We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

#CubScouts

250th Bear Completes Baloo the Builder Adventure

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On November 5th, Bears from Pack 1160 completed their Baloo the Builder Adventure in Michael’s Woodshop. They learned about useful tools to have in their boxes and practiced using a number of tools including clamps, sanding blocks, hammers and nail punches. They made a golf tee game board as their “fun project” and after sanding, they applied a clear polyurethane finish. Finally, as their “useful project”, each Bear made their very own tool box. It was a couple of hours very well spent and not only did these Bears learn a few things and have some fun, they also earned the distinction of having among their Den the 250th Bear to complete the Baloo the Builder Adventure in Michael’s Woodshop!

Since introducing the Baloo the Builder and Webelos Build It Workshops, they have quickly become two of the most popular activities in the shop. These workshops are both great, hands-on activities that are fun, learning experiences for the Cub Scouts.

To learn more about these workshops and the many other shop activities available, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop webpage. Start planning now to schedule an activity for your unit in the spring.

All of the activities in Michael’s Woodshop are designed and supervised by a dedicated group of volunteers. With the high demand for woodshop activities, we are seeking additional volunteers to join the Woodshop Team. There are roles available for experienced woodworkers, Woodwork Merit Badge Counselors and both adult and youth assistants. For more information about becoming a volunteer, please see Join the Woodshop Team or email us for additional information.

For more information about the merit badge classes, shop capabilities, upcoming events or reserving the shop, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop webpage. If you have questions or would like additional information, please email us at MichaelsWoodshop.CWBS@gmail.com

Astronaut, NASA, Out of this World, Nova

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Brian Hoffer is a Den Leader of Pack 129 in NCAC as well as a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In other words, he went to the same academy as Astronaut Charlie Duke! How cool is that?! Even cooler, Brian reached out to NCAC in February to suggest that we invite Astronaut Duke to STEM Speaker Series. We did, Astronaut Duke agreed to participate, and on March 18th STEM Speaker Series hosted a great chat with Astronaut Duke and a few thousand scouts.

In case you’re wondering, astronauts have a strong connection to scouting. In fact, all but one astronaut to walk on the moon were in BSA at some rank or another (ranging from Cub Scout, to Tenderfoot… to Eagle Scout). Only two of those astronauts earned the rank of Eagle and they are Astronaut Charlie Duke and Astronaut Neil Armstrong.

STEM Speaker Series

Needless to say, we were delighted to host Astronaut Duke in STEM Speaker Series. This webinar series was designed by the NCAC STEM Committee in spring 2020 as a way to encourage youth to learn about STEM careers during the pandemic. We invite STEM professionals to present about their career and education, and to then answer questions live from the youth.

This special edition featuring Astronaut Duke was even broadcast across National BSA’s channels! You can rewatch the talk here, and check out the NCAC STEM Facebook page for future STEM Speaker Series.

 

Brian Hoffer’s Den from Pack 129 tuned in for the chat, and even submit a few questions for Astronaut Duke! This wasn’t their first interaction with the incredible world of space exploration. These cubs earned a Nova Award, “Out of this World” during the past year.

Nova Awards

Each Nova Award generally follows a format that encourages a myriad of activities: read/watch an hour on the topic, do some hands-on activities in the subject area, visit a museum/laboratory, talk to an expert, discuss what you learned.

The requirements of the Out of this World Nova Award included a field trip. Thus, for requirement 4A, Brian had organized a field trip for his den to visit the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.  They were lucky to have visited pre-pandemic, but NASA offers some interactive virtual tours even now.

For another requirement, one of the webelos created this vibrant digital  art of a Mars base.

Congratulations to the following Webelos in Pack 129, in National Capital Area Council, for earning the Out of this World Nova Award:

Ben
Bastian
Xavi
Murphy
Sam
Max

Here’s the photo of them at the NASA Goddard Space Center eating Astronaut Ice Cream. All in all, what a cool way to learn about space, and have a capstone event!

University of Scouting Cub Welcome

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Welcome from the College of Cub Scouting. We’d like to explain a little bit about the nature and perspective of Cub College courses, because they are a little different than the supplemental training classes you might have taken at other training venues. Most such classes are presented from a mechanical perspective, in that its focus is to give you the immediate “how-to” practical knowledge necessary for running meaningful, successful, fun and exciting den and pack meetings and outings, while making the best and most efficient use of your time, talents, and energies.

The University of Scouting Cub College differs in that it has not a mechanical, but a philosophical perspective. To appreciate this philosophical perspective, think of the Cub College as akin to an experienced hiker taking periodic compass bearings in the woods. He might have all of the right gear in his pack, he might have acquired all of the knowledge needed to hike and camp in the woods, his walking techniques might be optimized to conserve energy, but none of that really matters if he is walking in the wrong direction.

In Cub College classes, we offer insight into the direction of your “travels” through the Cub Scout program. What are you as a Den Leader, a Cubmaster, or a Committee Member, trying to achieve in the Scouts in your charge? How can you understand your growing Scouts as they advance in rank, so you can meet their needs? How have others tailored their Cub programs to meet Scouting’s overall goals and objectives? How do you know when your program is succeeding, or when you need to adjust to make the Cub Scouting experience better and more meaningful? Answers to these questions – and many more – can be found here in the Cub College!

To view the full guide please visit https://bit.ly/uos2020

Cub Scout Fall Funstravaganza – Week 2: Fitness

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As promised last week – Here is the next installment of Cub Scout Fall Funstravaganza Adventure Guides. Each guide has some simple ideas, links, and trackers for the requirements for each Cub Adventure.

