To: dannys@iis.ee.ethz.ch Subject: Warm Weather Patrol Activities From: jim.speirs@canrem.com (Jim Speirs) Date: Wed, 3 May 1995 06:20:00 -0400 Organization: CRS Online (Toronto, Ontario) Article #R119. ============== Warm Weather Patrol Activities Robb Baker The Leader, May 1989 Warmer months are now with us. What a grand opportunity to get patrols outside during meetings. The suggestions below are designed to give patrol leaders ideas to use with their patrols. Some of them may even stimulate patrol activity over summertime, when troops tend to be less active. Review conservation practices with the Scouts, perhaps by quoting the words of two admirable men; an unknown African Chief who said, "This land belongs to many people, some of whom are dead, some of whom are yet to be born"; and B.-P., who bid Scouts "try to leave this world a little better than you found it". The Longest Worm: Catch two earthworms and measure their length accurately to one millimetre. Time them for speed over a 20 cm course. Put them into a box of earth and time their rate of tunneling. Evening Walk: A pleasant evening walk in late spring or early summer can be fun if you set out to find as many signs of the season as you can. Nature's Paint Box: Provide each patrol member a piece of white card. Ask him to paint a recognizable picture on it using only improvised paint brushes and natural pigments (e.g. leaf juice, flower pollen, insect blood, berry juice, earth and water mixtures, etc.). Plaster casts: Supply plaster of paris, carboard, water and plasticine. Make casts of leaves or bird and animal footprints. If you need a little practice, first work inside with solid objects. Nature Hunt: Go for a hike over a pre-determined trail seeking nature specimens and evidence of wildlife. Collect evidence using a camera and tape recorder, without disturbing the samples. Look for: bird feathers; fur of wild animals (on branches, in bush, etc.); insects; leaves and leaf prints; birds nests; birds and their calls. Record your information in a notebook. Exhibit the photos you take on your hunt. Repeat the trip at another time of the year and compare findings. What you do in Scouts is important. The fact that you do it as a patrol is everything. Hikes and outings need a little planning, but are tops for patrol activities. Evening Hike: Take the patrol on a 4 to 6 km evening hike. Practise star recognition. If you're in the country, listen to the sounds around you. Arrange to have a hot drink on your return. Cycle Trip: Choose a topic from the list below for the patrol to investigate on a bike hike. Many areas have special features peculiar to them and worthy of investigation: bridges, crafts; industries; place names; gates; historical sites; tombstones; building names; rocks; signposts; crops. Cycle Treasure Hunt: Organize a Treasure Hunt by bike in which the patrol has to collect 12 objects such as hair from a horse, a stone weighing 55 g, a strawberry, a subway ticket, etc. Scouts Pace: Scouts Pace is a method to cover quickly a long distance by foot without becoming overtired. You alternately run 20 paces and walk 20 paces. Practise with the patrol until you can cover quite long distances by this method. Adventure Afternoon: Go biking or hiking with your patrol to find adventure. Bikes enable you to cover a wider area, but a hike can be just as adventurous. Some ideas: visit an airfield (gliding); explore an abandoned building; explore caves and creeks; go beachcombing; follow coastal paths; go fishing; plan a mystery hike; etc. Bike Repairs: Use an old bike for this. Remove the mudguards, front tire, inner tube, wheels, handlebars, saddle, and pedals. Provide a punctured inner tube. Have the patrol repair the puncture and clean and re-assemble the bike. Supply a repair kit, tools, and a bowl of water. When you go out for adventures with the patrol, apply an element of mapping to see what happens. Kick it off with a cross country beeline hike. Choose a moonlit night, pack a bit of food, and have a cup of chocolate at the end. If you have a nearby hilly area, try a contour hike. Select a contour line on a map and follow it for several kilometres with the least possible deviation. Next month, we'll offer a few more suggestions to set you thinking.