Theme “Senses” and “Communication”
Brownies earned their “Senses” try-it page 134-135
Juniors earned their “Communication” Badge page 46-47
Dangerous Boys earned their “Communications” Pin
| Opening Activities | |
| Meeting and Greeting/ Pledge/ Opening Prayer |
The meeting was opened the meeting with an opening prayer and then the Pledge of Allegiance.
| Devotion Time | |
| Biblical Theme, Bible Story, Scripture, Reading | |
We then discussed 1 Corinthians 2:9 and 1 Corinthians 12:12
| Science Fun | |
| Benjamin Franklin/ Story of Inventions/ Picturing America/ Printing Press |
We read a story about Benjamin Franklin while looking at artwork from Picturing America. We learned about the Printing Press that Benjamin Franklin worked with (see visual representation of printing press). We learned that the Printing Press was invented by Gutenberg in the 1430’s and the first thing printed was the bible. Gutenberg developed a system for making lots of pieces of metal to type quickly and easily. A printing press has a frame to hold all the letters arranged into pages, ready for printing. Before the printing press, most books were copied out, one at a time by hand. After Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press books became much easier to make. By rearranging the letters to print what you wanted a new book could be made within days.
We also learned that when Benjamin was 15 his brother, James started The New England Courant the first “newspaper” in Boston. Benjamin started working for his brother as an apprentice. Benjamin wanted to write for the paper, but he knew that James would never let him. So Ben began writing letters at night and signing them with the name of a fictional widow, Silence Dogood. Dogood was filled with advice and very critical of the world around her. Ben would sneak the letters under the print shop door at night so no one knew who was writing the pieces. They were a smash hit, and everyone wanted to know who was the real “Silence Dogood. After 16 letters, Ben confessed that he had been writing the letters all along.
In 1729, Benjamin Franklin bought a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin not only printed the paper, but often contributed pieces to the paper under aliases. His newspaper soon became the most successful in the colonies. This newspaper, among other firsts, would print the first political cartoon, authored by Ben himself.
Each child received a box of their own printing press letters to take home.
| Badge Work | |
| Map Tongue |
We mapped our tongues. Each child placed the liquid that was contained in a bowl on their tongue and decided where on their tongue they tasted it best. The bowls contained- Vinegar (Sour), Salt (Salty), Grapefruit Juice (Bitter), and Sugar (Sweet). We gave all the kids a a piece of paper with a U drawn on it to represent their tongues (mapped our tongues).
| History/ Art and Literature | |
| Helen Keller/ Braille Cards + Sample Braille Book/ Sign Language
Clean Up |
We then tied the lesson up with a story about Helen Keller. Helen was born on June 27, 1880. We learned about the life of Helen Keller. We did demonstrations of what it would be like to be deaf and blind. We learned that Helen had a teacher named Anna Sullivan that taught her to talk with her hands (sign language) at the age of 6. We also learned about Helen Keller’s connection with Alexander Graham Bell. Alexander Graham Bell is famous for inventing the telephone but he also worked as a teacher of deaf people. Bell led the Keller’s to the Perkin’s Institution for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. The Keller’s found hope at last and was sent Anna Sullivan. It took Anna quite a while to get Helen to grasp that the fingers signing into her hands were names of people, places, and things- the things in her world had names she could identify with. Helen finally grasped the sign language meaning and her first word was “Water”. We learned that Helen graduated from college and went on to be an inspiration during World War I. She would visit soldiers who had become deaf or blind and give them hope. Helen had opinions to help blind people but without speech she could not communicate this to the public in speeches and lectures. So, Helen learned how to talk- she worked hard to learn to talk clearly and communicate, slowly her voice grew stronger and her words became clear.
We also learned that Helen would read a book which contained Braille.
Helen died on June 1, 1964- weeks before her eighty-eighth birthday but still serves as an inspiration for us all- do not be held back because of a disability- pursue your dreams and make a difference.
