Cub Scout Day Camp "science" Theme

[SeattlePioneer]

Our Council has just announced that they are going to have a science theme for Day Camp next year.

 

 

Personally,  that seems like a poor idea to me.

 

 

Scouting is about the Scout Oath, Scout Law,  hiking,  camping and the good character needed to do hiking and camping,  in my opinion.

 

Science only an incidental theme.

 

 

Personally,  I have good hiking and camping skills and experience,  and years of experience making the Scout Oath, Scout Law, hiking and camping activities work for Cub Scout and Boy Scouts.  Most of the gear and equipment packs and the council have focus on those areas.

 

 

Now I understand STEM is the latest fad --- but that a poor reason for adopting it as a theme in my opinion.   Having a quality science theme means that you need science trained and experienced people to design and make such a program work,  in my opinion.  Just having a series of parlor tricks at a camp doesn't make a science program,  in my opinion.

 

Frankly,  I was getting tuned up to design a quality Cub Scout Day Camp program next year as Program Director.  Now I'm thinking it's best for me to opt out of the program,  since a science theme requires a person with different skills,  in my opinion.

 

WHY is Scouting following the latest fads?!  We should be concentrating on what we do well,  in my opinion.

[CubDaycampDirector]

Well, you can do science-y stuff and tie it into scouting.    There were tons of belt loops/pins tied to science stuff, that you could tie into summer camp.

 

Weather

Astronomy.  Paper rocket launchers are cheap to make and can be reused every year. 

Wildlife conservation
 

Animals are always fun to do---if you have it in the budget, get the local zoo to do a "class".   (example here:  http://jacksonvillezoo.org/zoooutreach )

Or maybe find a trapper.  In our old pack, we had one come in every year---didn't cost much, and he'd bring in live animals, talk about tracking/conservation.   Or a reptile/bug guy.   Good for an afternoon, when everyone has to be inside due to bad weather (Florida thunderstorms pretty much every afternoon in June)


CSI stuff.  One year, we did a session where the boys got to fingerprint each other, and had to find out who stole the cookies from teh cookie jar by comparing fingerprints of the suspects, as well as the tire tracks from the "getaway" Hot Wheel. 
 

We've done egg drops, building a boat out of limited materials (to hold pennies, sail across the tub), made paper, Super soap bubbles (glycerin, dawn and water),  slime (glue, borax, food color), cork compasses, sundials, rubberband helicopters, catapults.... 

Talk to a couple of elementary or high school science teachers and see if you can get them to come work at camp, or at least pluck their brains.   We had a science teacher and I just gave him free reign for his science session.   He had the boys entranced by termites walking in circles on a paper plate.  


Just don't give up yet.  Take a few weeks, and see if you can get some things worked out, before you opt out. 



 

 

[SSScout]

Contact the local Military District and ask the Corps of Engineers to come out and work a station on  building things.  Our CSDC had them out, they did a pavilion for a  whole week, and cost us zero.  Ask NASA for help .  Call the local Jr, College,  they might have a Physics lab that likes going "Boom" for people.  Natural science:  Dept of Agriculture Extension Agent will help with soil conservation, erosion, plant genetics,  killer bugs, bees disappearing,,,,   Fishing can be very scientific.  Aviation was our theme some years back, we did fabulous things with that.   

And don't let them kid you, your camp is YOUR camp,  adapt it as the spirit leads you. One year, the Council announced our theme was "Wild and Wooly West"  We chewed on that a while, and decided to do the Lewis and Clark Expedition!  It was really popular!  (dare I say educational) Each day was another 500 miles toward the Pacific Ocean...     If you think "Science " is too broad a spectrum (!), adjust your theme....Do it all in Aviation, or Space Exploration.  Or Agricultural Science.  The local Extension Agent will love to help  .    The Scouty stuff will fit  easily,  you'll see. ...

 

""I study nuclear science, I love my classes
I got a crazy teacher who wears dark glasses
Things are going great, and they're only getting better
I'm doing all right, getting good grades
The future's so bright I gotta wear shades......"
 

Edited August 4, 2015 by SSScout

[sierracharliescouter]

I don't know how you do hiking, camping, etc. without science! Science is all around us, and so are opportunities to follow scout law.

