here!

PACK ADMIN HELPS

Scout Week Display Pointers

Alice, Golden Empire Council

· Contact a local business or library early to reserve time and space for a display; measure and record dimensions so you can plan your display. Make note of what day and time your display is to be put up and taken down.

· Plan a colorful display, with a good background, clear signage- avoid too much detail or small items. Ask a local artist or display specialist to help plan your display – you may have one in your pack family!

· Group items together – such as a Pinewood Derby racer, a trophy and an enlarged photo of Race day on one level in one area of the display.

· Consider using a theme for your display – it could be something simple, such as “Scouting Thru the Year” with large calendar pages listing a special activity for that month. It could also focus on some aspect of Scouting, such as “Scouting & Citizenship – a Community Resource” – use American and Pack flags as background and display large photos of service projects, examples of citizenship in action, marching in parades or putting out flags on Memorial Day.

· The story of Scouting in America would be a good theme, considering the American ABC theme for February- tell the story of how Scouting came to America, focus on specific American events and scouting culture.

· Use good signs – large computer lettering is very professional looking. Mount each sign on colored paper for greater impact. Be sure to have a very large sign if you have a specific theme – it could be done as a banner made on the computer. It could also be done by having the boys make a collage of scouting materials and photos from Boy’s Life to fill in large letters that spell out the theme – but put them on a plain background so they will stand out.

· Create different levels for your display – you can use boxes, but be sure to cover them with fabric or paper. Put taller levels to the back, but use varying heights and try putting them on the diagonal. This way, you can overlap and use the space more efficiently, and separate different events or ideas for greater impact.

· Think about where your display will be – if it is in a display case, think about what direction it will be viewed from. If people will be looking down on the display, you want to create a horizontal display that can be seen clearly from above. Make sure that the display looks good from any direction that can be seen – if the back side of boxes can be seen, they should be covered, for example.

· Arrive on time, with signage and all necessary equipment and materials, such as flags and flag stands, pins, tape, boxes or other equipment to create different levels. If you need a ladder, plan to bring it with you.

· Do a test run of putting up your display – tape out the dimensions of your space on the floor, then practice putting up the display and check to see if it looks good and can be understood. Make a diagram or take a picture so you will be able to recreate your display quickly in the actual site.

· Clean up the site before your leave, and be sure to thank the merchant or librarian for the opportunity.

· Advertise your participation – make sure pack families know about the display, and encourage them to patronize the merchant. Consider adding a poster with contact information for your pack, or if appropriate, leave information about Scouting near your display. Be sure this is approved by the site manager.

· Invite the local newspaper to report on your displays, especially if you are having a contest – call them before you put up the display – they may prefer a picture of the actual work of creating the display.

· Be sure to make a photo of the completed display – show it off at the pack meeting or Blue & Gold, add it to the pack scrapbook, and give a copy to the merchant along with a thank you card!

· Don’t Forget – Take down your display on the agreed upon date and time! The merchant or librarian may have other displays waiting to be installed.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY

P.R.A.Y. HAS MOVED!

Effective January 1, 2009 their new mailing address is:

11123 S. Towne Square, Ste. B

St. Louis, MO 63123-7816

Toll Free: 800-933-7729 (no change)

New Phone: 314-845-3318

New Fax: 314-845-0038

Duty to God Promotion Patch

P.R.A.Y.

www.praypub.org

I have attended the Religious conferences at the Philmont Training Center twice. Mark Hazlewood, the Director of P.R.A.Y., led one conference and helped at the other. It was great being with so many Scouters who wanted to help Scouts fulfill their Duty to God and strengthen their faiths. Mark and the organization at P.R.A.Y. have done a great job setting up this promotion effort. Their website and the DVD have everything – scripts, slideshows, FAQs, and other stuff. Lets get out there and make a difference. CD

“Duty to God” is at the heart of the Scouting movement. Religious emblems reinforce this spiritual component and promote many of the values found in the Scouting program. The purpose of this “Duty to God Promotion Patch” is to encourage youth and adults to learn about and promote the religious emblems programs.

Requirements –

Youth and adults must:

1. Attend or coordinate a presentation or information seminar on religious emblems (sample resources and suggestions are available at www.praypub.org ).

2. Make a commitment to fulfill their “Duty to God.”

Here are some examples:

ü Adults can commit to having 50% of families participate in the religious emblems programs, nominating a worthy adult to be recognized with an adult religious award, serving as counselor in their local congregation, etc.

ü Youth can commit to earning the religious emblem of their faith at an appropriate time, making a presentation on religious emblems to another unit, helping younger Scouts earn their religious emblem, etc.

The Patch

ü The Duty to God Promotion Patch is a four-segment puzzle patch.

ü Only one segment will be offered in any given year.

ü Participants are encouraged to earn all four segments over a four-year span.

ü Visit www.praypub.org to find out which patch is currently available.

ü Patches may be pre-ordered for distribution at the presentation/ information seminar.

The DVD

The Duty to God Promotion DVD contains the resources to make a presentation on the religious emblems programs. These resources include the video “Promoting Duty to God (Religious Emblems),” Duty to God brochure/chart listing all religious emblems (No. 05-879), scripts (for presentations to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers), and Parent Handout.

Making a Presentation

ü Find scripts, videos, handouts, and other resources at www.praypub.org

ü Invite parents

ü Provide information on emblems of ALL faiths

ü Encourage Scouts to make a commitment to earn their religious emblem

ü Present the Duty to God Promotion Patch to participants

Call and talk to the "Religious Emblems People" today!

1-800-933-7729 or visit them at www.praypub.org

Knot of the Month

Have a Roundtable Commissioner and Unit Commissioner you think are great, see if they have earned their Doctorate of Commissioner Science. If so, help them along, fill out their paper to get them the honor they deserve! CD

Doctorate of Commissioner Science Award

www.usscouts.org

http://scoutleaderawards.com/awards

This square knot is presented to recognize completion of a standardized program leading to the completion of a thesis or project and the award of the Doctorate of Commissioner Science from a College of Commissioner Science.

Justification

The commissioner is the mainstay for Scouting program administration. It is commissioner service that ensures that units are healthy, productive, and assist in the growth of the program.

The College of Commissioner Science program is designed to have a commissioner learn, through a series of training classes, followed by work experiences to ensure a quality program throughout Scouting. This training will take a number of years to complete. The commissioner finalizes his/her training with an approved thesis or project for the benefit of the Scouting program. This assists both new commissioners as they learn, and seasoned commissioners as they train others.

A well-trained commissioner staff better serves the Scouting program.

The College of Commissioner Science program is a guideline for councils to adapt as they determine will fit their needs.

Having a knot award for the program requires that the commissioner complete, as a minimum, a training program standardized for all BSA programs.

Objectives

ü To further involve commissioners in providing support to units in their delivery of a quality program experience for all youth in Scouting.

ü To provide councils an opportunity to recognize commissioners for their tenured service, their involvement in learning more about delivery of quality Scouting, and their involvement in support of others.

Requirements:

Tenure

Serve as a commissioner for a minimum of 5 years. Their service can be in one or more commissioner roles or positions of service.

Training

A. Bachelor of Commissioner Science Degree (BCS)

o Prerequisites

1. Maintain registration in any capacity as a Commissioner during the entire training program listed below.

2. Complete Commissioner orientation (Commissioner Fieldbook)

3. Complete commissioner basic training.

o Course Requirements

Complete a minimum of seven (7) courses of instruction, at least five (5) of the courses at the Bachelor’s program level as listed in the Continuing Education for Commissioners manual.

o Performance

1. Approval of Council or assigned Assistant Council Commissioner

2. Approval of Scout Executive or Advisor to Commissioner Service

B. Master of Commissioner Science Degree (MCS)

o Prerequisites

1. Completion of bachelor’s degree.

2. Earned Arrowhead Honor.

3. Current registration as a commissioner.

o Course Requirements

Complete a minimum of seven (7) additional courses of instruction (total of 14), at least seven (7) of the courses at the Master’s program level as listed in the Continuing Education for Commissioners manual.

o Performance

1. Approval of Council or assigned Assistant Council Commissioner

2. Approval of Scout Executive or Advisor to Commissioner Service

C. Doctor of Commissioner Science Degree (DCS)

o Prerequisites

1. Completion of master’s degree.

2. Have been awarded the Commissioner’s Key.

3. Current registration as a commissioner.

o Course Requirements

Complete a minimum of ten (10) additional courses of instruction not used to qualify for other college awards (total of 24), at least five (5) of the courses at the doctor’s program level as listed in the Continuing Education for Commissioners manual.

o Thesis or Project

Completion of a thesis or project on any topic of value to Scouting in the local council. The topic and final paper or project must be approved by the council commissioner, or assigned assistant council commissioner, or the dean of the doctorate program and the staff advisor for commissioner service.

o Performance

1. Serve on the College of Commissioner Science faculty (instructor or support staff) or work with training support for commissioners for at least one year.

2. Recruit at least three new commissioners at any level.

3. Approval of Council or assigned Assistant Council Commissioner

4. Approval of Scout Executive or Advisor to Commissioner Service

Grandfather or Sunset Clause:

Anyone who earned their doctorate based on the qualifications listed above will not have to repeat what they have already completed, even if it was prior to 10 years ago. Just check with your local council on the procedure to follow.

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

PATRIOTIC SONG PUZZLE

Great Salt Lake Council

Write the words to a patriotic song on strips of paper.

Let the boys put them in the right order.

Examples of songs include: The Star-Spangled Banner and America.

State Flag Maze

Oregon Trail Council

Copy this maze and enlarge it to fill a page

Paste your state flag over the Oregon flag if you wish

Have your Cubs solve the maze

Find answer at:

http://www.sos.state.or.us/bbook/kids/games/maze3.htm

Lost Landmarks

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials –

Pictures of landmarks in the United States (or name typed out), and

Pictures of the associated states (or name typed out) where the landmarks are found.

For example, the Alamo and Texas, Mount Rushmore and South Dakota, the Statue of Liberty and New York, Philmont and New Mexico, etc…

Directions –

ü As Scouts arrive, each is given either a landmark or a state.

ü Scouts must find their partners.

Do-It-Yourself Tablecloth

Oregon Trail Council

Materials:

Paper on a roll,

Crayons or markers;

Prizes, if desired

Directions

ü Cover tables with white butcher paper.

