Webelos / AOL Campout

[5thGenTexan]

This weekend we are having a campout just for our Webelos / AOL Scouts.  

Our Unit has our own meeting place which makes life easier in many many ways.  We are holding the campout there.  

The Scouts, this weekend, will be practicing the Patrol Method.  They have planned their menus, generated a shopping list, and will be preparing and cooking all their meals.

There will be Scouts there from the Troop as well.

ALL Scouts will get an opportunity to raise and lower the Flag as part of a color guard.  They will work on fire building again.  They will work on knots again,  We are going to review all the requirements in Scouting Adventure.  Scouts are supposed to have an activity ready to lead on their own. 

1. Show that you are an active leader by planning an activity for your den without your den leader’s help. Ask your den leader for approval first.

 

Im very excited. 

[MattR]

Sounds like great fun. Well done.

And your own meeting place where you can camp! Nice combination. My first troop had their own land with a cabin. I never thought much of it as a scout but now that sounds wonderful.

Sounds like there's a reason you're growing. Thanks for the good news.

[AMRC18]

Excellent. Hands on scout craft in the outdoors is the best thing for your scouts. It's the camps they'll remember the most!

Edited November 13, 2021 by AMRC18

[DuctTape]

Sounds awesome. I am not familiar with cubs and webelos requirements, so it is awesome to see that one. Sad that it doesn't continue as ever increasing requirements for upper ranks. One would think that a first class scout should have done this and more. I suppose it is implied as a result of serving as a PL or such, but sadly this is not necessarily true.

Edited November 13, 2021 by DuctTape

[Ojoman]

My sons pack had a father and son Webelo/AOL trip from Pittsburgh to Gettysburg each year, late spring. This was for the graduating 4th graders since the 5th grade cubs were already crossed to the troop. The troop supported the event usually with equipment and with a leader and older scout or scouts. Today it would be a parent cub event. It was great for the AOL's to be presented with the trail medals that they had earned at the June Pack Meeting. All the younger cubs envied them and I expect that helped keep kids in the pack as they set their sights on earning that award too. It was an important trip to not only start the process of preparing the AOL den to crossover to the troop but also for the parents to understand that there was a place for them in the troop too. 

[RangerEagle]

Planning an AOL campout for March. The boys wanted to do another campout together before crossing over.

Will be in the mountains of southern California, so a chance of being cool to cold.

Planning on having the boys plan/cook the meals. We will do a hike, probably 5-6 miles, minimal elevation change with lunch on the trail. Flag retirement ceremony. Of course they will do fire building!

 

Looking for additional items to add into the weekend. Want it to be fun, outdoor educational, but also be a capstone for AOL and Cub Scouts. Will use it to review outdoor skills we've learned over the years and ensure our scouts who joined late are caught up for crossing over.

I like the color guard idea. We won't have a flag pole, but can certainly do a flag ceremony in the morning and night.

Moon looks to be just past new, so maybe astronomy. I just don't own a telescope. Maybe having them use a star map and teach celestial navigation?

During the hike, maybe have a nature scavenger hunt? I took my then 7 and 9 year old hiking on this same trail once and .5 miles into it they started complaining. Had them start counting the number of animals they saw and their complaints were non-existent. Figure it would be good to keep them mentally occupied while also engaged in the hike. Will probably need to add a prize in to get the boys to participate in it!

Our last pack campout we did a faith service. Maybe 10 minutes, but had the boys lead most of it. Had a call to worship, sang God Bless America, a thanksgiving prayer, the "message" was a scout reciting the scout law with a three to five sentence explanation for each point, and a benediction. Anyone do a faith service?

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

2 hours ago, RangerEagle said:

Planning an AOL campout for March. The boys wanted to do another campout together before crossing over.

Will be in the mountains of southern California, so a chance of being cool to cold.

Planning on having the boys plan/cook the meals. We will do a hike, probably 5-6 miles, minimal elevation change with lunch on the trail. Flag retirement ceremony. Of course they will do fire building!