 

- How do you make rope? (find a strong-fiber plant) (Thrifty!)

- Weather (Brave! Hike in the rain!)

- Human physiology (hydration, nutrition) (Clean!)

- Record of observations (Trustworthy!)

- Campfire fun (fire safety & Cheerful! Friendly!)

- Leave no trace (pollution; Obedient! Kind!)

- Helping others on the trail (Loyal! Helpful! Courteous!)

- Appreciate Nature (Reverent!)

 

There is a lot more to STEM than just building stuff.

[Momleader]

Paper airplane design time & test flights - stemy activity....kids at out flight camps had fun (cheap too paper reams on sale) nice for rainy day.

 

Conservation projects for older scouts - leave no trace principles can apply here - natural science.

 

Building bat boxes

 

It can be integrated into a good camp - my boys went to a Phineas & Ferb theme CS Residence week and had a ball! Roll with it and gave fun!

[SeattlePioneer]

<<Paper airplane design time & test flights - stemy activity....kids at out flight camps had fun (cheap too paper reams on sale) nice for rainy day.>>

 

 

 

In my view,  science is more than parlor tricks.

 

 

 

<<

I don't know how you do hiking, camping, etc. without science! Science is all around us, and so are opportunities to follow scout law.

 

- How do you make rope? (find a strong-fiber plant) (Thrifty!)

- Weather (Brave! Hike in the rain!)

- Human physiology (hydration, nutrition) (Clean!)

- Record of observations (Trustworthy!)

>>

 

 

 

For a quality program,  my view is that you need people with expert credentials to design the program and probably to run it.

 

 

As an example,  we did tent racing at our Cub Scout Day Camp this year.  I had several identical tents,  and each of three dens competed in setting up a tent.

 

Next dens competed in a relay race of transporting water from a "lake"  (bucket) to a bucket at their tent sight.

 

 

Finally,  all three dens cooperated in setting up a tarp shelter using poles, rope and tent pegs.

 

 

So boys had the experience of setting up a Boy Scout style camp in a few minutes,  and then breaking down that camp.

 

 

I had the materials to do that and the experience to design the activity.

 

 

 

Now,  all that is mostly just "science" of one kind or another,  but is a scientist with no camping experience likely to put together such an activity?  Will they have the materials available to conduct such an activity?

 

 

 

It seems to me that if you want a quality science theme,  you should have a person with genuine science expertise designing the program.

 

But BSA isn't a science program  ---it's an outdoor program that uses outdoor methods to illustrate why certain character elements are adaptive.

 

Why try to change BSA into a science program?   BSA is currently chasing the "STEM" fashion,  which I think is a mistake.

 

 

Anyway,  I don't think I'm the right person to design a science themed program.  Find someone who is.

 

 

[blw2]

I would agree, if it doesn't interest you

or what I read is that it actually is worse, it aggravates you...

I would say good on you for stepping aside!

 

When I was running meetings, and I could have been wrong in approach on this, but I tended to try and think first and foremost 

What will be fun for the boys?

and of course making sure that it was appropriate....

 

I didn't always care if it was exactly aligned with scouting's outdoor method, although that would be the goal....

 

I figured we picked up the scouting themes of the months and other "key" or "prime" lessons scattered through along the journey, so if a meeting every now and then was was solely just about good clean fun, then great!  If the boys have fun, they'll want to come back!

 

And while I also disagree with the focus on the STEM "fad"

I do recognize that some of those science parlor tricks can be pretty cool for a boy!

[SeattlePioneer]

<<

I do recognize that some of those science parlor tricks can be pretty cool for a boy!>>

 

 

 That's true,  but I don't believe in building a program around parlor tricks.

 

Another Den Leader in my pack and I shared the Day Camp Program, Director position.  He's an engineer by training,  and a real estate agent by occupation.  He eats up the science stuff,  and he'd probably be far better at implementing this kind of theme than I would be. 

 

But he tends to do stuff that's too complicated for the boys to understand and do.  That can be a weakness of mine,  too.  And it's especially difficult when you have Wolf, Bear and Webelos scouts doing pretty much the same program.   If you aim you activities at Webelos boys,  the Wolves are likely to have a lot of difficulty with it.

 

[mattman578]

HM as long as the kids get to blow something up I am for it