Cadette Girl Scouts First Five Meetings A Step by Step Guide to Start

Cadette Girl Scouts First Five Meetings
A Step by Step Guide to Start Up Your Girl Scout Year
The first five meetings of the Girl Scout year set the stage for new Girl Scout Volunteers and new Girl Scout troops as they begin their Girl Scout
Journey! Meetings typically last 60-90 minutes in length, but depend on your troop or group. The following outlines are samples and should be
adapted to meet the needs of the girls, and may, in fact, be too basic for returning troops. Regardless, this guide can help you to incorporate the
three Girl Scout processes in the First Five Meetings and throughout the Girl Scout year:
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Girl Led: Help girls decide which Journeys or topics they are interested in. Help girls choose goals and activities using Cadette level troop
government models.
Cooperative Learning: Girls work together in teams or small groups to meet a goal or objective.
Learning by Doing: Assist girls to create or do something together. Assist girls in identifying resources for them to experience the joy of
doing it on their own!
The suggested outlines will help you begin the process of planning and…
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Give important information in a Parents / Guardian meeting
Help girls decide what they want their meetings to “look like” for their Girl Scout year
Assist girls in choosing their Cadette Journey and Badge Activity Set for the year
Help girls choose their troop government style and use leadership skills
Enable the girls to establish and enjoy Girl Scout traditions and ceremonies
Identify resources
Set the foundation for a year of fun and memories!
Resources: Check them out!
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Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
Cadette Journeys: aMAZE, Breathe, MEdia, and corresponding Adult Guides
It’s Your Journey: Customize It!
Your Local Overseas Committee training
Girl Scout University – NEW! Juliette’s List – compilation of resources and ideas for Girl Scout Volunteers
USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO)
USAGSO Shutterfly site (see also: Volunteer Essentials under the Adult Resources tab)
USAGSO annual volunteer conferences
Meeting 1: Get to Know You and Get to Know Girl Scouting
Date:
Time
Activity
Pre-Meeting
10 –
Gathering:
110
Welcome
minutes
Time:
Description
Location:
Supplies
Arrange for a Co-Leader, Committee Member or Older
Girl Scout to work with the Cadette Girl Scouts while
you meet with the Parent / Guardians in the
adult/guardian Meeting. Ensure proper ratio for the first
Cadette meeting, which should be 2 adults to every 25
Cadettes! (see Volunteer Essentials, page 9 for
additional details.) One volunteer could meet with the
girls if the Parent / Guardian meeting were held in a
multi-room location.
(Please note: Resources are highlighted
in bold in the Appendix following each
meeting outline.)
Welcome girls to Cadette Girl Scouting!
Get to know you activity: Each girl is given a sheet of
paper which she folds four times to create 16 squares.
This will be her bingo card. She should walk around
the room collecting signatures in each of the squares
until all are filled. If there are less than 16 people, use
leader names, and Girl Scout Terms such as
“discover, connect”, take action”, “Girl Scout Promise
and Law, LIA Award, Journey awards, etc.
Each girl writes her name on a slip of paper and puts it
into a box / basket. Write the Girl Scout words on
pieces of paper as well.
5-10
Opening:
minutes
After everyone has arrived, continue the game… Invite everyone to sit in a circle. Circles are a Girl
Scout tradition. The Girl Scout Circle is a special time
for Cadettes to talk about ideas, sing songs, plan, and
even play games.
Who will
lead
Prepare reusable nametags.
NOTE: Feel free to adapt and
/ or combine activities or
meetings described in this
outline to meet the needs of
the Cadettes!
Leader and
 Paper and pencil for each
Co-Leader
girl
 Each girl’s name written on a slip of paper for Bingo
game. Cut Girl Scout
Terms slips of paper if you
don’t have 16 girls!  Box or basket for slips of
paper with their names or
Girl Scout terms on it!
 Girl Scout Terms handout
NOTE: Returning Girl Scouts
may be independent enough
to work separately when the
Moms / Guardians meet
together if they know the
objectives. An adult may help
facilitate the girls.
Girl Scout Promise
Co-leader,
OC
Volunteer,
Or Older
Girl Scout
Ask: Why are circles a good idea? (Everyone is
equal; you can see everyone; everyone gets a turn; it is
open and welcoming, etc.)
Girls take turns pulling out slips of paper. When a
name is called, the girl introduces herself and tells her
favorite Girl Scout activity, memory, etc. If a term is
called, either a girl or leader can define the term.
All the girls cross off the name or term on their bingo
cards. The first person to get four in a row is the winner
and will be the discussion leader for the meeting.
Continue playing until all names have been called.
Identify where the restroom is located and reinforce the
Buddy System. It’s a good thing! Divide into two groups: Cadette Girl Scouts and Mom /
Guardian.
With Girls:
Ask girls to read Girl Scout Promise. Girl Scouts
across the United States and around the world say the
Girl Scout Promise. The Promise has three parts: On
my honor, I will try: 1) to serve God * and my country,
2) to help people at all times, and 3) to live by the Girl
Scout Law.
* When making the Girl Scout Promise, individuals may
make working appropriate to their own spiritual beliefs
for the word God.
Ask: What the sign represents. (3 Fingers represent
the 3 parts of the Promise)
Introduce the Quiet Sign, which is used by Girl Scouts
all over the world. When individuals see the hand
raised, they also raise their hand and the group
becomes quiet.
10-110
Business or
Ask: How does a quiet sign group agreement help in
group discussions?
With Parents / Guardians:

