Resources

CULTURAL AWARENESS SUPPLEMENT

FEBRUARY

OUR COMMONALITIES AS A PEOPLE

The purpose of this month's theme is to give your Cub Scouts an appreciation of some common traits that all Hispanic American groups have in common.

Week 1

APPRECIATING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE

Preopening

As the Cub Scouts arrive have them practice the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout).

Promesa del Cub Scout

Yo, [su nombre], prometo que hare lo mejor para
Cumplir con mi deber hacia Dios y hacia mi pais,
Ayudar a otras personas y
Obedecer la Ley del Pack.

Opening

Have Cub Scouts form a straight line and recite the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout) while making the Cub Scout sign.

Cultural Awareness Activity

Spanish is the official language of Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and much of Central America and South America. Culturally, Spanish is one thing that most Hispanic Americans have in common. Consider these statistics:

90% of Hispanic children learn to speak Spanish first; it is their primary language.

79% of Hispanic people are most comfortable speaking Spanish at home.

70% of Hispanic adults prefer watching Spanish-language TV and listening to Spanish-language radio.

In an effort to help your Cub Scouts gain an appreciation for the Spanish language, pair the boys and ask them to describe to each other the happiest day of their lives, in Spanish. Then, in front of the group, each boy describes his buddy's happiest day of his life, again in Spanish. Keep in mind that non-Spanish-speaking boys may need assistance.

Cub Scouting Activity

Rainy-Day Field Day

Here's a pack event that you can schedule ahead of time or use to provide a fun-filled substitute program on a day when the pack has an outdoor activity that has been rained out. You can store most of the needed items in a rainy-day box and keep for use as needed. Your rainy-day box could include feathers, uncooked beans, paper plates, table tennis balls, tennis balls, balloons, assorted buckets and jars, paper bags, straws, and string. Boys can run these events as individuals or teams, as straight races or as relays. If this activity is to be used as a backup plan, all chairs running an outdoor event should be aware of the program possibilities.

EVENTS

Mini Shot Put: Each boy tries to throw 10 navy beans into a quart jar from a chalk line on the floor.

Balloon Volleyball: Divide boys into teams. Use string on the floor or tied between two chairs for a net. You could mark boundaries with masking tape.

Balloon Hammer Throw: Tie an inflated balloon to the end of a string. Each boy throws the "hammer" by the end of the string.

Straw and Ball Blow: Boys are given a straw and take positions around a table (a card table works well). Each boy kneels so his face is level with the tabletop. He places the straw in his mouth and his hands behind his back. A table tennis ball is placed in the middle of the table. By blowing through the straw, each boy tries to keep the ball from rolling off his area of the table. This is a good gathering activity, and play can begin as soon as two boys arrive. Additional boys join the others as they arrive.

Standing Broad Grin: Judges measure the width of grins. The widest grin wins.

Paper Plate Discus Throw: Boys throw a paper plate from a chalk line. The plate must be held flat in the hand, against the palm, with the fingers wrapped over from the top and not sailed with thumb and fingers.

Giant Shot Put: Boys toss an inflated paper bag, or a bag filled with crumpled newspaper with a string tied around the end to seal it, for distance. Boys make the throw from the shoulder as if it were a shot put.

Heel-to-Toe Foot Race: Boys walk 10 feet moving heel-to-toe as fast as possible.

Running Whistle: The boy who holds a whistled note the longest wins.

Feather Blow Relay: Blow a feather 25 feet and return, tagging the next player. A straw can be used to direct the airflow.

50-Yard Cup Hop: Each boy hops on one foot carrying a paper cup of water. The boy who gets over the finish line first with the most water still in his cup wins.

Feather Race: With one hand, boys carry five feathers on a paper plate for a certain distance. They must pick up any that drop before continuing.

Eggroll Relay: Relay teams use a stick to roll plastic eggs down a course and back.

Turtleneck Pass: The first player on each team places a tennis ball or small inflated balloon under his chin. Players pass the ball or balloon from chin to chin using no hands until all players have received the object.

Closing

Close the meeting by forming the den in a circle around you and telling them to shout the Cub Scout motto in Spanish (el lema del Cub Scout) three times together: "Haz tu mejor esfuerzo!"

