Daisy Scout Meeting Two

Second Meeting

First week in October 90 minutes

Goal/ Badges Working on: This week we were working on both introducing the Journey and getting their Garden base Patch. Also, we worked on learning the Daisy Promise and the Promise Center. 

 

Our general method was to introduce a concept the girls were learning for a patch or petal in one session and having them work on it between sessions at home.  We would continue to cover the material at the beginning of the next session and then get the patch at the end of the second session.  We’d often have field trips that reinforced the concept too. 

So, yeah, we got through 10 petals, but the girls really got the concepts.  They aren’t learning building character if you do a quick craft and a game about fairness and give them a badge they don’t understand.

Gathering

Journey Books-

I had all the girls brand new books (nothing more exciting than a brand new book) laid out at the girls’ seats with their names on them and several sets of colored pencils My girls prefer colored pencils to crayons and markers it seems.  3-4 set of 12 colors worked perfectly for us.  Ask for donations at the beginning of the year or buy the store brand super cheep at back to school time.

We let the girls look at the books and color in pages 8 & 9, until everyone arrived.  They didn’t come close to finishing.  Let them know they can do it at home or next time. 

Page 8 and 9 of Garden Journey book finished

Opening Ceremony (about 15 minutes)

(Now that I know more about girl scouts I would call this an Investiture and would even give the girls a patch for this.)

Set up:

            I had all the girls’ freshly ironed vests hanging behind me

            A step stool in the middle of the room

            The girls were sitting to the side

            My husband with a camera in the front

            Parents had been invited to stay through this part.

Ceremony:

I called up the girls one by one by reading the name on the inside of their vest.  I highly recommend putting their initials on the tag.  They will wind up in a pile on the floor at some point.

After I helped the girls into their vest, they climbed onto the stool facing the audience.  I said… “I now present Daisy Scout _____.”  And everyone clapped. 

Repeat.

Very simple, but very cute.  The girls and parents loved it, without it getting so complicated that the girls lost interest.  The end is a great opportunity for a Troop picture.  The parents then left the meeting.

Daisy Circle (15 minutes total)

                       1.      “Here we go `round the Daisy Circle…”

Girls said their names and two things they like doing (Straight from page 9    of the Journey book).

                        2.      Reviewed the Daisy Scout Promise

At this point we read the promise then went through it slowly, asking questions about what honor and promise meant.  Then we talked about what country we were in and asked them to point to the place on their uniform that showed it (flag).  Then we discussed (briefly) helping each other and that we were going to do a project where we helped each other.  Then we briefly read the law

(Note on Discussions with Daisies: After 5 minutes things rapidly fall apart and after 10 they don’t hear a work you’re saying, especially after school.  I recommend getting them up and changing activities often to keep them focused and engaged.)

Daisy Promise Craft (15 minutes)

This is a craft I’ve seen all over the internet.  We did make it a little more hands on (no pun intended ugh) for the girls.  Instead of using pre-cut hand shapes as most do we had the girls trace and cut their own.  This was difficult for their age, but good for their fine motor and much more satisfying, even if they aren’t as perfect looking as the other version.

My "Sample" Project

My the 5 year-olds version of the Project, still up on the window.

Supplies:

1. Cream, tan and brown paper cut in half.  (I had to use cardstock because I couldn’t find flesh colored construction paper)

            2. Pencils (one every two girls)

            3. Glue sticks (one per girl)

            4. Girl Scout Promise, precut (at least one per girl)

            5. Construction Paper in various colors

            6.  Glitter pens, stickers and anything else to make it their own.

            7.  Kids scissors (one per girl)

Template used for the Promise in GS sign

            Steps:

           1.      Show the girls the finished product and how to make the Girl Scout sign with their hands. Have them practice it.

           2.      Divide girls into pairs and have them pick out two sheets of hand colored paper.

           3.      The girls need to “help” each other by tracing their partners hands

           4.      Each girl then cuts out their own hand print. You’ll see who has good fine motor skills real quick.  Some will be great and some awful, but resist the urge to do it for them.

           5.      Let them pick out a piece of construction paper as the background.  Hand out the promises and let them glue it on. 

           6.      Have them glue on the hands and make them into the Girl Scout Sign.  They may need help, especially if it’s really badly cut.

           7.      Have the girls write their name and decorate their paper.  This will give the faster girls something to do while the slower girls catch up.

