Discovering Technology
Complete any six of the following requirements to earn this badge:
1. Just for Practice
use a software program to build or design something, or map something.
2. All Things Digital
Chips aren't just in cookies! They are in computers, clocks, coffee makers, cars, even toys. With your troop, group, friends, or family, divide into two teams. Each team creates a list of 20 things that have a computer chip in them. Swap lists. Each team then searches for the items. When you meet again, see who has found the most items.
3. Find the Inventions
There are lots of hobbies and activities you can do that use technology. Do the "Test Yourself: Find the Inventions" activity in the "Create and Invent" chapter of the Junior Girl Scout Handbook.
4. Outdoors Technology
Read the sports section of the "Be Healthy, Be Fit" chapter of your Junior Girl Scout Handbook. Find examples of the uses of technology outdoors and in sports activities.
5. Technology to Wear
Visit an artisan who makes useable or wearable art, such as jewelry, clothing, or pottery. Find out what technologies are used and how those technologies (specific tools, machinery, materials) have changed through history. Find out if the technologies have been adapted or improved upon by different cultures. Discuss the differences between a product made by an artisan and a product that is made by a machine.
6.The Inner Workings
Under the guidance of an adult, pick an item and learn how to put it together, take it apart, care for it, or make simple repairs to it. Some suggestions:
- Hook up and care for a computer and its various hardware attachments, including the printer.
- Hook up and care for a sound system, including the speakers.
- Take care of and change a battery in an eclectic toothbrush, a watch, clock, or kitchen appliance.
- Maintain a bicycle, including the tires, moving parts, and brake system.
7. Tools to Make Life Easier
With the help of an adult, compare the following items to their simpler counterparts. Which item is more useful? Which is easier to use? Discuss your findings with your group or peers.
- An electric screwdriver vs. a manual screwdriver
- An electric can opener vs. a manual can opener
- A flashlight vs. a candle
- A computer vs. a pencil
- A car vs. a horse and wagon
- Man-made fleece vs. wool
8. Recycling Technology
Where do garbage and recycled products go? How do you get rid of obsolete machines? Find out how things are recycled in your community by doing one of the following:
- Visit a recycling center or landfill facility and find out what materials are recycled and where they go.
- Pick a product, such as a toy, a piece of clothing, a personal computer, motor oil, or a car. Find out what the options re for recycling or disposing of this product in your community - other than a trip to the landfill. Find a way to encourage your family or community to recycle.
-Find at least 3 products made from recycled materials (You can check out catalogs, the Internet, or your local mall for ideas). Compare those products with products made from non-recycled materials in terms of price and usability.
9. The Future Is Here
Investigate a new or developing type of technology that looks exciting to you. Some examples: computer sensory recognition (voice, handwriting, or optical), distance learning nanotechnology, gene therapy, or robotics. What are the strengths of the technology? What are its drawbacks? How might you use it in your life? When will it be practical (in terms of cost, ease of use, and safety) or is it practical already? If possible, visit a technology fair, trade show, or showroom for a company that specializes in technology. Or visit a museum that focuses on technology, investigate products online, or in technology related magazines.
10. Then and Now
Discover how technology has changed the way things are done. Pick at least 3 careers and find out how technology is used in each of them. Has technology changed the jobs, or the way the jobs are performed? Share your findings with your troop or group by role playing, participating in a panel discussion, or hosting a discussion by people in those professions.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Badge of the Week - July 19th!
"Doing" Hobbies
Complete any six of the following requirements to earn this badge:
Handmade Especially for You
Use your hobby to make a gift for someone. If you sing, you can sing that person a song. If you read, you can read a story to that person.
The Right Fit
Ask yourself these questions about your hobby and discuss the answers with an adult family member or other adult.
- Is it fun?
- Can I afford it?
- Where will I do it?
- Can I do it alone or with others?
- Do I have time for it?
- Are there safety or environmental factors to consider?
Learning a "Doing" Hobby
Practice your hobby. Demonstrate or try to teach your hobby to others.
Hobbies in the Past
Learn something about the history of your hobby and about others who share your hobby.
Your Hobby: A Possible Career
Sometimes the skills you learn from your hobby are skills you will use in a future career. Find out about 3 kinds of careers that are related to your hobby. How are they different? How are they the same? Can you see yourself in one of them?
Do Your Hobby with Others
Participate in an activity with other people who also share your hobby. For example, sing with a musical group, hike with your troop/group members, play an instrument in a band, join a bird-watching club, or go to a garden or flower exhibit.
What in the World Are You "Doing"?
What do people do as a hobby in other countries? Choose a country other than the U.S. and find out about a hobby that's popular there. You can use the Internet or your local library to get information. Or ask someone who has lived in or traveled to that country to tell you what she/he knows about hobbies in that unit
. If possible, try the hobby yourself.
