Cub-Stuff!

Art & Design

If you would like to cover this badge as a pack, then it may be possible to do so over a few weeks. There are 3 sections to be completed -

1. Drawing & Painting
   Probably any of the 4 options here could be done by most cubs during a pack night.
2. Design & Mixed Media
   A collage or relief print could also be done one night.
3. Art Appreciation
   A visit to an Art gallery, either as a pack or as a six, would enable you to cover the third part.

Animals and Birds

You might be able to create a program to cover this badge, but generally it will require the cub to prepare at home and present their efforts.
Alternatively, ou could make use of the Cub Scout World Conservation Badge Camps available at Ingleside Scout Camp.
Their weekend Pack Camp run by the Environment team with the aim of every Cub Scout attending gaining thier Level 2 Animals and Birds, as well as the obtaining their World Conservation Badge (Check the Environment page on their website for more details).

Athlete

The requirement of this badge is to show an improvement in athletic endeavour. To do this the cub scout needs to be recorded doing their best in five activities over a three month period, showing significant improvement. Thus to cover the badge, your program will need to be run over at least a three month period. To coer as a pack activity, You willo also need to ensure a log is kept of the results of the activities .
To assist in covering part 2, do warm-up exercises before each session, and discuss why.
To cover part 3 as a group, have each cub pick a different sport, and have one present their information each week.

Bushcraft

Part 1(c) - You can find South at night using the Southern Cross, and during the day use methods such as using the hands on a watch and the position of the sun or using the travel of the shadow of a stick.
For part 4 (a), remember things such as:

• Fireplaces should not be under trees
• the area used should be cleared of leaves and other flammable materials
• The firewood supply should be placed well away from the fire.

Canoeing

The requirements for this need to be done using real canoes in real water and can usually be achieved during a day of water activities. This is the type of day that can be promoted as a fun day with the purpose of gaining the badge.
The lesson plans on this page can be used as a basis for a canoeing session, and modified to suit the skills/abilities of your group, as well as adjusted to suit the badge.

Citizenship

Some parts of this badge can be run during a pack program. There are four sections to cover for this badge.

• Being an Australian
  This can be covered as a part of your program....
• Community Organisations
  Either at Cubs, or as a six project, look at details of groups such as the Red Cross, St John Ambulance etc.
• Cub Scout code of living.
  yes - an easy part to cover in the pack night.
• Good Turn or ServiceThree special good turns are required, giving the cubs a challenge to work at outside Cubs during the month.

Codes & Signals

This is a 3-week program created to cover this badge - it covers aspects of the level one badge, but is designed to cover the level two. Right-Click here to d/load and save the doc file (216Kb) or just click on the link to open in your browser.

Collector

Encouraging your Cubs to work towards this badge will remind those who do collect something that they can use it to achieve the badge.

Aaron frpm 1st Branxton/Greta pack sent in a great idea for coin collecting as a pack. There are two documents for this program, the first Australian_Coins.doc provides info about how it runs, as well as an update note, and the 2nd Australian_Coins.pdf is a pdf handout to enable the cubs to work towards the badge.

Cooking

• Discuss the rules of hygiene etc
• make Coconut Ice first
• make Scones or Pikelets (all 3 recipes are available here).
• Cook a (thin) sausage on the BBQ, and put it in a roll or bread.
• Print off this page for completing at home by next week (cooking a hot breakfast etc).

Cyclist

As most packs meet in the evening, the best time to achieve this badge would be either on a camp or a planned activity. Both options would require planning to ensure that all Cubs have a bike to bring, and that one can be arranged for anyone who does not have one.

Engineer

LEVEL ONE
To achieve this badge as a pack,
it could be done by completing parts 2,3 & 4 as follows.

• (2) Using a (plastic) cotton reel, a thin dowel (or nail/bolt), and 3 pieces of wood, make a simple pulley.
  
  Screw a cup-hook nto the top to be able to hang it up.
  Measurements will depend on the size of your cotton reel.
• (3) Build a simple solar water heater - You will need a length of thin rubber hose (approx 6mm diam?) laid in a zig-zag pattern in a flat box or tray. The box could be about 20cm square, but whatever you have available will work. Ensure the tubing is not crimped at the bends, so that water will flow through easily. Glueing the hose in place will probably be best. Attach the two ends into a plastic water bottle, one near the top and one near the bottom.
  
