Getting Started With the Promise and Law

Getting Started With the
Promise and Law
DAISY & BROWNIE
5601 North Allen Road
Mableton, GA 30126
770-702-9100
www.gsgatl.org
¡Bienvenido! Wilkommen! Namaste!
Welcome to the family!
Your new ―family‖ is the Girl Scout and Girl Guide Movement, which was created
in England by Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1910 as a sister organization to the
Boy Scouts. Today there are over ten million members in 145 countries, all linked
together by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS.) We
consider ourselves to be sisters - ―not sisters by blood, but sisters of the heart‖ –
with all members, and we welcome our brothers in Girl Scouting and Guiding as
well! (Adult males may join Girl Scouts of the USA.)
Juliette Gordon Low, an American who married an Englishman, met Lord BadenPowell after she was widowed. Looking for something to give meaning and
direction to her life, Mrs. Low became involved in Girl Guiding. Soon she was
taking the program back to her hometown of Savannah, Georgia and –very
quickly – to all America! Within a year, she changed the name from ―Girl Guides‖
to ―Girl Scouts.‖
Every family has certain traditions they share, things that link the generations
together and make us feel part of something larger than ourselves. The world family
of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting has its own traditions and symbols that all Guides
and Girl Scouts share. They include:
The Promise and Law, which reflect our core values - what we believe
in and are committed to. Every Girl Scout or Guide Promise must reflect 3 parts:
duty to God or to your religion/faith, and to your country; helping other people;
and keeping the Guide/Girl Scout Law. Laws vary widely, reflecting the diverse
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cultures of 145 member countries, but almost all include ―Be a sister to every Girl
Scout/Guide.‖
The Girl Scout/Guide Sign: we raise three fingers of the right hand (thumb
holding down little finger) as a reminder of the three-part Promise. Girl Scouts and
Guides make the Sign whenever we say the Promise and Law, when we greet
special guests, and when we receive awards.
The Left Handshake: Baden-Powell suggested a left handshake
(while making the Sign or Salute with the right hand) to recognize other members of
the Movement, and it is still widely used today. He related a legend told to him in
West Africa: two hostile, neighboring tribal groups decided to try and live together in
peace. They flung down their shields, which were carried on the left arm, and
advanced unprotected to greet each other with their left hands extended in peace
and friendship.
The World Trefoil is the symbol of WAGGGS, the World Association of Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts, which links its 145 member countries together in friendship.
Every part has a meaning: the golden Trefoil on a bright blue background represents
the sun shining in the sky over all the children of the world; the three leaves represent
the original three-part Promise; the base of the stalk represents the flame of the love
of humanity; the vein pointing upward through the center of the Trefoil represents
the compass needle pointing the way (as Guiding/Girl Scouting shows us the way);
and the two stars represent the Promise and Law. The World Trefoil pin may be worn
by all Girl Guides/Girl Scouts, both girls and adults, in or out of uniform; in the USA, we
wear the World Trefoil pin above our Girl Scout Membership Pin.
The World Flag may be flown by any Guide or Girl Scout group. The
World Trefoil on a blue background is the focal point. A white blaze in the lower righthand corner represents WAGGGS‘ commitment to peace; this is crowned by three
golden blocks symbolizing the three-part Promise.
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Our Motto, ―Be Prepared‖ is a reminder of the educational purposes of Girl
Guiding/Girl Scouting: it‘s not enough to want to help, you must know how! It is no
coincidence that this motto can be shortened to B. P. – Lord Robert Baden-Powell,
the founder of the Scout and Guide Movement, used to shorten his surname into B-P
and the motto ―Be Prepared‖ was chosen to honor ―B-P.‖
The Good Turn: a ―turn‖ is an action taken; Guides and Girl Scouts try
to do a good turn – a kind action - for someone else, without payment and without
being asked, every day. In the USA, the Girl Scout Slogan is, ―Do a good turn daily.‖
The Six Elements of a Troop Meeting
Troop meetings usually include six components, from Start-Up to Closing. The
Journey ―Sample Sessions‖ use the same format, making it easier for you and the
girls to plan your meeting-time activities.
1. Start-up: Start-up (―early-bird‖) activities give girls something to do when
they arrive at the meeting place before the meeting begins. They might
get the room ready for the meeting, play games, work on puzzles, wordsearches or coloring pages, or do Journey or badge activities.
2. Opening: The opening brings everyone together and gives girls a way to
start their meeting. Each troop decides how to open their meeting—most
younger-girl groups begin with the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and then
add a simple flag ceremony, song, game, story, or other activity chosen
by the girls.
3. Business: Troop business may include girls taking attendance, collecting
dues, making announcements, and planning upcoming events, activities
or trips.
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4. Activities: Activities will depend on what the girls want to during their troop
time, both indoors and out, and away from the troop meeting place (trips,
service, camping, etc.) but usually include Girl Scout Journey, badge or
Petal activities.
5. Clean-up: Clean-up is just what it sounds like: girls work together to get
their meeting space back to the way it was when they arrived—maybe
even better!
6. Closing: A closing circle lets the girls know that the meeting is ending, and
sends them home with a good feeling or ―thought for the day.‖ Many
younger girls like to close with a friendship circle and good-bye song, like
―Taps.‖
SAMPLE 1ST MEETING – Daisy or Brownie
Focus: Juliette (Daisy) Low
YOU WILL NEED:
The Girls’ Guide to Girl Scouting
name tags
paper and crayons
a meeting-time chart on newsprint or poster board, showing the different
parts of a troop meeting.