Give Back
Sometimes your hobby will allow you to do something for your community or the environment. For example, if your hobby is gardening, volunteer to help plant flowers at your local park. If you like to read, read out loud to a senior citizen who has trouble reading the small print of the newspaper. Find a way to "give back" to your community through your hobby.
Hobby Together
Find out about organizations and clubs that promote your hobby. If you have a hobby, there is probably a club for it. For example, there are clubs for sports (with members from beginners to experts), reading, knitting, and photography.
Find a New One
Many activities in your Junior Girl Scout Handbook would make great hobbies. Find an activity that interests you and find out more about it as a potential hobby,.
Complete any six of the following requirements to earn this badge:
Handmade Especially for You
Use your hobby to make a gift for someone. If you sing, you can sing that person a song. If you read, you can read a story to that person.
The Right Fit
Ask yourself these questions about your hobby and discuss the answers with an adult family member or other adult.
- Is it fun?
- Can I afford it?
- Where will I do it?
- Can I do it alone or with others?
- Do I have time for it?
- Are there safety or environmental factors to consider?
Learning a "Doing" Hobby
Practice your hobby. Demonstrate or try to teach your hobby to others.
Hobbies in the Past
Learn something about the history of your hobby and about others who share your hobby.
Your Hobby: A Possible Career
Sometimes the skills you learn from your hobby are skills you will use in a future career. Find out about 3 kinds of careers that are related to your hobby. How are they different? How are they the same? Can you see yourself in one of them?
Do Your Hobby with Others
Participate in an activity with other people who also share your hobby. For example, sing with a musical group, hike with your troop/group members, play an instrument in a band, join a bird-watching club, or go to a garden or flower exhibit.
What in the World Are You "Doing"?
What do people do as a hobby in other countries? Choose a country other than the U.S. and find out about a hobby that's popular there. You can use the Internet or your local library to get information. Or ask someone who has lived in or traveled to that country to tell you what she/he knows about hobbies in that unit
. If possible, try the hobby yourself.
Give Back
Sometimes your hobby will allow you to do something for your community or the environment. For example, if your hobby is gardening, volunteer to help plant flowers at your local park. If you like to read, read out loud to a senior citizen who has trouble reading the small print of the newspaper. Find a way to "give back" to your community through your hobby.
Hobby Together
Find out about organizations and clubs that promote your hobby. If you have a hobby, there is probably a club for it. For example, there are clubs for sports (with members from beginners to experts), reading, knitting, and photography.
Find a New One
Many activities in your Junior Girl Scout Handbook would make great hobbies. Find an activity that interests you and find out more about it as a potential hobby,.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Badge of the Week - July 12
Weather Watch
1. Weather Maps
Learn to read a weather map printed in a newspaper. Look for places where it’s raining, or places where it’s hot or cold. Predict the weather in your unit
using the maps and information given.
2. Visit a Weather Station
Visit a weather station, or interview a weather reporter or meteorologist about weather forecasting. Find out what kinds of equipment are used to watch and predict weather, why weather stations are useful, how the data about weather are interpreted, and how accurate weather predictions usually are.
3. Become a Cloud Watcher
Pay special attention to clouds for a week. Find out what kinds of clouds you are watching and what kinds of weather usually go with them. Then, make a cloud chart by drawing pictures or gluing magazine photos of cloud types on a piece of paper. Label each type of cloud (such as cirrus, cumulus, nimbus, and stratus) and use your chart to help predict the weather for a week. How accurate were you?
4. Build a Weather Instrument
Find directions for building an instrument that helps you predict the weather, such as an hygrometer (measures changes in humidity), a barometer (see Junior Girl Scout Badge Book), an anemometer (measures wind speed), or an alcohol thermometer (measures temperatures). Then build it.
5. Weather Smarts
Find out about weather-related emergencies that your community might face, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, or lightning storms. Create a family plan for each emergency situation that could occur in your unit
. Include an emergency number to call for local or state weather reports. Then do one thing that will help your family be better prepared for a weather emergency.
6. Weather Trends
What’s all the talk about global warming, La Niña, El Niño, and holes in the ozone? Find out more about one of these major weather trends. How is it affecting the climate and quality of life in your part of the world? What, if anything, can you or your community do to learn to live with the changes in weather cycles?
7. Weather Games
Make a game about weather. You can make a card or board game, a word game, or an active game. Share this with others.
8. Help Others Be Weather-Prepared
Help to run a weather-safety booth at a community event. You can make posters or distribute safety tips for weather emergencies common to your unit
. At your booth, include some hands-on learning for kids. OR
Help an older neighbor prepare a kit for use in a weather emergency.