  Cover the top of the box with black plastic, completely fill the hose and bottle with cold water, and place in the sun. The tray/box should be placed facing the sun, and angled so the highest hose is the one that goes to the top of the bottle. In theory, the water should heat up in the hose and as it heats it will rise and force it's way into the bottle, pushing cold water at the bottom into the tube to heat up as well.
• (4) Build a model sailboat or small paddle-wheel boat. There are plenty of designs for boats (WITH a rudder) available elsewhere.

Entertainer

• In Sixes, create and then perform a skit or play for the pack
• Make a musical instrument of your choice - you could have the cubs ring their own choice of materials, or get them to make something at home to bring in (some may also have made one for school, which would be also fine)
• In Sixes (or other small groups as suits your pack), perform as a band using those instruments - maybe at a parents night.
• Attend a performance such as Gangshow, or your local theatre group, or even a professional show, and report on it

First Aider

The following basic questions will be asked if you ring "000".

• Which service do you want? (ie. Police, Fire or Ambulance)
• Which city are you calling from?
• What is the exact address of the emergency?
• What is the phone number you are calling from?
• What is the problem, tell me exactly what happened?
• How old is the person?
• Is the person conscious?
• is the person breathing?
• ...once you have answered these questions the first available ambulance (etc) will be dispatched.

Fishing

Apart from the 50M swimming requirement, an evening of fishing can be used to work towards this badge.
While a group chat could cover the information section, this worksheet (word doc format) is the basis for the one we use for our group, in conjuction with a fishing day/night.

Flight

Your local Air Activities Centre will probably have a program available for your cubs to be able to spend the day at the centre, covering all the requirements for this badge, including a flight in one of the planes. Check it out - it is a great day, and a real thrill for those who have never flown before.
I also believe that if you have enough passengers available, the Air Activities team may be able to arrange to bring a plane/glider to your nearest airport, so contact them for details.
By the way - if YOU are a private pilot, you can join the Air Activities Branch, get some discount flying and assist in those type of programs.

HOWEVER, if you cannot get to the Air Activities Centre, one way of achieving the badge is the following:-

• Discuss the Safety Rules for flying kites (1st wk)
• Make a Kite (Wk 1)
• Make a Box Kite (wk 2)
• Make and test a model parachute (wk 3)
• Draw/label etc a Hot Air balloon etc (wk 4)

(use this word document to make it easier),
Either hand it out or have them complete it at Cubs

Gardener

As the requirements for this include growing a plant for a month and growing a vegetable at home for the family, this badge would be a hard one to do at Cubs.
However, as a starter, you could have your cubs plant a bean in a foam/paper cup. Their task would be to look at home, and bring it in after a month.
This gives them the first part covered, and an incentive to work towards the rest of the badge.
At times there is a promo or contest encouraging kids to grow sunflowers which would also work in well with this badge.

Handcraft

This is one you can achieve relatively easily as a pack during the year. While some crafts can go towards Boomerang, others can be combined to achieve this one.
For example...

• Fibre - make a Sock Monkey (Christmas Craft?)
  (this will probably take 2 weeks, google some instructions)
• Wood - Make a picture frame (include a photo too), or make a string-art desighn (fathers day craft)
• Plastic - make a keytag (make a "scooby" attached to a metal keyring)(Mother's Day craft)
• International pursuit - decorate an easter egg, and discuss the culture/country where that is done at easter.

Handyworker

Whilst the requirements of this badge would be difficult to test at Cubs, unless you have the necessary household equipment, I do think that you should encourage your Cubs to cover this badge.
The badge covers skills that will be useful for them as they grow up and get their own houses etc, not to mention ensuring they are able to help mum & dad around the home until then.
Parents will have to confirm that most things have been done by the cub, but a leader can (and should) ask the cub a few questions to be sure.

Information Technology

• The "appointment" to be tested MUST be made via email by the cub to the leader or other badge examiner
• Send an email to your examiner to use and explain 4 emoticons (or demonstrate how they are made as part of the appointment email)
  Get info from a site like this if you need more information.
  also, be aware that emoticons on a webpage are actually tiny gif images, and are not created by simple text characters such as :) as used in emails and IM etc
• Demonstrate that you can transfer a file(s) using a USB drive (easy if one of you can take a laptop along to cubs on the night of the test) or on a CD.
• Type the Cub Scout Prayer
• Create a picture and email it to your leader/examiner
• "Google" a page on scouting and print it.

