Weekend Patrol Box #25

This week's Patrol Box was hard to put together.  There was a lot of stuff to come across my plate this week, which is good for Scouters!  What I don't use this week, will probably go into the hopper for next week.

Weather was the first thing--I don't know about you, but ours has been all over the place. 30s some nights, rain, clouds, and tomorrow looks like it might get close to 75 degrees for "Trick or Treating".

My grass is still green and I picked 2 cups of cherry tomatoes the other day.

Be prepared, take the Hazardous Weather training, and keep a pot of soup on the back burner for the Scouts.

Enjoy the Patrol Box!

1. Twitter--if you haven't joined Scouting on Twitter yet, you might be missing something.  From NASA to gardening, I get a lot of information here each week.
2. Cub Scouts--(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports belt loop and pin requirements--13 new ones!
3. Boy's Life brings you pumpkin tossing...just scroll over the L...and click on a pumpkin.
4. Video you have to watch:  Really, it is why we are here.
5. Venturers--you can earn the "A Year of Celebration" patch and ribbons, too.
6. Merit Badge of the Week:  Canoeing
7. New Book, pre-order 34% off: "Boy Scouts of America:  A Centennial History"  Help make it a bestseller!  288 pages of Scouting.
8. Wildlife vampires--oxpeckers, vampire finches and leeches...'tis the season...
9. Not done with Halloween thoughts yet:  America's Scariest Trails from Backpacker.com.
10. Another Scouting YahooGroup:  Lone Scouts

Take some time to explore new areas of Scouting this weekend!

Comments?  Feel free to share your thoughts below!

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Index

Unofficial or not, the new Academics and Sports belt loop and pin requirements are making their way around the Internet.

Last week, I mentioned (#9) that the podcast "An Hour a Week" had news on the new Academics and Sports program.  KISMIF.org has posted the requirements to a few of them, too.  Cub Scout Talk on YahooGroups included a link to all of them.

The new ones proposed are:

1. Abilities Awareness
2. Family Travel
3. Good Manners
4. Hiking
5. Hockey
6. Horseback Riding
7. Kickball
8. Nutrition
9. Pet Care
10. Photography
11. Reading and Writing
12. Skateboarding
13. Video Games

Thirteen new belt loops and pins--which is 2 more than had been leaked back in March and April.

No word on whether or not any of the older ones will be retired.

We still need to see if they are all approved.  Don't start earning them until they are.

Which is your favorite idea?  Which is the least?  Do you use the Academics and Sports program in your den or pack?  Comment below or @Scoutsigns.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Abilities Awareness

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Abilities Awareness:


Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Visit with a child or adult with special needs. Find out what they enjoy and what they find difficult.

2. Attend a special needs event such as Easter Seals, Special Olympics, a performance with sign language interpretation, an activity with Needs or Guiding Eyes dogs, or a wheelchair race. Tell your adult leader what the participants were able to do.

3. Make a display about one or more special needs. It can include physical, learning, or mental challenges. Share the display at a pack meeting.

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Earn the Abilities Awareness belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Look at three different wheelchairs. Explain their differences. With an adult’s help and permission, try to operate one.

2. Using sign language, demonstrate the Cub Scout Promise and motto.

3. Read a book about a person with a special need.

4. Explain how your school helps students with special needs (elevators, ramps, small classes, special tools and equipment, specialized teachers). Show some of these special resources to an adult or family member.

5. Describe one of the following and its purpose: Occupational therapy, speech therapy, or physical therapy. Visit with a person who works in one of these fields and learn about his or her position.

6. Read about a famous person who has been physically or mentally challenged.  Report what you learned to your den or family.

7. For two one-hour periods, and with adult supervision, go about your normal routine doing chores, watching television, studying, etc. Change your abilities by using one of these experiences:

• Hearing impairment—Muffle your ears with earmuffs or bandages.
• Sight impairment—Blindfold one or both eyes.
• Physical impairment—Bind an arm or leg so that it cannot be used.
• Speaking impairment—Cover your mouth or do not speak.
• Choose an impairment of your own that is approved by an adult.