ü Divide each table into four to six sections.

ü At the center of each section, write a large alphabet letter.

ü Challenge each table to come up with as many names of American towns, cities, states, counties, attractions, etc., as they can think of that begin with the letters on their table.

ü They write their answers on the paper with crayons or markers.

ü Prizes can be awarded for participation, longest list, most unique items, etc.

Variation: Make placemats with large alphabet letters in the center. Each individual can play as above.

Map Puzzles

Oregon Trail Council

ü Before the meeting, create map puzzles by gluing old maps to cardboard backing,

ü Then cutting them into puzzle pieces with a razor knife.

ü Give each family a puzzle to put together.

Capitol and States Boggle

Catalina Council

1. Place all of the names of capitols of the United States in a container and have a cub scout draw out names until a grid 4 X 4 is completely filled up with letters of capitols or states.

2. It would be best to do this game on a chalk or grease board so that it may be changed often and regularly.

3. The object of the game is to see how many words the Cub Scouts can make up in a time frame of one minute.

4. The cub that has the most valid words wins.

5. Any words that are duplicated by another cub scout do not count - they cancel out each other.

6. Keep this game going until all the 50 states and their capitols have been used.

7. As one or the other is drawn say it out loud and see if any of the cub scouts can name the state to which it belongs.

8. The letters have to be touching and no letter can be used more than once in one word.

9. You can go diagonally, backwards, make angles so long as the letters are touching.

10. The following is an example: Capitols or States drawn: Salt Lake; Denver; Colorado Your grid would look like this:

Here are some of the words that I found in the grid-salt, lake, den, vet, red, nerd, as, Ankle, alas, real, lad, leader, ten, etc.

American Heritage

Catalina Council

ü Make posters of well known buildings or symbols and put them up around the room.

ü Number each poster.

ü Give each person a numbered piece of paper.

ü Ask them to identify the posters and write the proper name by its corresponding number on the sheet of paper.

Suggestion are: American Flag, White House, Lincoln Memorial, Eagle, Presidential Seal, Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, Stone Mountain, etc.

State Names and Capitals

Catalina Council

ü Copy an outline map of the United States so that you have one for each Cub Scout or one for each person at the pack meeting.

ü People should write the name of each state and it’s capital in the space for the state (or as close as possible to small states, with an arrow pointing to the appropriate state).

ü After the meeting opens, reveal a large U.S. map for everyone to check answers.

ü Give a prize to all who correctly identified the states and capitals.

Other Methods:

ü Suggest that they write in any additional information they know, such as the state bird, flower, tree, song, or nickname.

ü People write their names on the papers and turn them in.

ü A leader or other adult uses a list, an encyclopedia, or other reference book about the United States to check the papers.

ü Give a prize to the one with most correct answers.

AMERICA

Great Salt Lake Council

Write the word AMERICA down the page and write one word beginning with each letter that describes America.

Or do it this way -

American ABC’s -Can You Name Them?

Catalina Council

P Give everyone a sheet of paper with the letters A to Z going down the left side.

P Tell them to write one American place or thing for each letter from A to Z.

Or do it this way -

STATE ABCS

Great Salt Lake Council

Using maps and atlases, have the Scouts and families find one geographical location for each letter of the alphabet. Examples: Arizona, Baltimore, Columbia River, Denver, etc.

GRAND “NEW” FLAG

Great Salt Lake Council

P Provide boys with crayons and paper so everyone can design a NEW American Flag.

P Have them explain the symbolism behind their new flag.

AMERICA PUZZLE

Great Salt Lake Council

ü Cut out large versions of the letters in America.

ü Cut the letters into pieces creating a puzzle and

ü Place the pieces in a bag.

ü Give each boy or group a letter and have them put their letters together.

ü Then as a whole put your letters together to form “America. “

Who, What, Where, and When?

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Display scenes from around the United States, pictures of famous Americans, or historical objects from American History – each one should be numbered, but not identified.

As families arrive, they are given a sheet of paper with the numbers along the left side. They must work together to identify each item by name or location.

Which State, Which Motto?

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Can you match up these mottos with correct states?

Motto State

North to the Future Indiana

Live Free or Die Minnesota

The North Star Arkansas

Gold & Silver California

Eureka Montana

Liberty & Prosperity Kentucky

The People Rule Alaska

United we stand, divided we fall New Jersey

The Crossroads of America West Virginia

Mountaineers are always free Maine

Dirigo (I lead) New Hampshire

www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0801718.html has a list of all state mottos – be sure to include your own state in your game!

STATES LETTER GAME

Great Salt Lake Council

Give each participant or pair a paper listing the first letter of the name of each state in the US.

Have them write each state on the blanks.

Provide a blank map if this helps.

Spell It Out

Catalina Council

Equipment: Pencil and Paper

Directions:

1. Give the Cubs a phrase made up of two or three words.

2. From that phrase, the Cubs must come up with as many words as possible. Challenge them by making them think of words only with “B”, or “S”, or “D,” or limit them to just three letter words or four letter words.

3. Use a phrase that is common to your pack or den. Perhaps:

INDEPENDENCE DAY or PRESIDENTS DAY

Famous Scenes – A to Z

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Give each person, family or den a paper with the letters A to Z along the left side –

Winner comes up with the most American scenes, such as: Grand Canyon, Golden Gate Bridge; Mount Rushmore, Monticello; Statue of Liberty, Smithsonian; Washington Monument; Yukon, Yellowstone National Park

OPENING CEREMONIES

Learning our A B C’s

Sam Houston Area Council

Setting – 6 Cub Scouts, Cubmaster (CM), poster board with A-B-C-D-E-F on the front and the appropriate verse on the back in LARGE print.

Scene – Scouts walk across stage and as they approach the center or the Cubmaster, each holds up his letter and shouts his message.

Cub # 1: A Aims and Methods

Cub # 2: B Boys!

Cub # 3: C Character Connections and Citizenship

Cub # 4: D Developing Skills

Cub # 5: E Expeditions and Electives

Cub # 6: F Fitness

CM This is only the beginning of the remarkable things Cub Scouts discover as part of our program. Let’s take some time at our pack meeting this evening to see if we can find some other ABC’s. But for now, I ask you to stand and please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

America, the Greatest Country in the World

Sam Houston Area Council

Setting – 7 Cub Scouts, Cubmaster (CM)

Scene – Cubs in a line next to the flag.

CM The Cub Scout promises to do his duty to his country. We would like to review for you some of the things that are different but that make us the greatest country in the world.

Cub # 1: We call it the United States and we’re bound together by our Constitution and our language. Yet in many ways, we’re a group of separate kingdoms.

Cub # 2: We practice more than 250 different religions and observe thousands of different hunting laws, tax laws, and labor laws.

Cub # 3: Our land grows palm trees and pine trees, redwoods and beech trees, plum trees and apple trees.

Cub # 4: Our citizens say “Hello” and “Hi” and “Howdy!”

Cub # 5: We catch shrimp and sell stocks – live in small houses, sky-scrapers, apartments, and stucco bungalows.

Cub # 6: We are a very diverse land, but these are some of the things that make the United States great!

Cub # 7: Please rise and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

America is a Beautiful Word

Catalina Council

Personnel: Narrator and 7 Cub Scouts

Equipment: Each boy holds a card with a letter of “AMERICA” on it. Flip card over and draw a picture with the same letter illustrating the description below.

Narrator: What do you see when you look at the word AMERICA? What mental picture do the seven letters create in your mind?

Cub # 1: The “Capital A” suggest our magnificent snow-covered mountain peaks, and the wigwams of the original Americans.

Cub # 2: The “M” symbolizes the broad shoulders of our pioneer, shoulder-to-the-wheel pushing our frontier westward; broad shoulder swinging axes, building a nation.

Cub # 3: The “E” might be the lariats of the cowboy riding the plains, lariats of Kit Carson or Buffalo Bill.

Cub # 4: The “R” is a man with outstretched arms in friendship and cooperation toward all who love freedom, justice and peace.

Cub # 5: The “I” represents the individual American with his right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Cub # 6: The “C” is a bent boy from which an arrow has just sped toward the heart of mankind's greatest ideals.

Cub # 7: The final “A” is a man on his knees in prayer, symbolizing a nation which recognizes it's Creator and gives thanks for His blessings.

Narrator: Yes, America is a beautiful word! Let us rise and make the Pledge of Allegiance.

Story of the Blue and Gold

Great Salt Lake Council

Preparation:

· Put a large pot on a table with an inner pot containing dry ice.

· A blue and gold Wolf Cub Scout neckerchief is concealed in the area between the large pot and the inner pot.

· Have two clean jars concealed elsewhere close by. One has blue colored water and the other yellow-colored water.

Cubmaster: Many, many years ago, an elder gave two trusted young men a challenge. He told the first young man to climb the mountain and ask the great eagle to fly high into the sky. His mission was to bring back part of the beauty of the sun. (The first Cub Scout leaves.)

He told the second young man to go into the forest and tell the sparrow to fly into the sky and bring back part of the sky. (The second Cub Scout leaves.)

Then both boys return—one carrying a bottle of yellow-colored water and the second carrying a bottle of blue-colored water. (They hold them up for all to see.)

(To the first boy:) Pour some of the beauty of the sun into our mixing pot. (The boy carefully pours the yellow liquid over the dry ice.)

(To the second boy:) Pour some of the beauty of the sky into our mixing pot. (The second boy carefully pours his blue water into the pot.)

(To the pack:) From this day forward, blue will stand for truth and loyalty. Yellow will stand for warm sunshine, happiness, and good cheer. (Reaches into the pot, removes the blue and gold Wolf neckerchief and opens it for all to see.) And that is why the Cub Scouts use the colors blue and gold.

Red, White & Blue Over Blue & Gold

Catalina Council
adapted from Scouting Magazine

Staging: Flag in stand on table, under which "voice" is concealed. Or have flag posted near screen concealing "voice." Cub Scout in uniform walks by flag and stops when flag starts to "speak."

Flag: Hey, Cub Scout!

Cub: Who's that?

Flag: Me, your flag.

Cub: What's the matter?

Flag: Well, I'm taken lots of places, but, why am I here?

Cub: But, we take you everywhere with us. we carry you proudly even in our hearts. The Scout program has taught me to respect the flag and to love my country.