 (optional) sketch map of meeting place for each Girl Scout
 (optional) healthy snack: check with parents in advance about any
allergies. If girls meet right after school, make snack time part of your premeeting activities. Girls take turns setting up or serving the snack and
cleaning up afterwards.
Pre-Meeting (“Start-Up”)
 Have your activity supplies and the room ready




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

Greet each girl as she comes in – have colorful name tags or name tag
supplies ready
Have sheets of paper and crayons at table(s) or on the floor; ask girls to
draw a picture of their favorite thing to do.
Opening Circle (ask girls to hold hands and form a circle)



Leader: ―Welcome to our first Girl Scout meeting! Before we begin, I want
to teach you the Girl Scout Quiet Sign. When a coach wants your
attention, she blows a whistle. When a Girl Scout wants your attention, she
raises her right hand, high! If I raise my hand like this [demonstrate] and
you see it, you stop talking and raise your hand. As other people see our
raised hands, they raise their hands and stop talking too. Before you know
it, everyone is quiet, the hands come down, and the meeting or activity
can start.
―This part of the meeting is called the opening [show parts-of-a-troopmeeting chart.] We get together at the beginning of every Girl Scout
meeting and do a special activity that shows the meeting has started.
Today we‘re going to play a game called “People to People” (or other
active/team-building game – see Appendix)
Ask girls to collect their pictures and join you in a circle.
Daisy/Brownie Circle (sit in a circle on the floor or in chairs)
―This part of our meeting is called ‗Daisy [or Brownie] Circle‖ [Show meeting time
chart] This is our special time to share our ideas and plan activities. Since this is
our first meeting, we‘re going to use this time to get to know each other by
sharing our pictures.‖ [Go around the circle; ask girls to say their name, show their
picture, and tell what their favorite activity is. Have one adult write down the
activities for possible activity planning!]
Activity Time
―Let‘s look at our troop meeting chart…it‘s activity time! Our activity today is to
be sure everyone knows where the restrooms and the exits are. We‘ll talk about
safety rules, too.
―When Girl Scouts go exploring, they always take a buddy. That means a friend
who walks with you, stays with you, and looks out for you. When you go to the
restroom, you always take a buddy with you. And you always tell an adult where
you are going!‖
Assign buddies. Take girls on a short walk to explore their meeting place. Be sure
everyone knows where the restrooms are and which exits to use in an
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emergency. Talk about rules for your meeting place, such as no running in the
halls, not going into other rooms, etc. – which will depend on your meeting
place. If possible, have a simple sketch map of the building/meeting place so
girls can follow along as you walk. Ask girls to find or identify places on the map.
Closing Time (return to circle)
―Our meeting is almost over. Girl Scouts like to end, or close their meeting with a
special activity. Today, I have a story and a game about how Girl Scouts began
in the United States.‖ [Read or tell story of how Girl Scouts began from the Girl‘s
Guide to Girl Scouting. Play the Juliette Low Story Game, below.]
Leadership Team Meeting Review
What is a troop “Leadership Team”? It is made up of the adult troop leaders and
helpers plus any older Girl Scout mentors (Junior and up.) After each meeting,
take a few minutes to evaluate what happened – good and bad – and review
your plans for the next week. Be sure everyone knows what she is responsible for
or she will be doing. This includes between-the-meeting responsibilities such as
parent e-mails or phone calls. For example, if you were expecting a girl and she
did not show up at the meeting, someone on the Leadership Team should give
her family a call.
JULIETTE LOW STORY GAME
Divide into seven groups; each group stands and gives their sound effect as the
story is read.
SOUND EFFECTS:
Juliette Low - - - -- -------- Curtsey and say, ―Welcome, friends.‖
Savannah, Georgia---------- Say, ―Hey, y‘all‖
Playing outdoors------------- Say, ―Let‘s climb trees!‖
England-----------------------Sing, ―London Bridge is falling down…‖
Lord Baden-Powell -----------Bow formally and say, ―How d‘ya do?‖
Girl Guides------------------- Give Girl Guide salute and say, ―Be Prepared.‖
Girl Scouts--------------------Make Girl Scout sign and say, ―On my honor…‖
―Once there was a girl named Juliette Low who lived in Savannah, Georgia. She
was an artist, but she also loved pets, playing outdoors, and helping others.
When Juliette grew up and got married, she moved to England, where she met
Lord Baden-Powell, who started the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides. Lord Baden-
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Powell told Juliette about the Girl Guides, and she decided to become a leader.
Juliette liked Girl Guiding so much, she wanted to share it with her friends and
family in Savannah. So Juliette said good-bye to the Girl Guides in England and
took the ideas that Lord Baden-Powell gave her home to Georgia. There she
formed a group of girls who loved animals, art, the outdoors and helping others.