9. Paper Spirals and Frontal Systems
How do you make a paper spiral spin without blowing on it? Cut a spiral out of paper using the pattern on page 219 of the Junior Girl Scout Badge Book. Put a small hole through the center using a large needle. Tie a knot in a 6- to 8-inch-long piece of string and thread it through the hole. *Hold the spiral very still above a lamp. Be patient and wait a few minutes. What does the spiral do? Do you know why? A front has come through. When two air masses of different temperatures meet, the boundary between them is called a front. The colder air sinks and the warmer air rises. This movement often causes rainy weather storms.
10. Make Your Own Weather
With the help of an adult, try making your own rain cloud.
What You Need:
· Very hot (but not boiling) water
· A large piece of plastic wrap
· Matches
· Ice cubes
· A clear liter plastic bottle cut down to be about 6 – 8 inches tall
What You Do:
1. Cut a piece of plastic wrap large enough to drape over the top of the bottle.
2. Put several pieces of ice on the plastic wrap and set it aside.
3. Fill the bottle 1/3 full with the hot water.
4. Light a match and throw it into the bottle.
5. Quickly place the plastic wrap with ice on top of the bottle.
6. Wait and watch to see a rain cloud appear.
What is the cloud that is formed? It isn’t smoke. It’s water droplets forming on the smoke particles. The water vapor rises from the hot water and when it gets to the cool air near the ice, the vapor cools and begins to sink, condensing into water droplets. This forms a cloud. Droplets that form on the underside of the plastic may become so heavy that they fall as rain.
1. Weather Maps
Learn to read a weather map printed in a newspaper. Look for places where it’s raining, or places where it’s hot or cold. Predict the weather in your unit
using the maps and information given.
2. Visit a Weather Station
Visit a weather station, or interview a weather reporter or meteorologist about weather forecasting. Find out what kinds of equipment are used to watch and predict weather, why weather stations are useful, how the data about weather are interpreted, and how accurate weather predictions usually are.
3. Become a Cloud Watcher
Pay special attention to clouds for a week. Find out what kinds of clouds you are watching and what kinds of weather usually go with them. Then, make a cloud chart by drawing pictures or gluing magazine photos of cloud types on a piece of paper. Label each type of cloud (such as cirrus, cumulus, nimbus, and stratus) and use your chart to help predict the weather for a week. How accurate were you?
4. Build a Weather Instrument
Find directions for building an instrument that helps you predict the weather, such as an hygrometer (measures changes in humidity), a barometer (see Junior Girl Scout Badge Book), an anemometer (measures wind speed), or an alcohol thermometer (measures temperatures). Then build it.
5. Weather Smarts
Find out about weather-related emergencies that your community might face, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, or lightning storms. Create a family plan for each emergency situation that could occur in your unit
. Include an emergency number to call for local or state weather reports. Then do one thing that will help your family be better prepared for a weather emergency.
6. Weather Trends
What’s all the talk about global warming, La Niña, El Niño, and holes in the ozone? Find out more about one of these major weather trends. How is it affecting the climate and quality of life in your part of the world? What, if anything, can you or your community do to learn to live with the changes in weather cycles?
7. Weather Games
Make a game about weather. You can make a card or board game, a word game, or an active game. Share this with others.
8. Help Others Be Weather-Prepared
Help to run a weather-safety booth at a community event. You can make posters or distribute safety tips for weather emergencies common to your unit
. At your booth, include some hands-on learning for kids. OR
Help an older neighbor prepare a kit for use in a weather emergency.
9. Paper Spirals and Frontal Systems
How do you make a paper spiral spin without blowing on it? Cut a spiral out of paper using the pattern on page 219 of the Junior Girl Scout Badge Book. Put a small hole through the center using a large needle. Tie a knot in a 6- to 8-inch-long piece of string and thread it through the hole. *Hold the spiral very still above a lamp. Be patient and wait a few minutes. What does the spiral do? Do you know why? A front has come through. When two air masses of different temperatures meet, the boundary between them is called a front. The colder air sinks and the warmer air rises. This movement often causes rainy weather storms.
10. Make Your Own Weather
With the help of an adult, try making your own rain cloud.
What You Need:
· Very hot (but not boiling) water
· A large piece of plastic wrap
· Matches
· Ice cubes
· A clear liter plastic bottle cut down to be about 6 – 8 inches tall
What You Do:
1. Cut a piece of plastic wrap large enough to drape over the top of the bottle.
2. Put several pieces of ice on the plastic wrap and set it aside.
3. Fill the bottle 1/3 full with the hot water.
4. Light a match and throw it into the bottle.
5. Quickly place the plastic wrap with ice on top of the bottle.
6. Wait and watch to see a rain cloud appear.
What is the cloud that is formed? It isn’t smoke. It’s water droplets forming on the smoke particles. The water vapor rises from the hot water and when it gets to the cool air near the ice, the vapor cools and begins to sink, condensing into water droplets. This forms a cloud. Droplets that form on the underside of the plastic may become so heavy that they fall as rain.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Badge of the Week - July 5th
Healthy Relationships
Complete any six of the following requirements to earn this badge:
1. Recipe for Friendship
What goes into making a good friend? Take the friendship quiz in the "Family and Friends" chapter of your Junior Girl Scout Handbook. Ask 3 people of different ages to take the quiz, too. Compare your results.