Flag: But, what is all the festivity?
Why would you bring me here?

Cub: This is our Blue & Gold Banquet.
All the Cub Scouts get together once a year with their families to recognize another anniversary of scouting. In doing this, it gives us all a renewed sense of certainty and confidence in the future of our country.

Flag: Scouting! Yes, there is hope after all, but why am I here?

Cub: But, don't you know? Why, you are the guest of honor! Without you and what you represent we couldn't have Scouting at all!

Flag: Thank you, Scout!

Cub: (Salutes) Any Time! (Walks offstage) -

Explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance

Great Salt Lake Council

Preparation: Cubmaster (CM) and eight Cub Scouts memorize lines to recite from the Pledge of Allegiance.

CM: We often recite the Pledge of Allegiance without really listening to or understanding the words we are saying. We will recite it and talk about the meaning of each phrase.

Cub # 1: I pledge allegiance…

CM: I, an individual, promise my love, devotion, and loyalty.

Cub # 2: To the flag of the United States of America…

CM: It is the symbol of 50 great states that have a common bond.

Cub # 3: And to the republic for which it stands…

CM: Representatives are chosen by the people to govern themselves in a republic.

Cub # 4: One nation under God…

CM: We are one nation under God and blessed by God. There is no pause after nation. It is said as one complete phrase—one nation under God.

Cub # 5: Indivisible…

CM: It is incapable of being divided.

Cub # 6: With liberty…

CM: With freedom and the right to live your own life the way you wish.

Cub # 7: And justice…

CM: Dealing fairly with others.

Cub # 8: For all.

CM: Everyone—it is your country as much as it is mine. Please stand and repeat the Pledge of Allegiance with us.

Flag Ceremony - Freedom

Catalina Council

Setting:

With lights low have a large flag held by Cub Scouts.

Have 8 Cub Scouts with flashlights to shine on the flag as an off-stage, hidden narrator reads.

Narrator:

I am your American Flag. I am the flag of this great United States.

I stand for the past, the present and future of this country of yours.

I represent your freedoms - - -

« The freedom of speech (The 1st Cub turns his flashlight on)

« The freedom of religion (2nd Cub Scout lights flashlight)

« The freedom of the press (3rd light)

« The freedom of job (4th light)

« The freedom to vote (5th light)

« The freedom to assemble (6th light)

« The freedom of trial by jury (7th light)

« The freedom of self-government (8th light)

If we allow any of these freedoms to be taken away, our nation would be a dreary place to be.

Let's all do our part to be good citizens.

Cubmaster: Lets all stand and make the Pledge of Allegiance and then sing God Bless America (or another patriotic song of your choice)

This Is My Flag

Baltimore Area Council

CM: This is my flag, the flag of the United States of America, home of liberty, land of opportunity, where men of all races, creeds live in peace and friendship together.

Ldr #1: (Turns red light on flag) The red of my flag is the lifeblood of brave men ready to die or worthily live for this, our country.

Ldr #2: (Turns white light on flag) The white of my flag is for purity, cleanliness of purpose, thought and deed.

Ldr #3: (Turns blue light on flag) The blue of my flag for faith and loyalty, like the eternal blue of the star-filled heavens.

Ldr #4: The Cub Scout promises to "Do his duty to his country." Ours is different in many ways from other countries. We would like to review for you some of the things that are different but which make this the greatest country in the world.

Cub # 1: We call it the United States, and we're bound together by our Constitution and our language. Yet in many ways we're a group of separate kingdoms.

Cub # 2: We practice more than 250 different religions and observe thousands of different hunting laws, tax laws and labor laws.

Cub # 3: Our land grows palm trees and pines; redwoods and beach plum; vanishing key deer and whooping cranes.

Cub # 4: We catch shrimp and sell stocks; live in lean-to's, skyscrapers, and stucco bungalows.

Cub # 5: Our people say "you all" and "youse".

Cub # 6: We are a very diverse land, but these are some of the things that make the United States great.

Cub # 7: Will everyone stand and join with us in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag?

Red, White & Blue Bird

Catalina Council

Personnel: Cubmaster (CM), Assistant Cubmaster (CA) and 2 Den Leaders (DL)

Equipment: Camping gear and outfit for each participant, 1 binoculars, American Flag, and Pack Flag

Setting: The Flags are in front of the audience. The group of participants are off to one side and slowly walk through the audience to the front, as they say their line.

CM: (Everyone starts walking slowly) It sure is nice to be here in the outdoors. All these trees, animals and fresh air.

CA: (looking through binoculars) Hey, I think I see a big red bird up there!

DL 1: (Takes the binoculars away as everyone continues to walk slowly toward the front) Here, let ME see! Naw, it’s a huge white bird of some sort.

DL 2: (Takes the binoculars away while everyone continues to walk slowly to the front) Boy, you don’t know what you’re talking about! It’ not red OR white. It’s big and blue and what’s this?!?!?! It has STARS!!

CM: (Cubmaster takes the binoculars and everyone STOPS) Here, let ME see what you’re all talking about. (Looks through the binoculars) C’mon you guys. (Motions for everyone to follow as they walk to the front) It’s not a red bird, or even a white bird. What you are looking at is our nation’s flag! (Turns to audience) Please rise and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATIONS

The Transcontinental Train

Sam Houston Area Council

Divide the audience into 6 groups. Assign each group one of the words listed below. When their item is mentioned in the story, the assigned group should shout the designated saying. Have a practice session before starting the story.

TRAIN “Toot Toot”

CONDUCTOR “All Aboard!”

NEW YORK DOCTOR “The Big Apple!”

STEEL WORKER “Forged in Steel!”

ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN “Gateway to the West!”

KANSAS FARMER “Breadbasket to the World!”

Just before the transcontinental TRAIN pulled out of Grand Central Station in New York City, the CONDUCTOR held the door for one more passenger, a NEW YORK DOCTOR who hurried aboard. The TRAIN moved slowly between the tall buildings, out of New York State, through New Jersey and on to Pennsylvania. The CONDUCTOR checked the ticket of the NEW YORK DOCTOR as the TRAIN pulled into the Pittsburgh Station. A Pennsylvania STEEL WORKER boarded the TRAIN and sat across the aisle from the NEW YORK DOCTOR.

Climbing through the Allegheny Mountains, the TRAIN continued past rivers and forests across the Midwest to St Louis, Missouri. The CONDUCTOR greeted a ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN who boarded the TRAIN at Union Station. The ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN smiled at the STEEL WORKER, and sat behind the NEW YORK DOCTOR.

The TRAIN picked up speed as it passed the Gateway Arch. The CONDUCTOR paused to look out the window with the STEEL WORKER as the TRAIN traversed a long bridge over the Mississippi River. It made its way to Kansas City where a KANSAS FARMER boarded the TRAIN. The KANSAS FARMER greeted the STEEL WORKER and shook hands with the NEW YORK DOCTOR and then sat beside the ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN.

Continuing west, the TRAIN moved up steep mountain passes and through the snow-covered Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Utah. The CONDUCTOR checked his watch as the TRAIN sped out of the mountains and into the desert of the Great Basin in Nevada. The passengers watched the vast landscape as the TRAIN sped by.

The ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN and the NEW YORK DOCTOR admired the large trees, as the TRAIN wound through the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Redwood forests. The transcontinental TRAIN pulled into its final destination of San Francisco, California. It had made its way from east to west, from coast to coast. After this long journey it was time for the CONDUCTOR to say “Good-bye” to the tired travelers: the NEW YORK DOCTOR, the Pennsylvania STEEL WORKER, the ST. LOUIS BUSINESSMAN, and the KANSAS FARMER. The TRAIN had made a very successful trip.

LEADER RECOGNITION

A Den Leader's PayDay

Professor Beaver's Site
http://www.usscouts.org/profbvr/fun_awards/index.html

Write this out putting the candy (or a wrapper from the candy or a picture of the candy) where you see *)

Sometimes we were Butterfingers*

But always a Joy*

We always did Snicker*

After all, we are boys.

We wanted to give you $100,000 Grand*

But had Zero* money

So that idea was canned.

We M & M*ade you this card

With Mounds* of love and rhyme

To thank you for giving up

so much of your time.

Put in a row of Hershey Hugs and Kisses and have the Cubs sign it. I used poster board for mounting the candy and a calligraphy pen for printing the poem. Prof Beaver

The ABCs of Leaders

Sam Houston Area Council

Great Cub Scout Leaders –

A - Attend Roundtable

B - Believe in the program

C - Call to check up if you miss a den meeting

D - Discover new ways to involve the Scouts

E - Explore all the options

F - Find time

G - Give unconditionally

H - Help whenever asked

I - Inspire

J - Juggle lots of projects

K - Know their knots

L - Listen

M - Make extra project pieces for siblings

N - Notice the wonderful things about their Cub Scouts

O - Offer support

P - Pray

Q - Quote Lord Baden-Powell

R - Reap the rewards of Cub Scout smiles

S - Sing!

T - Tell their Scouts – “great job!”

U - Understand that life happens

V - Value the Aims of Scouting

W - Wake up in sleeping bags

X - X-amine all material for appropriateness

Y - Yell cheers during pack meetings

Z - Have a Zany disposition

Here's another version - CD

Awards from the Heart

Oregon Trail Council

Everyone needs a pat on the back to feel appreciated! These awards are quick and easy. Remember to award den chiefs, pack leaders, and parents, too. Be sure to mention specifically what the person is being recognized for.

Monu-MINT-al Award
Attach a mint to a note or certificate stating that the person has made a monu-mint-al contribution to Scouting.

We Are Not STRETCHING It – We Appreciate You!
Mount rubber bands on foam board or mat board.

You Are Tops
Award a toy top

You Rose to the Occasion!
Award a plastic rose.

What a Catch!
Award a certificate with a fish picture or plastic fish.

You Have Been the Link to Success
Award links of a chain.

