The Owl Challenge. Hello and welcome to the owl challenge!

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1 The Owl Challenge Hello and welcome to the owl challenge! I love being a brownie leader and having so many different owl helpers in our unit I wanted to design a unique owl badge and fun challenge to share, whilst at the same time raising funds for my trip to the World Scout Jamboree in Japan in 2015.

2 I have created the challenge with all sections in mind and any member of Girlguiding can take part. You can do as many challenges as you like, but I would recommend you do the following: 5 activities for Rainbows 7 activities for Brownies 9 activities for Guides / Senior Section / Adult Members There are many ideas on the internet for owl activities; but to help with your planning I have included some resource ideas in the challenge. Please feel free to adapt any idea to suit your own units age range, but do remember it is a challenge! Once you have completed the challenge please use the form at the back to order your badges. Once your payment has cleared your badges will be posted to you by first class post. I hope you all enjoy completing the challenge. If you have had fun then please pass the challenge on to other units that you know. I would like to thank you for your support

3 Contents page Section 1 Owl Crafts Make a Pony Bead Owl Key Fob Make an Owl Mask Make an Owl Collage Make Owl Finger Puppets No Sew Sock Owl Pine Cone Owl Owl Ornament Section 2 Find out some Owl Facts get the girls to design a poster of the facts they find out. Why do Owls come out at night? Why do we use the term wise old owl Find out about how many different breeds of owl there are. Learn about an Owls habitat Find out what Owls eat. What noise does an owl make, can you replicate it? Find out what Owl names are used in your local Brownies packs. Section 3 Owl Food Ideas Pretzel Owl Owl Cupcakes Owl Cookies Owl S mores Section 4 Other Owl Activities Read Owl Babies Read the Owl & the Pussy Cat Role Play the Parts Visit a falconry display Learn some Owl Poems try writing your own. Tell Owl Jokes Owl Games Section 5 Matching Owls Owl Bingo Owl Tag Have an Owl drive (instead of a beetle drive)

4 Section 1 Owl Crafts Pony Bead Key Fob You need: --28 Brown Pony Beads --3 Orange Pony Bead --2 Black Pony Beads --13 Tan Pony Beads --4 Feet Satin Cord --1 Lanyard Hook Instructions: Fold your cord in half to find the centre. Use a half hitch to secure it to a lanyard hook. Lace beads using pattern at right as a guide. Finish by tying off with a double knot. Owl Mask Print and cut out the pattern pieces. Trace the mask pattern onto brown foam and cut it out. Cut out the eye holes, too. Trace two eye rings onto yellow foam and cut them out. Then cut out the inner eye circles. Trace the beak pattern onto black foam and cut it out. Glue feathers to the mask a section at a time until the mask is covered. (Apply them in a circle around the eye holes.) Glue on the yellow eye rings and the beak. Let the glue dry. Poke two side-by-side holes ¾-inch from each eye hole. Thread the cord down through the first hole and up through the second hole and tie a knot in the back. Pine Cone Owl Copy the design using brown, yellow and orange felt. Use two wobble eyes, pine cone and strong glue.

5 No Sew Owl You need: sock, brown, tan, orange, black felt. Two eyes, brown foam, hot glue gun. Cut the bottom part of the sock off, all the way up to the heel. Stuff the cut off part leaving the top inch empty. Cut brown and orange circles for the eyes and glue one inch below the cut edge of the sock. Glue eyes to the centre of the circles. Cut a beak in black and glue it to the face as per the picture. To make the ear tufts fold the back side of the cut edge of the sock over the front and glue it to the front side of the owl covering part of the eye circles. Poke in the material formed on each side to make the ear tufts. Use a little glue to keep them closed. Cut two wings from the tan felt and glue to the sides of the owl. Cut two claw shapes from the brown foam and glue to the bottom of the sock. Owl Ornament Use air drying clay and follow the design as shown below. Once dry it can be painted. Finger Puppets Print off the designs on card, cut out and colour in.

6 Section 2 Owl Facts Challenge your girls to research owl facts; how many can they find? Here are some facts for you, have the girls found the same ones? Ask them to design a poster with the facts they have found out on. There are around 200 different owl species. Owls are active at night (nocturnal). A group of owls is called a parliament. Most owls hunt insects, small mammals and other birds. Some owl species hunt fish. Owls have powerful talons (claws) which help them catch and kill prey. Owls have large eyes and a flat face. Owls can turn their heads as much as 270 degrees. Owls are farsighted, meaning they can t see things close to their eyes clearly. Owls are very quiet in flight compared to other birds of prey. The colour of owl s feathers helps them blend into their environment (camouflage). Barn owls can be recognized by their heart shaped face. - Owls cannot move their eyes within their sockets. This means they have to turn their head to see in a different direction. - Not all owls can hoot. Owls make a wide variety of sounds, including hisses, screeches and screams. - Many species of owl have feathers that stick up from the top of the head, e.g. Eagle Owls, Screech Owls, etc. These ear tufts are nothing to do with hearing of an owl but are useful for camouflage and sometimes for showing aggression.

