September & October with the Pathfinders & Rangers

This year, our Pathfinder Unit will be almost completely girl-led as the Guider responsible for Pathfinders, is also the main Guider for the Guide Unit and the units will be meeting on the same night due to space and leadership constraints. This means that it may take us longer to complete activities, but will also mean that the girls will tackle all aspects of leadership!

Our Guiding Year started off with a Pizza and Planning night Friday, September 11th. Time was spent socializing and catching up as well as starting to make plans for the year.

The first regular meeting was held on Tuesday, September 15th where we made decoupage notebook covers. While crafting, the girls discussed roles and responsibilities within the unit, items needed for the 'Pathfinder Supply Box', and activities to focus on over the next few weeks. they also planned some night games for next week.

Our second meeting of September was spent at Seneca Park with the Guides where we started to work on the Finding Your Way Module and led night games. See more here -  caledoniaguiding.blogspot.ca/2015/09/geocaching-hike-night-games.html

We finished September with a Photo Scavenger Hunt around town.

October began with the International Day of the Girl where we made Wordles using our first names and learned about Women in STEM through a discussion and matching game. The Pathfinders joined the Guides at the end of the meeting to take part in our 'practical STEM' activity - making Armpit Fudge!

The next week, we had a Planning Meeting to determine activities up to the Christmas holidays, including a 'Pathfinder Day' to be held in November.

Movie Night was next and the girls settled in to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" to get themselves into a Hallowe'en-y mood. This was followed by a Hallowe'en party to finish off the month. At their party, the girls ate donuts off strings, played a Scent Kim's Game, had Hallowe'en-themed snacks, and did Mad Libs.

Halloween Party

We ended October with our annual Halloween costume party.

As the girls arrived, they had some time to work on their Collections & Hobbies posters before we had our usual opening followed by an Active Game.

Our first activity was a Costume Show while everyone's costume was still intact. After showing off their outfits, each girl got to vote for their 3 favourites, who received a prize at the end of the meeting.

Our first game was Graveyard - played in the dark, where the girls have to keep moving as long as the lights are out, but freeze when they are turned back on.

We then did a Mad Libs puzzles as patrols - which were then read aloud to the group. This was followed by a Skeleton Relay Race (patrols had to gather all the pieces for their skeleton and then put it together in the right order).

Our craft for the evening was Day of the Dead Skulls. We learned a little bit about the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a Mexican public holiday that focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Our skulls were made from Styrofoam plates and decorated with markers. 

While the Guides were working on their skulls, pairs of girls challenged each other to eat a donut off a string. Our final activity was a group Mad Libs, with each Guide contributing at least 1 word.
On a sparkly orange October night, Charlotte and I decided to go trick-or-treating. Charlotte was dressed as a cucumber and I was dressed as a McDonalds. After walking 100 miles, we saw a spooky house in the distance. We exchanged looks and I exclaimed "Eek! What if there are cows in there or, even worse, bacons?" My friend let out a purple laugh. "Don't be a shoe! The worst thing that could be in there is a water bottle. Besides, we need to get more candy! It's almost 12.34am." We quickly jumped toward the door of the house, but before we could knock, a figure pulled the door open. "Hola!" said the figure. I was so scared that it felt like there were chocolates running around inside my butt! Then the door opened the rest of the way and I saw that the figure was actually a person dressed as a Grace! the house was not haunted at all. It was a Halloween party complete with butterflies and banana twins. The person at the door offered some delicious-looking bananas. My friend and I each took one, then waved goodbye and set off for home. What a crazy night!

We ended the meeting with treats (rice krispie pumpkins and chocolate covered worms), followed by Taps.

Endangered Species Badge

Tonight's meeting was devoted to earning the Endangered Species Badge.
As the girls arrived, they were given some time to work on their collections/hobbies posters from last week, then we started with our Horseshoe, the Promise, and an active game (Minion Tag) led by the Active Living Patrol for the week.

We started the meeting off with a discussion about the terms rare, endangered, extirpated and extinct, identifying different endangered species, why species become endangered and how Guides can help wildlife. The girls were able to share information they had learned at school, through their personal interests in different animals, and through Earth Rangers.

Rare - A species that is likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed. (i.e. Wood Bison, Grey Fox, Hooded Warbler, Wild Hyacinth, Hairy Prairie Clover)
Endangered - A species is so small that it is facing imminent extirpation or extinction. (i.e. Whooping Crane, Beluga Whale, Northern Spotted Owl, Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus, Pitcher's Thistle)
Extirpated - A species that is no longer found in the wild in Canada, but can still be found elsewhere. (i.e. Greater Prairie Chicken, Black Footed Ferret, Spring Blue Eyed Mary)
Extinct - A species that no longer exists. (i.e. Great Auk, Labrador Duck, Passenger Pigeon)

Why Plants & Animals May Become Endangered

• Destruction of habitats and/or food supplies - such as clear-cut logging, construction, dams
• Environmental contamination - such as pollution, chemicals, pesticide use, oil spills
• Overharvesting and excessive trade - such as overfishing, clear-cut logging
• Climate Change - climatic conditions make a species' habitat no longer suitable
• Disease
• Invasive Species

How Can You Help?