8. Look at a catalog and find three items that could help a person with special needs in their daily life. Explain how each item would help the individual.

9. Volunteer and help someone with special needs in school, sports or another supervised activity.

10. Visit a nursing home or elderly person and help someone with a meal.

11. Talk to someone who works with people who have special needs. Ask what the person’s job is like and how he or she helps people with special needs.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Family Travel

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Family Travel:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Make a list of things you would take on a three-day trip with your family, then pack these items in a bag or suitcase.

2. With an adult’s help, figure out the cost and miles to complete a trip to a place of interest using the family car or public transportation.

3. Research at least five places to visit during a trip to a place of interest. Explain what you learned to your family.

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Earn the Family Travel belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Go on a trip with your family that includes at least one overnight stay. Keep a journal of your trip and then share it with your den leader.

2. Play a travel game while traveling in a car.

3. With an adult, make a list of safety rules to follow when traveling in the car or while using public transportation such as a bus, plane, boat, and train. Share the list to your den.

4. With the help of a parent or adult partner, use a computer to look up an airfare from your closest airport to a city in a foreign country. Calculate the total travel time, the day and time you will leave your home, and the day and time you will arrive at your destination.

5. Visit a travel agent office or look up a travel Web site.

6. Using pictures, explain to a family member how people’s forms of transportation have changed in the last 300 years.

7. Visit with an adult who has driven in a different country. List five things that the adult found to be very different from driving in the United States.

8. Make a list of occupations that people have that are related to traveling. Describe the position you would like to try. Explain to a family member why you chose that occupation.

9. Learn how to apply for a U.S. passport. With adult supervision, read an actual application and complete as much of the form as you can.

10. Change $1,000 U.S. dollars into pounds, Euros, or pesos.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Good Manners

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Good Manners:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Make a poster that lists five good manners that you want to practice. Share your poster with your den or family.

2. Introduce two people correctly and politely. Be sure that one of them is an adult.

3. Write a thank-you note to someone who has given you something or done something nice for you.

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Earn the Good Manners belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Meet one new person, shake hands properly, and introduce yourself. Extend your hand, grip the person’s hand firmly, and gently shake hands.

2. Talk with your family about polite language. Include “Please,” “You’re Welcome,” “excuse me,” “yes sir,” “no ma’am,” and so on in your talk.

3. Explain to your den or family how good manners can help you now and as you get older. Copy the actions of someone you know who has good manners.

4. Go over table manners with your family. Eat a meal together where the table is set correctly and everyone uses good table manners.

5. With an adult, discuss what foods are proper to eat with your fingers. Practice eating some of these foods the right way.

6. In your den or with your family, practice using good phone manners.

7. Explain how treating things that belong to other people with respect is a part of having good manners. Show three examples of how you can show respect for others.

8. Talk with your friends or family members about following the rules and having good sportsmanship when playing games. Then play a game with your friends or family members. After playing the game, tell how you showed good manners.

9. With your family or den, list five rules to remember in being polite and respectful when in a public place. Go to the public place and practice the rules. Explain how the rules helped you to have good manners.

10. Demonstrate the proper outfit to wear at school, at play, and at a social event.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Nutrition

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Nutrition:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Make a poster of foods that are good for you. Share the poster with your den.

2. Explain the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. Eat one of each.

3. Help prepare and eat a healthy meal of foods that are included in a food pyramid. (With your parent’s or partner’s permission, see http://www.mypyramid.gov.) Eating a balanced diet means eating foods that are good for you and that give your body the vitamins and other nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

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Earn the Nutrition belt loop and complete five additional requirements from the

following requirements:

1. Make a poster that shows different foods that are high in each of the vitamins. Using your poster, explain to your den or family the difference between a vitamin and a mineral and the importance of each for a healthy diet.