See your local Overseas
Leader
minutes Planning
While the girls explore the Girl Scout Promise and Sign
and what they want their Cadette year to look like, work
together to get the year going!
 Handout and collect forms (registration, health
history, permission slips)
 Discuss modes of communication – website, blog,
email, newsletter, Facebook, etc.
 Calendaring – decide how often to meet, schedule
meetings and confirm OC event dates
 Choose uniform (vest or tunic) Order uniform and
start-up insignia after the girls make their uniform
decision. Order Start-up Kit, or individual items
(vest or tunic, insignia tab, WAGGGS pin, Girl Scout
GS Pin, Troop Numbers, American Flag, Troop
Crest). Ask for adult volunteer to coordinate and
submit orders for Girl Scout uniforms, insignia,
books, etc. NOTE: Uniforms are not mandatory,
but do build unity and identity. The only required
part of the uniform it is a vest or sash for
ceremonies or when we represent Girl Scouting.
Girls should choose uniform components either
individually or as a troop.
 The Cadette uniform is important and simple: either
a sash or vest worn with a white shirt and khaki
pants, shorts or a skirt. The girls can wear any
white shirt and khakis. Cadette insignia is worn by
Cadette Girl Scouts around the world. Insignia
have a placement on the sash or vest as shown in
the handout. (Where to place insignia on the
Cadette uniform)
 Discuss and collect dues. See Volunteer
Essentials, “Managing Group Finances, pages 5659¸for details. Overseas Committees may have
guidelines for your locale as well.
(Review the Cadette program with parents / guardians.)
The Cadette program, or National Program Portfolio,
(How the National Program Portfolio Works) has two
parts: the National Leadership Journeys and the Girls
Guide to Girl Scouting handbook. Girl Scouting is
Committee for the
following three forms:
1. GS Registration Forms
2. Health History Forms
3. GS Permission Forms
 School Calendar
 National Program Portfolio:
 How the National
Program Portfolio
Works
 What Cadettes Do
Cadette Journeys:
1. aMAZE
2. Breathe
3. MEdia
Or if the books are
unavailable, use the 3
Cadette Journeys visual
 Journey Map
 Ladder of Leadership
 Where to place insignia
on Cadette uniform
designed to help girls become strong leaders and
explore new skills. What Cadettes Do shows these
resources used in the Cadette program. Take a look at
the Cadette Journey Map shows the program as a
Journey or adventure with many side trips. What side
trips do you see? ( badges, traditions, trips, USAGSO
awards, outdoor) The girls do an activity with their
Journey map next week.
There are 3 different Leadership Journeys for Junior
Girl Scouts:
1. It’s Your World, Change It! - aMAZE
2. It’s Your Planet –Love It! – Breathe
3. It’s Your Story – Tell It! – MEdia
Each is unique and has awards the girls can earn. The
Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting has fun information about
the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting, Girl Scout
traditions, bridging to Senior Girl Scouts and more! The
National Program Portfolio builds from Daisies, through
Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes to Seniors and
Ambassadors. (Ladder of Leadership) leading to the
Bronze, Silver and Gold, the highest awards in Girl
Scouting. Cadettes can learn and practice leadership
skills and earn the Silver Award!
With girls:
 Girls decide on communication – website, blog,
email, newsletter, Facebook, etc. Explain that they
need to cc parents / guardians to help them stay
informed and involved so they can support them!
 Girls plan their calendar – decide how often to
meet, schedule meetings and confirm OC event
dates. NOTE: Girls will be very busy with Middle
School, exams, etc. Plan to be flexible and
supportive, and encourage regular meetings as
much as possible to facilitate Girl Scouting as a part
of their middle school life. Encourage dove-tailing
events, for example a sleepover the night before an
OC morning event.
 Discuss uniform (vest or sash): Uniforms are not
mandatory, but do build unity and identity. The only
required part of the uniform it is a vest or sash for
110
Exploration
minutes
ceremonies or when we represent Girl Scouting.
Girls should choose uniform components either
individually or as a troop. Review uniform options
and insignia. (Where to Place Insignia on
Ambassador Uniform)
With Parents / Guardians:
Ask: What kind of women do you want the girls to
become? What do you want her to learn? What
dreams and ideas would you want her and her troop to
explore? Is there something special that you could
share?
Distribute Parent / Guardian Interest Survey. Girl
Scouting only works with the help of quality women role
models. No one knows the girls better than they do
and no one can provide a more valuable, strong
example than strong role models.
With Girls:
Ask: What do you want to do in Cadette Girl Scouts
this year? What do you want Girl Scouts to “look like”?
Introduce the “safe space” concept. This is their meeting. Discuss ways the meeting can be a safe
place for them.
Brainstorm ides using the “Think Big!” sheet and then
create a Group Agreement, using the handout, for the
troop. Remind the girls that this may change and
evolve over the year, so it is a framework from which to
work together. Girls decide what the “rules” are for their future meetings. (For example, respect each other
and our ideas, how they would like to be treated by
others, how they should treat the property and meeting
place, the adults in the troop, songs, opening / closing
ceremonies, activities, snack, dues, attendance, use of
cell phones, etc.)
Tell the girls to create their “Our Group Agreement”
following their brainstorming on the “Think Big!” sheet.
Ask girls: How do you want to communicate as a
For working with the parents:
 Parent Interest Survey
 Pens
For working with the girls:
 Think Big – 2 pages
 Our Group Agreement!
 Pens
 How to place insignia on
the Cadette uniform
Leader and
Co-leader /
OC
Volunteer or
Older Girl
Scout
troop? Email? Facebook or other social media?
Ask girls: What about your new Cadette uniform? It is
either a khaki vest or sash worn with a white shirt and
khaki shorts, pants or skirt. (Show the “How to place
insignia on the Cadette uniform”.) You can wear
any white shirt or khaki pants, shorts, etc.! Do you all
want to have the same vest / sash or decide individually
what you want your uniform to be? You decide what
you want and how you want to announce it to your
Parents / Guardians (so they can order it for you!)
With Parents and girls together:
It’s time to share! Get together in one, big Girl Scout
Circle. Invite girls to tell the Parents / Guardians their
Group Agreement and Big Ideas for the year, as well as
their uniform choice.
Then switch roles and have the adults share about their
hopes for their daughters this year, and how they can
contribute or help with the goals for the year.
10
Snack
minutes
10
Clean Up
minutes
10
Closing
minutes
Ask: How were your answers similar? What are the
things you most want to do in Girl Scouts this year?
Snack time. Bring a healthy snack. Please write any
allergies or diet considerations, or any additional
cultural or faith considerations on the Girl Scout Health
Form. I will share the information with everyone so
everyone will have a fun snack!
Ask: Do you want snacks to be a regular part of your
meetings? And if so, review their “Think Big!” snacks
sheet.
Ask: How do you want to decide who is to bring
snacks to the meetings? (Kaper chart, etc.)
Remember that Girl Scouts always leave a space better
than they found it.
Gather in a Friendship Circle (right arm over left arm
and hold neighbors’ hands). Let the girls know this is a long-standing tradition in Girl Scouting. Start the
squeeze (this is passed around the circle from one
person to the next).When you receive the Friendship
“Think Big!” snacks sheet.
Countdown clean-up
Make New Friends song
Squeeze, squeeze the hand of the girl next to you and
put your right foot in the circle.
Sing the “Make New Friends” song.
Ask the girl discussion leader to remind everyone of
any announcements (date of next meeting, who will
bring the snack, etc.)
Ask a girl or two to volunteer to plan the opening and
the closing for the next meeting, which might include an
Ice-Breaker or Get-Acquainted Game.
Cadette Bingo Girl Scout Terms and blank slips for girl’s names.
Silver Award
Choose how many and which ones to use!
Girl Scout Promise and Law
Summit Award
USA Girl Scouts Overseas Pin
My Promise, My Faith Award
Cadette Leadership in Action Award
Book Artist badge
Troop Crest
Night Owl badge
Breathe Journey Award
Digital Movie Maker badge
Discover, Connect, Take Action!
Think Big badge
Media Journey Award
aMAZE Journey Award
Cadette Membership Star
Think Big!
What do we want Girl Scouts to look like this year?
Brainstorm! Make your “dream list”!
(such as: respect each other and our ideas, how you would like to be treated by others, how we should treat the property
and meeting place, the adults in the troop, activities, songs, opening / closing ceremonies, activities, snack, dues,
attendance, use of cell phones, etc.)
Group Agreement!
After brainstorming, decide which “rules” do you want for the troop / meetings this year?
Make a list of your favorite snacks…
What about snacks for troop meetings this year?
Where to place insignia on the Cadette uniform
Cadette Vest
Cadette Sash
PARENT / GUARDIAN INTEREST SURVEY
Our troop/group family will serve as our best resource in developing meaningful program activities for our girls. Please share a little about your interests, hobbies, or
profession so that we may know a little about you!
Name:_
Phone #: ____________________
E-mail Address: ______________________________________
My job (past or present), business or profession would i nteres t girls to d is c ove r: ____________________________________________
I am affiliated with the following community groups::_________________________________________________
List other ways you could help:
Lend a yard, playroom
Provide
or kitchen for an occasional meeting
a place to store troop/group equipment
Other ways I would
like to help: ___________________________________________
Special Interests:
Cooking/Nutrition
Human Relations Skills
Woodworking
G.S. Core Leadership,
Architecture
Dental Health
Knitting/Crocheting
Women's Issues
Training, Experience
Arts & crafts
Dramatics
Literacy - helping
Other talents, hobbies,
G.S. Troop Camping
Astronomy
Drawing, Painting
others to read
or skills:
Certification
Audio Visual
Ecology
Mathematics
Auto Maintenance
Environmental Issues
Music
Certifications:
Other:
Bicycling
First Aid, Health &
Photography
Standard First Aid
Boating
Safety
Sciences
CPR for:
Bookkeeping
Games
Sculpting
__ Infant / Child
Camping
Gardening
Sewing
__ Community
Career Planning
Global Issues
Singing
__ Basic Life Support
Chemistry
Health & Fitness
Special Needs Issues
Lifeguard
Child Care
Hiking
Sports
Water Safety
Community Service
Homemaking
Storytelling
Instructor
Computers
Horseback Riding
Swimming
Licensed Driver
Archery Instructor
Other:
Other:
Other:
Song: Make New Friends
Make new friends but keep the old;
One is silver and the other gold.
A circle’s round, it has no end,
That’s how long I want to be your friend.
I have a hand, and you have another,
Put them together and we have each other
Across the miles, Across the sea,
Friends forever we shall always be.
Meeting 2: Getting started! Exploring the Cadette Journey Map
and the “aMaze” Journey.
Date:
Time
Activity
Pre-Meeting
Time:
Description
Location:
Supplies
Set our markers, pencils and Cadette Journey Map
photocopies OR set up computers with the interactive
maps ready to go.
(Please note: Resources are highlighted
in bold in the Appendix following each
meeting outline.)
Confirm with the Adult
Volunteer that the Girl Scout
Pins and uniforms order will
arrive in time for the fifth
meeting and the Investiture /
Rededication Ceremony!
5-10
Gathering:
minutes Welcome
Cadette Journey Map exploration. Invite girls to
explore the interactive maps online OR explore the
hardcopy maps together with a partner.
Girls should write down as many ideas for each
destination on the map to share with the group.
(Give the Girl Scout pins / picture of the pins to a helper
to show everyone.) This is the Girl Scout pin. There
are two styles, traditional and contemporary. Which
one do you like? Both have the trefoil shape.
5-10
Opening:
minutes
Ask: What do you think the three leaves of the trefoil
represent? (the 3 parts of the promise)
Discussion Leader starts the game, or if she doesn’t have one, suggest: “Wow! What a day I had!” Start game by finishing sentence and then toss the ball to a
girl to finish the sentence. Continue playing until
everyone has had a turn.
Invite girl partnerships to share their destination ideas
 Cadette Journey Map
 Paper and Pencils
If you have access to
computers and the internet,
have girls explore the
interactive Cadette Journey
map.
If not, make copies of the
Cadette Journey Map for
each pair of girls.
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Nametags
2 Girl Scout pins or
picture of them.

