As the girls arrived, they worked on the Unit Banner and were asked to think about who they would like to be in a Patrol with. We attempted to form a Horseshoe and then recited the Promise one line at a time to help everyone remember or learn it! Next we had an active game before starting our program.
Our evening's program consisted of 10 Challenges, based on a set of activities printed in the Ontario Newsletter for the Promise & Law Focus Years 1991-1993. We formed 3 temporary Patrols with a mixture of ages and each Patrol had to work together to complete the challenges. Patrols were allowed about 6 minutes for each activity, but could go back to activities they didn't finish if they completed an activity early. Everyone started with the same activity (Challenge #6) and afterwards were rotated through the challenges so each Patrol was doing something different.
Challenge #1 - Puzzle
Supplies: Wooden Puzzle
This challenge is all about teamwork and communication.
1. Dump out the puzzle pieces and divide them between your patrol members.
2. Each person may only touch their own puzzle pieces.
3. Work as a team to put the puzzle back together.
Challenge #2 - I (Heart) Guides
Supplies: Red or Pink Paper, Pens or Pencils
1. Each person in your patrol will need a piece of red paper and a pen or pencil.
2. Fold or tear your paper into the shape of a heart. (no scissors)
3. Write your name on one side and something you would like to do in Guides this year on the other.
Challenge #3 - Keeping the Promise & Law
Supplies: Paper, Markers, Sheet with Promise and Law written out
With your patrol make a list of at least 2 ways you can keep each part of the Promise and Law.
Challenge #4 - Promise Stick Craft
Supplies: Glue, Markers, Fat Popsicle Sticks, Supplies as listed belowPut pieces in order on the popsicle stick to represent the different parts of the Guide Promise.
I (large googly eye)
promise (Guide Sign)
to do my best. To be true (heart)
to myself (face with eyes and a smile)
my beliefs (piece of glitter foam or glitter glue)
and Canada (Canadian Flag)
I will take action for a better world (globe - blue form circle with green 'land')
And respect the Guiding Law (star sticker)
Challenge #5 - Law Tree
Supplies: Large drawing of a bare tree with 7 branches, each labelled with a Guide Law; 1 sheet of value/activity leaves for each patrol (different colours), Tape, Scissors
1. Cut out each of the value/activity leaves.
2. As a patrol decide which Guide Law each leaf is related to.
3. Stick the leaves onto the branches of the Guide Law Tree.
Challenge #6 - Your Own Artwork
Supplies: Paper, Pencils, Markers
Create your own piece of artwork (for example: a short story, poem, song, illustration) to finish one or more of the following sentences:
(a) SPARKS in pink are more than fluff...
(b) A BROWNIE smiles and sings and plays...
(c) A GUIDE is a girl who's always ready...
(d) PATHFINDERS serve and camp and hike...
(e) RANGERS know a lot...
(f) Helping in Guiding is the task of...
Challenge #7 - Trefoil Pictures
Supplies: Outline of a trefoil on paper for each girl, Pencils, Markers
Draw a picture inside the trefoil to finish each of the following sentences:
(a) A friend is someone who...
(b) Kindness is...
(c) Loyalty is...
(d) Trust is...
(e) Leadership is...
Challenge #8 - Engineering
Supplies: Newspaper, Tape
Using only newspaper and tape, build a bridge between two chairs placed two feet apart. See how much weight your bridge can support.
Challenge #9 - Knots
Supplies: Knotting Cord, Knot Instructions
1. Practice tying a reef knot.
2. When all the members of your patrol have learned the reef knot, try tying a piece of cord for each member of your patrol together into a circle using reef knots.
3. Too easy? Try learning one of the other knots pictured on the instruction sheet.
Challenge #10 - Leadership
Supplies: Qualities of a Good PL Poster, Sticky Notes
1. Think about the qualities and skills a good Patrol Leader has. Should she be organized? A good speaker? Have lots of badges? Be bossy? Be good at math?
2. Write the qualities and skills you think make a great Patrol Leader on the sticky notes and put them on the Qualities of a Good Patrol Leader Poster.
We gave Challenge #10 Leadership to each patrol early on in the meeting and stopped half way though to talk about patrols and the duties of Patrol leaders and to hold elections for our new Patrol Leaders. We also asked our new Guides to form into 3 groups and would later assign each group to a 2nd/3rd year pair of Guides as the Patrol Leader and Second.
At the end of the meeting the new patrols were announced and each patrol was allowed to choose their own emblem. Our new patrols are Pansy, Red Rose, and Trillium.
The meeting ended with reminders about Fall Frolic on Saturday and next week, and we closed with Taps.