I recommend the “Miracle Worker” by Disney for children to learn more about the life of Helen Keller and the difficulties she overcame.
Each child received a card with Braille on it which showed the alphabet and numbers to take home.
We then went in the hall for some “In Real Life” application and brought to the attention of the kids that there is braille on the elevator. Previously we found braille on a band-aid package when we made our first aid kit (November’s meeting).
| Just for Boys and Just for Girls Time
|
The girls had to find the parts of the Girl Scout law, which had been printed on cards and hidden around the room. The cards each had a different color ribbon on them that represented the parts of the law. We also had an investiture ceremony, which made the girls an “Official Girl Scout”. The girls all held candle and recited a part of the Girl Scout law (candles also had different color ribbon on them which represented the different parts of the law). Each girl was pinned with the WAGGS Pin and their Brownie Elf Pin. Congratulations girls!
The boys went deeper into the learning of communication and even got to communicate through an old fashion tin can and string game : ) They also learned “Jesus Loves Me” in Sign Language and performed it for the group when we went back to reflection time.
| 3:35-4:00 | Reflection/ Closing |
| 25 Min. | Clean-Up/ Badge Recognition/ Reminders/ Field Trip Reminder/ Closing Prayer |
Reminder- Cold Stone field trip on 1/30 at the Greenbrier Cold Stone at 10:00 a.m.
Copy of the Girl Scout Ceremony : )
Girl Scout Investiture Ceremony
All girls say the Girl Scout Promise in unison: On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.
While standing in a circle, each girl will hold a white candle with a colored ribbon tied around it which corresponds to the line that she will recite from the Girl Scout Law. When it is each girl’s turn to say their part, they will light their candle from the previous girl’s candle until they are all lit.
All girls say in unison: I will do my best to be
(Hope Haley) Honest & Fair: The light blue ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of honesty and fairness. A Girl Scout works honestly and keeps her promise. She is fair in all she does and with those she meets.
(Emma Hyatt) Friendly & Helpful: The yellow ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of friendship and thoughtfulness. A Girl Scout is amiable and loyal to her friends. She helps others whenever she can.
(Emily Watters) Considerate & Caring: The spring green ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of kindness and warmth. A Girl Scout works well with others and looks out for the well-being of others.
(Kayleigh Crimmins) Courageous and Strong: The red ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of adventure and independence. A Girl Scout attempts new tasks and braves new endeavors. She is confident and self-assured in her actions.
(Trinity Caffey) Responsible for what I Say and Do: The orange ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of ownership and pride in her work. She readily admits her strengths and weaknesses and is aware of the consequences of her actions. A Girl Scout is up front with her intentions.
(Olivia Watters) Respect Myself and Others: The purple ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of integrity. A Girl Scout directs her thoughts and deeds to encompass her own beliefs and to be sensitive to, and, respectful of the beliefs of those around her.
(Kailey Hyatt) Respect Authority: The magenta ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of regard for another’s position. A Girl Scout understands the importance of having a leader of a group to make final decisions. She works with that leader to make the best decision for the good of the group.
(Saige Caffey) Use Resources Wisely: The green ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of being careful with resources. She uses her materials, money, time and energy wisely. A Girl Scout does not waste the Earth’s resources.
(Emma DeBause) Make the World a Better Place: The violet ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s sense of improvement. A Girl Scout strives to be clean, conserve, and enrich the world around her. She believes it is important to leave a better place than when she found it.
(Cheryl) Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout: The rose ribbon represents a Girl Scout’s loyalty to sisters all over the world. A Girl Scout is always ready to accept more friends into her ever widening circle. She treats all of her sisters with kindness, acceptance, and warmth.
All girls sing Make New Friends:
Make new friends
But keep the old
One is silver
And the other gold
The circle’s round
It has no end
That’s how long I
Want to be your friend
You have one hand,
I have the other
Put them together and
We have each other
