◆Activity 1: Set Up Tents (Requirement 4)

Assemble a tent with the help of all the Scouts. This can be done indoors if necessary for your meeting, but it would be better outside. Show them how to use a ground cloth properly. Demonstrate how the poles are assembled and attached to the tent. Show how to put the stakes in the ground and how to assemble and attach the rain fly.

NOTE TO DEN LEADER

While most tents are put together in a similar fashion, each one is a bit different. Be sure you practice before the meeting so you know how it’s done.

A ground cloth is a piece of plastic or a tarp and should not be larger than the tent. It is placed on the ground first and the tent sits on top of it. It should not stick out from underneath the tent as this will cause rain to collect between the tent and ground cloth.

Once the Scouts see how it all comes together, have two of them take down the tent, fold it up, and then assemble it again. Switch to a new team and continue until all of them have had a chance to assemble and take down a tent (it will be helpful to have more than one tent for this exercise). Remind them that a Scout is helpful, and they can take part in setting up and breaking down campsites now that they are older Cub Scouts.

Now proceed to the locations they chose for setting up a tent, and discuss campsite consideration based on what they selected (see Meeting 1 Resources for more information). It would be good to reinforce this discussion during the next campout, when you can point out some “unhelpful” elements at the site (rocks, drains, winds, etc.). If you are meeting indoors, you can use index cards to label mock elements around your meeting room for Scouts to consider.

◆Activity 2: Meal Planning (Optional)

The goal is to cook a SIMPLE meal with good, balanced food choices that will involve minimal cleanup. Items like packaged mac and cheese, beef stew, or other simple heat-and-eat choices will be fine. Be sure to plan a balanced meal by including fruits and vegetables and a healthy drink to round out the menu.

• Decide which meal the den will cook—lunch or dinner.

• Be aware of any allergies in your group and adjust accordingly.

• With the den, decide who will buy and transport the food. Will you do it as a group? Will every Scout bring part of the meal?

◆Activity 3: Barometer Activity (Requirement 6)

• Distribute the homemade barometer parts. Show the Scouts how to assemble them as described in the Meeting 1 Resources.

• Then show Scouts how to take a barometer reading. Have them mark the current pressure level on the cardboard. Be prepared with the exact current barometric pressure from a newspaper or online source to give Scouts a starting point for their scale.

You can find the current barometric pressure reading in your area by visiting www.noaa.gov/. Enter your location under the forecast search, and it will provide the barometric pressure.

• Have Scouts place the barometers on a level surface indoors when they bring them home. Tell them to read their barometers each day, mark the current level on the cardboard, and record the reading on the chart in their handbooks; the point is to observe whether the barometric pressure is going up or down.

• They should also record the temperature—either from their own thermometers or by watching a TV weather report. If the weather report includes a barometric pressure reading, they should continue to record that as well and compare the exact readings to the movement of the straw.