Girls Count!

This week we worked on the Girls Count Challenge! To earn this challenge, girls need to take part in activities about Currency Awareness, Purchasing Power, and Money Management. All the activities we used can be found in the Guide and Pathfinder Challenge packs (see the link at the bottom).

The Guides finished part of the Learn How to Plan section of the program while learning about different forms of payment, spending habits and money management. The Pathfinders completed the Moneywise module and learned about borrowing, global currencies, and how to budget for camp!

As the girls arrived, the Guides worked with their Patrols to complete a quiz about payment and banking terminology (adapted from the "Word Scramble Relay" activity) and create a skit about one spending type. The Pathfinders and Rangers talked about earning and spending money, then created skits about borrowing and what to do when you don't have enough money for something you want.

We had our usual opening, quickly took up the Guide Quiz and then moved onto the skits. The Guide skits used the descriptions of different types of spenders ("What Kind of Spender Are You?" activity) - Hey Big Spender (a girl who loves to spend her money as soon as she earns it), Future Planner (a girl who balances saving and spending) and Money Avoider (a girl who doesn't care about money and lets her parents take care of everything). The Pathfinder skits were both scenarios where a girl didn't have enough money for something she wanted ("How Much Can I Borrow? How Much Can I Buy?" activity). In Skit #1 the girl babysits but gets paid on Mondays and wants to buy a new top before her friend's party on Friday - the girls resolved this by having the girl rake leaves and do other odd jobs to earn some extra money. In Skit #2 the girl walks a neighbour's dog when he has to work late, but she never knows how often she will walk the dog and needs $25 more to buy the running shoes she wants - the solution was to borrow the $25 from her parents and pay them back as she earns money dog walking.

After our skits, the groups separated with the Guides staying in the main hall and the Pathfinders and Rangers heading upstairs.

GUIDES
The Guides started off with a relay game adapted from the "Playing With Payments" activity. Each Patrol was give 6 labeled cards - Credit Card, Debit Card, Gift Card, Cheque, Cash, and Interac e-Transfer. They Patrols lined up at one end of the room and the Guiders stood at the other end and read out the scenarios one at a time. When a scenario was read out, the Patrols had to decide what methods of payment they could use and send a runner to the Guiders with the appropriate cards.

We then moved on to the "Money-opoly" game and played it with a few modifications. Each girl was given a plate with 50 beads to represent money. They had to decide how they wanted to divide their $50 between Spend, Save and Share. Once this was done, we explained that Share funds could only be used to make donations and that Save funds could only be used once all of their Spend funds were gone. Two plates with extra beads were placed in the middle. We had the girls sit in their Patrol and as each card was read out, one Patrol had to follow the instructions. We pre-stacked the deck of cards to ensure that each Patrol had a variety of expenses, earnings, donations and free activities. We also spent time throughout the game reassuring the girls that it was OK if they had to use funds from their Save pile. The discussion after the game was good and the girls left with a much better understanding of how money works - and that although it would be great to put all of our money into Save and/or Share, life costs money so we always need something in the Spend pile!

As we still had a bit of time, we had the girls work in Patrols to create a business. They had to come up with a name, decide on their product or service, determine how much they would charge, and design some advertising for their new business.

PATHFINDERS/RANGERS
The Pathfinders and Rangers found out about some of the different types of currency used around the world - and some World Guiding trivia with the "World Currency Trivia" game. We printed out the World Region maps with the pictures of different currency in colour for reference. The game is played like Jeopardy, with teams taking turns choosing the category and question value. Scores are recorded on a separate sheet.

The second activity was "Budgeting For Camp" which was a great eye-opener about the costs of going to camp, and also the challenges we have as a small Unit. The whole group worked together to make budgets for a winter camp and a spring camp. We did have to explain to the girls that the costs are based on averages and some of our costs are very different, including the cost of renting a building or campsite and transportation. The challenge pack provides options for the girls to choose from and a budgeting sheet to do their calculations. Categories are:

• Where will they go? (Facility Rental)
• How will they get there? (Transportation)
• What will they eat? (Food)
• What will they do there? (Equipment, Crafts)
• What other supplies will they need? (Gear, First Aid Supplies, Crests)

The girls gained a much better understanding of the costs associated with their activities and why things cost what they do!

We all came back together at the end of evening and closed with reminders for next week and Taps.

Links

• Girls Count Challenge Program (Girl Guides of Canada) - external link

Fun With Fashion

This week we delved into the badge box and came out with a large number of Fashion badges. Wanting to use up some of our supply, we adapted the badge requirements and had an evening of 'Fun With Fashion'!

As the Guides arrived, they were asked to design a new Guide Uniform for 2060 (our 150th birthday!). There were some very unique designs - as well as some that look very much like our current uniform.


We held our usual opening and one of the Guides led an active game. The Guides were introduced to our theme and the planned activities and shared what they have done with outgrown clothing (given to siblings or relatives, passed on to neighbours, donated, or sold at mom-to-mom sales, etc.).

Our next activity was to watch a presentation on traditional and ceremonial clothing around the world and then try putting on a sari. We then divided up into Patrols, where the girls designed their own fashions using newspapers and masking tape. Each Patrol had to dress one or two of their members and we then had a runway walk where the designs were modeled and explained by their designers!


The remainder of the meeting was spent designing and making Fascinators. Each girl was given a headband and we provided fun foam, felt, ribbon, flowers, tulle, pipe cleaners, pompoms and feathers for them to work with (a great way to use up those miscellaneous supplies in the cupboard!). There were some really creative designs!