2. Read the nutrition label from a packaged or canned food item. Learn about the importance of the nutrients listed. Explain what you learned to your den or family.

3. Make a list of diseases that can be caused by a diet that is poor in nutrition.

4. Talk with your school cafeteria manager about the role nutrition plays in the meals your school serves.

5. With an adult, plan a balanced menu of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for your family for a week.

6. Make a list of healthy snack foods. Demonstrate how to prepare two healthy snacks.

7. With an adult, go grocery shopping. Report to your den or other family members what you learned about choosing good foods to eat.

8. Demonstrate how to safely prepare food for three meals.

9. Demonstrate how to store leftover food to prevent spoilage or contamination.

10. Help with a garden. Report to your den or family about what is growing in the garden and how you helped. Show a picture of or bring an item harvested from your garden.

11. Visit a farm or ranch. Talk with the owner about how the farm or ranch produces food for families.

12. Explain how physical exercise works with nutrition in helping people be fit and healthy. Demonstrate three examples of good physical activity.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Pet Care

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Pet Care:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Care for your pet for two weeks. Make a list of the tasks that you did to take care of your pet.

2. Read a book, explore the Internet (with your parent’s or partner’s permission), or acquire a pamphlet about your pet. List three new interesting facts that you learned about your pet.

3. Make a poster about your pet. Share your poster with your den, pack, or family.

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Earn the Pet Care belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. With an adult, develop a plan for someone to care for your pet if you were to be away for one week.

2. Train your pet to do a trick or follow a simple command.

3. Describe how your pet communicates with you and other animals.

4. Observe or play with your pet for 15 minutes each day for one week. Keep a chart that shows your pet’s mood on each day.

5. Attend a pet show. Report to your den about the show.

6. Make a drawing of the cage or bed your pet requires. Describe the important parts of it.

7. Visit an animal shelter. Explain the reasons why pets are in the animal shelter to your den or family.

8. Visit a pet store. Make a list of the different animals in the store and the kinds of foods they eat.

9. Talk to a veterinarian about his or her career. Share what you learned with your den or family.

10. Tell three ways that animals can help people.

11. Do a service project for an animal shelter, exercise an elderly person’s pet, or help a friend with the care of his or her pet.

12. Find out about the pets of U.S. presidents while they lived at the White House. Tell your den about one president and his pet(s).

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Photography

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Photography:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Point out the major features of a camera to your den or family and explain the function of each part. Parts could include film, lens, shutter, power on and off, zoom, battery, flash, display panel, case, settings, etc.

2. Discuss with your den leader or adult partner, the benefits and contributions photography makes to modern life. Report what you learned to your den or family.

3. Using a camera, take at least 10 pictures of your family, pet, or scenery; show these to your den.

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Earn the Photography belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Using pictures, explain what photography is and how it relates to light and picture-taking.

2. Look at a book of published photos about a subject that interests you. Find out what makes these photos remarkable and why people want to look at these pictures. Learn whether the photographer used light or angles to make the photos interesting. Discuss what you learned with an adult.

3. Explain to an adult what “red eye” is and why it can happen in a picture. Show examples.

4. Make a short video of a friend, family member, or pet, and show it to your den or family.

5. With an adult’s help, use a photo-editing software feature to crop, lighten or darken, and change a photo.

6. Make a creative project using at least one photo.

7. Take three pictures of the same scene using different lens settings. Show these pictures to your den or family.

8. Visit an art exhibit that features photography. Write a list of some of the things you saw and felt during your visit.

9. Demonstrate how to use a light meter and manually set the aperture (lens opening) on a camera.

10. Print and develop a picture from a film negative.

11. Read about a famous photographer and tell his or her story to your den. Explain why he or she is famous or admired.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Reading and Writing

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Reading and Writing:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Visit a library and get your own library card. Check out and return a book.