Beanbag, Ball, or Stuffed
Animal
Big Ideas paper from
previous meeting
Samples of the three
Cadette Journey books or
3 Cadette Journeys.
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Who will
lead
about the Journey map. Use their “Big Ideas” paper
from the previous meeting, circling ideas that are the
same / similar and write new ideas onto the paper.
10
Business or
minutes Planning
Explain the Cadette Journey can be anything they want
it to be, whichever “side trips” or destinations they want to include. There are 3 Cadette Journeys to choose
from:
1. It’s Your World, Change It! aMAZE
2. It’s Your Planet – Love It! Breathe
3. It’s Your Story – Tell It! MEdia
Girls will choose which Journey to use this year by
“sampling” an activity from each book for the next three meetings.
Cadette Girl Scouts have more choice in how to run
their meetings, called Troop Government. Cadettes
establish their own rules for the troop meeting. Divide
into four groups and have each group share the pro’s and con’s for each type in 10 minutes.
Ask: Now that you have learned about the different
types of Troop Government, which one do you want to
use for our troop? You can choose to change again if
needed too.
10
Exploration
minutes
Show Parts of a Meeting paper strips. Explain each
one. Ask girls to work together in a group to arrange
the strips in the order they want to for their troop
meetings. They can use all or some of the paper strips
and can change the order if needed in the future.
Activity from the Cadette aMAZE Journey…
If possible, ask Cadettes to form small groups of 2-4.
In a large group, or where the girls don’t know each
other, count off the girls so they get a chance to meet
each other and bypass the awkwardness of choosing
teams.
Invite the girls to introduce each other again (if needed)
by sharing their favorite thing to do in their free time.
Give each group a piece of paper and markers and
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Troop Government
handouts
Parts of a Meeting paper
strips and paper / poster
board to post them on for
future meetings.
Tape
Markers and paper
Maze Questions
Example of mazes (book,
printout, etc.)
aMAZE girls book or
picture of the book.
instruct them to create a maze – complex or simple.
Explain what a maze is and show an example to help
them get started.
Then ask each group to brainstorm ways in which their
lives are like a maze, using real life experiences. You
might say or post some thoughts like these:
 Who sits where at lunch time? Whom do you
count on? Where do you “meet them” in the maze?
 Ever have conflict with friends? Does that shift
your path?
 Ouch! Someone hurt your feelings. What next?
 Where do new friends come from?
 Do bullies affect you? Maybe you are
sometimes the bully?
 What do you do online?
 Who said what to whom?
 What will be going on for you over the next few
years? What new things might get added to
your maze?
 Who are the adults who help you through your
maze?
 How about friends? What do they do that helps?
Now invite the teams to enhance their mazes with
sketches, text bubbles, or doodles that show the
relationship issues they have to navigate in their lives.
Show both the challenges that occur in their maze and
the “resources” they use to overcome those challenges (support from those they trust). Perhaps they may want
to show the role of great friendships in the maze and
other “positives” that occur in their relationships. As the team finishes up, ask them to think of one
phrase or slogan (something short) that could fit on a
bumper sticker that completes the sentence, “Our lives are like a maze because…” Call the group back together and invite each team to
present their maze and some of the issues illustrated
on it. Ask each team to end their presentation by
adding their “bumper sticker” phrase to the poster board, forming a team poem as they go.
10
Snack
minutes
10
Clean Up
minutes
10
Closing
minutes
This is just one activity from the Cadette aMAZE
Journey. (Show the book or book cover) Next week
we will do a different activity from another Journey!
Discussion Leader calls for snack time (if the girls
decided to have snacks), and thank whoever brought it.
Ask: Do you want to sing a song? If they don’t know any songs, suggest “If I were not a Girl Scout”
Girl Scouts always leave a place better then they found
it! Let’s clean up so our meeting area looks better than it did before we came here!
Discussion leader starts the Friendship Circle and
Squeeze, and leads the reminders about the next
meeting. Ask for a volunteer to be the Discussion
Leader and bring a game about the Promise and the
Law for next week.
If I were not a Girl Scout
Girl Scout pin
Or
Traditional
Contemporary
Troop Government
Model
Type
Town Meeting
In a Town Meeting, the entire troop makes its decisions together. A Moderator is generally needed to lead group
discussions. Officers such as Secretary and Treasurer may be elected if the troop feels that there is a need. This
generally only works well in small groups but can work in large groups if the girls can stay on task.
Executive Board
The Executive Board consists of the "officers" of the troop. They generally include a President, Vice-President,
Secretary, and Treasurer. Job descriptions should be agreed upon as well as the duration of office. It is important,
especially at the beginning of self-government, that everyone has the opportunity to participate at some time throughout
the year. These "board" members meet on a regular basis to decide matters for the troop. Some method needs to be
devised for the troop members to give input to the Executive Board. This could be a simple suggestion box at a troop
meeting. This system tends to work well with smaller troops.
Patrol System
The Patrol System is the most versatile of the systems of government. The troop is divided into smaller units called
patrols. The ideal patrol size is about 5-8 girls. Each Patrol elects a Patrol Leader responsible for running their patrol
meetings. An Assistant Patrol Leader is also a good idea in the event that the Patrol Leader cannot make a meeting. All
troop business can be handled in these patrols. Attendance and dues can be recorded by the patrols. For any given
outing, chores may be divided up with each patrol responsible for its own task.
In order for the troop to run smoothly and as a group, Patrol Leaders should come together periodically (at least once a
month) to discuss troop issues and make group decisions. This is called the "Court of Honor". Each patrol gives their
input to the Patrol Leader who presents their viewpoint at the Court of Honor. Also included in the Court of Honor are
any other troop officers such as Secretary and Treasurer. The Patrol System can be very successful, but only if the girls
are given skills with which to succeed.
Court of Honor
Generally consisting of the Troop Officers and the Patrol Leaders, the Court of Honor meets on a regular basis to plan
troop activities. Monthly meetings can be used to plan events to occur the following month. A long meeting once or
twice a year can be used for long-term planning of troop events and planning the troop yearly calendar. If you have a
troop Moderator or President, this person generally presides over the Court of Honor meetings.
Task Force
Formed when girls want to pursue interests or activities that cannot be handled or enjoyed by the whole group.
May be used to investigate information on a particular question, plan and / or carry out parts of a troop project, carry out
routine or special tasks.
Troop Government
Parts of a Meeting
The Girl Scout Circle is just one element of a successful troop meeting. Meetings often include the following parts (order may vary):
Ceremony
Opening or closing ceremonies, such as the Friendship Squeeze or Flag Ceremonies. Business
Troop business is conducted in the Girl Scout Circle. Business might include making announcements, taking attendance, making formal decisions about activities or trips, or evaluating previous activities. (15 min.)
Major
Activity
The project for the day may be an activity which relates to the Leadership Journey books, Activity Badge Sets, Take Action project, or learning new songs, games, or activities. (20 - 30 min.)
Snack
Girls enjoy a simple snack in a relaxed setting. (10 min.)
Clean-Up
The girls, not the leaders, are responsible for cleaning up after activities and snack. (5 min.)
Closing
The closing is a brief time to review meeting accomplishments, give reminders, hand out papers, and end with a simple closing activity such as a friendship circle or a song. (5 min.)
Sharing
Time
Time for each girl to share something fun from their week. Mix it up by sharing in one breath, share about a topic, share in singing voice, etc. Maze Questions; Consider the following to help you complete your maze…
 Who sits where at lunch time? Whom do you count on? Where do you “meet them” in the maze?
 Ever have conflict with friends? Does that shift your path?
 Ouch! Someone hurt your feelings. What next?
 Where do new friends come from?
 Do bullies affect you? Maybe you are sometimes the bully?
 What do you do online?
 Who said what to whom?
 What will be going on for you over the next few years? What new things might get
added to your maze?
 Who are the adults who help you through your maze?
 How about friends? What do they do that helps?
3 Cadette Girl Scout Journeys
Song: IF I Were Not a Girl Scout
(Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
If I were not a Girl Scout, I wonder what I'd be; If I were not a Girl Scout...
A bird watcher I'd be… Hark a lark, flying through the park, SPLAT!
(Other things you’d be…) 2) Plumber ...Plunge it, flush it, look out below!
3) Carpenter...Two by four nail it to the floor!
4) Teacher...Sit down, shut up, throw away your gum
5) Flight attendant ...Coffee, tea, here's your little bag, BLEH!
6) Farmer...Here's a cow, there's a cow, and here's another yuck!
7) Doctor...Take a pill; pay my bill! I'm going golfing!
8) Electrician...Positive, negative, buzz zap
9) Politician...Raise the taxes and lower the pay, vote for me on Election Day!
10) Pizza maker...30 minute, fast delivery!
11) Preacher ...Well, well, you never can tell; you might go to heaven, or you might go to...
12) Lifeguard...Save yourself, Man. I'm working on my tan!
13) Lawyer...my client wasn't there
14) Engineer...Push the button, push the button, kick the darn machine. 15) Ranger...Get
eaten by a bear, see if I care.
16) Leader...Do this, do that, I'm gonna take a nap
.
Meeting 3: Kaper Chart and Exploring the cadette “breathe”
Journey
Date:
Time
Activity
Pre-Meeting
Time:
Description
Location:
Supplies
Prepare supplies for girls to make a Kaper Chart using
the examples as a guide. Provide markers, stickers,
etc. for decoration.
(Please note: Resources are highlighted
in bold in the Appendix following each
meeting outline.)
IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU START: Explain the
“Symphony of Noise” to a Cadette or two who arrive early and invite them to help you lead this activity. Ask
them to set up all the noisemakers in a big cluster in the
middle of the room. To get some background noise
going turn on the TV, DVD and/or radio.
5 – 10
Gathering:
minutes Welcome
5-10
Opening:
minutes
Discussion Leader leads girls to design and make a
Kaper Chart. Kaper Charts (see handout) help girls
experience management and order. Encourage girls to
brainstorm the kapers for meetings or each activity and
let them design the kaper chart.
Discussion Leader starts the game, or if she doesn’t have one, suggest: Live the Law. Write each law on a
separate slip of paper, mix up in a bag, and have
participants each draw one out as a discussion opener.
In what way is this law a part of their life? How do they
demonstrate it? This is a good way to get everyone
involved in the discussion.
Supplies as needed to make a
Kaper Chart (Poster Board,
flowers, popsicle sticks, etc.)
Crayons and / or markers
Glue