• Don't disturb animals or collect plants in the wild - it may increase their vulnerability to predators and interfere with their feeding and reproduction
• Use non-toxic products to eliminate pests in your garden - harmful pesticides can eventually affect other animals, including endangered species
• Create a wildlife habitat in your backyard, for example bird feeders, drip pools, nesting boxes, butterfly garden
• Read and learn how human actions can affect wildlife, and how people can help protect endangered species
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - consume less and buy from companies that are involved in protecting the environment 

Next we moved on to an Active Quiz (the corners of the room are labeled as A, B, C and D, and girls run to the corner they think is the right answer). This quiz is an updated version of one originally created by the Canadian Wildlife Service:
1. Why do Monarch Butterflies fly south for the winter?
     A. To go to Disney World; B. To escape the cold; C. Changing wind patterns
2. Which bird has been saved from extinction in Canada (so far)?
     A. Daffy Duck; B. The Passenger Pigeon; C. The Peregrine Falcon
3. In which province can the Vancouver Island Marmot be found?
     A. British Columbia; B. Vancouver Island; C. Alberta
4. What is the biggest threat to Canadian wildlife?
     A. Cars; B. Loss of habitat; C. Heavy metal music
5. How many species of wildlife are currently known to be at risk in Canada?
     A. 1,581; B. 37; C. 676
6. How many animals are left if a species is extinct?
     A. Less than 50 in the world; B. None in Canada; C. None at all
7. What is the Nooksack Dace?
     A. A Fish; B. A famous West Coast hiking trail; C. A river from the ice age
8. The Pitcher's Thistle is the official flower of:
     A. The Great Lakes; B. Major League baseball; C. Scotland
9. Why are wetlands important?
     A. Swimming and boating; B. Hydroelectricity; C. Their biodiversity
10. On which ocean is the Harlequin Duck still plentiful?
     A. Atlantic; B. Pacific; C. Arctic
11. What does extirpated mean?
     A. Gone from the Canadian wild; B. Upset; C. Found in Canada only in summer
12. Which of the following form part of an ecosystem?
     A. Animals; B. Plants; C. Rocks; D. All of the above

Afterwards we played the Habitat Game. In this game, we started out with a square of newspaper per girl. At a signal, the girls had to start moving around the room in the manner specified (i.e. skipping, hopping, walking backwards, like a monkey, like an elephant). When 'Stop' was called, the girls had to find a home on one of the habitats (squares of newspaper) with their whole hand or foot on the paper. Between each round, a square of newspaper was removed, until all of the girls were trying to find space on a single square. The game ended with a short discussion of how this represented animals becoming endangered through loss of habitat, and that without access to adequate food, water, and space, animals cannot survive.

Next, using the resources provided (posters, maps and books), each girl made a poster about an endangered species that interested them. We shared the posters with each other and located the home of each species on a world map.

The meeting ended with reminders for next week and Taps.

Collecting Badge

For our second meeting in October, we started working on the Collecting Badge - we will be finishing the badge with a 'Collections & Hobbies Show' at Enrolment in November.

As the girls arrived, they divided into their Patrols to complete their jobs for the evening. We opened with the Horseshoe, followed by a game led by the Active Living Patrol for the evening - a game called Hotdog Tag.

We expanded the scope of the badge to include both collections and hobbies so that everyone could participate. To get everyone thinking about their collections/hobbies, we started with a game where everyone had a tag on their bag with someone else's collection/hobby. When they found the person whose collection was on their back, that person had to tell them something interesting about their collection/hobby. The girls then linked arms and continued until everyone was in a circle (actually, we wound up with 2 circles...)

Before moving on, we started out with a brief discussion about things to think about before starting a collection/hobby. The girls came up with some good ideas, including space, availability of items, and parental permission! We added the ideas from the program book - fun, affordability, space, and impact on the environment.

Our main activity of the evening was making collection/hobby posters. Each girl had paper to make a draft and then received a sheet of bristol board to make a poster sharing about her collection/hobby. These will be displayed at Enrolment, and the girls will be able to bring in items from their collection/hobby if they wish. For those in search of ideas about what to include, we came up with the following list:

• Title - what do you collect/what is your hobby?
• Why do you like it?
• How many items do you have?
• How long have you been collecting/doing your hobby?
• What makes your collection/hobby special?
• What is the most interesting thing you've learned/done with your collection/hobby?
• What is your favourite item in your collection/event in your hobby?
• Do any of your friends or family members have the same collection/hobby?
• Pictures & Drawings!