These American girls called themselves Girl Scouts instead of Girl Guides, but they
were all part of the same world-wide family. So aren‘t you glad that [speed up
here]
Juliette Low from
Savannah, Georgia, who
loved the outdoors, went to
England and met
Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the
Scouts and Guides, and came home to start the wonderful world of
Girl Scouts in the USA!‖
2ND MEETING
Focus: The Girl Scout Promise
YOU WILL NEED:
 Bean bags/Nerf balls/crumpled up newspaper balls, and a box,
basin or bucket for girls to throw them into (for Pre-Meeting)
 Sample Kaper Chart
 Newsprint and markers
 Girl Scout Promise written on newsprint or poster board
 The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
 Twine/string/lacing cut in lengths – one per girl
 5 different-colored beads (pony beads or larger) for each girl.
 Girl Scout Promise coloring page [in Appendix]
Pre-Meeting
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Leaders: Be prepared! (have your materials together and organized ―in
order‖)
Meet and greet girls; involve them in room set up and meeting preps
Beanbag Toss: set up boxes, bins, bags, or whatever containers you have,
for girls to toss bean bags/Nerf balls/crumpled paper balls into.
Opening
Bring girls into a circle and teach ―Girl Scouts Lead the Way‖ (tune: ―The ABC
Song):
Girl Scout Daisies [Brownies] lead the way,
See us work and see us play.
We can dance and we can sing, we can do most anything.
We have fun and help each day, Girl Scout Daisies [Brownies], here to
stay!
Business/Planning Circle
Show a sample or blank Kaper Chart* and explain what is and how Girl Scouts
use them to divide up jobs. Ask girls suggest troop meeting jobs while another
adult or teen Girl Scout records their ideas. Tell girls the troop leadership team will
look at all their ideas and bring the filled-out chart to the next meeting –
everyone should look for her job!
*‖Kaper‖ is the traditional Girl Scout word for a job; it may have evolved from
―KP.‖ A Kaper Chart lists all the jobs that need to be done and divides them fairly
among the girls.
Twelve troop meeting kapers done by
individual girls: clip a clothespin with a girl‘s name on it on each square; rotate
them one square each meeting!
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Four kapers done by patrols or teams.
Google ―kaper charts‖ for lots more examples!
Activity Time
Leader: ―Did you know that the most important part of becoming a Girl Scout is
making the Girl Scout Promise? The Girl Scout Promise is a way Girl Scouts try to
act every day toward one another and other people. It says:
―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.
―It‘s not such an easy promise to keep, but Girl Scouts try their best!
JUST FOR DAISIES: “When you have learned the Girl Scout Promise – when you
can say it without me helping you! – you will get a little round, blue patch [show.]
It’s called the Promise Center. It’s going to be the center of a Daisy flower, like
this one [show picture from Girl’s Guide] that you wear on your Daisy tunic or
vest.”
―We‘re going to start learning the Girl Scout Promise today, and you can
practice at home, too. ―The Girl Scout Promise has three parts: serving God and
your country, helping other people, and living by the Girl Scout Law. When we
say the Promise we make the Girl Scout sign. [Demonstrate – see picture below]
The three fingers help us remember the three parts of our Promise. Let‘s all
practice making the Girl Scout sign.‖
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The Girl Scout Sign
Leader: ―Do you know what it means to make a promise? [Give girls a chance to
respond] It means that you do what you say you will do.‖
Leader: ―Today we are going to use beads to help us learn the Girl Scout
Promise. We are going to make a Girl Scout Promise bracelet. [Give out twine or
lacing]
1. ―The Girl Scout Promise begins, ‗On my honor…‘ Do you know what it
means to promise something on your honor? It means people can trust
you to keep your word, to do what you say you will do. Here is your first
bead. It will help you remember that when you make the Girl Scout
Promise, you are promising on your honor.‖
2. The Girl Scout Promise says, ―I will try.‖ It is not an easy Promise to keep.
You have to work hard! But a Girl Scout doesn‘t give up – she keeps trying!
Your second bead will help you remember to always try to keep your
Promise.
3. ―Girl Scouts promise, on their honor, to try and serve God and their
country. Your family or your religious leaders will help you learn about your
faith or religion so you can serve God in the best way you know. Girl
Scouts also respect the beliefs of people whose religion may be different
from theirs. Your third bead will help you remember your promise to serve
God.‖
4. ―You serve your country by being a good citizen at home, at school, and
in your neighborhood. You obey laws. You show respect for the flag. You
work hard to make America the best country it can be. Our fourth bead
will help you remember to serve your country.‖ [third bead]
5. Girl Scouts promise to help people at all times. Sometimes you help in
small ways, like holding a door open for another person. Sometimes you
help in big ways, like cleaning up a park or collecting food for the hungry.
Your fifth bead reminds you that a Girl Scout helps wherever she is
needed.
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6. You promise to live by the Girl Scout Law. Laws are made to help people
get along together. The Girl Scout Law tells Girl Scouts how to act toward
other people and their world. Your sixth bead reminds you to follow the
Girl Scout Law every day in all you say and do.
―Each part of the Girl Scout Promise is important, but when we put all the parts
together it makes a strong Promise! When we work together as a team, our
group becomes stronger and we get more done. With the help of our friends,
we‘re going to tie the ends of our string together and make a strong bracelet.