Nametags
Kaper Charts
Girl Scout Promise and Law,
each line written separately on
pieces of paper
Bag, box or basket
Draw out just one of the laws at each meeting and have
the girls share how they lived that portion of the law in
the last week (i.e. I was friendly by introducing myself to
the new girl at school)
5-10
Business or
minutes Planning
Use teachable moments as they occur during your
meetings to make sure the girls understand the
meaning of each Law.
Today we are going to do an activity from the Cadette
Journey book, Breathe. Remember, you are going to
Breathe girl’s book or picture
of the book.
Who will
lead
10
Exploration
minutes
choose which Journey you want to do this year! Last
meeting we did an activity from the Cadette aMAZE
Journey about the twists and turns and challenges in
friendships and school. Today we are going to do an
activity about our planet!
Invite the girls to gather around the noisemakers. Invite
them to take out their own sound gadgets (phone,
music players, etc).
Noise making gadgets (party
horns, kazoos, whistles, cell
phones, iPods, speakers, etc.)
Introduce the activity by saying: We’re going to use our “Above the Noise” sound gadgets at the same time in order to send out as Challenge Slips. Cut the
much noise into the air as we can.
strips and put them in a box /
basket / bag.
Round 1: Symphony of Noise—Invite one of the early
Cut the Guiding Questions
birds to be the conductor of the group “orchestra”. Explain that she’ll start the “orchestra” on the count of into strips and tape on a
three and then, after a few minutes of noise, hold up
plastic beach ball. Tell the
her hand (the Girl Scout Quiet Sign). Round 1
girls we will finish the activity
continues for a few minutes, and then allow silence to
by taking turns catching the
settle over the group for a minute of two. Then ask:
beach ball and choosing a
What does it feel like to make a lot of noise? What do
question to answer about the
you love about your phone, music players, etc.? When
activity.
is enough, enough?
Round 2: Above the Noise—This time, while making all
the noise we will add a little challenge to symbolize the
challenges we often face-concentrating on getting
something done and communicating with one another
amid all the noise and distractions in our world. Instruct
girls to take turns choosing an “Above the Noise” challenge slip. After the first girl goes, continue around
in circle (counter clockwise) taking turns leading one
another to accomplish the task on the slips. Keep it
moving, silly is okay and don’t forget: make all the noise while multitasking on the challenge. After each girl has
had a turn, make the quite sign and have the girls sit in
silence for 10 minutes (use a timer).
Weighing in on Noise and Silence:
Now that the team has experienced both a big blare
and silence, ask the Discussion Leader to lead the
Beach Ball game to discuss everyone’s reflections on
10
Snack
minutes
10
Clean Up
minutes
10
Closing
minutes
the activity (the beach ball should have the Guiding
Questions taped onto it for this activity!)
Discussion Leader calls for snack time (if the girls
decided to have snacks), and thank whoever brought it.
Ask: Do you want to sing a song? If they don’t know any songs, suggest “Dum Dum DaDa” Girl Scouts always leave a place better then they found
it! Let’s clean up so our meeting area looks better than it did before we came here!
Discussion leader starts the Friendship Circle and
Squeeze, and leads the reminders about the next
meeting. Use the Kaper Chart to determine who the
Discussion Leader will be next week, as well as other
kaper leaders. (Remember, meetings are Girl Led!
Let the girls lead!)
Dum Dum DaDa
Kaper Charts
Kaper Charts are a way to organize small jobs or activities for the troop and encourage Girl Led leadership skills. It is a tool that helps distribute
tasks equally among the group, and can be used for any number of tasks, such as troop meeting tasks, small jobs at camp, even household chores!
There are so many ways to make a Kaper Chart. Here are a few examples:
DO It – Done It Jars:
Using craft sticks, each girl can decorate her stick with her name. Have two jars, “Do It” and “Done It” (or other names chosen by the
girls). When a job needs to be done, a girl pulls out a stick from the “Do It” jar, and when done, puts the stick in the “Done It” jar. Make sure to consider the following when developing a Troop Kaper Chart:





Make a fun, colorful Kaper Chart.
Involve everyone in the planning of the Kaper Chart.
Have enough jobs so that everyone can have turns doing the tasks.
Decide how to choose who does the jobs.
Decide how to rotate jobs so everyone gets a turn at some point.
List of possible jobs or create your own:











Help Set Up
Lead Pledge of Allegiance
Lead Girl Scout Promise
Handle supplies
Help assign Kapers
Collect Dues
Hand out or collect paperwork
Lead an activity
Choose or Lead a song / Song Leader
Choose a game
Hostess











Get Flag
Take Pictures
Bring snack
Hand out Snack
Clean-up captain
Clean-up after snack
Bathroom buddy
Lead good bye game
Flag Bearer
Friendship Squeeze Starter
Attendance Taker
The Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. The Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. Above the Noise: Team Challenge Strips (girls can add their own “any silly thing” if desired) Guiding Questions:
(cut into strips and tape onto a beach ball)
 What’s good about our noisemaking gadgets?
 Do you like to stay plugged into your music, even when you are with others?
 Do you ever put ear buds in your ears to signify you want to be alone? When do you take them
out? What is it like when you are with other people who are wearing ear buds?
 Can you think of a time and an example when noise gets in our way of connecting with one
another? With enjoying each other? While concentrating?
 Do you ever wish you were a little less connected and available when someone wants to reach
you? Or maybe that you had a little less information at your fingertips? When and why?
 What about other kinds of noise that distracts us? Advertising? Traffic? Anything else?
 What was it like sitting in silence together? (Any giggling or fidgeting? That’s normal because
most people are not used to being silent together!)
 Did five minutes of silence seem like a little or a lot? What ideas or comments do you have about
how silent time together can contribute to our strength as individuals? As a team?
 Do any of you enjoy silence in other ways, such as yoga, meditation or prayer? What do you get
from that?
Dum Dum Da Da
Dum-dum-da-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da-da-da
Dum-dum-da-da-da
Dum-dum-dum!
(repeat faster and faster each time with different hand motions!)
Meeting 4: Exploring the Cadette “Media” Journey and Choosing
the Journey for the Year
Date:
Time
Activity
Time:
Description
Location:
Supplies
Pre-Meeting
Set out the Cadette Kaper Chart.
(Please note: Resources are highlighted
in bold in the Appendix following each
meeting outline.)
Ask: How did you decide to choose who does the
kapers for each meeting? Who is doing what today?
(Be sure to honor each girl and her kaper during the
meeting!)