Week 2

YOUR FAMILY IS PRIMARY

Preopening

As Cub Scouts arrive have them practice the Law of the Pack (Ley del Pack) in Spanish.

Ley del Pack

El Cub Scout sigue a Akela.
El Cub Scout ayuda al pack a cumplir sus deberes.
El pack ayuda al Cub Scout a crecer.
El Cub Scout ofrece buena voluntad.

Opening

Have Cub Scouts form a straight line and recite the Law of the Pack in Spanish while making the Cub Scout sign.

Cultural Awareness Activity

For most Hispanic Americans, the family is central in their lives. It is in the family where one learns about cultural identity, traditions, and family values. Many families are large, and a family may include other relatives living in the home, such as a grandparent.

In an effort to help your Cub Scouts gain an appreciation for his family, have each boy work on his family tree. With pencil and paper, encourage them to begin by listing their parents' names and then their brothers and sisters. Then, have the boys list their grandparents' names (father's side) and aunts and uncles. On the opposite side of the page, have the Cub Scouts list their grandparents' names (mother's side) and aunts and uncles. Once the relatives have been identified, help the Cub Scouts arrange the names so that they have family trees.

Cub Scouting Activity

Family Cake Bake

Everyone seems to love this special pack activity-- because after all, at the end of it everybody gets to eat cake! Run the activity any time of year, but in February, you can use the cakes for blue and gold banquet desserts. Or you can auction the cakes and use the proceeds for pack needs or a donation to the World Friendship Fund. (If you are using this or any event as a unit money-earning project, be sure to get council approval. Complete and submit the Unit Money-Earning Application for approval well before the event.)

The event chair makes sure that families are furnished with the rules, recruits judges, and procures prizes.

RULES

• Cakes should be delivered to a specified location by a specified time and date.
• Cakes must be decorated according to specified guidelines (such as the monthly theme).
• Cakes must be baked and decorated by a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout and as many family members as possible.
• All the parts of the cake must be edible, including the decorations.
• Cake mixes and canned icing may be used.

Closing

Close the meeting by forming the den in a circle around you and telling them to recite the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout) while making the Cub Scout sign.

Promesa del Cub Scout

Yo, [su nombre], prometo que hare lo mejor para
Cumplir con mi deber hacia Dios y hacia mi pais,
Ayudar a otras personas y
Obedecer la Ley del Pack.

Week 3

RESPECTING OUR ELDERS

Preopening

As the Cub Scouts arrive have them practice the Law of the Pack in Spanish (La Ley del Pack).

Ley del Pack

El Cub Scout sigue a Akela.
El Cub Scout ayuda al pack a cumplir sus deberes.
El pack ayuda al Cub Scout a crecer.
El Cub Scout ofrece buena voluntad.

Opening

Have Cub Scouts form a straight line and recite the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout) while making the Cub Scout sign.

Promesa del Cub Scout

Yo, [su nombre], prometo que hare lo mejor para
Cumplir con mi deber hacia Dios y hacia mi pais,
Ayudar a otras personas y
Obedecer la Ley del Pack.

Cultural Awareness Activity

Hispanic American cultures emphasize admiration and respect for elders. Younger family members are encouraged to seek the advice of their elder relatives because of their wisdom and understanding of life's many challenges. Hispanic elders also pass on the language and culture to the next generation and often share in the responsibilities of rearing younger family members.

In an effort to help your Cub Scouts gain an appreciation for respecting their elders, ask them to write down with pencil and paper a recent experience where one of their elder relatives gave them some good advice on a problem or challenge. Then have the Cub Scouts report on their experiences with the group.

Cub Scouting Activity

Pioneer Day

Remember our ancestors seeking a better place to live? Families moved westward with hopes of finding their destiny. Many were their trials and tribulations, but great was their celebration when they reached their destination. The Santa Fe Trail or Oregon Trail can be themes for a fun event filled with history and celebration. Pioneer costumes and props will add to the enjoyment of this special pack activity.

Pioneer day can be part of your regular pack meeting or run as a stand-alone activity. Either way, be sure to include awards and recognition.

Follow the sample program above for the Western rodeo roundup and adapt it as needed.