There are many lists like this on the internet -

Professor Beaver's site has lighthearted, fun award ideas
http://www.usscouts.org/profbvr/fun_awards/index.html

Try some searches - "101 ways to recognize," scout leader recognition

The ABC’s Of Being An Effective Leader

Catalina Council

« A – Attitude: accent the positive, attitudes determine effectiveness

« B – Boys: remember the program is for them

« C – Communications: help keep the lines open

« D – Diplomacy: be a diplomat, always put your best foot forward

« E – Effort: you’ll get out as much as you put in

« F – Flexibility: to be able to change and adapt

« G – Guide: guide, but don’t force

« H – Harmony: you can help maintain this in your pack

« I – Interest: keep interest high by KISMIF (Keep It Simple, Make It Fun)

« J – Joy: spread it, pass it on

« K – Knowledge: Cub Scouts depend on you for this – stay informed

« L – Listen: with understanding

« M – Morale: keep your spirits high

« N – Nobody: is a nobody in Cub Scouting

« – Organized: set goals and reach them

« P – Problems: there are none…just look at them as unresolved opportunities

« Q – Quandary: keep yourself out of this state

« R – Resourceful: know where to get materials and ideas

« S – Scout: our goal is for every Bobcat to become an Eagle Scout

« T – Training: be sure to keep yourself up-to-date

« U – Uniform: promote the uniform and set a good example by wearing it

« V – Volunteers: that’s most of us in the Cub Scout program, try to recruit others

« W – Wisdom: this includes perseverance, tolerance and tact.

« X – Xtra Special: each Cub Scout is definitely that

« Y – Year: Cub Scouting is year-round and plan your program that way

Z – Zest: perform your job with it

Exceptional Award

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials – Block letter E mounted on a display with the wording – for your exceptional help, many thanks!

Cubmaster (or Committee Chair) – There are many parents and leaders here tonight who have helped our pack in a variety of ways. They have contributed their time to the success of our pack meeting and they deserve the Exceptional award for seeing projects and meetings and lots of other things through from a to z. (Call adults forward and present awards.)

Leader Recognition Ceremony

Baltimore Area Council

Cubmaster: Tonight, I would like to recognize one of our Den Leaders that completed the requirements for the Den Leader Award. Will ____________ please come forward. We want you to know that we appreciate all the time and effort that you put forth. You are helping shape these boys lives and building leaders of tomorrow. I would like to present to you the Den Leader's Award Certificate and Square Knot that you can wear on your uniform.

ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES

Favorite Places Advancement Ceremony

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials –

· Large map of the US mounted on cardboard.

· Cut out Scout figures and string across the map.

· Awards are mounted on the figures.

· Each Scout earning an award should be prepared with a picture of one of his favorite places in America. It can be a place he visited on vacation, where he used to live, where he would like to live, or of where he now lives.

Cubmaster: This month we have been learning about the beauty and variety in our nation. We have several boys who have earned awards as you can see by our interesting map.

(Name of boy), you have earned your Bobcat Rank this month. Would you please come forward and show us the picture of one of your favorite places?

(Scout comes forward, shows picture and says where it is and why he likes it.

Cubmaster then invites parents to come up while he takes the picture and posts it on the map.

Present award to parents to give to Scout.

Continue with other awards in the same way.)

Cubmaster: Now that we have added pictures of all these beautiful places, our map is much more than just a piece of paper on the wall. It is special to each of us. There are beautiful things about each and every place we might live. It is up to us to find that beauty. But the most beautiful part of any place is the people who live there. We must also look for the beauty in others. If we can do that, wherever we live will be our favorite and the most beautiful place to be.

Presidents

Catalina Council

Personnel: 5 adult readers and Cubmaster (CM).

Equipment: Picture of the president or a sign with the name of the President can be held up by one person.

Rdr 1: George Washington, the Father of our country, and first president, used to say, “Martha, where are my teeth? I must have a good smile this day.

Rdr 2: Thomas Jefferson, our third president always felt he learned his lesson, because he never again wrote another Constitution, having said, “I’ve written it once. I’ll not write it again.”

Rdr 3: Andrew Jackson fought in the Louisiana Territory and fought his way to the White House. He’d often say, "Where’s my horse? I can’t get anywhere without my horse!”

Rdr 4: Abraham Lincoln is said to have walked 20 miles to school, but no one ever said if he was late.

Rdr 5: Ronald Reagan got to the White House by being unique - an actor - and one of the only left-handed cowboys, except for Little Joe Cartwright.

CM: Each had a goal. And tonight, we honor boys who have achieved their goal , too. But to receive the goal you must name a President before coming forward to get your award. (Parents may help when needed.)

USA ADVANCEMENT CEREMONY

Great Salt Lake Council

Before Pack meeting pin a large U.S. Map on a board or wall. As each Cub Scout enters for the pack meeting they will put their name on a piece of 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper. The Cub Scout will fold and make a paper airplane out of it. They will then attach the plane to any state they want on the map. The Cubmaster will randomly select a plane from the map and will then call out the Cub’s name to receive his award. After the Cub Scout receives his award, the Cubmaster will ask the Cub one question about what he knows about that state. That Cub will then select the next plane to be taken down. When the awards are finished the Cubmaster will say, “You are just one Cub of the Millions of Cub Scouts across the United States. As a Cub Scout, always remember to ‘Do Your Best’.”

Presidential Award Ceremony

Catalina Council & Baloo

This is an old ceremony I used for my pack back in the early 1990's. And I still love it today. Originally, I found it in "Staging Den and Pack ceremonies" but it is not there anymore (or it would have a Tiger section). So I jumped in and added a section for the Tigers. I chose Monroe but the words speak about the partners not the boy. I am open for other ideas for a President for Tigers. CD

Props – Large pictures of George Washington, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and Gerald Ford

Cubmaster – We are proud of the outstanding Presidents who have been so important to our Country’s Heritage. We are especially proud of our Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts who are learning new skills and ideals that will help them later in life. It is likely that some of these Scouts will become outstanding in American History some day. Many of our well-known American figures were Scouts when they were young.!

Assistant Cubmaster The first step in Cub Scouting is the Bobcat Award. We symbolize this with our first president, George Washington. (Have Cub Scout hold up picture of Washington) Just as earning the Bobcat is important in getting a boy started on the Cub Scout trail, our first President was important in getting our country started off right. Our Bobcats are starting off correctly working with their parents to earn this award. (Call forward Bobcats and their parents. Present Bobcat patches to parents who will present them to their sons. Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.) Congratulations Lead Cheer!!

Tiger Cub Den Leader The next step in Cub Scouting is the rank of Tiger. We symbolize this with James Monroe, our fifth president. (Have Cub Scout hold up picture of Monroe) Just as the Adult Partners are important in helping our newest Cub Scouts along the Tiger Cub trail, President Monroe was important in helping the new republics in Central and South America get started off right. He played a role similar to out Tiger Cub's Adult partner for these new republics when he established the Monroe Doctrine and had the USA provide them protection. (Call forward Tiger Cubs and their partners. Present awards to parents who will present them to their sons. Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.) Congratulations Lead Cheer!!

Wolf Den Leader – Next is the rank of Wolf. We will symbolize this rank with Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence. When a boy becomes a Wolf, he demonstrates more independence than when he was a Bobcat. He demonstrates this by sometimes working on his own achievements and electives. (Call forward boys to receive Wolf Badges and Arrow Points. Call their parents, too. Present badges to parents who will present them to their sons. Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.) Congratulations! Lead Cheer!!

Bear Den Leader – When a Cub Scout reaches Bear, he has learned much from the challenging projects he completed. To symbolize the Bear Rank we use Teddy Roosevelt, for whom Camp Roosevelt is named. He is another outstanding President. Teddy Roosevelt accepted many challenges during his life. (Call forward boys to receive Bear Badges and Arrow Points. Call their parents, too. Present badges to parents who will present them to their sons. Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.) Congratulations! Lead Cheer!!

Webelos Leader – When a boy joins a Webelos Den, he is ready to work on Activity Badges, which are more challenging then Achievements and Electives. We symbolize this with an outstanding president, Abraham Lincoln, who started as a poor boy in a log cabin and became the 16^th President of the United States. These are Scouts who have worked their way from Bobcat to Webelos Den. (This is a graduation to the Webelos Den. Call forward boys to receive Webelos Neckerchiefs, Colors, books and/or whatever you present to Scouts as they move to the Webelos Den. Call their parents, too. Present to parents who will present them to their sons.) Congratulations! Lead Cheer!!

Webelos Leader – Webelos Scouts work on Activity Badges that help them learn about many new interests and pave the way for future Scouting. Webelos Scouts learn more about the outdoors and go on overnight camping trips with their adult partners. We symbolize the Activity Badges with John F. Kennedy, who believed in physical fitness and loved the outdoors. (Call forward boys to receive Activity Badges. Call their parents, too. Present Activity Badges to parents who will present them to their sons. Have one Scout say a few words about each badge presented.) Congratulations! Lead Cheer!!

Cubmaster or Webelos Leader – As the Webelos Scout progresses toward being a Boy Scout, he may earn the Webelos Badge by having an adult family member read and sign the Parent Guide in his Webelos Book, by being active in the den for three months, by explaining the meaning of the Webelos Badge, by explaining the parts of the Webelos uniform, by earning Fitness and two other Activity badges, by planning and leading a flag ceremony in his den, by understanding the requirements to become a Boy Scout, and by becoming actively involved in his religious faith. We symbolize this area of Scouting with Gerald Ford, who was the first president to earn the rank of Eagle as a youth. (Call forward boys to receive Webelos Badges. Call their parents, too. Present to parents who will present them to their sons. Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.) Congratulations! Lead Cheer!!

SONGS

The Travel Song

Sam Houston Area Council

Tune - BINGO

If you like rodeos and horses
Then you should visit here;
T-E-X-A-S, T-E-X-A-S, T-E-X-A-S
And shout a loud yee-haw!

If you like syrup from maple trees
Then you should visit here;
M-A-I-N-E, M-A-I-N-E, M-A-I-N-E
Just watch out for the cold.

If you like farms that grow potatoes
Then you should visit here;
I-D-A-H-O, I-D-A-H-O, I-D-A-H-O
At all three meals, what fun!

If you like seeing whales and glaciers
Then you should visit here;
A-L-AS-K-A, A-L-AS-K-A, A-L-AS-K-A
And pack an extra jacket.

For fun and adventure all around
You should visit someplace here
The Great-U-S-of-A, The Great-U-S-of-A, The Great-U-S-of-A
And share your Scouting spirit.