Ask the girls what they want to do for their Investiture
and / or Rededication. If they decide to invite their
families, each girl should create her own invitation for
their Investiture / Rededication ceremony that she will
take home. Girls who finish early can finish decorating
the Kaper Chart, if needed.
Explain that flag ceremonies are a Girl Scout tradition.
Hold a Flag Ceremony and include the Girl Scout
Promise and Law. Stand in a horseshoe and have one
girl holding the American flag at the front of the
horseshoe. Ask the girls if they would like to sing a
song. Say the Girl Scout Promise. Try having each
line of the Girl Scout Law read by a different girl, and
then all of them end the last line together.
Tell girls that they need to plan their Investiture or
Rededication for the next meeting using the Ceremony
Planner. With the girls, determine how they would like
to celebrate the completion of the first leg of their
Journey. Give them the Ceremony Planner. You may
want to break them up into smaller groups, and then
come back together and make a total group plan. Get
them to plan any prep work, such as decorations.

5 – 10
Gathering:
minutes Welcome
5 -10
Opening:
minutes
5 -10
Business or
minutes Planning
Explain that the Girl Scout Handshake is a special
tradition that Girl Scouts everywhere use in special



Nametags
Write the date, time, place
for the ceremony on the
white board or paper for
the girls to copy.
Supplies to make
invitations (paper, markers,
stickers, glue, etc.)
Flag Ceremony handout
American Flag and flag
stand
handout
Girl Scout Promise and
Law (from previous
meeting)
Ceremony Planner worksheet
How to make the Girl Scout
handshake: take your left
hand and shake your partner’s left hand while both making
the Girl Scout Sign with your
right hands.
Who will
lead
ceremonies like investiture (or rededication), awards
ceremonies and other special occasions. Review how
to do the handshake. Have the girls practice with a
partner.
Ask: Do you want to use the Girl Scout handshake for
investiture (or rededication)?
10
Exploration
minutes
This activity is from the MEdia Journey:

Let the girls know that confidence can be like a special

camera lens that offers some protective distance when

someone says or does something that hurts them in

some way. You might say something like, “With this
lens to stand behind, it’s easier to stay true to your own thoughts and feelings and not be influenced by
pressures or unkind acts or words of others.”
Then say:
 Think about some of the pressures you might be
experiencing at school, with friends, at home, or
elsewhere in your life (such as pressure to fit in
or not be different or to do something you don’t want to do). If you like, write your own personal
pressures outside your camera lens.
 Now, think about what keeps you feeling good
and strong, no matter what you might be facing
(things like talking about your feelings, learning
about yourself, trying new activities, knowing
everyone is different). Put all of these things
inside your Camera Lens.
Once the girls have filled their camera lenses, ask them
to talk about how the world looks through their lens!
Acknowledge that everyone feels pressure but it’s how
we handle that pressure that keeps us strong.
Ask: Do others have something in their camera lens
that might keep you strong, too? Add it to your camera
lens! You might say: The more we remember these
feelings, qualities, and actions, the easier it is for our
Media girls book or picture
of the book.
Camera Lens handout
Colored Pencils or Markers
Real camera and / or
camera lenses
10
Snack
minutes
10
Clean Up
minutes
10
Closing
minutes
confidence to shine! Take this camera lens home and
keep it where it will remind you of your unique view of
the world!
Discussion Leader calls for snack time (if the girls
decided to have snacks), and thank whoever brought it.
Ask: There is a great new song about a new Girl Scout
award for girls who complete all three Journeys. It’s called the Summit Song. Do you know what a summit
is? (It’s the highest point on the mountain, where only a few brave women make it all way to the top!) The
Summit Award is a special award for Girl Scouts who
achieve this great goal. Girl Scouts always leave a place better then they found
it! Let’s clean up so our meeting area looks better than it did before we came here!
Discussion leader starts the Friendship Circle and
Squeeze, and leads the reminders about the next
meeting. Review plans and assignment for the
Investiture / Rededication Ceremony next week.
Girls need to decide which Journey they want to start
with for the year. (Use the actual books or the 3
Cadette Journeys to help them make a decision.)
Use the Kaper Chart to determine who the Discussion
Leader will be next week, as well as other kaper
leaders. (Remember, meetings are Girl Led! Let the
girls lead!)
The Summit Song
(for all grade levels)
Summit Award
Three Cadette Journey books:
 aMAZE
 Breathe
 MEdia
or 3 Cadette Journeys.
Remind girls to take home
their invitations and cloak
pictures.
Flag Ceremonies (see Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting handbook) Honoring the American Flag
A flag ceremony is a way of showing love and respect for one's country. Flag ceremonies may be used for: 




Opening or closing meetings Opening or closing special events Beginning or closing a day Honoring a special occasion or special person Retiring a worn flag Flag ceremonies may take place in meeting rooms, in outdoor settings, in large auditoriums, on stage, even on horseback. All flag ceremonies share one thing in common—respect for the flag. Flag Ceremony Guidelines Keep it simple. Emphasis should be on respect for the flag rather than on the commands or techniques. Ask these questions when planning: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Who will carry the flag? Who will be the color guards? Who will give the directions for the ceremony? What song will be sung? Who will sound the pitch and start the song? Will a poem or quotation be included? Who will say or read it? After the Pledge of Allegiance, will the Promise and the Law be said? In what order will the parts of the ceremony take place? When will the group practice? Where will the flags be placed at the end of the ceremony? Terms Used in a Flag Ceremony The color bearer (or flag bearer) is the person who carries the flag. There is one color bearer for each flag used in the ceremony. The color guard is a team that guards the flags. Any even number of guards may be used, but usually four or six girls are sufficient. The Girl Scout in­charge (or caller) is a designated Girl Scout who announces or calls each part of the ceremony. Possible Commands for a Flag Ceremony "Girl Scouts, attention." Used to announce that the flag ceremony is to begin. "Color guard advance." This signals the color guard to advance with the flags, or advance to pick up the flags. "Color Guard, post the colors." This directs the color guard to place the flag in flag standards, or to attach the grommets to a flag pole rope. "Color guard, honor your flag." The color guard salutes the American flag. "Please join us in saying the Pledge of Allegiance." (Followed by an appropriate song, quotation or poem, if so desired.) OR "Color guard, honor your flag." The color guard salutes the American flag. "Color guard, retire the colors." This asks the color guard to remove the flag from standards, or to lower the flag, detach from the rope, and fold prior to being dismissed. "Color guard, dismissed." The color guard leaves in formation, with or without the flag. "Girl Scouts dismissed." Girls may leave in formation or be at ease where they have been standing. Handling the American Flag The display of the American Flag is governed by law to ensure that it will be treated with the respect due the flag of a great nation. This is known as the Flag Code. Some of the rules most useful for Girl Scouts are: 
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