Ask a Girl Scout friend to tie your bracelet on your wrist. [Keep an eye out for
anyone who may need help]
―Let‘s make a circle. Look at your Promise Bracelet: the beads help us
remember the Girl Scout Promise. When you wear your bracelet, it will remind
you that a Girl Scout promises on her honor to serve God and her country, to
help other people, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.‖
Cleanup (by girls) of craft supplies; get ready for closing (involve girls)
Closing: Friendship Circle (see below)
“Sometimes Girl Scouts end their meeting with a Friendship Circle. It stands for
our circle of friendship with Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all around the world. Each
person crosses her right arm over her left and holds hands with her friends on
both sides – like this [demonstrate]. Find your right hand…now hold your right
arm out in front of you…cross your right arm over your left and take the hand of
the person next to you. [Check to be sure everyone is “right over left”.]
―I‘m going to use my right hand to gently squeeze the hand of the person next to
me; she will use her other hand to pass the Friendship Squeeze on to the next
person. The Friendship Squeeze should go all around the circle and come back
to me. When you feel the squeeze, remember your Girl Scout Promise.‖
[When the squeeze comes back around the circle]: ―Good bye Girl Scouts – see
you next week!‖ If you like, turn the circle inside out (turn under arms without
letting go of hands) then release hands.
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Leadership Team Review
Did all/most/some of the girls grasp the concept of the Promise? If not, what can
you do next week to clarify or explain differently? Was the bracelet-making
about right for their skill level? Too hard? Too easy? (This will help you plan for
future activities.)
Decide on the kapers for the Kaper Chart and who on the team will make it.
(Does she have all the materials she will need?) Decide how you will display the
Kaper Chart next week so that girls can see it and start learning about their
kapers during the pre-meeting time.
The Girl Scout Promise and Law Basics:
The Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law are shared by every member of
Girl Scouting and by our sister Girl Guides in other countries.
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.
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NOTE: The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on
individual spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to
replace the word "God" with the word your spiritual beliefs dictate.
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.
The Girl Scout Motto: Be Prepared
The Girl Scout Slogan: Do a good turn daily.
Girl Scout Daisy…….. Brownie………Junior - Adult membership pins
World Trefoil Pin (all ages)
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ADDITIONAL PROMISE ACTIVITIES
BRAIDED PROMISE BRACELET (Brownies and older)
What You’ll Need: Three skeins or balls of yarn, each a different color, and
scissors. Ahead of time, cut the yarn into 12‖ lengths, one of each color for each
girl.
Leader: ―Have you every heard of tying a string around your finger to help you
remember something? Today we are going to use three strands of yarn to help
us remember the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise.
―When you make the Girl Scout Promise, you are promising to do your best:
1. To serve God and your country. You serve God or your faith in the best
way you know. You are faithful to your religion, and you respect the
beliefs of people whose religion is different from yours. You serve your
country by being a good citizen. You work hard to make America the
best it can be. This first piece of yarn [hand out] reminds you to serve God
and your country.
2. Girl Scouts promise to help people at all times. Some times you help in
small ways, like holding a door open for another person. Sometimes you
help in big ways, like cleaning up a park or collecting food for the hungry.
This second piece of yarn [hand out] reminds you that a Girl Scout helps
wherever she is needed.
3. You promise to live by the Girl Scout Law. Laws are made to help people
get along together. The Girl Scout Law outlines a way for Girl Scouts to act
toward other people and their world. This piece of yarn [hand out]
reminds you to follow the Girl Scout Law every day in all you say and do.
―Each part of the Girl Scout Promise is important, but when we put all three parts
together it makes a strong Promise! When we braid three pieces of yarn
together, the braid becomes stronger than the individual pieces of yarn. When
we work together as a team, our group becomes stronger and we get more
done. With the help of our friends, we‘re going to braid our three pieces of yarn
into a Promise Bracelet.
―Put your three pieces of yarn together so they are equal in length – or close to
it.‖ [demonstrate]
―Now tie them together near the top, using an overhand knot [demonstrate].
You‘ve tied your three parts into one Promise!‖
―For the next part, you have to sit down and stretch out one leg: Tape your yarn
above the knot to the toe of your shoe* – that‘s to hold it in place while you
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braid. [Have one girl demonstrate.] * OR to the arm of your wheelchair or other
chair, or the handle of your walker, etc. OR partners can take turns holding the
yarn for each other.
―Braid your three strands of yarn until it is long enough to go around your wrist
plus a little more – enough to tie a knot in the end AND tie the two ends
together. Ask a friend to help you measure. Tie an overhand knot at the end of
your braid, to keep it from un-braiding itself!
―Tie the two ends together in a square knot [if you know how], leaving the loop
large enough to slip it on your wrist. But don‘t put it on yet!
[When everyone has completed their bracelet] Let‘s make a circle. Everyone put
on your Promise Bracelet. Look at your Promise Bracelet: the three strands of yarn
braided together into to the Girl Scout Promise. And if you look carefully, you will
see three knots – one for each part of the Girl Scout Promise. When you wear
your bracelet, it will remind you that a Girl Scout promises on her honor to serve
God and her country, help other people, and live by the Girl Scout Law.‖
Square Knot
Overhand Knot
GIRL SCOUT PROMISE RELAY (Brownie, Junior)
YOU‘LL NEED: the words of the Girl Scout Promise, written on card stock or other
stiff paper, and cut into strips, one word per strip (see below). One set per team.
Leader: ―Let‘s see how well you remember the Girl Scout Promise! We need to
divide into [three or four] teams for a relay.‖ [When teams are lined up]
―I‘m putting a scrambled version of the Girl Scout Promise in front of each team.