International Culture

Here is a chance for people with an international heritage to imform the rest of their pack about their "mother country". Additionally, many of the cubs will have covered part of the requirements for this badge as a school project, so reminding them about the badge, and that they may have already done part of it can give them an incentive to complete the rest of it.

Literature

• Read 6 books (eg- as part of the Premiers Reading Challenge-This is in NSW, but I am unsure about other states)
• Write a different ending to one of them
• Cover part 3 individually as a chat with the examiner
• The poem option could be published in your group newsletter.
• Arrange a pack visit to your local Public Library (remember to "book in" with the Library staff first).
• Making a bookmark makes a firly easy craft activity at a Pack Night

Masks and Sculpture

The requirement is to do one item from each of the three sections of this badge. This suggested program includes one from each.

• Paper.
  Make a clown mask - as part of a circus-theme program.
  You will need a balloon, strips of newspaper, and some paste (you can make your own if you like).
  Inflate the balloon to about the size of the cub's head, and apply several layers of paper strips (one piece at a time). Tag each papered balloon with it's maker's name, and leave it until next week to dry.
  On the 2nd week, when all are dry, cut out the bottom (tie-off) section for a full-head mask, or also remove the back half to make a simple version. The Cubs can simply paint clown faces on their balloon. If making the simpler version, add a length of elastic to get it to stay on their head.
• Clay/Carving.
  Try soap carving - as long as you use "safe" knives, and have sufficient supervision, then each Cub can try making an animal (or whatever else they want to make) from a cake of soap - use the cheapest bars of soap you can.
• Or try using Air-drying clay and create a relief tile. Press about 8mm of AIR DRYING Clay into the base of a plastic/paper bowl or small plate, then use natural objects to make the impressions/design. Also make sure you add a hole or two while it is still soft to allow you to habg it up later.
• Construction/Appreciation.
  Make a central-balanced mobile from three different materials. This is easy enough, so as long as you supply a range of materials, the cubs should be able to make something pretty good.

The three above would of course be done over a number of weeks, or even on a camp. (You could use a variation of this camp program.)

Musician

Whilst simply singing the National Anthem (1st & 3rd verses, as most already sing at school) as well as 3 campfire songs, will cover the requirements for the level one badge, unless you have Cubs that "really need" to be able to attain a badge, this should really be gained by being able to play an instrument.

Naturalist

A chance here to tie in to an environmental theme or program.

Pets

Taking care of a pet for 2 months (or 6 months for Level 2) is one requirement of this badge. Thus, talking at Cubs pets, and finding out who already has a pet at home is a chance to inspire your cubs to work towards this badge.

Photography

Most families have a digital (or still) camera these days, so it would be fairly easy for the cubs to cover most of this badge on an outdoor activity day. if you are hoping they could acheive it on that day, it would be best to let them know in advance. This would leave the Cubs to mount the pics taken on that day. With luck, the conditions on the day would be varied enough to be able to take photos to cover both sets required for the badge. Of course, make sure the cubs remember to complete the process of mounting the pics etc, so they can get it done in the week or two following the outing day. If lots of the cubs are attempting this badge at the same time, have an "exhibition" of the results at a cub night about 2 weeks later so everyone can enjoy them, including parents.

Sailing

This one is simple for the Sea-Scout packs (Sea Cubs?), but as it does require the cub to sail a short course, they will need to do this individually with a suitably qualified person.

Scientist

To get the cubs started on this badge, performing an experiment in the pack/six such as "elephant's toothpaste" for example. Of course, once they have completed the experiment, there is a good reason to complete the badge individually. There are some great ideas at Tim Hunkins Experiments Site too.
This 2 week program covers most of the requirements of the level one and the level two badge. It also includes a worksheet for the cubs to complete to achieve the badge.

Sports

The 3rd requirement of this badge is to take part regularly in and show reasonable proficiency at a sport. They also need to state the rules of that same sport as well as another one.
As some parts (1st & 4th) could be discussed in the pack/six, having the cubs talk about the sport that they are playing each week along the line of a show & tell session.

Space

One thing that may be very handy is a great program that runs on your computer or laptop, and shows the location of the stars and constellations etc in real-time.
Stellarium is downloadable FREE from stellarium.org

Another helpful site is Heavens-Above.com where you can look up when satellites are likely to be visible from your position on the planet.