This weeks focus is FITNESS – The weather for our area looks decent now that the rain this morning blew through, so you can get your Scouts outside to enjoy nature, and get some fresh air.

Lions – Fun on the Run: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/6y156KgD5SwAGuaiBi8Y34Ne
Tigers – Games Tigers Play: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/6GZxGD4DjvDuquq3ZfLniZJk
Wolves – Running with the Pack: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/ccdCa2PwLq9iBQYR4ns6zxwB
Bears – Bear Claws (This is pocketknife safety, but is probably best practiced outside): https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/xk7ZyP1exzcjCLTzkKoG1ie2
Webelos: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/rJg5TcKPEDqmotZ28KjWwokH
Arrow of Lights (This focuses on the transition to the Troop, but seeks an outdoor event to attend, if able in your local area): https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/QcUKskaNmGUptzFqEb6jqbYG

There are still chances to catch Pow Wow webinars! Monday the 7th will be about Rechartering Made Simple. Register here: https://ncacbsa-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtc-2rpz4qH9KhyTMcFbxZ7OEyCfXyreUX

Stay tuned for more Cub Adventure guides to share with your leaders and families!

Cub-A-Day Program Week 6 (July 13th – July 18th)

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MONDAY

We are taking a flight for Make Something Monday!  Paper Airplanes are a fun way to learn about aerodynamics!!

Classic Paper Airplanes: https://cubscoutideas.com/5723/make-paper-airplane/
Round Paper Airplane: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/ring-wing-glider/

Our Wolf Scouts can complete Air of the Wolf and Motor Away requirements with this activity.  Any Scout Wolf to Arrow of Light may be able to use this as an experiment for a NOVA Award if you talk to a NOVA counselor.

Make it even more fun – Talk with a friend and see if they want to build a paper airplane too!!

TUESDAY

It’s Taste Something Tuesday!
You’ve probably used up your hiking snacks with all our Wander Around Wednesday excursions – so today – Let’s make trail mix or GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts).

Have each member of your family pick an ingredient (or two) and bag it up for travel treats!  You can find some ideas from this Boys Life article: https://boyslife.org/features/143982/35-tasty-trail-mix-ingredients/

WEDNESDAY

It’s Wander Around Wednesday!
We’ve searched for Animals, Plants, and Litter – Now we look for ROCKS!  Head out on a hike and see how many different types of rocks you can find, and try to identify them.  Keep a couple of smooth rocks for tomorrow!

Webelos and Arrow of Light – Make sure to get signed off for your Earth Rocks requirements!

Make sure your parent logs your hike on your Cub Family Summer Passport: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/AqAQD4gKhjdXw4m2AkDEbCWn

THURSDAY

It’s Do Something Thoughtful Thursday:

A Kindness Rock can brighten someone’s day, even if you’ve never met.  Use the rocks you saved from yesterday (or go find a couple of smooth ones) and paint a Kindness Rock or two.

Leave it somewhere that someone else will find it!

Kindness Rock How-To: https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/howto

FRIDAY

It’s Family Fun Friday:

Yoga can relieve stress and improve flexibility – Learn and practice a yoga pose with your family.  If you use a video yoga class, you can count that as activity time on your ScoutStrong tracker.

(If you’ve been keeping up with ScoutStrong – You are almost done with the award by now!!)

YouTube has a number of free yoga videos – Find one that you like to start practicing!

SATURDAY

It’s Safety Saturday…
We’ve worked each week on the Protect Yourself Preview Adventure – This week you should be able to finish up any requirements you have left and submit them to your leader.  https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/preview-adventures/protect-yourself-rules/

Completing an Adventure at Home is another requirement for the NCAC Scouting@Home 2020 Award! https://www.scoutingevent.com/082-scoutingathomeaward and the Cub Family Summer Passport: https://public.3.basecamp.com/p/AqAQD4gKhjdXw4m2AkDEbCWn

Also – The Protect Yourself Adventure can be used for CyberChip credit.

Cub Scout Conservation Project

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Don’t forget to visit Michael’s Woodshop during the

Scouting Skills day, you can register here.

Three Cub Scouts from Pack 1601, Powhatan District, who were attending summer camp at Camp William B. Snyder had the opportunity to visit Michael’s Woodshop. They used their open program time to perform a conservation project for Camp Snyder. Over the course of an hour, the Cub Scouts received a safety briefing and went to work drilling, sanding and hammering. Not only did they have the opportunity to build their skills, they also did a good turn for the camp. At the end of their session, they had each completed the assembly of a fine, hand-crafted wren house for placement on the camp property. Awesome job!

Are you looking for a great conservation project? Camp Snyder’s Conservation Plan calls for the construction and installation of dozens of bird houses around the property. Projects are available for all ages and skill levels; small and large, basic and complex. Bird houses not your thing? Camp Snyder has a long list of other volunteer service project opportunities around the property. You can attend a Volunteer Service Day or you come out individually, in small teams or in large groups. For more information about service projects, please contact Camp Snyder (Camp.Snyder@Scouting.Org).

Michael’s Woodshop is a safe, hands-on work space that was designed for use by Scouts of all ages to create and learn. Michael’s Woodshop may be reserved for Unit activities, District events, Eagle Scout projects and other Scouting activities. For information about shop capabilities, upcoming events, reserving the shop or to learn more about volunteering, please visit the Michael’s Woodshop page on the Camp Snyder website https://www.gotosnyder.org.

Attending Scouting Skills day on
September 14, 2019
11:00-4:00
Be sure and visit Michael’s Woodshop during the
Scouting Skills day.
If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so here.