When I say ‗Go‘ the first person runs down, takes one card from the pile, and lays
it down face up. Then she runs back and tags the next person
―The next person does the same, and so forth. As you turn the cards over, start
putting them in the correct order to make the Girl Scout Promise. When you think
you have the words in the right order, sit down and I‘ll come check!‖
On my
honor,
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I will
at all
try:
times,
to serve
and to live
God and
by the
my country,
Girl Scout
To help
Law.
people
Por mi
yo trataré:
honor,
De servir
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a Dios,
y vivir
y a mi
conforme
patria,
a la Ley
Ayudar
de las Girl
Scouts
a las personas
en todo
momento,
WHERE DOES IT FIT? (Brownie Promise Activity)
Divide the troop into teams of four of five girls each, and give each team three
pieces of paper, the first with the number 1 on it, the next with 2, and the last with
3. Tell the girls that # 1 = ―Serve God‖, #2 = ―Serve my country‖ and ―#3 = ―Help
other people.‖ [You could post this on the wall or a backboard.]
Then give each team a list of actions, for example: ―Put your trash in the litter
bin‖; ―Be friendly to a new girl‖; ―Learn first aid‖; ―Make busy boxes for children in
the hospital‖ and so forth. (Look in the Brownie Girl Scout Handbook for ideas.)
Ask the girls to talk it over together and decide which things on the list counted
as #1, #2, or #3. Then come together to share as a whole group. It may turn out
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that lots of the actions fit into more than one category – which can lead to more
discussions!
GIRL SCOUT PROMISE BOOMERANG (Brownie, Junior)
Here‘s another ―fun‖/hands-on idea for helping girls learn the Girl Scout Promise:
a Promise Boomerang! This pattern came from Girlguiding UK, so the Promise
written on the boomerang pattern needs to be changed…
How to make a Promise Boomerang.
Copy off this page and cut out the Boomerang. Find a piece of white cardstock
or other stiff paper and trace the Boomerang on to it.
Decorate with the Promise as shown on the template - except do it a lot nicer!
For Girl Scouts in the USA, the center should be: “On my honor, I will try:” then (to
the right) “To serve God and my country,” (bottom) “To help people at all
times,” (left) “And to live by the Girl Scout Law.”
Decorate the other side: Imagine the boomerang positioned as the letter Y.
Along the top curve it says "What you are goes out"
On the next curve it says "and touches others"
The final curve is "and comes back"
Cut out and practice throwing it. Gently does it - and slightly upward.
It should return to you. Just as your Promise will.
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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.
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“SNOWBALL FIGHT” PROMISE (Brownie, Junior)
You’ll need a piece of white paper and a pencil for each girl.
Divide the troop into four equal groups and have the four groups sit down
separately. Give each girl a piece of paper and a pencil.




All the girls in group one print ―On my honor I will try‖ on their pieces of
paper.
The girls in group two print ―To serve God and my country‖
Group three prints ―To help people at all times‖
Group four prints, ―And to live by the Girl Scout Law.‖
Have the girls crumple their pieces of paper into a ball and prepare for a
―snowball‖ fight:
Draw/tape/make a line down the middle of the room/area and put groups one
and two on one side of the line and groups three and four on the other. When
you say ―Go!‖ the girls start throwing their ―snowballs‖ across the line. The idea is
to have the fewest number of snowballs on your side of the line when time‘s up,
so as fast as the snowballs come over, the girls throw them back! Give the girls
one minute then blow a whistle or call ―Stop!‖ Each side counts to see how
many snowballs they have; the side with the most gives the other side a round of
applause. Ask the girls to pile all the snowballs on the center line.
Now...while you countdown (―5-4-3-2-1‖) every girl has to grab one snowball;
when you say ―Blastoff‖ they have to un-crumple their snowball and see which
part of the Promise is written on it. They now have two minutes to find girls who
have the other 3 parts of the Promise written on their pieces of paper and form a
group by linking elbows. A complete group has all four lines of the Promise – no
more, no less – in the correct order.
In their new ―Promise‖ group, ask the girls to pretend a friend has asked them
about the Girl Scout Promise – not just the words, but what it means.
What would they tell her? How would they explain what the Promise means to
them? Allow time for discussion, then ask each group to share.
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LEADER-TO-LEADER…
Help Needed: Girl Scout Daisies and the Promise
I need to plan activities around the Promise [for girls ages 5-7] and wonder if any
of you knowledgeable people can guide me in the right direction and give me
some tips/activities.
Many thanks
Jane
We have some Promise Bears (cardstock teddy bear shapes - could be any
shape) that we hide around our meeting place for the girls to find. On the back
of each bear is a word from the Promise; as a group, when all the bears are
found, we work out what it says.
This week we have talked about looking after God's world (―To serve God‖
section) and the girls have planted miniature daffodils to take home and look
after; I have told them that when the daffodils start to grow/flower they are to
remember their [Girl Scout] Promise.
Isabelle
We look at the promises made by other Daisies/Rainbows/Sparks, etc. around
the world and talk about how ours compares. We do the old Hop-Skip-and-Jump
Relay, where the Promise is divided into jigsaw pieces which they have to fetch
in the relay game and then complete the jigsaw.... I also have lots of photos of
people doing things and we put them out on the floor and each girl chooses
one she thinks fits a part of the Promise.... there's no wrong answer of course, it
just gets them thinking a bit and you can ask them why they chose the picture
they did.