You're a Grand Old Flag

by George M. Cohan

Sam Houston Area Council

You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true

'neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there's never a boast or brag.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

Up The Cub Scout Mountain

Sam Houston Area Council

Tune – Clementine

Rocky Mountains, Appalachians,
And Sierras reaching high.
Cub Scouts climbing up the mountain
Striving hard to reach the sky.

First the Tigers, with their parents,
Learning as they climb along.
Then the Wolf den hits the Cub trail,
Hear them as they sing their song.

Now the Bears are climbing upward,
Heading up the trail they chose.
As they climb their hearts are set on
Their next hike as Webelos.

Where Shall We Visit Today?

Sam Houston Area Council

Tune – Home on the Range

Oh give me a train, or a boat, or a plane,
That will carry us Cubs far away.
To Orlando or Nome, let us wander and roam,
And find new things to do every day.

Chorus:
Hike, hike on a trail,
Or float over waves all the day,
Or soar through the clouds, far over the crowds,
But be home before dinner each day.

In a row boat we’ll glide, to see the Chesapeake tide,
Take a trip to Seattle to fish.
Our adventure is great, so be sure to save the date,
And we can go anywhere that we wish.

Chorus

Oh, the San Diego zoo, is looking good too,
How about a climb up to Pike’s Peak?
Or deep on the floor, the Great Salt Lake to explore,
Cub Scouting journeys are always a treat!

If Your Name Starts With….

Northwest Suburban Council

tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It

If your name starts with, A turn around.
If your name starts with B touch the ground.
If your name starts with C then stand up and touch your knee.
Clap your hands if your name starts with D.

If your name starts with E, wink your eye.
If your name starts with F, try to fly.
If your name starts with G, blow a kiss up here to me.
If your name starts with H, say, “Hee, Hee.”

If your name starts with I, hop in place.
If your name starts with J, pat your face.
If your name starts with K, kneel down and stay
If your name starts with L, shout, “Hooray!”

If your name starts with M, make me smile.
If your name starts with N, shake awhile.
If your name starts with O, put your elbow on your toe.
If your name starts with P, say, “I know.”

If your name starts with Q, raise your hand.
If your name starts with R, you should stand.
If your name starts with S, you should pat your head, I guess.
If your name starts with T, say, “Oh, yes!”

If your name starts with U, touch your eye.
If your name starts with V, pat your thigh.
If your name starts with W,X,Y or Z,
Then stand up a take a bow and say, “That’s me!”

You're a Grand Old Flag

by George M. Cohan

Sam Houston Area Council

You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true

'neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there's never a boast or brag.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

What Did Delaware, Boys?

Catalina Council

Oh, what did Delaware, boys, oh, what did Delaware?
Oh, what did Delaware, boys, oh, what did Delaware?
Oh, what did Delaware, boys, oh, what did Delaware?
I ask you now as a personal friend, what did Delaware?

She wore her New Jersey, boys, she wore her New Jersey.
She wore her New Jersey, boys, she wore her New Jersey.
She wore her New Jersey, boys, she wore her New Jersey.
I tell you now as a personal friend, she wore her New Jersey.

Continue verses with other states:

Florida: Oh, how did FLORI-DIE (Flora die), boys?
Missouri: She died in MISSOURI (misery), boys.

Iowa: Oh, what does IO-WA (Io weigh), boys?
Washington: She weighs a WASHING-TON, boys.

Idaho: Oh, what does IDA-HO (Ida hoe), boys?
Maryland: She hoes her MARY-LAND, boys.

Tennessee: Oh, what does TENNES-SEE, boys?
Arkansas: She sees what ARKAN-SAS (Arkan saw), boys.

Oregon: Oh, where has ORE-Gon (Ore-gone), boys?
Okla: She’s gone to OKLA-HOMA (Okla-home-a), boys.

Massachusetts: Oh, what did MASSA-CHEW, boys?
Connecticut: She chewed her CONNECTI-CUD, boys.

Boldly Flies Our Flag

Baltimore Area Council

(Tune: Scout Vesper)

Boldly flies our flag this day,
Cause of brave men’s deeds displayed,
Freedoms backed by worlds so strong,
Written by forefathers gone,

We stand up straight and true and proud,
Hand salute old glory now,
Red & white, a field of blue,
50 stars that shine so true.

When I See The Flag

Baltimore Area Council

(Tune: Amazing Grace)

Go to http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/amazing.htm
to hear the tune

The stars and stripes fly o’er my home,
A land where all are free,
The United States of America,
The land of liberty.

I’m proud to be American,
When I see our flag up high,
Red, white and blue, the banner waves,
Against the sunny sky.

Point With Pride

Baltimore Area Council

(Tune: Yankee Doodle)

Go to http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/yankee.htm to hear the tune

America is beautiful,
With views beyond compare,
So let’s always stash our trash,
And show her that we care.

Come on guys, let’s do our part,
And clean our countryside.
And everywhere that we will go,
We can point with pride!

Every litter bit hurts you,
Remember this my friend.
If you don’t show us that you care,
Where will our country end?

Fly Your Flag

Baltimore Area Council

(Tune: Row, Row, Row you Boat)

Fly, fly, fly your flag,
On our holidays,
Be a loyal citizen,
In this and other ways.

Flags of America

Catalina Council

Tune: Yankee Doodle Dandy

We’re the flags of America,

We’re as proud as we can be,

Fifty flags of colors all so bright,

Unitedly flying tonight.

Representing peace and freedom,

To all those who show respect,

So when you see us flying high,

Just stop and take a minute,

To thank the mighty Lord above,

For all that he has given.

BANQUET TIME

Great Salt Lake Council

Tune- On Top of Old Smoky

Our Blue and Gold banquets,
The best in the town,
We celebrate Scouting,
While gulping food down,

Cub Scouting’s a pleasure,
And eating is too!
Do pass the fried chicken,
Yea, the Gold and the Blue.

STUNTS AND APPLAUSES

APPLAUSES & CHEERS

State Slogan Cheers

Jim Jones, Great Salt Lake Council

P Print the State Slogan on the back of large outlines of the States.

P When a cheer is called for, have someone pick a state and lead the audience in the cheer on the back.
See List in Theme Ideas

Sam Houston Area Council

The ABC Cheer. Divide the group into three smaller groups. Assign to each group either “America,” “Beautiful,” or “Country.” Point to different groups and have them yell out the word. Vary your speed.

Baltimore Area Council

Fourth of July Cheer: Stand up straight and shout "The rockets red glare!"

Firecracker Cheer: Strike a match on the leg, light the firecracker, make noise like fuse "sssss", then yell loudly "BANG!!"

Catalina Council

Statue of Liberty Stand and raise imaginary torch and say,
“Welcome to America!”

Mount Rushmore: Chant in unison
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt

America
Spell America three times, then yell “Cub Scouts” twice, then yell USA – like so -
A-M-E-R-I-C-A, A-M-E-R-I-C-A, A-M-E-R-I-C-A; Cub Scouts, Cub Scouts, USA

Abe Lincoln Cheer
That was great! (short pause) HONEST!

Constitution Cheer
We the people, APPROVE!

RUN-ONS

WASHINGTON’S FAREWELL ADDRESS

Great Salt Lake Council

It is announced that a member of the pack has memorized Washington’s Farewell Address and is about to do a dramatic portrayal of it. A boy emerges dressed as Washington and delivers his farewell address:

Washington: Bye, Mom!” (He exits the stage.)

Catalina Council

Cub 1: Why aren’t you doing very well in history?

Cub 2: Because the teacher keeps asking about things that happened before I was born!

Cub 1: Do you know the 20th President of the US?

Cub 2: No, we were never introduced !

Cub 1: Abraham Lincoln had a very hard childhood, he had to walk 7 miles to school everyday.

Cub 2: Well he should have got up earlier and caught the school bus like everyone else !

Cub 1: What did they do at the Boston Tea Party ?

Cub 2: I don’t know, I wasn’t invited!

Cub 1: How did you do in your tests ?

Cub 2: I did what George Washington did !

Cub 1: What was that ?

Cub 2: Went down in history !

Cub 1: Which amendment gives you the right to pull up your sleeves?

Cub 2: I don’t know.

Cub 1: The Second Amendment – the right to bare arms.

Cub 1: What did Paul Revere say when he got on his horse?

Cub 2: Giddy up horsey !

Great Salt Lake Council

Cub #1 What three states have the most cows?

Cub #2 I don’t know. Which ones?

Cub #1 Cow-lorado, Moo-ssouri, and Cow-lifornia.

Cub #1 What did they do at the Boston Tea Party?

Cub #2 I don’t know, I wasn’t invited.

Baltimore Area Council

Two boys enter carrying another boy from a pole.
The emcee asks what they are doing.
The man hanging from the pole replies. "I'm just hanging around."
The two men supporting the pole respond by (gently) "dropping the subject" on the ground.

What is the difference between a Cub Scout going to the second floor of the Empire State Building and a Cub Scout looking up the stairs the Empire State Building?
One is stepping upstairs and
the other is staring up steps.

Only in America

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Only in America......
can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.

Only in America......
do people order double cheese burgers, large fries, and a DIET Coke.

Only in America......
do banks leave both doors to the vault open and then chain the pens to the counters.

Only in America......
do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Only in America......
do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.

Only in America......
do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in America......
do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

JOKES & RIDDLES

Sam Houston Area Council

Cub #1: What starts with T, is filled with T, and
ends with T?

Cub #2: A teapot!

Cub #1: Do you know what’s at the end of the road?

Cub #2: The letter D!

Cub #1: What is a lion’s favorite state?

Cub #2: Maine!

Cub #1: What is an artist’s favorite state?

Cub #2: COLOR-ado!

Cub #1: What body of water do you find between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

Cub #2: Tennes- SEA!

Mayflower Run On

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Cub #1 My aunt is always late.

Cub #2 Why is that?

Cub #1 I guess it’s because of her ancestors.

Cub #2 What do her ancestors have to do with her being late?

Cub #1 My dad says her ancestors arrived in America on the JUNE Flower!

Always Safe? Run On

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Cub #1: Why is an American astronaut like a football player?

Cub #2: I don’t know. Why IS an American astronaut like a football player?

Cub #1: They both like to make safe touch-downs.

Catalina Council

What did Delaware? She wore her New Jersey.

What did Idaho? She hoed her Maryland.