Towards the end of the evening, we had everyone clean up and then had a discussion about how collecting can help others. The girls shared about items they had collected in aid of others - i.e. books, food, clothing - we did have to dig a bit to get the girls to think beyond money, but once we did the results were worthwhile. We also surveyed the girls to find out who had taken part in a park, playground or community clean-up to cover another clause of the badge.

The meeting was closed with reminders for next week and Taps.

International Day of the Girl 2015

October started off with the annual celebration of the International Day of the Girl (October 11th).

As the girls arrived, they were asked to write down jobs or careers they would like to have when they grow up and each Patrol made a list of activity ideas for our Halloween party. We then had our usual opening and the 'Active Living'* Patrol led a game of Wax Museum.

We talked a bit about what the International Day of the Girl represents and why it is important, then moved into our first IDG activity - making Wordles. Each girl wrote her name on a piece of paper and then added words starting with each letter that described themselves. The results were colourful and interesting to read. Below is a Guiding Wordle I made online at tagxedo.com using words from this blog!

Our next activity was a game of charades using the careers and jobs the girls had written down at the beginning of the meeting - along with a few additions by the Guiders of non-traditional jobs (i.e. firefighter, scientist, engineer, computer programmer). We then had a discussion about STEM and why the girls enjoyed Math and Science or why they didn't like them, followed by a memory game using cards with information about Canadian women who excelled in non-traditional fields.

For our final activity of the evening, we did a practical science activity to show the girls that STEM can be fun. We made, as requested by a number of girls, armpit fudge! The fudge is made via a chemical reaction using heat to combine the ingredients. The recipe we used was:
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
2 tsp Cream Cheese
2 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Put all of the ingredients into a Ziplock Bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. Smoosh all of the ingredients together until they are blended and the mixture is coming away from the bag (it will be more like thick frosting than fudge). Use the heat from your hands, or armpit, to help mix the ingredients.

We ended the meeting with reminders about next week and Taps.

*In our unit, the Patrols are assigned a job at each meeting. This year we have three Patrols, so the jobs are Active Living (plan and lead an active game, have a second game ready if needed), Ceremonies (lead the Promise and Taps, plan songs for campfire), and Be Prepared (help get out and put away supplies, sweep floor, hand out supplies, any other job requested by the Guiders). Everyone is still expected to help with clean up!

Fall Frolic 2015 - STEM

On Saturday, October 3rd 6 Guides and 2 Guiders attended Fall Frolic 2015 at Camp Teka in Paris along with about 250 other Sparks, Brownies, Guides and their Guiders. Despite the cold, windy weather we had a great time and the rain held off until the final activity of the day and didn't become heavy until shortly before the parents arrived to pick up the girls.

After opening and flag raising, we headed to our first station - Compass Games. The girls learned about the 8 main points of the compass and played a number of different games. They started off with a game where if they had the item that was called out (i.e. blue eyes, a brother, like pizza) they had to run to a given point. Next they had a choice of different games. The ones chosen were Foxlease Ball, where the girls form a tight circle and have to move a ball from North to South (or any other set of directions) using only their feet. If the ball goes outside of their circle, they have to return to their starting point. Another game was to make as many words as possible using the letters in the word COMPASS, and the last game was compass drawings.

Our second stop was a craft. We talked about DNA and what it does, and then each girl made a beaded double helix of her own.

After a snack and a drink, we headed onto our third session - Wide Games. Here the girls were challenged to gather the supplies necessary to recreate a molecule to save the world! Lots of teamwork was needed in order to put gain all the items and put the molecule together correctly.

After lunch, we moved onto a Games session where the girls took part in a relay race to complete various challenges and earn puzzle pieces. Once they had gathered all the puzzle pieces, they had to work as a team to put it together.

Our next stop was the Music session, where we sang Tall Trees, McDonald's, My Name is Flo, and played the Norwegian Number game - linking each song to a part of STEM. The girls also made up a STEM yell.

We ended the day with the Science session where the girls completed experiments in Chemistry and Physics. The Chemistry activity was chemical reactions, and the girls used baking soda and vinegar to power film canister rockets. This was hugely popular and the girls tried many times to see who's rocket would go the highest. The Physics activity was on centripetal force, which the girls tested by swinging yogurt containers about 1/4 full of water around on strings - and seeing for themselves that the container could be upside down, but the water stayed inside!

The day ended with a brief closing where we sang Make New Friends and Daylight Taps. We then walked back to the High School for pickup and the girls played on the play structure while we waited for parents to arrive.