Oh I nearly forgot to mention something else we do from time to time.... We
make paper flowers with long pointed petals and write the Promise in the middle.
Then we fold the petals inwards flat and then place on a tray of water. As you
watch the petals gradually unfold revealing the Promise in the middle... The girls
love this as it appears to be magic!!!
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Best of luck! Yours in Girl Scouting and Guiding,
Tigi
Promise Activities for Brownies?
I have just started a new troop, with some girls who have just bridged from
Daisies and some who are brand new to Girl Scouts. I want to plan a troop
meeting around the Promise. Does anyone have ideas of activities, games
anything for the lines “To serve God and my country” and “To help people at all
times”?
Thank you,
Mrs. A Williams
Hiya! One activity we do with our new girls is a matching game. We have the
3 sections of the Promise on cards ("...To serve God and my country", "...To help
people at all times" and "...To live by the Girl Scout Law") and then we
have nine other cards with ways of keeping that part of the Promise and
they have to match them up. Then we have a discussion on other ways to
keep these parts of the Promise.
This is what our nine cards say but you could come up with many more
ideas:
- Learning more about your faith.
- Looking after the world.
- Attending religious services.
- Not breaking the law.
- Telling people about your country when travelling abroad/writing a pen pal.
- Finding out about your country's history.
- Being a good friend to all Girl Scouts and Guides.
- Being honest and reliable.
- Facing challenges and learning from experience.
Hope this helps!
KT
This may be too young for your girls, but at Brownies I gave each girl a ―Promise
Tree‖ picture; it had three large branches, with a part of the Promise written on
each one. Every time they did a good turn* over the week (at home) they drew
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a leaf on the correct branch and wrote what they did, to show that they
understood each part of the Promise.
Jane Whitworth
*‖Do a good turn daily‖ is the Girl Scout Slogan. In this case, a ―turn‖ means an
action.
GIRL SCOUT LAW ACTIVITIES
GIRL SCOUT LAW TURTLE OR TORTOISE
You will need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Two paper plates for each Girl Scout (turtle‘s 2 shells)
Templates (below) for each girl
Glue sticks or paste; scissors; stapler (optional but useful)
Pencils or pens
Crayons.
Give each girl a copy of the template with the turtle head, tail and feet. She
colors them, cuts them out, and glues or pastes them to the inside (eating side)
of the paper plate in the appropriate place (think of the plate as a turtles‘
body.)
Next give her a template with the ten assorted shapes – these are the turtle‘s
scutes. (Real scutes are made of keratin, the same stuff our fingernails are made
from, and they cover the turtle‘s hard bony shell.) In some turtles the scutes form
colorful and intricate patterns. Our turtle‘s scutes are going to be a Girl Scout
Law poster! Each girl prints one part of the Law on each scute.
She cuts out the scutes and pastes or glues them to the outside (non-eating side)
of the other plate; this is the turtle‘s upper shell.
Girls can help each other staple the two plates together or help each other glue
the plates together.
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Scute pattern (below):
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Girl Scout Law Word Search
E
L
B
I
S
N O P
S
I
S
T
E
R
S
N I
A Y
E
R
Y
U C B
H
L
D C A Y
O D Z
W J
I
N N W C H P
I
F
N W
M L
B
U U G E
E
C B
F
F
S
S
I
V H
R
E
X
P
T
R
R
I
I
G S
L
F
B
R
B
I
U H E
K
M O K
K
R
X
U X
W L
T
H S
O J
E
G W
A F
R
R
Z
O
K
H O L
E
G
I
A H
R
R
S
N D K
D G W V L
I
E
D K
Q
Q D S
Q
T
K
E
J
I
J
U K
X
M R
U R
Q Z
Y
R
K
O Q D I
U
M Y
A P
Q Y
K
O K
X
Z
E
F
S
X
O I
G J
I
Q E
C V
R
Q L
V H V Y
T
O D D D E
W B
B
I
S
G Y
U B
P
G B
L
F
Y
N U K
Z
O O F
P
V O B
CARING
FAIR
FRIENDLY
HELPFUL
RESPONSIBLE
HONEST
SISTER
RESPECT
STRONG
WORLD
Solution
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M
ELBISNOPSERYTC+
SISTER+++HL+CA+
++++++++OD++ER+
+++L+++NN+++PI+
+++U++EESW++SN+
+++F+SI++TO+EG+
+++PTRRIAFRRR++
+++LF++++++OL++
+++E++++++++ND+
+++H+++++++++G+
+++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
(Over,Down,Direction)
CARING(14,1,S)
FAIR(10,7,W)
FRIENDLY(5,8,NE)
HELPFUL(4,10,N)
HONEST(10,2,SW)
RESPECT(13,7,N)
RESPONSIBLE(11,1,W)
SISTER(1,2,E)
STRONG(9,5,SE)
WORLD(10,5,SE)
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Learning the Girl Scout Law Bracelet
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.
Light blue bead: Honest and Fair...The sky is blue and always fair...it rains on
everyone or shines on everyone
Yellow: Friendly and Helpful... Yellow is cheerful and friendly and the color of the
sun which helps all living things grow.
Lt. Green: Considerate and Caring... Light Green reminds us of the tiny new
plants that sprout in the spring and require our consideration and caring to grow
into healthy plants.