What did Tennessee? She saw what Arkansas.

Which is the friendliest state? O-hi-o.

What do people from Minneapolis call a small soda?
A mini-soda.

Where do cow go on vacation? Moo York.

Who should you call when you find Chicago, Ill?
Baltimore, MD.

Can you name the capital of every state in the union in less than fifteen seconds? Yes, Washington, D.C.

Which ex-U.S. presidents are not buried in the US?
Carter, Bush, and Clinton.

Knock, knock Who’s there? Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln who? Don’t you know who he is?

Knock, knock Who’s there? George Washington. George Washington who? You really don’t know much, do you?

SKITS

Happy Birthday

Sam Houston Area Council

Setting –

Five Scouts are needed with one of them selected to be the “singing telegram.” This Scout needs to be sure to wear a hat with a small sign on it that says “singing telegram.”

Scene –

A table with a birthday cake on it that notes how old Scouting is. A bright table cloth and balloons can add color and atmosphere. The four Scouts are gathered around talking when the “singing telegram” Scout (S.T. below) enters, and starts to sing.

S.T.: Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you…

Cub #1: Hey! What are you doing? What’s going on?

S.T.: I’m delivering a singing telegram.

Cub #2: To whom?

S.T.: If you would listen to the end of my telegram, you’d find out. (starts to sing) Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday…

Cub #3: Excuse me – what’s going on?

Cub #1: He’s delivering a singing telegram to someone here, but he won’t tell us who.

S.T.: If you’d just be patient a little while longer, you’d find out. (starts to sing) Happy birthday to you!...

Cub #4: Hey! I heard singing. Who’s having a birthday?

Cub #2: He won’t tell us. He says we have to wait.

Cub #3: It’s not my birthday. Is it yours?

Cub #4: Not mine!

Cub #1: Not mine either!

S.T.: (exasperated) If you could just wait a moment, I’m almost done with the song. (starts to sing) Happy birthday to…

Cub #3: Come on, friend. Tell us who you’re singing for.

Cub #2: Yeah, we really want to know!

Cub #4: Are you sure he’s here tonight?

S.T.: All right! All right! I’ll tell you! (All Scouts gather round and whisper.)

Now, all Scouts turn around and
face the rest of the group and shout

ALL: Happy Birthday Cub Scouting!

Radio Wanderer

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials: a chair, a table, and a big radio

Setting – As many Scouts as there are in a den. Adapt this skit by adding lines or taking away lines. One Scout sits in front with the radio. Be sure to practice this – timing is very important. The other Scouts are behind the stage with a microphone. They are the radio voices.

Scene – Cub Scout #1 enters, sits in the chair, and turns on the radio. He changes the station often.

Cub #2: Today in Houston, Texas it will be hot and humid with a high of 95 degrees and a 30% chance of rain. Boy, do we need the rain, so everyone be sure to carry your …

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #3: Alligators were seen again carefully crossing the streets in Destin, Florida yesterday afternoon, and while you may be tempted to get close and take some pictures, folks, please be careful! Alligators are known for their big…

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #4: Hands the ball to number 16 on the basketball team and he easily dribbles down the court for a basket! This team is hot, ladies and gentlemen. With the win today, they are on their way to Los Angeles, California for …

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #5: Ice Cream. Get your ice cream! Up here in Waterbury, Vermont at the Ben & Jerry’s factory, we are enjoying the tour of the world famous ice cream design studio. In fact, we’re about to get a chance to taste the newest flavor…

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #6: Spongebob Squarepants is up next boys and girls and you won’t want to miss this episode. Right after a word from our sponsor, he and his buddy Patrick plan fun and adventure on a field trip to…

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #7: The Mojave Desert in Arizona is the topic of our historical perspective this afternoon. Actually taking up parts of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and Southern California, the Mojave Desert is named after the Mojave Native Americans, who occupy 51,000 square miles of this region. This desert will sometimes see snow in the winter, and many forms of wildlife like the…

(Cub #1 changes radio station.)

Cub #8: Cub Scouts of Pack ____ will be celebrating a Blue & Gold banquet this evening to highlight all the awesome achievements they have earned this past month. Cub Scouting is a great way to make new friends and try new activities. If you’re interested in joining, please call your local council office.

Cub #1: (Turns off the radio and turns to the audience and shrugs.) There are so many great shows on the radio – I can’t decide what to listen to.

See The USA

Catalina Council

Personnel: 6 Cubs Setting:

Boys asking questions could hold up a cardboard cutout in the shape of their states.

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call. (This is repeated between each of the questions.)

Cub # 1: I am known as the Garden State. People in my towns often work in factories. I was admitted to the Union in 1787. Who am I? (New Jersey)

Cub # 2: I am in the Northwest and am known as the Evergreen State. People in my towns might work in the lumber industry. They might even make airplanes or computer software. I was admitted to the Union in 1889. Who am I? (Washington)

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call.

Cub # 3: I am on the banks of the Mississippi River. People in my towns are sometimes farmers who grow corn. My capital is Des Moines. I was admitted to the Union in 1846. Who am I? (Iowa)

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call.

Cub # 4: I am the largest state in the United States. Most of my land is still wilderness. The people in my towns work in the fishing industry. I was admitted to the Union in 1958. Who am I? (Alaska)

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call.

Cub # 5: I am known as the beehive State. People in my towns work on farms and in business. I was admitted to the Union in 1896. Who am I? (Utah)

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call.

Cub # 6: I am located in the Southwest. Within my borders are high plains, majestic mountains, and dry deserts. I was admitted to the Union on Valentine’s Day in 1912. Who am I? (Arizona)

All: See the USA in your Chevrolet. America is asking you to call.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Great Salt Lake Council

SET UP:

· Den Leader (DL) and 7 Cub Scouts

· Curtains on stage - behind which is U.S. Flag (Either a painting, or a print or a real flag opened out flat - blue in upper left corner).

· Artist’s Smock for each Cub, large paint brush and paper palettes.

STORY:

DL: We are honored to have as our guests a group of famous artists, who are going to combine their efforts and talents to paint us a great masterpiece. As they are introduced they will tell you what their contributions will be.

Cub # 1: I will paint for you the tradition and charm of New England, showing you the fishing and boating industries of its rugged coast and its historic heritage. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 2: I will portray through my brush the tremendous harbors of New York City; the melting pot of peoples from many lands that make up its teeming population. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 3: My artistry will show you the charm of our Southland, the beauty of its magnolias and azaleas, the strength of its struggle through and after the Civil War years; and the contrast of the serenity of Kentucky’s bluegrass country with old New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 4: May I add to our canvas just a little of the beauty of our great Midwest; cosmopolitan Chicago; Detroit, the automobile capital of the world; the waving grain of the rolling plains; and the deep blue of the ten thousand lakes of Minnesota. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 5: Our great South and Mid-west will be a task to portray, BUT no mere picture can convey the majesty of the Grand Canyon, the beauty of the Painted Desert, the expansiveness of Texas or the splendor of the Colorado Rockies; the fantastic land of geysers, Yellowstone Park, or the Great Salt Lake in Utah. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 6: Our beautiful West Coast reaches from the hot Mexican border to the cold snows of Alaska. In between, we find Hollywood’s glamour, the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco, towering redwood, sequoia, and Douglas fir trees, the beauty of Oregon’s Crater Lake, and majestic Mt. Rainier in Washington. Where once rough, tough gold prospectors were found in Alaska, now tourists spend happy summers experiencing, among other things, Denali and the wilderness of our largest state. (Steps behind curtain.)

Cub # 7: I will complete our picture with the waves of the famous Waikiki Beach, with Diamond Head volcano in the background of the exotic metropolis of Honolulu. Our newest State, Hawaii, with its blue waters and active volcanoes makes for a lush tropical paradise. (Steps behind curtain.)

DL: And now for the unveiling. May I present our great masterpiece!

As the curtains are slowly parted and “America the Beautiful” is played, the flag is solemnly shown,
with the “artists” standing on each side of the
United States Flag they just “painted”.

America

Catalina Council

Characters: 7 Cubs, 6 wearing costumes depicting themes related to the states. All seven carrying a letter spelling out America

Cub # 1: Rhode Island:
Small in size, large in heart,
Freedom of worship gave us our start;
One of the original thirteen,
Home of Roger Williams and Nathaniel Greene;
Many Americans daily are fed,
By our state bird, the Rhode Island Red.

Cub # 2: Mississippi:
Look away, look away, Dixieland
Many brave men at Tupelo and Vicksburg took their stand;
Magnolias still bloom and mockingbirds still sing,
But the Natchez Trace with voices no longer ring.

Cub # 3: Colorado:
First came the real mountain men,
The trappers and traders
Then gold seekers and railroaders;
Finally coal miners gave way to skiers and oil,
John Denver sought and Robert Redford still seeks to save our soil.

Cub # 4: Idaho:
The River of No Return halted Lewis & Clark temporarily,
Traders, farmers and sheepherders
followed their trail merrily;
Today, tourists gaze in awe
at the wonders they saw,
And even eat our famous potatoes raw!

Cub # 5: Arizona:
Navajo, Hopi, Apache,
were led by Cochise and Geronimo;
Our large Indian population
continues to help us grow;
Copper, cotton, cattle, citrus and climate are the "C's"
That have proven to be economic key.

Cub # 6: Alaska:
North to Alaska was the cry,
Gold fever was the reason why;
Seward's Folly was no more,
But it was 1959 before America officially opened its door;
The Alcan highway was the first link,
The pipeline added strength.

(Boys look for the missing letter)

Cub # 7: "E": Isn't this neat?
Without me there is no America.
I represent Everyone,
And that's what makes America complete

Boys line up in proper order AM_RICA
then E comes on last.

CLOSING CEREMONIES

CLOSING CEREMONIES

American ABC'S Closing

Sam Houston Area Council

Sing the "Star-Spangled Banner"

Supplies – Make a map of the United States with the following listed cities highlighted

Introduction: "A tour of the USA by the letters."

The ceremony –

P Have everyone stand and sing the "Star-Spangled Banner"

P After the song, have Scouts read off a name from the list and point it out on the map.

Do this alphabetically.