Downloads:

• Traditional and Ceremonial Clothing Around the World 

Teamwork & Active Games

As some of the girls have been having difficulty working in small groups, we decided to spend the evening practicing our teamwork skills along with some active games!

As the girls arrived, the Patrol Leaders took attendance and collected dues. We started with a Horseshoe and the Guide Promise, followed by a game called "Germinator Tag" led by one of the Guides.

Our three Patrols then moved through four activities that challenged them to work together as a team.

(1) Trust Walk - Guides work in partners. One girl is blindfolded and her partner has to direct her around the room and different obstacles. The partner giving directions can only use her voice!

(2) Tarp Games - In the first tarp activity, the Patrol stands on the tarp then gets off and folds it half. They keep repeating this activity, making the tarp as small as they possibly can while still getting every one on it. In the second tarp activity, the Patrol stands on the tarp and then has to turn the tarp over without getting off.

(3) Pick Up and Carry -  The girls have to use an elastic band and some string to move and stack 6 cups in a pyramid.

We then tried two group teamwork activities. The first was a Beach Ball Pass. The girls lay on their backs in a circle and has to pass a beach ball around the circle using only their feet. The second activity was a game called Islands where there are islands (mats) spread around the playing area. Everyone moves around and at a signal has to find an island. Each round, an island is removed and the girls have to share until everyone is standing on a single island!

After spending several weeks playing Everybody's It Tag, we've decided that we need to teach the Guides some new active games!

Our first game was "Captain's Coming". To play, everyone starts in the middle of the playing area and practices the commands (see below). Once everyone has an idea of what to do, the game leader calls out commands and everyone follows them. The Guiders prefer to play this just as a fun game, but the majority of the Guides wanted to play it as an elimination game. For eliminations, it is the last person to reach a spot or perform an action (often it is too close to tell, so there isn't someone out after every command).

• Captain's Coming - everyone lines up, stands at attention and salutes
• Bow - players run to the front of the room
• Stern - players run to the back of the room
• Port - players run to the left side of the room (left when facing the front of the room) 
• Starboard - players run to the right side of the room (right when facing the front of the room)
• Man Overboard - players lie on their backs and 'swim'
• Submarines - players lie on their backs with one leg in the air like a periscope
• Man the Lifeboats - players find a partner and join hands
• Torpedoes - players lie on their stomachs with their hands clapped together above their heads

Our second game was suggested by one of the Guides - Blog Tag - however it seems there are a lot of different versions of this game! The one we settled on is that when 'It' tags someone, they link arms and keep adding people as more players are tagged. The blob has to stay together and if they break apart, they have stop and reform before catching anyone else.

Our final activity was to design Be Prepared Kits. Each Patrol had to choose a theme (we had Camping by two Patrols and a trip to Canada's Wonderland by the third) and then decide what would be in their kit. They also had to create a short skit or commercial to advertise their kit to the rest of the Unit. After clean up, we closed with reminders for next week and Taps.

Enrolment 2017

This week we enrolled our new Guides and Pathfinders, and also participated in our first Girls First activity as Testing Units.

For Girls First, we talked to the girls about how the new program is going to be structured, and then got their opinions on badge shapes for the Areas of Program and Theme badges. The new program will have 7 Areas of Program (AOPs) and each AOP will have 3-4 Themes - and all of these will have a badge! We also talked about interest badges, program badges and fun/challenge badges and surveyed the girls on the importance of each to the Guiding program. For more information on Girls First, please visit https://www.girlguides.ca/WEB/GGC/Girls_First/GGC/Girls_First/Girls_First.aspx

For enrolment, we reused a ceremony from a few years ago about the Keys of Guiding. The girls all stood in a horseshoe
with the Pathfinders and Rangers at one end and Guides forming the opposite side and bottom. We welcomed our guests, and then two Pathfinders came forward holding the 'door' (bristol board with coloured doors on it). Each Guide with a speaking part then came up, read her piece and stuck her key onto the doorway for her section of the program.

Girl #1 - The Guiding program has 6 key areas. Girls in all branches of the program have the opportunity to explore, experiment, and learn through activities based on these keys.

Girl #2 - I use my key to open the door to the Arts. As a Guide I can explore my creativity through drama, drawing, games, crafts, dance and music. (Purple)

Girl #3 - I use my key to open the door to STEM. As a Guide I can experiment with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. (Orange)

Girl #4 - I use my key to open the door to Camping and the Outdoors. As a Guide I can go on overnight adventures, take part in outdoor activities, and explore the natural environment. (Green)

Girl #5 - I use my key to open the door to Service and My Community. As a Guide I can give back to my community and make a difference in the world. (Red)

Girl #6 - I use my key to open the door to World Guiding. As a Guide I have 10 million sisters in 150 different countries and I can learn about cultures, the lives of girls, and Guiding around the world. (Blue)

Girl #7 - I use my key to open the door to Personal Growth. As a Guide I can practice skills I'll need in the future like communication, leadership, problem solving and teamwork.

Each Patrol was then called up and the Patrol Leaders presented the girls their new Guides and everyone said the Promise which each Patrol. After all the Guides were enrolled, we talked briefly about the challenges we have worked on so far (Sing Ontario Sing, #TeamGirl, and Girl Guides Go Galactic) and then presented Membership Pins and badges to each individual Guide. We had one Cookie All-Star reward to present from last year - a $125 Best Buy gift card for our 40-case seller!

The Pathfinders were then surprised with their own enrolment, and we welcomed 5 new Pathfinders into our group. The Pathfinders were also presented with Membership Pins, individual badges and challenges. With enrolments finished, we thanked our guests for coming and served cupcakes and lemonade to everyone.