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Red: Courageous and Strong... Red it the color of blood, it represents strength
and bravery
Orange: responsible for what I say and do...Orange is the color of fire, it reminds
us to always be responsible for fire can consume everything in its path if we do
not use it responsibly.
Purple: Respect myself and others...Purple is the color of nobility and honor and it
commands respect.
Magenta: Respect Authority... Magenta is a combination of Red and Blue, the
colors of our Flag, it commands our respect.
Green: Use resources wisely... Green is the color of the grass and the trees and it
reminds us to be careful to keep our earth green
Rose: Make the World a better Place... Rose reminds us of the beautiful flower
and to always find beauty in the world and try to leave it better than we found it.
Violet: Be a sister to every Girl Scout, just like the violet flower that grows in
groups, we grow best surrounded by our sister Girl Scouts.
GIRL SCOUT LAW DRAMA
Bring a selection of totally random objects from home and ask the girls/teams to
act out a situation or demonstrate one part of the Law using, say, 3 of the
objects. Or just ask each group to mime someone breaking or someone keeping
one part of the Law – the other groups have to guess which part.
BURST THE BALLOONS
You‘ll need: paper and pencil, and a balloon and string for each girl.
Write the Law on a piece of paper, then cut the paper into strips or jigsaw puzzletype pieces (one for each girl). Put each strip or jigsaw piece into a balloon,
blow it up and tie it off. Each girl ties a balloon to her ankle; at ―Go‖ the girls try
to burst everyone else‘s balloon without their own getting burst. When your
balloon is burst, collect the slip of paper and sit down where you are. When all
the balloons are burst, the girls work together as a team to put the Law back
together again. (If it‘s a large troop, you may need to divide into smaller
groups.)
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LAW CARDS (Requires 10 people)
You’ll need: each of the 10 parts of the Law written on a 6x8 card.
Each girl gets a card and the games begin:
1) Girls arrange themselves in the proper order, and then recite the
Law, each in her turn.
2) Cards go on the floor: ―Go stand behind the part of the Law that is
easiest for you to follow.‖ (Girls arrange themselves.)
3) ―Go stand behind the part of the Law that is hardest for you to
follow.‖
4) ―Choose a card/part of Law and tell the group what it means to
you; or, give an example of how it affects you in your life.‖
5) ―Stand behind the part of the Law that you are going to work on
this week.‖
LAW AROUND THE WORLD
When you become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA, you also become a
member of WAGGGS, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. That‘s
why we wear the World Trefoil pin as well as our Girl Scout membership pin! There
are 145 member countries in WAGGGS, and we are linked by the Promise and
Law, Motto, Scout/Guide sign and left handshake, the Good Turn, and the World
Trefoil symbol.
Use the WAGGGS‘ Web site, www.wagggsworld.org (―Our World‖) to find copies
of the Girl Scout/Guide Law(s) in other countries. In many countries, Daisy- and
Brownie-age girls have their own Law (and Promise) which is much simpler than
the Promise and Law for older Guides. Compare the Law from one or two other
countries with ours: How are they alike? Different? Is there one Law, or part of the
Law, that is the same in almost every country?
Girls may enjoy comparing uniforms from other countries as well!
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THE GIRL SCOUT LAW AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
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When your girls repeat the Girl Scout Law, do they start out strong, and then fade
away to ―mumble, mumble, mumble?‖ This finger game can help you and your
girls remember all the Girl Scout Laws, in the correct order too! To play: girls
spread their hands out in front of them, palms UP:
1. It takes strength to be truthful in what we say and do, and to treat others the
way we wish to be treated. Our strong thumb helps us be: HONEST AND FAIR
2. Girl Scouts love to make new friends and keep the old, and we always lend a
hand to help others. This pointer finger leads the way. We are: FRIENDLY AND
HELPFUL.
3. Our tallest finger reminds us to do our very best to care for our family, our
friends, our pets and the environment. Girl Scouts are: CONSIDERATE AND
CARING
4. It is important that we hold fast to our values and face challenges head on. In
our heart we find courage and strength. Our ring finger has a vein that runs
directly to our heart and helps us be: COURAGEOUS AND STRONG
5. This little finger may seen small, but it reminds us to take a stand for what we
believe, and to be responsible for our actions. This finger says ―I must be:
RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT I SAY AND DO
6. We strive to be confident individuals, and we also know that each one of us is
special and unique. This dainty little finger says: I RESPECT MYSELF AND OTHERS
These next three fingers stand together to make the Girl Scout Sign, just like these
three laws stand together:
7. We respect our parents, our teachers and our Girl Scout leaders. We: RESPECT
AUTHORITY
8. We must take care of our resources, such as endangered animals, our
farmland, our family history, and our money, or these resources will not last. It is
important that we: USE RESOURCES WISELY
9. There are many things we can do to bring a smile to someone‘s face, and to
bring the world closer together. We can: MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
10. Thumbs up for Girl Scouting! We are proud to: BE A SISTER TO EVERY GIRL
SCOUT
Of course, we know that being able to say the Girl Scout Law perfectly is not the
most important thing. Just as idle hands are useless. So, let‘s learn to the Girl
Scout Law and live it!
