Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Brownie Meeting 1: Girl Scout Introductions/Making Friends Skill Building Badge

Making Friends badge

Meeting at a Glance 

Goal: The girls will discover their special qualities and the qualities of their sister Brownies. They will also find the values within the Girl Scout Law. 
Toward the Award: Making Friends Skill Badge, Fair Play, Girl Scout Way and Snacks
Supplies: 
See Brownie Supply Schedule

Pre-Meeting (15 min)
  • Brownie Name Tags – set out the name tag patterns, scissors, crayons, and markers. Each girl should color and decorate a name tag pattern, cut it out and print her name on both sides of it. Girls should cut out the finished name tag, punch a hole in the top and tie a piece of yarn (4”) through the hole, and pin the name tag on with a safety pin (use longer yarn for a necklace). 

  •  Make sure you visit and talk with girls during the start-up activity so you will both feel more comfortable with each other. Encourage the girls to get to know each other. Most of the time you will only allow 5-7 minutes for the start-up activity; however, during the first meeting, if girls are communicating well, you may want to allow a little extra time. 

Snack Time (Snacks, Step #2) (10 min)


Bug-A-Boo brought the savory snack.  She made salami and cream cheese and ham and cream cheese rollups.


Opening (5 min)
  • Girl Scout Brownie Ring – The leader makes the QUIET SIGN by holding up her right hand, palm open. (If the girls don’t recognize the quiet sign, the leader will have to ask the girls to come to order). Have the girls hold hands to form a Brownie Ring. Explain that the Brownie Ring signals the beginning of the meeting. Explain Girl Scout Quiet Sign and how it is used in meetings and other gatherings to let people know it is time to stop talking. The sign is made by raising your right hand high. As people in the group see the quiet sign, they stop talking and also raise their hands. Once everyone is silent, the meeting continues. 
  • Show the girls the proper way to make the Girl Scout Sign. It is made by raising three fingers of the right hand. This sign stands for the three (3) parts of the Girl Scout Promise: to serve God and my country; to help people at all times; and to live by the Girl Scout Law. The leader should lead girls in the Girl Scout Promise by saying a line and letting girls repeat after her. In the weeks to come, girls can take turns leading the Girl Scout Promise. 
  • Flag Ceremony



-The Pledge Starter will hold the American Flag and be the caller for the Pledge.
-The Promise Starter will stand next to the Pledge Leader and hold the troop flag and be the caller of the Promise.



-The rest of the troop should stand together in a horseshoe shape 
-Pledge Starter stands at the open end of the horseshoe, facing the troop
-Pledge Starter says, “Girl Scouts, attention.” Everyone stands at attention 
-Pledge Starter says, “Girl Scouts, recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  I pledge allegiance…” 
-Promise Starter says, “Girl Scouts, recite the Girl Scout Promise.  On my honor…” 
-The flag is then posted or put away, and the Promise Starter says, “Girl Scouts, dismissed.” 
  • Everyone should sit down in the Brownie Ring. Explain that the Brownie Ring signals the beginning of the meeting. 
  • Gather in a circle and explain that they are now in a Girl Scout Brownie Ring. Explain that you will form a Brownie Ring to start your meetings so you can welcome new girls and visitors, greet each other with the Girl Scout handshake, recite the Girl Scout Promise and Law and sing songs. 
  • Introduce yourself to the girls and tell a little about yourself. Let each girl introduce herself. Ask each girl to tell you what grade she’s in and one of her favorite things to do. If girls are too shy to share information, prod them with gentle questions but do not force them. Some girls take longer to feel comfortable than others. After each girl introduces herself, direct the group to respond by saying, “Welcome to Girl Scout Brownies (Name).” 
  • After the introductions are completed, tell girls that you are going to play a game to help you remember everyone’s name. Explain “Jump In, Jump Out” and play several rounds. 

