PLEASE NOTE: Since the publication of this post, the Pathfinder Handbook has been published. You can learn more about it here in the announcement on the OSG website. One of the newest badges available for pathfinders to earn, is the Gardener Badge which is included in the new Pathfinder Handbook Pre-Release. The 17th Black Bears in Virginia participated in a...
Forms and Leader Guides / GSM Tips / Otters / Pathfinders / Rovering / Timberwolves
by Laura Sowdon · Published July 10, 2021 · Last modified April 1, 2022
Part of our mission in OSG is to create “Scouting for All.” In this quest, we not only scout with people of all races, religions, backgrounds, genders, and orientations, but also with scouts who are neurodiverse and experience a variety of physical and learning challenges. While some of those differences make no difference to the scout leader or the program,...
Learning how to identify trail signs is an important part of hiking safely. It is also one of the skills pathfinders need to know for their Tenderfoot badge. Need an easy way to show these to your group? You can download this presentation here in Google Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1MKuAlzI1esViVt4utbWcXyLXzEIifZydaiVM5a2xiCM/edit?usp=sharing
As we continue to meet over zoom, our group needed a lesson plan to work on some leadership skills and to do the second class first aid skills. This meeting outline could also work in person, just make appropriate adjustments to assign roles. As written, the plan requires 4 adults, but can be adapted. Leader 1: Okay pathfinders, today we...
Story time is part of many otter meetings. Kids just love stories, and picture books can help them relate to others, grasp new ideas and develop empathy for others and our natural world. Amazingly, you can even do a story time over zoom, if your group can’t meet in person. But if you aren’t a children’s librarian, how do you...
Learning about animals is a traditional part of scouting that our scouts have enjoyed. While you can actually visit domesticated animals and track some wild animals, not all are safe for that type of lesson. Our group has really enjoyed learning about bears and I recently came across this packet of pages that you can use with your group to...
With scouts still doing many meetings over zoom, what new ideas have you come up with? The 17th BlackBear pathfinders asked to make paracord bracelets. And as a scout led organization, the adults worked to help make that happen. Scout leader Richard Sowdon, created kits with buckles, and pre-fused paracord and mailed them to his pathfinders. Cord colors were in...
What do the Pathfinders at the 17th Black Bears think sounds fun? Pioneering and Medieval Warfare of course! So, scoutmaster Richard Sowdon has been working on creating kits for every scout to work on these important skills! As part of their distance scouting program this fall, the Pathfinder scouts of the 17th will be given kits and directions to create...
Finding our way into scouting this fall is challenging. The pandemic means that many groups aren’t able to return to “normal” with meetings and activities. What are some reasonable ideas? The 17th Black Bears has decided to do a 3 pronged approach. Those 3 prongs are on-line meetings, home projects and monthly in person, socially distant activities. Each one is...
Recently, I saw a neat way to do leaf rubbings with kids to make art, and though it would be great for our otters! First, you gather leaves of various shapes. If possible, you can ask scouts to learn what kind of tree or bush their leaves come from. However, that isn’t technically necessary. I find that casually mentioning, “Oh,...
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