Assign boys multiple parts, if needed

Cub # 1: Anchorage, Alaska

Cub # 2: Boston, Massachusetts

Cub # 3: Cherokee, Kansas

Cub # 4: Dover, Delaware

Cub # 5: Everglades, Florida

Cub # 6: Freedom, California

Cub # 7: Gallup, New Mexico

Cub # 8: Hartford, Connecticut

Cub # 9: Independence, Missouri

Cub # 10: Jefferson, Iowa

Cub # 11: Knoxville, Tennessee

Cub # 12: Lincoln, Nebraska

Cub # 13: Montgomery, Alabama

Cub # 14: Neptune, New Jersey

Cub # 15: Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Cub # 16: Providence, Rhode Island

Cub # 17: Quartzite, Arizona

Cub # 18: Revere, Minnesota

Cub # 19: Sleepy Hollow, Wyoming

Cub # 20: Tornado, West Virginia

Cub # 21: Ulysses, Pennsylvania

Cub # 22: Vermillion, South Dakota

Cub # 23: Washington, DC

Cub # 24: Xenia, Ohio

Cub # 25: Yakima, Washington

Cub # 26: Zapata, Texas

CM From A to Z, Scouts do exciting things all over our great land.

Flag Closing

Sam Houston Area Council

Setting – color guard, Cubmaster (or 5 Cub Scouts, each reading one verse of the poem)

Scene – Cubmaster (or 5 Cub Scouts) reads the poem below as color guard slowly retires the flag.

Cub # 1: We watch the flag as it passes by
A flash of color against the sky;
Its fifty stars are a dazzling white
As those few that shown by the dawn’s first light.

Cub # 2: The brave, bright red that will never fade
By the blood of men’s sacrifice was made.
The white, for our nation’s purity
Can be kept from stain by you and me.

Cub # 3: The blue, the vastness of God’s own sky,
His promise that freedom shall never die.
The mighty cities, the farmlands fair,
The many churches for praise and prayer.

Cub # 4: The chance to do and the chance to be
In a land our forefathers fought to free.
The hope that the world is looking for
Our good will for peace but our strength for war.

Cub # 5: All these are the flag of our dear land
A symbol we cherish and understand.
As we bare our heads and our hearts beat high
As our flag, “Old Glory” is passing by.

Ideals

Baltimore Area Council

Set Up: Eight Cubs each with a placard with his phrase on front and his part in LARGE print n the back.

Cub # 1: DO YOUR BEST in everything you do on life's way.

Cub # 2: ALWAYS BE FRIENDLY to brighten other people's day.

Cub # 3: GIVE AWAY YOUR SMILES for 'tis rewarding indeed.

Cub # 4: BE PREPARED to help others in their daily need.

Cub # 5: BE HONEST AND SINCERE towards others you meet.

Cub # 6: BE LOYAL AND TRUE a most commendable feat.

Cub # 7: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, being thankful each day for life's opportunities that come your way.

Cub # 8: Good night to each and every one of you. May these thoughts stay with you your whole life through.

Liberty

Catalina Council

Personnel: Narrator and seven Cub Scouts.

Equipment: Seven large card , each with a letter to form the word Liberty.

Setting: In order, each Cub Scout steps forward turning his card so that the letter maybe seen by the audience and recites the phrases given below.

Narrator: The word “Liberty” is held so dear. Each letter is a symbol of this nation held together by love, not fears. Man has fought and died in years gone by, but the meaning stays the same for you and I.

Cub # 1: L: L is for Laws made for the protection of all

Cub # 2: I: I is for Ideals who's standard shall not fall

Cub # 3: B: B is for Bravery, for all, not a few

Cub # 4: E: E is for Equality upheld through and through

Cub # 5: R: R is for Religion, a matter of choice

Cub # 6: T: T is for Truth, which we are free to voice.

Cub # 7: Y: Y is for Youth inspired from the start.

All: It’s all up to you - so do your part!

Americanism

Catalina Council

Or maybe you would prefer this as an opening CD

Personnel: 11 Cubs

Equipment: Card with part on the back and large capitol letters on front to spell out Americanism.

Cub # 1: A is for Advantages
We have so many more;
Because we are American
Let us give thanks therefore.

Cub # 2: M Is For Majority
Decision by the most;
That’s the rule we follow
From coast to rugged coast.

Cub # 3: E Is For Education
Available to all;
So every last American
Stands up straight and tall.

Cub # 4: R Is For Religion
We worship as we will;
A right we’ll always cherish
And let no evil kill.

Cub # 5: I Is For Independence
That our fathers once declared;
Our nation rose to greatness
Because these brave men dared.

Cub # 6: C is for Citizenship
Of which we can be proud;
So let’s proclaim it daily
And do it long and loud.

Cub # 7: A is for Assembly
To gather as we might;
That’s another privilege
Another previous right.

Cub # 8: N Is For The News
A press that’s always free;
A sentinel on watch
To guard our liberty.

Cub # 9: I is for Impartial
Equal justice for us all;
Law — the same for everyone
The great, the poor, the small.

Cub # 10: S Is For Our Speech
Though others may disagree;
You may still express yourself
Because our speech is free,

Cub # 11: M Is For Our Motto –
And that is why we say,
“In God We Trust, To live
The good American way.

Cubmaster’s Minutes

Do Your Best

Sam Houston Area Council

Every Cub Scout should accomplish something worthwhile each day. Each day's accomplishments should be a little better than the day before. Stand by a window with your room dark and look out into the night, and ask yourself this simple question: Have I done my best today? Then each day, vow to do better than the day before. If all of us do that, and keep our promises, we will have the best Cub Scout pack in the country. Before we close, I want to ask you a question. Answer it silently to yourselves. "Have you done your best today?"

Remembering our X Y Zs

Sam Houston Area Council

At the start of our pack meeting this evening, we looked at the ABC’s of Cub Scouting. You might say ABC’s stands for All Boys Can and then you fill in the blank of what comes next. All Boys Can Succeed. All Boys Can Play. All Boys Can Achieve. These are wonderful aspirations for our Cub Scouts. There are other words, not so impressive, that we could have used to fill in those blanks. But that’s not Scouting! In Cub Scouts, we participate in character connections and we discover fitness and citizenship qualities, and have a welcoming spirit that engages all the young men. As we end tonight, we’ve traveled through our alphabet following a most unique path, as one would expect from Cub Scouts. At the end of our path, we’ve found XYZ. Let us remember the XYZ’s of Cub Scouting, too –
X-ceptional Young men with a Zest for adventure.

Freedom Closing Thought

Baltimore Area Council

Freedom is a breath of air,
Pine-scented, or salty like the sea.
Freedom is a field newly-plowed,
With furrows of democracy.

Freedom is a forest,
Trees tall and straight as men.
Freedom is a printing press,
The power of the pen.

Freedom is a country church,
A cathedral’s stately spire.
Freedom is a spirit,
That can set the heart on fire!

Baden-Powell & Gilwell Island

Great Salt Lake Council

In 1907. Baden-Powell took 21 boys with him to Brownsea Island, off England’s southern coast, for what was to be the world’s first Scout camp. It was successful beyond his wildest dreams. Because of this beginning, Scouting was organized in America and in many other countries.

Today, there are more than 15 million Scouts and Scouters around the world. Time changes many things, but the aims of Scouting are the same today as when it started.

Please stand, give the Cub Scout Sign, and say the Cub Scout Promise.

THEME RELATED STUFF

State Abbreviations

Jim Jones, Great Salt Lake Council

State/Possession Abbreviation

ALABAMA AL

ALASKA AK

AMERICAN SAMOA AS

ARIZONA AZ

ARKANSAS AR

CALIFORNIA CA

COLORADO CO

CONNECTICUT CT

DELAWARE DE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC

FLORIDA FL

GEORGIA GA

GUAM GU

HAWAII HI

IDAHO ID

ILLINOIS IL

INDIANA IN

IOWA IA

KANSAS KS

KENTUCKY KY

LOUISIANA LA

MAINE ME

MARSHALL ISLANDS MH

MARYLAND MD

MASSACHUSETTS MA

MICHIGAN MI

MINNESOTA MN

MISSISSIPPI MS

MISSOURI MO

MONTANA MT

NEBRASKA NE

NEVADA NV

NEW HAMPSHIRE NH

NEW JERSEY NJ

NEW MEXICO NM

NEW YORK NY

NORTH CAROLINA NC

NORTH DAKOTA ND

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS MP

OHIO OH

OKLAHOMA OK

OREGON OR

PALAU PW

PENNSYLVANIA PA

PUERTO RICO PR

RHODE ISLAND RI

SOUTH CAROLINA SC

SOUTH DAKOTA SD

TENNESSEE TN

TEXAS TX

UTAH UT

VERMONT VT

VIRGIN ISLANDS VI

VIRGINIA VA

WASHINGTON WA

WEST VIRGINIA WV

WISCONSIN WI

WYOMING WY

State Slogans and Nicknames

Jim Jones, Great Salt Lake Council

State Slogan Nickname

AL Share the Wonder Cotton State

AK Beyond Your Dreams,
Within Your Reach Last Frontier

AZ The Grand Canyon State Grand Canyon State

AR The Natural State Natural State

CA Golden State Find Yourself Here

CO Enter a Higher State Centennial State

CT Constitution State Full of Surprises

DE First State It’s Good Being First

FL Sunshine State Sunshine State

GA Georgia on My Mind Peach State

HI The Islands of Aloha Aloha State

ID Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations. Gem State

IL Right Here. Right Now. Land of Lincoln

IA Life Changing Hawkeye State

IN Restart Your Engines Hoosier State

KS There’s No Place Like Home Sunflower State

KY Unbridled Spirit Bluegrass State

LA Come as you are. Leave Different Pelican State

ME Worth a Visit, Worth a Lifetime Pine Tree State

MD Seize the Day Off Old Line State

MA Make It Yours Bay State

MI Pure Michigan The Great Lakes State

MN Explore Minnesota North Star State

MS Feels Like Coming Home Magnolia State

MO Show Me State Show-Me State

MT Big Sky Country Treasure State

NE Possibilities … Endless Cornhusker State

NV Wide Open Silver State

NH You’re Going to Love it Here Granite State

NJ Come See For Yourself Garden State

NM Land of Enchantment The Land of Enchantment

NY I Love New York The Empire State

NC A Better Place to Be Tar Heel State

ND Legendary Peace Garden State

OH so Much to Discover Buckeye State

OK Oklahoma is OK Sooner State

OR We Love Dreamers Beaver State

PA State of Independence Keystone State

RI Unwind Ocean State

SC Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places. Tar Heel State

SD Great Faces. Great Places. Artesian State

TN The Stage Is Set For You Volunteer State

TX State of the Arts Lone Star State

UT Life Elevated Beehive State

VT Vermont naturally Green Mountain State

VA Virginia is for Lovers The Old Dominion

WA Say WA! Evergreen State

WV Open for business Mountain State

WI Stay Just a Little Bit Longer America’s Dairyland

WY Like No Place on Earth Equality State

Trivia from Alabama to Wyoming.

