Junior Inside Government Badge Activity Plan 1

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1 Junior Inside Government Badge Activity Plan 1 Badge Purpose: When girls have earned this badge, they ll know more about how government runs. Program Essentials Link: Global Citizenship and Girl Scout Sisterhood Fun Patch Link: Government at Work Activity Plan Length: 1.5 hours Girls Take the Lead: While earning this award, there are many ways for girls to be leaders. These can be done by a small group or by individuals. Badge Buddies: o Before the meeting, talk to girls about the activities. Have buddies decide what they want to try or ask them if they want to try something different. o o Buddies can assist adults with prep needed for activities. During the meeting, they can help lead other girls though the activities. They should make sure everyone has what they need and feels included. Food Friends: o Talk to girls about what the snack will be and how they can help. Customize It: If your group wants to expand work on this badge or simply try different activities, go for it! There are many ways to earn this award, including: completing the activities as listed in the Junior Girl s Guide to Girl Scouting, completing two of these activity plans, attending a council-sponsored event or customizing activities. Pick the one(s) that work best for your group. Girls will know they have earned the award if: They can explain why it is important to vote They can identify what it means to be an active citizen Tips and Tools The topics of government and politics are potentially sensitive in nature. Remember, Girl Scouts does not advocate any one political view or candidate. Remind girls to respect all ideas and viewpoints present during today s session. Check out ways to stay safe using Safety-Wise at GirlScoutsRV.org. Ensure that your activities are accessible to everyone. Ask in advance if any special accommodations need to be made. If you have questions regarding specific adaptations, please contact River Valleys at A leader can help girls lead by using processes of troop government and decision-making to involve every girl, and dividing the work so that everyone does her part to make a plan a success. Learn more by attending an Extra! Extra! For Girl Scout Junior Leaders training session. Resources This activity plan has been adapted from the Junior Girl s Guide to Girl Scouting Inside Government Badge, which can be used for additional information and activities. 1

2 Getting Started Time Allotment: 15 minutes Optional: Girl Scout Promise and Law printed out on poster board 1. Welcome everyone to the meeting. 2. Recite the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Use repeat-after-me or say it as a group if girls know it by heart. 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. 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. 3. Play a game so girls get to know each other better. Use the example below, if needed. Pile Up: Girls sit on chairs in a circle. Choose a leader who will have a list of yes or no questions, such as Do you have on brown shoes?, Are you wearing a ring?, Is your favorite color purple? As the questions are asked, those that can answer yes move one chair to the right. Those that answer no don t move. Girls will end up piled-up on chairs. Activity #1: What makes an active citizen? Badge connection: Step 1 Decide what being an active citizen means to you Time Allotment: 15 minutes Prep Needed: Gather materials and supplies. Check out a book from the library about being a good citizen. Large paper or whiteboard Writing utensils Children s book about being a good citizen. Examples include: Being a good citizen: A Book About Citizenship by Mary Previn or being a good citizen by Adrian Vigliano. 1. As a large group, ask the girls to brainstorm characteristics of active citizens. Write them on the large paper or whiteboard for everyone to see. Answers will vary, but some ideas include: Following laws Paying taxes Cleaning/protecting the environment Being informed or knowledgeable about things going on in the world Voting 2. Read the children s story about being a good citizen. 3. Ask girls to list all the examples/traits of good citizenship they noted in the book. 4. Discuss these characteristics with the girls and ask why they are so important. What would happen if people didn t do these things? 5. Note: speak about voting last so that you may easily transition into the next activity. 2