BTW:  My OCD is not the kind of OCD where I need all the girls’ projects to be perfect.  Quite the opposite.  I strongly believe that all kids’ art project should be 100% their own.  Who wants an art project that looks like an adult did it?  Do you think that helps the kids’ self-esteem, creativity, independence…?  No I think a disastrous art project is so much cuter then the one done by their parent.  End of rant.   (Though just in case you were wondering I always make a sample for the girls to look at and, yes, that has to be perfect.  :)) 

Snack Story time (30 minutes)

1.      The girls gathered again on our parachute where we do circle time while one of us read the first Chapter in the Journey book, “Only Little Daisy Shining in the Sun,” pages 17-19.

2.      At the end of the very short first chapter the three Garden Girls, Cora, Campbell, and Chandra, lie down and fall asleep.  So we had the girls lie down and pretend to be asleep at the end.

3.      While their eyes were closed we delivered each one a drink box and a snack (Have the moms sign up and each take a turn to bring them). After “waking up” the girls ate their snacks while we read the second chapter, “A Smiling Bee and A Special Key.” Pages 23-30.  (A friend of ours said not to have a snack because it’s too distracting.  Quite the opposite; we found snack time is the only time they sit still.  Pass out the snacks then sit and read the books.  Unfortunately, the Journey books are no Dr. Seuss.  They aren’t super engaging or well written and lack any kind of conflict at all.)

4.      In this chapter the girls find a treasure box containing a letter and a key.  After the chapter was over we showed them a treasure box that was empty and told them they needed to “hunt for the treasure.”

The treasure box we used.  It usually holds my co-leaders hair stuff

5.      In the front yard, I had hidden zip lock bags each containing felt (paper or foam would have worked as well) 10 flowers cut from one of the petal colors.  10 bags total.

 Felt flowers we used.  At one point I had one for every color.  About the size of a quarter.

6.      Each girl was told to find one bag (we secretly scooped up the extra two).

7.      When they were done they were told to go to each girl and trade flowers until they each had one of each color (team building).

8.     We then had the girls put all the bags in the treasure chest and gave the box to one of the girls (not a leader’s daughter) and told them that we were going to hide it in the back yard.  (The girls ran like crazy people- you’ve never seen happier girls in your life).   They were shown an area with a lot of dried leaves and allowed to hide it any where they wanted.

9.      We then sat them in the grass and my co-leader read them Chapter 3, while I set up the mini-garden. (Can’t say they focused really well on this chapter.  It was probably too much, but don’t know where else I would have moved it and had it read either.) 

Mini Garden (10 minutes)

            I already mentioned that instead of lettuce and basil we decided to plant some easy-to-grow flowers from the story.  I also thought that having a mini-garden that stayed at my house would be great for my daughter, but not so much for the other girls.  It was a team project, after all.  So we put it in a clear plastic storage bin, 18” L x10” W x 6” H (it needs to be light enough to carry) with a clip top.  We had every family sign up for 2 week chunks where the girls took the garden home and cared for it themselves. 

I kept the garden home until it had some good sprouts and then every girl had a chance to take it home.  They were really excited about it.  You just need to tell the parents to keep the garden in a warm, sunny place and keep the soil moist, but not soaked (there is no drainage). 

We did have one family who seemed to forget about the garden around later January and it came back bone dry.  Everything died and I had to replant.  We told the girls the truth and we talked about why it died and what plants need.  They regrew and in May I planted the flowers in my back yard.  They are all very proud.

Supplies:

1. Clear plastic bin
2. Seed starting potting mix
3. Large plastic cup for scooping
4. Large spray bottle with water (so girls don’t over water.  This goes home with the garden).
5. Seeds 

Steps:

1. Girls sit in circle around the bin and take turns scooping potting soil into bin (I would pre-moisten this; we also warned moms they might me getting dirty).
2. After bin was full, girls take turns planting seeds.  Each was allowed only one hole.  They were told to stick their finger in to their knuckle then sprinkle in 2-3 seeds.
3. Girls went around one last time spraying from the spray bottle

Our Mini-garden in early March (second try).  Zinnias, Marigold and Daisies.

Closing Circle: Girls joined hands and sang Daisy song one last time before leaving.

Take Home:

Homework- to go over the Girl Scout Promise at home (in book, page 15)

Addendum:  As requested

"The Garden Girls"  From Right to Left: Cora, Campbell, and Chandra