2. Write a letter or a short story. Read it to your den or family.

3. Keep a diary of your activities for one week. Read it to your den or family.

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Earn the Reading and Writing belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Locate and identify the following parts of a book: title, author, spine, cover, table of contents, and index.

2. Read a book to a child or group of children.

3. Participate in a school or community organized reading program.

4. Explain the differences in a biography, autobiography, fiction, and nonfiction books to your parent or den leader.

5. Create a bookmark that you can use, or design a book cover.

6. Read an article from a newspaper or magazine. This can be done on the computer. Report about what you read to an adult.

7. Write a poem and read it to a family member.

8. Write a short report about something of interest to you. Read your report to your den or family.

9. Read several jokes and riddles. Create two of your own and share them with your den or family.

10. Write a commercial, song, or jingle for some product. Perform it for your den or family

11. Create your own alphabet, writing system, or code and explain it to your den or pack.

12. Learn about another writing system such as petroglyphs or Egyptian hieroglyphs. Do your best to draw some of these symbols. Report what you learned to your den or family.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Video Games

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Video Games:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.

2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.

3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.

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Earn the Video Games belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. With your parents, create a plan to buy a video game that is right for your age group.

2. Compare two game systems (for example, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and so on). Explain some of the differences between the two. List good reasons to purchase or use a game system.

3. Play a video game with family members in a family tournament.

4. Teach an adult or a friend how to play a video game.

5. List at least five tips that would help someone who was learning how to play your favorite video game.

6. Play an appropriate video game with a friend for one hour.

7. Play a video game that will help you practice your math, spelling, or another skill that helps you in your schoolwork.

8. Choose a game you might like to purchase. Compare the price for this game at three different stores. Decide which store has the best deal. In your decision, be sure to consider things like the store return policy and manufacturer’s warranty.

9. With an adult’s supervision, install a gaming system.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Hiking

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Hiking:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the hiking safety rules to your den leader or adult partner. Practice these rules while on a hike.

2. Demonstrate proper hiking attire and equipment.

3. Hike at least 30 minutes with your adult partner, family, or den.

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Earn the Hiking belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Make a chart and record at least five hours of hiking.

2. Help plan a den, pack, or family hike.

3. Earn Cub Scouting’s Leave No Trace Awareness Award.

4. Earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award.

5. Learn seven trail signs and tell your den leader or adult partner what they are.

6. Be able to identify five different trees and five different birds on your hike. (These can be of the same species if multiple species are hard to find.)

7. Using pictures or photographs, identify three poisonous plants. (Examples are poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak; oleander, poinsettia, etc.). Watch for these

8. Take two different hikes for different purposes, for example, a nature hike, neighborhood hike, historical hike, city hike, stop-look-and listen hike, and so on.

9. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a compass is and show how to use one on a hike.

10. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a global positioning system is and demonstrate how to use one on a hike.

11. With visuals such as pictures or maps, report about one of your hikes to your den. Tell about how you prepared for your hike, who went with you, and what you saw.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Hockey

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Hockey:


Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain ways to protect yourself while skating. Demonstrate how to put on all necessary safety equipment. Explain why proper safety equipment is important.

2. Spend 30 minutes practicing the skills of hockey: skating, stick handling, passing, shooting, and checking. This may be over two different practice periods.

3. Play a game of hockey while on roller skates or hockey skates.

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Earn the Hockey belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Participate in a pack, school, or community hockey tournament or in a supervised hockey league.

2. Participate in a hockey skills development clinic.

3. Spend at least 30 minutes practicing the skills of hockey: skating, stick handling, passing, shooting, and checking. This may be over two different practice periods

4. Draw the layout of the playing surface for a hockey game including the starting positions of the goalie, three forwards (two wings and a center), and two defenders.

5. Demonstrate foul signals. Explain to your den or team why players should avoid fouls.

6. Attend a high school, college, or professional hockey game.

7. Demonstrate hockey terms (for example, assist, breakaway, deke, draw, pulling the goalie, and so on.) to another team member or adult.