3 Activity #2: Planning Commission Hearing Badge connection: Step 2 Go inside government Time Allotment: 30 minutes Prep Needed: Gather materials and supplies Make copies of the Planning Commission Public Hearing handout Planning Commission Public Hearing handout one per small group Writing and coloring utensils Graph or drawing paper 1. Explain to the girls that they will be acting out how the government takes part in making community decisions and each girl will have a part to play. 2. First, introduce the situation: PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING Development Application Description: Site Plan approval for a Trampoline and Dodge Ball Park I. Development Application The Developers are requesting approval to open a 51,000 square foot indoor trampoline facility in the Excelsior and Grand redevelopment on Excelsior Boulevard and Grand Way. It would include various sized trampolines, a dodge ball arena, a foam pit, a basketball court and four long running tracks. II. Apply City Rules City Staff believe that according to the City s Rules, the developers must limit the park size to 51, 000 square feet, add parking rules, signs, shrubs, trees, security cameras and hire private security on the weekends. IV. Action The Planning Commission approves or denies the development of the trampoline and dodge ball park. 3. Divide the girls into three groups: developers, city staff (i.e. fire inspector, city attorney, building official, city planner) and citizens. The adults present will form the Planning Commission. Note: For larger groups, you may need to do two role plays in separate areas so every girl can actively participate. 4. Give each of the three groups copies of the Planning Commission handout so they may see their position on the proposed development. 5. Request that girls take the next 5 10 minutes drawing what they think the development should look like, based on the role they are playing. Give groups a few additional minutes to talk about the roles they are playing and the position they are taking. They can also use this time to think of any questions or statements to use in the role-play. 6. Now it s time for groups to present their position in front of the Planning Commission. The adults on the Planning Commission will facilitate the hearing and serve as moderators. Begin with the following: Welcome to the {insert town name here} Planning Commission Public Hearing on {insert date and time here}. Today, the commissioners will hear from developers, city staff and residents about a site plan proposal for a trampoline and dodge ball park. The development application states the business will include various sized trampolines, a dodge ball arena, a foam pit, a basketball court and four long running tracks. Allow the developers a few minutes to present their application and talk about their position. 7. Next, the Planning Commission will ask for input and questions from city staff. Does the city staff have any findings on the site plan proposal? Allow the city staff a few minutes to ask questions, state concerns and present any of their own ideas or modifications to the proposal in front of the Planning Commission. Developers will answer questions as they are asked. 3

4 8. After city staff has had a chance to speak, the moderator will turn it over to the citizens in opposition of the development, followed by the citizens in support of the development. Each group should have a few minutes to voice their position and ask questions of the developers and city staff. 9. The adult Planning Commission will ask for any last questions, concerns or ideas, and then vote yes to approve or no to deny the proposal by a raise of hands. Activity #3: Mock Vote and Snack Chat Badge connection: Step 5 Get involved in community government Time Allotment: 15 minutes Prep Needed: Print ballots. Gather materials and supplies Writing utensils Ballot box any type of small-medium size box, which can be decorated if desired Large paper or whiteboard Snack items 1. Read the questions from the ballot out loud for the girls to think about before they vote. 2. Have girls vote yes or no for each question and then drop their ballots into the box. 3. Have one or two girls help count the votes and tally them on the large paper or whiteboard and say the results out loud. 4. After announcing the results, serve snack and pose the discussion questions below. Was your vote the end result? What would you change about the result? Why do you think your answer is the right answer? Why is voting a good way to make a group decision? What are its faults? 5. Next, have the girls think about laws that they might propose one day if they were in the following situations: You are the mayor of the first town on the moon. A toxic-waste dump is being built next to a farm. There is a five-story building with no elevator. It only has one staircase inside. 6. If time, have girls vote on some of these proposals and discuss. Wrapping Up Time Allotment: 15 minutes Optional: Make New Friends printed on poster board 1. Instruct girls to get into a Friendship Circle. Have girls stand in a circle and cross their right arms over their left, holding hands with the person on each side of them. 2. Sing Make New Friends. Make New Friends Verse One Verse Two Verse Three Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold. A circle is round, it has no end. That's how long, I will be your friend. You have one hand, I have the other. Put them together, We have each other. 3. After the song, ask everyone to be quiet. 4

5 4. One of today s Badge Buddies should start the friendship squeeze by gently squeezing her neighbor s hand with her right hand. Then, that girl squeezes with her right hand. One by one, each girl passes the squeeze until it travels around the circle. When the squeeze returns to the Badge Buddy who started, she says Goodbye Sister Girl Scouts and the girls unwrap and face outward instead of inward. 5. Optional: Have girls make a wish after their hand has been squeezed and before they pass the squeeze along. Girls can also put their right foot out into the circle when they receive the friendship squeeze, so that everyone can see it travel along the circle. More to Explore Field Trip Ideas o Go to the state or city capital building, or visit a local government office o Attend a city council meeting Speaker Ideas o Invite local government officials (current or former) to your meeting o Invite a League of Women MN Voters member to your meeting Suggestions Do you have any suggestions to improve this activity plan? Do you have ideas for other possible badgeearning activities? Please GirlProgram@girlscoutsrv.org. Family Follow-Up Use the below as a template to let families know what girls did at the meeting today. Feel free to add additional information, including: When and where you will be meeting next What activities you will do at the next meeting Family help or assistance that is needed Supplies or materials that girls will need to bring to the next meeting Reminders about important dates and upcoming activities Hello Girl Scout Families: We had a wonderful time today exploring how government works and are on our way to earning the Inside Government Badge. We had fun: Learning about government and the importance of being an active citizen. Role-playing a Planning Commission Public Hearing on the development of a park we created. Continue the fun at home: Create a campaign poster with your Girl Scout, depicting all her skills and talents. As a family, use the democratic voting system to make a fun family decision. Show you Girl Scout how she can be an active citizen at home and in the community. Look through the Girl s Guide to Girl Scouting with your Junior to find other activities you can try at home. Thank you for bringing your Junior to Girl Scouts! 5