Swimmer

In our pack we usually cover this badge once a year on a swimming night. We let the cubs know in advance that we will test them for the level 1 or the Level 2 badge if they want to do so on the night.
Those who wish to just have fun in the water can do so if they don't want to get the badge.

For the Level 2 badge, there is a requirement to know the Heat Escape Lessening Posture (H.E.L.P).
The main areas of heat loss in the water are the head, sides of the chest and the groin.
The H.E.L.P technique is to hold your arms down your sides and up across the chest, and to raise your knees and hold them together as shown in this picture.

Traveller

Get the cubs to work together on the first requirement, which involves using a map of your local area or town. This is a good way to help them become familiar with where they live in relation to other parts of your city, and also lead in to working on the badge.

Weather

• Name & draw 3 types of cloud (eg. Stratos, nimbus, cumulus)
• Make a rain guage (craft night) & plot rainfall for 14 days.
  I like the guage at www.rcn27.dial.pipex.com/cloudsrus
• Collect weather maps from papers for 7 days (get some daily leftover copies from local newsagent) & explain their meaning
• Chart the weather for 7 days (Use this Word doc)

World Friendship

There is a choice of two sections to achieve this badge. A good lead-in to the second option is to make use of the Jamboree of the Internet (held annually in October in conjuction with the Jamboree of the Air). This is a chance to make contact with Scouting members worldwide in a relatively safe environment

Landcare

Local History

Waterwise

This schools website could be of assistance when attempting the Waterwise badge.

Their Service, Our Heritage

This badge is one I personally believe we should be encouraging our cubs to achieve, simply because of what it represents.
Cubs need to partake in TWO activities relating to this badge during the year, in order to obtain the Badge. It is only to be worn for ONE year, and then has to be requalified for the next year (25th April-25th April).
Our pack (with other sections from our Group), along with other groups in our district, march as a part of our local ANZAC Memorial service. Even then, it is often difficult to get a good attendance from every group/pack.
As a second activity, it is fairly easy to arrange for a current or Returned Serviceman to come along to talk about their time in the fighting forces. The kids find it fascinating too, especially if the speaker can bring memorabilia and/or photos. If you cannot locate a volunteer, approach your local RSL club - they will gladly suggest a member willing to help in this regard.
NB: This badge is the same for other sections of scouting, but has different criteria - eg Scouts need to do three relevant activities and Joeys two.

Language

As well as being available for several spoken languages and for those who can "Sign", a blank version is available for members who are proficient in other languages - you just need to get the language name enboidered on yourself.

Faith Awareness

World Conservation

Cub Leadership

Your region runs courses once or twice per year for current and potential Sixers and Seconds. Upon successfully completing the course, this badge is presented. The cubs are also given a law and promise challenge sheet to complete during the week following the course which is to be returned to their Akela. The Akela then usually has to advise the Region office (Cub RC) it has been done, in order for the badge to be awarded.

Link - Joeys to Cubs

Presented upon completion of the link program as a part of the "going up" ceremony, when a Joey Scout moves up to Cub Scouts. This is the only Joey badge able to be worn on the Cub-Scout Uniform The Cub Scout Link Badge is the first possible badge for a cub, but in practical terms it is the last one that can be earned in Joey Scouts. A new chum who has not been in Joeys is unable to earn this badge.

Link - Cubs to Scouts

Presented upon completion of the link program as a part of the "going up" ceremony, when a Cub moves up to Scouts.
Of all the Cub badges, only the joey-cub link badge and the Grey Wolf Award Badge are able to be worn on the Scout Uniform. A Scout who has linked up into cubs and then up into Scouts will have two link badges on their Scout uniform.
A cub moving up to Scouts will also want to be familiar with the Scout Prayer & Scout Law

Sixer

Usually the older cubs, and certainly the more responsible and mature, are considered for a role as Sixer. It is a great honour, and carries responsibility in the pack to look after and control their six. Of course, not every cub can be a sixer while in the pack, as the number and ages of the cubs may preclude that from being possible.

Second

With similar criteria for selection as the Sixer, the Second (note: not "Seconder") assists the Sixer and takes on the Sixer's role when He/She is away. It is common, but not essential for the Second to progress to being Sixer when that role becomes available again (eg. when the Sixer moves up to Scouts).