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“GIRL SCOUT WAYS”
Girls will learn about the Girl Scout Sign, the Quiet Sign, the Girl Scout Motto and
Slogan, in the Handbook section of their Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting. Here are
some games and activities to reinforce (and have fun with!) what they‘ve
learned:
SIMON SAYS: SIGNS
Play like a regular game of ―Simon Says‖ but include the Quiet Sign, Girl Scout
Sign, Girl Scout Handshake, and Civilian Salute (flag salute – right hand over
heart.) With older girls, call out the commands quickly and occasionally use the
wrong hand yourself.
GOOD MORNING GIRL SCOUT
Girls stand in a circle; one girl is It. She walks around the outside of the circle, as in
―Drop the Handkerchief‖ or ―Duck, Duck, Goose.‖ Before she gets back to her
staring point*, she must put her hand on the shoulder of one girl in the circle and
say ―Good morning Girl Scout;‖ that girls turns around to face It and they
exchange the Girl Scout (left) Handshake. It continues in the direction she was
going and the girl she greeted walks around the circle in the opposite direction.
When they met again, the girl greeted (not It) must say ―Good morning Girl
Scout‖ and initiate the Girl Scout Handshake. They shake one-two-three and
then drop hands and – continuing in the same direction – race back to the
empty space in the circle. The first girl there sits down; the other girl is now/still It
and goes around the circle again.
* In a large group it makes the game go faster if ―It‖ must choose someone
during her one and only trip around the circle! If you have a very small group you
can allow two trips.
By having girls sit down when they “steal” a place in the circle, you know who
has had a turn and who hasn’t.
SIGNS RELAY
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Line up as for a regular relay; you will need an adult or teen volunteer to be the
―posts‖ the Girl Scouts run to. The first girl runs to the post, who says either ―Quiet
Sign,‖ ―Girl Scout Sign‖ or ―Left Handshake‖ [or ―Civilian Salute‖, if you want one
more choice.] The Girl Scout relay runner must demonstrate the correct sign or
action; if she is wrong, the post says, ―No, it is this‖ and demonstrates the correct
action. The Girl Scout repeats it; then she runs to tag the next girl on her team,
goes to the end of the line, and sits down. First team to have everyone sitting
down is the winner.
“DO A GOOD TURN DAILY” (Girl Scout Slogan)
Doing a ―good turn‖ (a helpful action) for others, every day, is the Girl Scout and
Guide slogan. To help you remember to do your Good Turn, try this: outline your
hand on a piece of paper. Then on each finger and the thumb write one way
you could help the people around you. Draw a bracelet with five beads on it
around your wrist. Color in a bead when you do one of the helping activities
you‘ve written on your hand. Make a commitment to do it again – and this time
color in your ―fingernails‖ with glitzy colors or glitter glue.
OR…simply draw your hand. Then, every day when you do your Good Turn, write
it on one finger, then your thumb, then across your wrist like a bracelet. This is one
way to get in the habit of doing smallm helpful things for other people every day.
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APPENDIX: TEAM-BUILDING GAMES
Elbow to Elbow ( “Daisy to Daisy”, “Brownie to Brownie”)
Have girls work with a partner; they start out ―hand-to-hand‖ (holding hands.) Call
out a ―body-to-body‖ phrase; for example, elbow-to-elbow; knee-to-knee; heel-toheel; or back-to-back, etc. Partners must touch these body parts together. When
you say ―Daisy to Daisy,‖ everyone changes partners. If there is an odd number of
players, girls can ―steal‖ a new partner when you call Daisy to Daisy.
Crossover
Materials: cardboard (two pieces at least 5' long and 6" wide)
Place the cardboard pieces end-to-end on the floor. Have the children line up on
each end of the cardboard pieces and take turns crossing in opposite pairs. Both
players must cross to the other end, passing each other without stepping off the
"bridge." (Provide ground rules so children know they have to work around each
other.)
Based on an activity in Play and Learn with Arthur, Volume 1
Line-up
Have the girls line up:
 By height, from shortest to tallest
 By age, youngest to oldest
 Alphabetically, by first name
Group Knot
Have the girls stand in a tight circle, with their hands in the center. Then the
Scouts grab others' hands at random. The puzzle is then for the whole group to
work together to get themselves untangled. Sometimes you'll find that the group
has actually formed several smaller circles. This game may get frustrating if
you've formed a troublesome knot, but let them keep trying.
Loop-de-loop
Have the girls stand in a circle and hold hands. Start one hula hoop (or
innertube, long loop of fabric, etc.) hanging over one pair of joined hands. Each
person in the circle must pass the hoop/loop over him/herself and on to the next
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person - WITHOUT letting go of hands. I generally do this with 2 or 3 loop/hoops
going at the same time in different directions.
Keep the Ball Up
Using a beachball or balloon(s), have girls – as a team - start hitting it around
and trying to keep it off the ground. Then challenge them to keep it in the air for
20 hits, or 30 hits, etc. Encourage them to develop some strategy (such as
establishing "zones", or an order, etc.) to try to keep the ball up for as many hits
as possible.
These games were contributed online by: Rosemary Speers; Cadette Leader and
Campus Scout; Huron Valley Girl Scout Council.
Mableton Service Center
5601 North Allen Road, Mableton, GA 30126
770-702-9100 or toll free at (800) 771-4046
www.gsgatl.org
This module brought to you in part by
Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta’s
and the
JULY 2012
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