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Alabama is the only state with all major natural resources needed to make iron and steel. It is also the largest supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe products.

When a scale map of Alaska is superimposed on a map of the 48 lower states, Alaska extends from coast to coast. Alaska is over twice the size of Texas.

The original London Bridge was shipped stone-by-stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

You can look for precious gems, including diamonds, amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate and quartz at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas.

The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles of one another in California. Mount Whitney measures 14,495 feet and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.

The 13th step of the state capital building in Denver, Colorado is exactly 1 mile high above sea level.

Connecticut is home to the first hamburger (1895), Polaroid camera (1934), helicopter (1939), color television (1948), and  the first lollipop-making machine (1908).

The United States city with the highest rate of lightning strikes per capita is Clearwater, Florida.

Georgia was named for King George II of England, and is the nation’s number one producer of peanuts, pecans and peaches.

Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet.

In Idaho law forbids a citizen to give another citizen a box of candy that weighs more than 50 pounds.

The ice cream "sundae" was named in Evanston, Ilinois. Town fathers passed an ordinance prohibiting the retailing of ice cream sodas on Sunday, so ingenious confectioners and drug store operators served ice cream Sundays, with the syrup of your choice without the soda. Objection was made to christening a dish after the Sabbath. So the spelling of "Sunday" was changed to sundae.

At the St. Louis World's Fair (Missouri) in 1904, Richard Blechyden, served tea with ice and invented iced tea. The ice cream cone was also invented at the 1904 Fair, when a vendor ran out of cups and rolled up waffles to hold ice cream.

The light bulb, phonograph (record player), motion picture projector were invented by Thomas Edison in his Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory.

The Genesee River, New York State, is one of the few rivers in the world that flows south to north.

The King Ranch in Texas is bigger than the state of Rhode Island, and El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas.

Wyoming has the lowest population of all 50 United States, but was the first state to give women the right to vote.

Was your state left out? Want to know more trivia about a state? Go to www.50states.com/facts/ and click on any state

TIGERS

FLAG FOLDING RELAY

Great Salt Lake Council

Practice folding and unfolding a flag, relay style.

The first tiger and his partner unfold the flag,

The next Tiger and his partner fold it,

The next pair unfolds, etc.

As people arrive put them at the back of the line.

Teams who have done it can help guide the others.

Patriotic Pinwheel

Catalina Council

Materials:

2 pieces of construction paper
(the thicker the better)

Scissors

Hole punch

Push-pin

Pencil with an eraser

Markers or crayons

Directions

« Start by making two square pieces of paper.

To make a square,

1.Put the two pieces of paper together.

2.Fold the corner of the pieces of paper over so the side (shorter) edge touches the longer edge

3.Cut off the small rectangles (where the paper is still single thickness). The doubled pieces are now two squares
(and each is folded into a triangle).

4.Fold each triangle in half again.

5.Unfold the paper.

« Decorate one side of each sheet of paper.

« Put the undecorated sides of the paper together.

« Make four cuts along the fold lines - about halfway to the center.

« Punch four holes in the pinwheel, one at each corner.

« Gently gather each of the four points (with holes) to the center.

(Be careful not to crease the paper.)

« Push a push-pin through the four punched holes through the center of the pinwheel to attach the pinwheel to the side of a pencil’s eraser.

HAVE FUN WITH LETTERS

Great Salt Lake Council

ü Make block letters of each boy’s name and have them decorate the letters with markers or other craft items.

ü The letters can also be made out felt or fabric and sewn or glued with hot glue or tacky glue.

ü The letters can also be stuffed with batting or fiber-fill.

ü The boys can put them on their wall, or if it is fabric/felt they could be placed on their bed like pillows.

PACK AND DEN ACTIVITIES

Catalina Council

ü Choose a city or an historical site to highlight.

ü Invite a guest speaker who can share something special about the places your Cub Scouts have picked to discover.

ü Search on-line for the places of interest in your town to get you started.

ü Plan a field trip to a local museum or public library.

ü Celebrate your blue and gold banquet with local foods from your choices of the ABCs and decorate to highlight your choice.

ü This would be a good month to work on the Citizenship or Geography belt loop or pin.

Den & Pack Activities

Alice, Golden Empire Council

Also, be sure to check out Alice's Advancement Ideas. She lists many fine projects and activities that are fun, creative and provide learning experiences in that section. CD

P Feature Folk Tales from different parts of the United States and add foods from that area, a large map showing where each folk tale is based, games based on the characters or actions in the Folk Tale. For example, when focusing on Zorro, you could have boys “sword” fight with pool noodles. As a den, choose a different tale for each week, or as a Pack, have each den focus on a different Folk Tale.

P Make a den or pack scrapbook featuring What Makes America Special – this could include photos, poems or stories, pictures of scout or family visits to famous American scenes, information about things such as sports or foods that are unique to America or that were created in America

P America’s Heritage – A to Z Have Pack families share their family’s heritage – each family could bring a potluck dish, and artifacts or photos from their heritage. See if you can fill out every letter from A to Z in your pack – Australia to Zimbabwe??

P Assign food for your Blue & Gold Potluck from A to Z. (Last name starting with A-L brings Salad; L-R brings main dish; R-Z brings dessert)

P Go through the Alphabet with activities at your den meetings during the month: A=Advertise the Blue & Gold by making posters, B=Begin working on signing the National Anthem; C=Connect the Dots puzzle, D=Do a short service project for your Chartered Organization, etc.

P Decorate with scenic posters from across America – Request from State Tourist bureaus online, check with a travel agent – these are often available at no charge on request! Another good source of beautiful posters is the Forestry Service.

P Or decorate with flags from every state – you can print them from online, or get blank ones online and let the boys color them in. Go to www.infoplease.com/states.html to get state flags and profiles of each state. Also state mottos, geography.

P Geo Map Quiz – Collect old maps, use them on the tables as a center mat; cut out or block out the name and challenge each table to identify where their map is from – winning table gets first chance at desserts! (Check with AAA, stores that cater to recreational sports – they often have free maps available.)

P Mount a large map of the United States and have everyone mark where they are from – supply yarn and colored pins so each family can mark where family members have lived

P Learn a new kind of ABC’s - Learn to use sign language to spell out your name, a special message about America. See boy’s book or http://www.cksinfo.com/signssymbols/signlanguage/american/index.html free clipart of sign language, including baby signing

P Invite a guest expert to teach the boys how to hand sign the National Anthem, or America the Beautiful – then have the music playing in the background as the boys do the signing with their hands.

P Celebrate Scout Week by doing a special service project in the community. Be sure to wear uniforms or activity shirts if appropriate, and add your service hours to the National BSA service website.

P Put up a display featuring Scouting in your community – check with your local library, or ask a local retailer if you can put a display in their window. Be SURE to put up your display on time and take it down when scheduled!

P Have a Window Display Contest in your community – invite other packs to find windows in local businesses where they can show off Scouting. Invite local officials to judge the displays.

P Participate in Scout Sunday or Sabbath – boys and leaders can wear their uniforms, if appropriate in their religious venue. Some communities also host a special interdenominational Scout Sunday, or have a Scout Fireside on Sunday evening.

Outdoor Ideas for Everyone

Oregon Trail Council

Tiger Cub

Go outside and watch the weather (Achievement 5F).

Wolf Cub Scouts

Go fishing; in colder climates, go ice fishing
(Electives 19b-c).

Bear Cub Scouts

Visit an historical place of interest in or near your town
or city (Achievement 3d).

Webelos Scouts

Take a trip to a place that interests you by car, bus,
boat, train, or airplane.

State Quarter Neckerchief Slide

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials –

Template of your home state,

State quarter,

Project foam,

Scissors,

PVC pipe (for back of slide),

Hot glue gun

Directions -

1. Cut out the project foam. Use the scissors to cut out the design from the foam.

Alternatively, you could trace the state onto a piece of already cut out foam, and the slide is square/diamond/circle in shape with the drawn state on it.

2. Hot glue the state quarter to the front of the foam piece.

3. Hot glue the PVC pipe piece to the back of the foam piece

Optional -

1. Trace the quarter onto the back of the state

2. Cut out the circle shape from the foam.

3. Insert the quarter into the hole in the foam (so the quarter is flush with the foam piece).

4. Glue a piece of foam across the back to anchor the quarter

5. Glue the PVC pipe onto the foam in the back of the state.

Where Is It Found?

Sam Houston Area Council

Using a map of your city, locate where you are having your den meetings. From there find and mark the following – the Court House, the police station nearest your home, a fire station near your home, the Public Libraries near your home, your school, local places of interest (bridges, parks, monuments, canals, rivers, lakes, stadiums, theatres). How about where your baseball team plays? Where did your den go on its last field trip? Try to figure out how far some of these landmarks are from where you are by adding up the miles noted on the map. How long would it take you to get there?

Star Makers

Catalina Council

« Give everyone a piece of paper, about 5” square.

« At the signal to go, each player rips the paper, trying to make a five-pointed star.

« When 30 seconds are up, the judge calls “Time” and everyone has to stop whether he is finished or not.

« The judge then inspects the stars, giving a prize to the person with the best star.

For the instructions to do this with one scissor snip go to

http://www.ushistory.org/BETSY/flagstar.html

The trick is the 8 1/2" by 10" (not 11") paper

Romp Across America Obstacle Course

Catalina Council

Construct an obstacle course with items to represent important things across America -

ü Statue of Liberty – Each Scout is given a small amount of foil in order to make a liberty torch.

ü Go West Young Man –Each Cub is given a pretend horse and runs a course that is marked by orange cones.

ü Crossing The Mississippi River – Swimming pool filled with water has several rocks strategically set inside; the scout cr