JUMP IN, JUMP OUT GAME 

- Ask the girls to think about what they would like to do as Girl Scout Brownies
- The girls will be in the Brownie Ring with one girl in the center. 
- All girls recite the following verse, while doing the actions: 
Jump in, jump out, turn yourself about 
Jump in, jump out, introduce yourself 
- The girl in the middle says: 
My name is __________! 
- Everyone else responds: 
Yeah! 
- The girl in the middle says: 
And I’d like to _________! (say one thing she’d like to do as a Brownie) 
- Everyone else responds: 
Yeah! 
Example:  “My name is Kelly, and I’d like to learn some Girl Scout songs.”

Adult Responsibility – As the girls say the things they’d like to do as Brownies, write them down; keep a list of all of their ideas, this could be used later for (Making Friends, Step #3). Use form. 




Business  (10 min)
  • While still in the Brownie Ring, take attendance and collect dues. Tell girls that this will be done at each troop meeting and ask if it’s something they think they can do. If so, tell them that next week they will begin to keep the troop attendance and dues records.
  • Let the girls know that the activities that they will be doing tonight, as well as their homework, will go toward completing 3 Legacy badges and 1 Skill Building badge.
  • Explain that after the opening at each meeting, you will have your business and planning time to share ideas, make decisions, and talk as a group.  Introduce the Quiet Sign (GGGS page 13) and practice several times. Explain the rules for the meeting site and ask if there are other rules your group should have (i.e., taking turns, being respectful, etc.). Write down the rules the girls agree to follow.
  • Demonstrate the Girl Scout Handshake. Girl Scouts greet each other shaking hands with their left hand while making the Girl Scout Sign with their right hand. 
  • Introduce the Kaper Chart 
    • Pledge Leader:  will hold the American Flag and call Troop to attention to begin the Pledge of Allegiance.
    • Promise Starter:  will hold the Troop Flag and call Troop to attention to begin the Girl Scout Promise.
    • Secretary:  will take attendance at each meeting
    • Treasurer:  will collect the dues at each meeting
    • Snack - Food:  will be responsible for providing a snack at our meeting as well as setting up the snack (ie. putting out plates, napkins, utensils)
    • Snack - Beverage:  will be responsible for providing a beverage at our meeting as well as setting up the beverage station (ie. putting out cups, pitchers, etc.)
    • Out Scout:  will rotate the Kaper Chart and present a Show-and-Tell item
    • Squeeze Starter:  will begin the hand squeeze in the Friendship Circle
    • Clean Up Crew:  Every Brownie of Troop 1168 is a member of the Clean Up Crew.  We all work together to leave our meeting place better than we found it.
    • Helper Elf:  will help out where ever she is needed and gets to bring a Show and Tell item.
  • Go over the rules of the meeting venue and talk about rules for our Troop Code of   Conduct.  Write Code of Conduct on the large flip notepad. 
Creating troop guidelines: 
Now is a good time to set up some basic troop guidelines with the girls. Remember to keep the guidelines simple for younger girls. Talk with the girls about how they would like to be treated by others, how they should treat the property and meeting place, the adults, etc.  

Talk to the girls about having disagreements with friends and make a list of words that make you fell good.  Practice using the worlds to say kind things.  (Making Friends, Step #4)

Use a large piece of newsprint to make a list of the guidelines that the girls suggest. Show the girls how these guidelines relate to the Girl Scout Law. 



Post the Troop Code of Conduct poster and Kaper Chart at every troop meeting. 

Activity/Exploration (50 min)
  • Play “Brownie Says” to get the wiggles out. (Fair Play, Step #1)
  • The girls are going to practice the Girl Scout Handshake with each other.  Have the girls open their GGGS to the My Girl Scouts section and find the “My Friends’ Autograph” page have them write in the Troop #(make sure they all get the Troop # correct!). 
  • Show the girls the proper way to introduce themselves.  Each girl should take the page, introduce herself to another girl in the troop, share a Girl Scout handshake, share something about themselves and have their new troop friend sign her page. (Making Friends Skill Badge, Step #1 & #5)
  • She should continue to introduce herself and shake hands with everyone in the troop, including the leader, until everyone has signed her page. 
  • Talk to the girls about food that is good for them.  Talk to them about what savory means and how we will be sharing Savory Snacks with each other over the next few months and talk about what a recipe is and how we will be exchanging recipes for the snack we bring. (Snacks, Step #1)
  • Show and explain each of the following items to the girls: 
o SNACK BOX: Show girls the snack box and explain that each week someone will take it home and bring the snack for the next meeting. Show the girls the note included in the box and tell them how their family will know how many snacks to provide.  Explain that they are responsible for cleaning any utensils that are used and returning them.