The American Flag should be placed in the center, and higher, when displayed with a group of state, local, or organizational flags flown from staffs. It may also be positioned to the right of other flags (if you were to hold the flag while facing your audience, your right side would be the flag's own right). "When displayed from a staff in a church or public auditorium, the flag of the United States of America should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergyman's or speaker's right as he faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergyman or speaker or to the right of the audience." * The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered slowly with dignity. The flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it, nor should it ever be carried flat or horizontally—always aloft and free. Never use the flag as a cover or place anything on top of it. No disrespect of any kind should be shown to the flag of the United States. It should be kept clean. The flag, when carried in a procession with other flags, should be either on the marching right or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. When you display the flag on a wall or in a window where people see it from the street, it should be displayed flat with the blue part at the top and on the flag's own right (which is the observer's left). When displayed after dark, the flag should be illuminated. Retiring a Worn American Flag Retiring an American Flag is a special ceremony that ends with burning the flag and disposing of the ashes in a respectful manner. For further information, check with Let's Celebrate! Girl Scout Ceremonies or your council training or program staff. * From the U.S. Flag Code. Basic Opening Flag Ceremony "Girl Scouts, attention." Used to announce that the flag ceremony is to begin. "Color guard advance." This signals the color guard to advance with the flags, or advance to pick up the flags. "Color Guard, post the colors." This directs the color guard to place the flag in flag standards, or to attach the grommets to a flag pole rope "Color guard, honor your flag." The color guard salutes the American flag. "Please join us in saying the Pledge of Allegiance." Followed by Song and/or Announcements "Girl Scouts dismissed." Girls may leave in formation or be at ease where they have been standing. Basic Closing Flag Ceremony "Color guard, honor your flag." The color guard salutes the American flag. "Color guard, retire the colors." This asks the color guard to remove the flag from standards, or to lower the flag, detach from the rope, and fold prior to being dismissed. "Color guard, dismissed." The color guard leaves in formation, with or without the flag. Followed by Song and/or Announcements "Girl Scouts dismissed." Girls may leave in formation or be at ease where they have been standing. Ceremony Planner
What kind of ceremony?
Do we want to include songs? Poems? Quotations?
Who will do it?
What is the purpose or theme?
When and where will the ceremony occur?
Will we have decorations or props? Who will do it?
What is the set-up for the ceremony?
Will we have refreshments?
What will be the opening? Who will do it?



What kind?
What quantity?
Who will do it?
What is our budget for this event?
What will be the main part of the ceremony?
Who will we be honoring?
When will we practice the ceremony?
Who will clean up after the ceremony?
And afterwards, when will we evaluate the ceremony?
How will it end? Who will do it?



What went well?
What can we do better next time?
What did we learn from planning this ceremony?
For example: Share what you have learned about being a Cadette Girl Scout. As a troop, you are ready to make the Girl Scout Promise and
receive your Girl Scout Membership pins. This is traditionally done at a special ceremony the girls plan. Here is one way to shape the ceremony:
Have three candles of one color for the three parts of the Promise and ten candles of one color for the ten parts of the Law. Divide the Promise and
the Law amongst the girls and have them pass the "light of Girl Scouting" as they read their section. Finish with "Whene'er You Make a Promise" or
other appropriate song. If possible, have second and third year girls pin the first year Cadettes with their Girl Scout membership pin.
Cadette Summit Award
Meeting 5: Investiture and / or Rededication
Date:
Time
Activity
Pre-Meeting
5 – 10
Gathering:
minutes Welcome
5-10
Opening:
minutes
5 -10
minutes
10
minutes
10
minutes
10
minutes
10
minutes
Time:
Description
Location:
Supplies
Girls set up decorations and preparations for the
ceremony. Girls should use their Ceremony Planner
to help them keep on track and have a memorable,
successful ceremony.
(Please note: Resources are highlighted
in bold in the Appendix following each
meeting outline.)
As girls and guests arrive, say: Thank you so much
for coming to the Cadette Investiture ceremony! Today
is a day that the girls have been working towards and
looking forward to for weeks! I am going to turn it over
to the girls now. (Remember that this is THEIR
ceremony, so assist and help them succeed!)
Assist the girls with the ceremony as needed. Praise
the girls for their hard work and preparation.
Business or
Planning
Exploration
Assist as needed.
Snack
Assist as needed.
Clean Up
Assist as needed.
Closing
Friendship Circle!
Invite everyone to participate.
The girls should:
 Remind everyone about the next meeting.
Assist as needed.
Prepare the following supplies
for the ceremony:
 Ceremony Planner
 One Girl Scout Pin for
each girl
 American Flag and Stand
 Troop or Girl Scout Flag
and
 Flag stand if available
 Beginning Cadette
Certificate (if desired)
Ceremony Planner
Words of the song the girls
chose on a poster or handouts
for the guests.
Who will
lead
The Girls


Announce the name of the Journey that they
selected.
Ask everyone bring their calendars and ideas to the
next meeting to plan out their Cadette Journey!