OBSTACLE COURSE

Set up an obstacle course with any or all of these ideas. Start the dens at different stations to keep things moving.

Broken Wheel: Roll a bicycle wheel around an obstacle.

Ox in the Mud: Use this as a cooperative teambuilding event. Have the pack work in dens or by family to move a heavy object several feet. If used as a competitive activity, time how long it takes to move the object.

Dust Storm: Set up a waist-high track of string around a series of trees or poles. Boys follow the string while blindfolded.

Old shirt dyed and fringed

Broomstick

Powder horn cone of heavy paper

Moccasins

Old brown slacks

Beaver Trap: Use a child's wading pool. Place four cutouts of beavers in the "beaver pond." Let the boys toss beanbags to "trap" the beavers. Count the number of beavers each boy traps.

The Narrow Pass: Use duct tape to fasten three or four cardboard boxes together. Each boy crawls through the pass.

Repair Harness: Each player joins two ropes together with a square knot.

Derby Wagon Races: Set up the pinewood derby track or just a plywood board on a slant. Each boy races a self-made Conestoga derby wagon.

CONESTOGA DERBY WAGON

You can turn a regular pinewood derby kit into covered wagon.

Materials: Pinewood derby kit, 6 1/2-by-10-inch piece of white fabric, two 10-inch pieces of coat hanger or other wire

See the illustration for the outline of the wooden block. When finished, make holes in the wood and glue in the wire. Cover the wire frame with fabric, turning back the edges and gluing the fabric securely to the wire frame. Attach wheels, and it's westward ho!

Closing

Close the meeting by forming the den in a circle around you and having them relate some of the life lessons the Cub Scouts have learned from their elders.

Week 4

A STRONG SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION

Preopening

As Scouts arrive have them practice the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout).

Promesa del Cub Scout

Yo, [su nombre], prometo que hare lo mejor para
Cumplir con mi deber hacia Dios y hacia mi pais,
Ayudar a otras personas y
Obedecer la Ley del Pack.

Opening

Have Cub Scouts form a straight line and recite the Cub Scout Promise in Spanish (la Promesa de Cub Scout) while making the Cub Scout sign.

Promesa del Cub Scout

Yo, [su nombre], prometo que hare lo mejor para
Cumplir con mi deber hacia Dios y hacia mi pais,
Ayudar a otras personas y
Obedecer la Ley del Pack.

Cultural Awareness Activity

Many Hispanic Americans view their religious faith as a life-sustaining force. In fact, major life decisions are prayerfully approached with God's favor and blessings. A friend or relative may utter phrases like, con el favor de Dios (with God's favor) when hoping for a good outcome to a challenge. Growing spiritually strong in one's faith should be the foundation of a young Hispanic man or woman's life.

In an effort to help your Cub Scouts gain an appreciation for a strong spiritual foundation, ask the boys to write down with pencil and paper what is meant by the words "Duty to God" in the Cub Scout Promise.

Cub Scouting Activity

Blue and Gold Grace and Invocations

HEALTH AND STRENGTH

(Sing grace)

For health and strength

And daily bread

We praise thy name, O Lord.

SINGING GRACE

Tune: "Michael Row the Boat Ashore"

God is great and God is good, Al-le-lu-ia.

Let us thank him for our food,

Al-le-lu-ia.

By his hand, we all are fed,

Al-le-lu-ia.

Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread,

Al-le-lu-ia.

SIMPLE GRACE

Tune: "Frere Jacques"

Our Creator, Our Creator,

Once again, once again,

We shall ask your blessing,

We shall ask your blessing,

Amen. Amen.

PHILMONT GRACE

(Spoken)

For food, for raiment,

For life, for opportunity

For friendship and fellowship,

We thank thee, O Lord.

CUB SCOUT PRAYER

(Spoken)

O Lord, that I will do my best,

I come to you in prayer.

Help me to help others every day,

And teach me to be fair.

To honor my mother and father,

And to obey the Cub Scout Law, too.

This I ask that I may be

A loyal Cub Scout true. Amen.

Closing

Close the meeting by forming the den in a circle around you and asking the boys to share their reflections on Duty to God.