put this in a page protector and you can use a dry erase marker to change the date for each meeting



o BEVERAGE BOX: Show girls the beverage box and explain that each week someone will take it home and bring the beverage for the next meeting. Show the girls the note included in the box and tell them how their family will know how many snacks to provide.   Explain that they are responsible for cleaning any cups or pitchers that are used and returning them.

put this in a page protector and you can use a dry erase marker to change the date for each meeting

  • Take individual photos of each girl to use at a later time.  
Bug-A-Boo

Clean-up (10 min)
  • ALL girls participate in the clean-up time! Remind the girls of kapers and work together to leave the site better than you found it. 
  • The Out Scout should be rotating the names on the Kaper Chart to see who will bring the snack and beverage for the next meeting. 
  • Play the “On My Honor” song while cleaning up. (Girl Scout Way, Step #1)

Closing (5 min)
  • FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE – Use the Girl Scout Sign again to get the girls’ attention. Ask girls to gather around and form a circle. 
  • Let the girls know who will be bringing the snack next time and ask the girls to take the Snack Box home.  Remind girls to show their parent the note inside the snack box.
  • Give each girl the name of the girl she will make something nice for and tell her to bring it to the next meeting to give to her fellow Brownie. (Making Friends Skill Badge, Step #2 & #5)
  • Sing, “Goodbye, Brownies.”   If time sing the chorus and 1st verse of “On My Honor”. (Girl Scout Way, Step #1)
  • Tell the girls that they will be learning the Friendship Squeeze (The Friendship Squeeze can be used at any time, but it is a great way to signal the end of a meeting.) While standing in the circle, each person crosses her left arm over her right and clasps hands with her friends on both sides. Instruct girls that you will start the squeeze by making a silent wish and then squeezing the hand of the person to your right. That person will then make a silent wish and squeeze the next hand and so on until the squeeze returns to the starting point. 
  • When everyone is silent, the Squeeze Starter starts by squeezing the hand of the person to her left. One by one, moving clockwise, each girl passes on the squeeze until it travels all the way around the circle. (Tip: To ensure the squeeze makes it around the circle, have each girl point her toe into the circle when she receives the squeeze.) 
  • The leader then says “Troop #1168 dismissed” and everyone goes under their right arm to turn the circle out. “See you next time, girls!” 
  • Collect nametags and sign-out.

Games, Songs, and Meeting Helps 
Brownie Says 
This game is like “Simon Says” but the caller is “Brownie” instead of “Simon.” Also, in this version no one gets out by making a mistake but continues to play and have fun but learns from their mistakes by trying to follow the rules. This game can teach playing fair and respecting authority. 
1. The caller is “Brownie” 
2. When the caller says, “Brownie says to touch your toes” everyone touches their toes and stays in position until the next command. 
3. If the caller says, “Jump up and down three times,” but does not say “Brownie says” then girls should not move. Those that do are caught and stay in the game. 
4. Give the caller a few chances to stump the others and then switch callers. 


On My Honor (Pinterest/YouTube)
(CHORUS) Sung every 2 verses 

On my honor I will try, 
There’s a duty to be done and I say “aye.” 
There’s a reason here or a reason above 
My honor is to try and my duty is to love. 

People don’t need to know my name 
If I’ve done any harm then I’m to blame 
If I’ve helped another then I’ve helped me 
I’ve opened up my eyes so I can see. 

I’ve tucked away a song or two, 
When you’re feeling low there’s one for you 
If you need a friend, then I am come 
And there’s many more where I come from. 
(CHORUS) 

Come with me where the fire burns bright 
We can see even better by candle’s light 
We can find more meaning in a campfire’s glow 
Than we ever learned in a year or so. 

We’ve made a promise to always keep 
And we pray night falls before we sleep, 
We’ll be Girl Scouts together and when we’re gone, 
We’ll still be trying and singing this song. 


(CHORUS) 

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