8. Learn about a U.S. Olympic hockey team and report what you learn to your den or family.

9. Watch an ice resurfacing machine at an ice rink. Report to your den or family about the history of the machine commonly known as the Zamboni and how it is used.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Horseback Riding

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Horseback Riding:

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain five safety precautions for when you are near a horse.

2. With help from an experienced horse handler, demonstrate how to safely mount and ride a horse and then how to safely dismount the horse.

3. Go on a supervised horseback ride for at least 20 minutes. Remember to wear a helmet that is approved for horseback riding (such as one approved for horseback riding by the ASTM, or American Society for Testing and Materials).

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Earn the Horseback Riding belt loop and complete five of the following

requirements:

1. Learn about three famous horses. Explain why these horses were well-known.

2. Using pictures of these different animals, explain to your den or family the difference between a horse, pony, mule, and donkey.

3. Explain how a horse is measured and what a “hand” equals when measuring a horse.

4. Using a picture of a horse, point out the following main parts of a horse: forehead, muzzle, mane, withers, point of hip, knee, hoof, and root of tail.

5. Describe three different breeds of horses and explain what special feature makes each breed different from other breeds.

6. Using photos or pictures you have drawn, explain to your den or family at least three different ways that horses can help us.

7. Name five things that are healthy for a horse to eat.

8. Tell why it is important to wear an approved riding helmet when you go horseback riding.

9. Take a photo or draw a picture of the type of saddle you used during the horseback ride you took to earn the belt loop.

10. With your parent or adult partner, visit a veterinarian who cares for horses and large animals. Write the answers to three questions you ask him or her.

11. Spend at least 15 minutes before and after your ride getting to know your horse by talking calmly to it and stroking it slowly.

12. Go on a supervised horseback ride for at least 30 minutes. Be sure to wear a riding helmet. Show that you can safely mount and dismount the horse.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Kickball

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Kickball:


Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain the rules of kickball to your leader or adult partner.

2. Spend 30 minutes practicing the skills of kickball (pitching, kicking, base running, catching, throwing). This may be over two different practice periods.

3. Play a game of kickball.

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Earn the Kickball belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Demonstrate the following kickball skills: pitching, kicking, base running, catching, throwing.

2. Explain the rules of base running.

3. Describe the basic defensive positions in kickball (pitcher, catcher, infielder).

4. Draw a kickball field to scale; include the starting defensive positions.

5. Report to your den or family about the similarities between the rules of baseball and kickball.

6. Explain the role of being the captain of a kickball team.

7. Play five games of kickball using basic rules.

8. Help set up a kickball field for a game.

9. Serve as a referee for one game of kickball.

10. Participate in a pack, school, or community kickball tournament or a supervised kickball league.

(Unofficial) New Academics and Sports Requirements: Skateboarding

Unofficial Academics and Sports requirements for Skateboarding:


Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Demonstrate to an adult the general rules for safe skateboarding by showing that you know how to wear the proper safety gear.

2. Carefully demonstrate how to fall to help minimize injuries.

3. Practice skateboarding for 30 minutes. This practice may be done in several periods.

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Earn the Skateboarding belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Figure out your skateboard stance—whether you are regular or goofy footed.

2. Demonstrate proper stance, feet positions, knee bending, pushing off, turning, and stopping on flat ground.

3. Using pictures, explain to your den or family the difference between street, skate park, and vertical skateboarding.

4. List five ways skateboarders should be considerate and respectful of other people and their property when they are skateboarding.

5. View a skateboarding video.

6. Attend a pro skateboarder demonstration.

7. Show that you know how to lubricate the bearings and keep your skateboard clean.

8. Apply grip tape to your skateboard.

9. Skateboard at a skate park for 30 minutes.

10. Demonstrate three of the following maneuvers: ollie, nollie, frontside, grab, kickturn, carving.