 

Looking for additional items to add into the weekend. Want it to be fun, outdoor educational, but also be a capstone for AOL and Cub Scouts. Will use it to review outdoor skills we've learned over the years and ensure our scouts who joined late are caught up for crossing over.

I like the color guard idea. We won't have a flag pole, but can certainly do a flag ceremony in the morning and night.

Moon looks to be just past new, so maybe astronomy. I just don't own a telescope. Maybe having them use a star map and teach celestial navigation?

During the hike, maybe have a nature scavenger hunt? I took my then 7 and 9 year old hiking on this same trail once and .5 miles into it they started complaining. Had them start counting the number of animals they saw and their complaints were non-existent. Figure it would be good to keep them mentally occupied while also engaged in the hike. Will probably need to add a prize in to get the boys to participate in it!

Our last pack campout we did a faith service. Maybe 10 minutes, but had the boys lead most of it. Had a call to worship, sang God Bless America, a thanksgiving prayer, the "message" was a scout reciting the scout law with a three to five sentence explanation for each point, and a benediction. Anyone do a faith service?

 

All great ideas...

- You do not need a flag pole.  You can make own.  Pretty easy with some staves, rope and stakes.  Check out the Scout handbook Woods Tools Section for round lashings.  Lacking staves, you can throw a rope over a tree branch to raise a flag.  (My preferred method.)  Just need a long rope and a flag for that one...

- For your astronomy, recommend you invest in a modest pair of binoculars (instead of a telescope) and/or a green laser.  I use the laser all the time with Scouts to point out stars.  Be careful not to use when aircraft are in the area you are pointing.  (Flashing aircraft with a laser is a felony!  https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/protecting-aircraft-from-lasers )  In March, you might be able to catch Orion.  Pretty cool and easily recognizable constellation and has the red giant Betelgeuse  (pronounced Beetlejuice).  The color of the star is very noticeable to young eyes.  Old farts might need the binoculars for better acuity.  You can project forward in time with Heavens Above interactive sky chart to get an idea of what you might see.  https://www.heavens-above.com/skychart2.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT

Then, you can also download and use some good apps on your phone for real time sky chart.

- Webelos are allowed to use bowsaws!  You could incorporate some sawing.  https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-685.pdf

- We always plan for a faith service on camping trips.  "Scout's Own"  The challenge to our PLC is that they have not met the Gold Standard unless they have a flag ceremony and a worship service.

- How about some Leave No Trace principles??  Lots of stuff to do there...

Edited February 2, 2023 by InquisitiveScouter
added FBI link

[yknot]

5 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

.

- For your astronomy, recommend you invest in a modest pair of binoculars (instead of a telescope) and/or a green laser.  I use the laser all the time with Scouts to point out stars.  Be careful not to use when aircraft are in the area you are pointing.  (Flashing aircraft with a laser is a felony!  https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/protecting-aircraft-from-lasers )  

 

 

Bring the binoculars, leave the laser pointers at home. Just fyi, as per below, lasers can be disruptive to bird species, especially during migration months when many migrate at night, and are not allowed in many parks.  Using lasers at night is not in alignment with leave no trace principals.  

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/gear.htm

Also, regulations regarding possession, safe usage, etc., can vary by state and even municipality. Some shore communities have completely banned their use. 

[InquisitiveScouter]

1 minute ago, yknot said:

 

Bring the binoculars, leave the laser pointers at home. Just fyi, as per below, lasers can be disruptive to bird species, especially during migration months when many migrate at night, and are not allowed in many parks.  Using lasers at night is not in alignment with leave no trace principals.  

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/gear.htm

Also, regulations regarding possession, safe usage, etc., can vary by state and even municipality. Some shore communities have completely banned their use. 

LOL, that's for those inconsiderate people who point them at animals.

Certainly check the rules for wherever you are going.  And I recommend adults only handle the pointer.

