a. There are a vast number of possible activities based upon mastering the details on "things to be done" in connection with the various Requirements in Scouting. Only a few can be suggested or tried during the camp experiences. However, more are added as a possible source of help for your regular camp. Nature and swimming are taken up in separate sessions.

b. The Patrol Leader's Handbook and the "Scout Field Book" are particularly rich in suggestions of projects built around the requirements. See under each Requirement in question.

2. Possible Activities. A. Tree "Felling" (All Loggers Say "Falling")

(1) Demonstration and practice.

(2) Ask Camp Director to select a dead tree that needs to come down.

(3) Get an experienced axeman to demonstrate what should be done; clearing ground, trimming low branches, checking which way tree leans, and how to do the chopping so that it will fall in a certain direction.

(4) There is a game the loggers play called "driving the peg". The idea is to place a stick firmly in the ground at some distance from the base of the tree and to place it in such a position that the trunk of the falling tree will finish driving the peg or stick into the ground. Try it! If the tree drove the peg into the earth then you are an expert!

B. Observation

(1) Make up a "sand pit" or spade up a piece of ground. One Patrol enacts a "scene" on this ground (others not looking). After drama has been enacted the other Patrols come to the pit and try to decipher what happened by reading the signs (tracks). Each Patrol reports on its impressions. The first Patrol then re-enacts its "stunt" while all watch. Let the other Patrols do one act each in the same way.

(2) Lead the Troop to a Patrol kitchen. Give them 3 minutes to look at everything in sight (without touching - it is well to rope off the area so no one can get in the way of those looking). Have all members turn around (Don't look!) while instructor changes the position of some of the articles. Ask all to turn around and observe kitchen again (without comment). Dismiss the Patrols, asking them to return in 3 minutes to read off their list of what was changed. On returning, each Patrol reads its list of changes Score one point for each "correct" changed name and subtract one point for each error. Patrol with largest score wins.

C. Scout Pace Practice

(1) Patrol formation for Pace and Exploration

Number each member of the Patrol. The Patrol Leader is #1, the Assistant Patrol Leader is #2, and so on. The distance between members will vary according to country. If going along a road, numbers 2 and 5 will be a good distance from central groups, while 3 and U will be on each side of road. In open field the distance can be increased. Numbers 6, 7 and 8 are Tenderfoot Scouts.

(2) In practicing pace the Patrol Leader sets the pace. This is for practice and individuals must pass test alone. Each Patrol should practice pace occasionally so as to develop a "sense" of how fast to travel.

D. Scout Judging And Ways In Which To Check Judging

The first problem has to do with judging height. Let each individual make an estimate of the height 6f the object under consideration. Ask each Patrol to average the results obtained by each of its members. Save this average for comparison and the "measurements". The instructor can write these on the blackboard in order to make the comparisons very vivid to students. Each member of every Patrol should carry out method number 1 below, and the Patrol Leader should average the results of his Patrol.

(1) Pencil method of measuring heights.

In the "pencil method" hold a pencil at arm's length (with arm straight and pencil straight up and down) and measure on it some known height, the same distance away as object to be measured. Then lay this distance off up the object the number of times required to reach the top.

(2) Paper method of measuring height.

Fold a paper so that it has one right angle and two forty-five degree angles as in diagram.

Put paper at the top of a stick and sight along it to top of object, moving stick back and forth until top of object is "a" plus height of pole. To get full height lay pole on ground to its point X and pace or measure x to z.

(3) Shadow method of measuring heights.

(4) Inch to foot method of Measuring Heights.

lay off 11 lengths of the staff from object to be measured. Mark this point and lay off one more length to (x). from this point (x) look up to top of object. Mark the point where this line passes (from x to y) on staff and measure in inches distance to ground. This distance in inches will be the height of object in feet

(5) Dirty Water method of measuring Heights.

Fill a pan with dirty water and fold a 45° paper as before (method 2). Move pan back and forth until you can look along 45° angle of paper and see top of pole reflected only at 45° angle. This spot will be the same distance from object as the object is tall.

E. Measuring Widths

(1) Hat Method

Use your Scout Hat. Place it over the eyes in such a way that you can just see under the brim. Place yourself in a rigid position; look at opposite edge of distance to be measured, and turn and lay this same distance off some place where you can pace it. A little practice will make this fairly accurate.

(2) Chief's Method. (To find distance 0 P)

Find some place along the river (or object) to be measured that has fairly clear ground from P. to Q. Take some object 0 on other side of river directly opposite P. At right angle to P. 0. walk 60 units to S and mark the spot. Continue in same straight line to Q which is 30 units from S. Now sight at right angles, to Q. P. out along line QX. Walk along QX to a point P2 which should be in a straight through S to 0. Then QP2 will be £ OP and twice QP2 will be width of river.

F. Judging Weights

(1) Obtain several sacks and put into them different kinds of materials. Into one put saw dust, into another put sand, another gravel, another rolled or crumpled paper, another corn or wheat, into another some type of meal. Make them look about the same size, but be careful that the heaviest sack is not too heavy for the Scouts to lift.

(2) Each member to lift each sack and record how heavy he thinks it is. Average the Patrol results and report.

(3) Check results by actually weighing the sacks.

G. The Use Of The Compass. Compass Games

(1) Make out a set of 16 compass cards bearing one point of the compass on each card. Then play the following games:

(a) Patrols line up relay style, 25 feet away in a circle, 5 feet in diameter with the pile of cards in the center. Each person runs up and places cards in proper position around circle until compass is formed.

(b) If the Patrols have 8 individuals each, give each person two cards with adjacent points of the compass, and on the order "go", each Patrol falls in on the correct compass formation. First formed wins the game.

(2) Blind Man's Compass

(a) Select some object some distance away. Note its direction. Take a large cardboard crate and place it over a person's head so that he cannot see object. Turn him around several times and give him a compass and ask him to walk towards object.

(b) Laying out a square, (see Note below first)

The object of this is to use a compass in laying out a square 100 yards on a side. The diagram shows method. Do it by Patrols. The starting point should not be seen from the point (x) when we start "home".

If several Patrols are at work, begin at a different place or make out different directions so that all can work at same time.

Other projects can be worked out by using various angles in the figure and having the ending point at some other place than the point at which the start was made.

Note: as part of this project it will be necessary to determine the length of your step. For this purpose measure out 100 yards and step it off several times to find out how long each step is, and how many to 160 yards.

Question: (1) What is a step? (2) What is a pace? (3) What is a stride?

H. Some Personal Measurements To Record And Remember

For the purpose of measuring distance when you have no measuring stick or rule along, fill in and memorize the following measures;

(1) Length - first joint of forefinger

(2) Width of thumb _

(3) Span of thumb and forefinger _

(4) Span of thumb and little finger _

(5) Wrist to elbow

(6) Elbow to tip of forefinger (Cubit) _

(7) Middle of knee to ground

(8) Width of extended arms

(9) Number of steps to 100 yards _

NAPOLEON METHOD

TRIANGLE METHOD

TREE FELLING METHOD

PROPORTION METHOD

SHADOW METHOD