6 PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING Development Application Description: Site Plan approval for a Trampoline and Dodge Ball Park I. Development Application The Developers are requesting approval to open a 51,000 square foot indoor trampoline facility in the Excelsior and Grand redevelopment on Excelsior Boulevard and Grand Way. It would include various sized trampolines, a dodge ball arena, a foam pit, a basketball court and four long running tracks. II. Apply City Rules City Staff believe that according to the City s Rules, the developers must limit the park size to 51, 000 square feet, add parking rules, signs, shrubs, trees, security cameras and hire private security on the weekends. IV. Action The Planning Commission approves or denies the development of the trampoline and dodge ball park. THE PLAYERS Developers propose new ideas to bring into cities, like new neighborhoods and businesses. In this role play, the Developer tells the City that trampoline and dodge ball parks are popular in other parts of the country and are now starting to open here. They argue that: Children burn about a thousand calories an hour on these types of activities Kids are actually engaging in healthy physical activity, but they are bouncing around having a good time while doing so This development would get kids to spend less time in front of their TVs, video games and computers. This development will make the city healthier The Developer says things like: We actually have a ton of safety. All employees will know first aid and CPR. We have a computer program to track the number of people in the park. We don t want 300 kids in the park at the same time. This will encourage physical activity and make the city healthier! City Planners figure out the best way to use city land where citizens live work and play. Planners should address any potential benefits of the proposal and any problems that could arise. Pros of the proposed development: o Bring in new business and tourism o Locally-owned o After-school, healthy activities for kids Cons of the proposed development: o Increase in vehicle and foot traffic o Noise and trouble-making kids o Increased taxes Building Officials ensure that all buildings in the city are safe. The Building Official wants to know how strong the building is and what materials will be used to make the park. Fire Inspectors ensure that citizens are safe from fire hazards and have clear escape routes in case of emergencies. The Fire Inspector needs to know if the fire trucks will fit in the proposed parking lot and where the hydrants will be located. City Attorneys ensure all laws are being followed and assist city staff and the Planning Commission with legal questions. The City Attorney would like the Developer to explain exactly what is meant when they say they have things in place to keep kids safe. City Planning Commissioners review new developments. They study the positive and negative effects of a development, and then make recommendations on what the city should develop and how it should do so. Citizens in Support provide reasons that the development is good for the city: 6

7 Encouraging Ellen: We believe the city needs more healthy entertainment options. Happy Hannah, a parent: I m thrilled about this! There would be more for my family to do and I love the convenient location too! Energy Emily: I think this new business would encourage more activities for everyone to get out and MOVE! An active lifestyle is very important to kids and adults alike. Busy Betty, a business owner: As a business owner, I believe this will boost all business property values. That s a big bonus for all of businesses in the area. Citizens in Opposition argue the reasons that the development is not good for the city. Cautious Kelly: Is the company even aware that some residents are concerned about safety? Those parks are dangerous! No-No Nancy: I do NOT want this loud accident-waiting-to-happen in my backyard! With all those screaming kids around all the time, I ll have a constant headache and have to move! Concerned Connie, a parent: What I m most worried about are all the falls and collisions and about safety in general! Hardy Henrietta, a homeowner: I think this will decrease the value of my house and property. 7

8 Activity #3: Ballots for Mock Vote Question 1: Should the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate funding to protect our drinking water sources; to protect, enhance and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve our arts and cultural heritage; to support our parks and trails; and to protect, enhance and restore our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater by increasing the sales and use tax rate by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales for the next 25 years? Yes No Question 2: Should all students grades K 12 be required to wear uniforms to school? Yes No Question 3: Should a law be passed to deny a driver's license to students missing too many days of school? Yes No 8