[yknot]

7 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

LOL, that's for those inconsiderate people who point them at animals.

Certainly check the rules for wherever you are going.  And I recommend adults only handle the pointer.

We have an observatory in our state park and the astronomers don't use laser pointers for scout talks during spring and fall migration. Songbirds migrate at night. The beam doesn't have to be pointed at them to disorient them.

Edited February 2, 2023 by yknot

[InquisitiveScouter]

6 minutes ago, yknot said:

We have an observatory in our state park and the astronomers don't use laser pointers for scout talks during spring and fall migration. Songbirds migrate at night. The beam doesn't have to be pointed at them to disorient them.

Your house lights, and the lights in your neighborhood and city disorient migratory birds more than any laser you will use in the wild...

Physician, heal thyself...

https://www.birdconservancy.org/lights-out-for-birds/#:~:text=Light from big buildings%2C street,visibility of the night sky.

 

[qwazse]

12 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

LOL, that's for those inconsiderate people who point them at animals.

Certainly check the rules for wherever you are going.  And I recommend adults only handle the pointer.

 

5 minutes ago, yknot said:

We have an observatory in our state park and the astronomers don't use laser pointers for scout talks during spring and fall migration. Songbirds migrate at night. The beam doesn't have to be pointed at them to be disorient them.

It's a big country. So check with your location about laser pointers. Myself, I'm not a fan. But ... sticking with reference as one of the fundamental steps in teaching any skill ... bring that star chart. In daylight, use it to show the scouts what they should be able to find once it gets dark.

Have a light with a red or green gel (or diffuser for that laser) so you can read the chart without disturbing your eyes once in a field. If it's planets you're looking for, have everyone sit on an east-west line in your observation field facing south. (Which they should be able to do once they've found Polaris!) Or, get them on a tarp with their sleeping bags.

Regarding light pollution, challenge them to find signs of human activity on the horizon (or in air/satellite traffic overhead). Being able to identify the nearest town or factory on the horizon could be a life-saver in the future.

[InquisitiveScouter]

18 minutes ago, yknot said:

We have an observatory in our state park and the astronomers don't use laser pointers for scout talks during spring and fall migration. Songbirds migrate at night. The beam doesn't have to be pointed at them to disorient them.

Citation required.

[yknot]

11 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Citation required.

Well, try Mr. Google. You can learn all about how lasers are used in bird dispersal. Or there are Audubon chapters in almost every state. Stop by and talk to someone sometime. We're supposed to be an outdoors conservation minded organization. I would think stuff like this wouldn't exactly be news. 

[qwazse]

13 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Citation required.

 

13 hours ago, yknot said:

Well, try Mr. Google. You can learn all about how lasers are used in bird dispersal. Or there are Audubon chapters in almost every state. …

First pass:

• A number of Audubon sites were recommending the use of higher powered lasers for dispersal. (Better than shotguns, I guess.) None were discouraging the use of pointers.
• I can’t find a Leave No Trace guideline regarding lasers of any kind, let alone pointers.
• Pilots don’t like them, but typically they are referring to higher powered lasers. Not pointers.
• I can’t find peer reviewed articles on the subject of lasers and migratory bird harm. I suspect that if a dead snot rocket by a stack of rocks could get accepted in the literature, a flock of laser pointer addled migratory birds would as well.

You know, it’s okay to make an argument by simply saying, “I don’t like them, nor does the ranger in my favorite park, nor the club I’m in. Maybe others feel the same way.” And in polite conversation, it’s okay to reply, “I’ll give my gal/guy a call and find out what he thinks.”

I didn’t like the drones at the 2019 jamboree, and scouts laughed at me as I cringed in terror. Along with the infantrymen on either side of the Dnipro, we are asking who’s laughing now? But, I’m not about to lecture the guy hovering his drone outside a wilderness recreation area who’s just trying to get a decent photo with one.

Edited February 3, 2023 by qwazse