2. Story Mazes
Read the decision-making story maze in the "How to Stay Safe" chapter of your Junior Girl Scout Handbook. Try creating your own story maze.
3. Play the Friendship Game
Put the following questions (and others you come up with) on index cards. Each player takes a turn drawing a card and answering one of the questions.
- What qualities or characteristics do you like most about 2 o your friends? Don't say which friends, just the qualities.
- What do you expect from a friend?
- Have you ever had to make a difficult choice about a friend? What was it? Don't say which friends - just describe the choice you had to make.
- How do you know when you have a good friend?
4. Mum's the Word
Nonverbal communication can be as effective as the spoken word. Write the names of feelings - such as fear, shyness, or happiness - on pieces of paper. Have each person pick a piece of paper. Take turns communicating the feeling to the rest of the group without talking. Which feelings were easy to show? Which ones were harder? Why?
5. Fun and Games
Make a list of six fun things you can do with friends. Try to think of things that are inexpensive or free. Create your own puzzles, hikes, and challenges. Do one of these each week with friends.
6. The Power of Praise
Ask you adult family members about encouraging words they received from family members and friends while they were growing up. How did those words influence them? Make a point to say something encouraging to someone every day for a week.
7. It's a Date
Watch a movie or TV program or read a book that includes a teenage dating situation. How do the characters handle the relationship> Are there feelings of conflict or peer pressure? Talk with your friends about what each of you would do in similar situations.
8. Friendship Club
With your troop, friends or family, start a monthly friendship club. Each month, another member is responsible for leading a group activity.
9. Bridge the Gap
Come up with 3 ways to improve communication in families. Try one out in your family.
10. Be Your Own Role Model
Role-play the situations below so that you can develop positive response if they ever happen. Find out more about role-playing in "The Choice Is Yours'' badge.
- You've been at every practice on time and have tried really hard. However, on the day of the big game, the coach does not allow you to play.
- Your friend is always whispering and sending you notes in class. Instead of scolding her, the teacher sends you to the principal.
- Your friend's pencil point breaks during a math test, and she leans over and asks to borrow a pencil from you. Then the teacher accuses you of cheating!
Complete any six of the following requirements to earn this badge:
1. Recipe for Friendship
What goes into making a good friend? Take the friendship quiz in the "Family and Friends" chapter of your Junior Girl Scout Handbook. Ask 3 people of different ages to take the quiz, too. Compare your results.
2. Story Mazes
Read the decision-making story maze in the "How to Stay Safe" chapter of your Junior Girl Scout Handbook. Try creating your own story maze.
3. Play the Friendship Game
Put the following questions (and others you come up with) on index cards. Each player takes a turn drawing a card and answering one of the questions.
- What qualities or characteristics do you like most about 2 o your friends? Don't say which friends, just the qualities.
- What do you expect from a friend?
- Have you ever had to make a difficult choice about a friend? What was it? Don't say which friends - just describe the choice you had to make.
- How do you know when you have a good friend?
4. Mum's the Word
Nonverbal communication can be as effective as the spoken word. Write the names of feelings - such as fear, shyness, or happiness - on pieces of paper. Have each person pick a piece of paper. Take turns communicating the feeling to the rest of the group without talking. Which feelings were easy to show? Which ones were harder? Why?
5. Fun and Games
Make a list of six fun things you can do with friends. Try to think of things that are inexpensive or free. Create your own puzzles, hikes, and challenges. Do one of these each week with friends.
6. The Power of Praise
Ask you adult family members about encouraging words they received from family members and friends while they were growing up. How did those words influence them? Make a point to say something encouraging to someone every day for a week.
7. It's a Date
Watch a movie or TV program or read a book that includes a teenage dating situation. How do the characters handle the relationship> Are there feelings of conflict or peer pressure? Talk with your friends about what each of you would do in similar situations.
8. Friendship Club
With your troop, friends or family, start a monthly friendship club. Each month, another member is responsible for leading a group activity.
9. Bridge the Gap
Come up with 3 ways to improve communication in families. Try one out in your family.
10. Be Your Own Role Model
Role-play the situations below so that you can develop positive response if they ever happen. Find out more about role-playing in "The Choice Is Yours'' badge.
- You've been at every practice on time and have tried really hard. However, on the day of the big game, the coach does not allow you to play.
- Your friend is always whispering and sending you notes in class. Instead of scolding her, the teacher sends you to the principal.
- Your friend's pencil point breaks during a math test, and she leans over and asks to borrow a pencil from you. Then the teacher accuses you of cheating!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)