Cub Scout LNT class

[Pale Horse]

Anybody have any experience / materials to share regarding delivering a LNT class geared for Cub Scouts?  We're doing some cabin camping in a few weeks, and would like some backup activities/classes for if the weather is too bad to spend the whole time outside or for after it gets dark around the fire. 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Col. Flagg]

Anybody have any experience / materials to share regarding delivering a LNT class geared for Cub Scouts?  We're doing some cabin camping in a few weeks, and would like some backup activities/classes for if the weather is too bad to spend the whole time outside or for after it gets dark around the fire. 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

If you are out in the woods or in a park working with Cub Scouts, one fun game we played with them was trying to leave as little trace as possible. Whether eating, walking, etc., we challenged them to make as little mess, leave as little trace as possible. As you can imagine, the kids made it a game and really tried hard not to leave even footprints. NOTE: We had each Cub carry a plastic bag to put whatever they dropped or found in it. Get big gallon bags.

 

When we sat down with them and explained why we did this. Watching the park service video is fun to do as a group. If an older CS Den you could do the Tread Lightly or LNT youth course.

 

Outdoor Ethics Awareess Award detail is here. I think it is the same for CS and Boy Scouts.

Edited February 22, 2017 by Col. Flagg

[numbersnerd]

A good place for resources:  https://lnt.org/shop/educational-materials

[gumbymaster]

Setting up a "typical campsite" and asking the scouts to identify all of the failures to leave no trace (trash, even discarded food waste, dumped water erosion, disturbed grounds, poor fire ring, etc) makes it a little more visual for them; this is often done in conjunction with general instruction on how to set up a campsite, etc.

[Stosh]

One of the problems with LNT with Cub Scouts is the fact that the adults are accustomed to "just doing it" instead of doing it along with an opportunity to learn.

 

Oat meal in the morning?  Boy takes his packet, tears off the top and pours the oatmeal in his hot water.  The adult dramatically gasps and holds his chest while making a big scene.  The adult has the attention of all the boys!  He then points out that this poor Cub has made 2 pieces of garbage in stead of leaving the flap on so he only has to worry about one piece.  With a smile, the adult thanks the boys for pointing out this problem to the other boys.  This type of lesson can occur in a cabin, in a house or in a campsite.  Usually as a tag-a-long I always apply LNT to their homes as well.  Pick up after yourself!  Do you leave traces of you being there in the kitchen?  The bathroom? The living room?

 

A piece of bread falls on the ground during lunch and the boy doesn't retrieve it.  Again with the over-dramatic act. Warn the boys about all the animals that are going to attracted to it after dark.  Then look around to make sure no animals are already coming in.  Remind them to keep their flashlights handy!  Then carefully and dramatically retrieve the little piece of bread as if it is radioactive and slowly put it in the garbage.  Then with a loud whew, tell the boys how heroically you have again made them safe again.

 

A couple of outings like that and the boys will think you're a blithering idiot, but they will learn! and have fun doing it.

 

Resources?  We don't need no stinkin' resources, your boys are the best resource on the planet.  They are going to mess up and step into heroically teach the boys a LNT lesson.

[TAHAWK]

Inflating balloon as symbolic of the increasing population in the backcountry.   Have pin secretly handy.  

 

http://www.scouting.org/Home/BoyScouts/TeachingLeaveNoTrace.aspx

 

https://lnt.org/blog/5-tips-and-tricks-teaching-kids

 

https://lnt.org/teach/tools-and-activities-educators