7 - A pair of Barn Owls hunting normally can account for more than 3,000 small rodents in a year, making them the farmer's best friend. During the breeding season this number would increase, depending on the number of young. - Owls cannot see in total darkness, however many owls can catch their prey even when they cannot see it. The sound of a mouse or vole under leaves or thin snow covering would be enough for a Barn Owl to locate them using their ears alone. - Female Barn Owls usually have more speckles on their breast than the male. It is often thought that the more spots a female has, the more resistant she would be to parasites and disease. - If you ever find a fluffy baby Tawny Owl on the ground in a wood you should leave it alone. At three weeks old they can climb back up the tree trunk using their feet and beak, and flapping their wings. It can also be dangerous as the parents may well be watching, and might attack to protect their young. - Not all owls are nocturnal. Many species, such as short-eared owls, fly in the daytime. For example, Snowy Owls come from sub-arctic regions where there is no night time for about 5 months each year. Barn Owls, although normally nocturnal, will also fly in day light when there are large families to feed. - Eskimos eat Snowy Owls. Also, when the young of Snowy Owls are threatened by wolves or arctic foxes, the adults will attack by swooping down and catching the predator with their talons.

8 Section 3 Owl Food Ideas Pretzel Owl Dip large soft pretzels in melted white chocolate. Layer Oreos, white chocolate buttons and chocolate chips for wide-open eyes. Use leftover white chocolate to attach bits of black licorice for eyebrows. Dust with black sugar, add a black jelly bean nose, and use black liquorice torpedo s to make feet or use liquorice laces Owl Cup Cakes Use readymade fairy cakes, spread buttercream over the top of the cake and cover with an orange fondant icing circle. Cut out black owl shapes and branches and stick to the orange fondant using either water or egg white. Use white fondant to make eyes and small circles of black for centres. Use orange fondant for the beak. Cut out flower shapes or make small ball shapes to finish decorating the cakes. Try some other designs (see example on right) Owl Cookies Cover owl shaped biscuits with coloured glace icing (mix water, icing sugar and food colouring to a fairly stiff consistency). Allow to dry. Using blue fondant icing shape two wings and two ears, Stick in place using a small amount of glace icing. Using white and black fondant icing shape the eyes. Using orange fondant shape a beak and two feet and stick in place.

9 Owl S Mores You need: crackers, Reese s peanut butter cups, skittles or smarties, small jelly snakes cut to make the beak and two large marshmallows. Using a sharp knife (rainbows and brownies will need help with this) cut off the top 3/8 of each peanut butter cup (PB cups). If you re having problems with the chocolate peeling off the bottom of the PB cups when you take off the wrapper, try putting them in the fridge or a cool place so the chocolate isn t as soft. Line the PB cups up on half a cracker so the rounded part hangs just off the bottom. Use the tops of the PB cups you cut off in the step above for wings. Since you need two tops for one set of wings, only half your owls get wings and the other half are wing-less. Tear a large marshmallow in half and place above the PB cup on the cracker, sticky side down. Squash it down a bit to hold in place. Microwave until the marshmallows start to puff up. On my 1100 watt microwave, it took 13 seconds for two owls. At this point the chocolate should melt enough to stick to the cracker. Press the jelly beak between the marshmallows and into the PB cup for the owl beak. Keep going until your flock is complete. Other Owl Activities Section 4 Read Owl babies - discuss the story, paint an owl babies picture. Try making an owls nest. Find out what owls eat.

10 Read The Owl and the Pussy Cat The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, "O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, you are, you are, What a beautiful Pussy you are." Pussy said to the Owl "You elegant fowl, How charmingly sweet you sing. O let us be married, too long we have tarried; But what shall we do for a ring?" They sailed away, for a year and a day, To the land where the Bong-tree grows, And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose, his nose, his nose, With a ring at the end of his nose. "Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will" So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon. And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand. They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon, They danced by the light of the moon. Owl & The Pussy Cat Related activities Make a green origami boat, role play the poem, try some honey and quince (if you can find it!), find out what a runcible spoon is and what it used for.

11 Can they name any famous owls? E.g. Harry Potter Hedwig. Owl in Winnie the Pooh. Do they know what type of owls they are? Read the Brownie story and discuss why the owl was wise. Act out the story in sixes. Visit a falconry display or invite a local animal rescue centre to come to your meeting with their owls. Go outside in a group and look and listen for owls. If they hear any can they copy the sounds the owls make? Learn Some Owl Songs & Poem. Can the girls write their own? Can they make the poems rhyme? Try to make up songs and put actions to the words. Owl Song (tune: I m a little Teapot ) I m a great big owl As you can see I live high up in a tree. All the other birds wake me up When they play Because I like to sleep In the day! Wide Eye Owl There s a wide eye owl (make binoculars with hands on eyes) With a pointed nose (point at nose) Two pointed ears (grab ears) And claws for toes (wiggle fingers and point to toes) He lives way up in the tree (point to the ceiling) And when he looks at you (point to someone) He flaps his wings (flap arms like wings) And says Twit.Towhoooo! (Continue flapping)

12 A Wise Old Owl A wise old owl Sat on an oak The more he heard The less he spoke The less he spoke The more he heard Why aren t we all Like that old bird? Mr Owl Said Mr Owl, sitting in a tree How would you like To be like me? I sleep all day In the bright sunlight, And look for my dinner In the middle of the night! Owl Jokes try these to see if you can make the girls laugh do they know any others? Challenge them to see if they can find anymore. "Knock, Knock" "Who's there?" "Who..." "Who who?". "Are you an owl?" "Someone called you an owl!" "Who?!" What is an owl's favourite subject at school? Owlgebra! Two owls were playing pool. One owl said " Two Hits". The other owl said "Two hits to who?" Two Barn Owls sitting on a perch and one says to the other: "Can you smell fish?" What do confused owls say? To-whit to-why? What is the most common Owl in the UK?...a 'TeatOwl'... tea towel!!! What's a Barn Owl's favourite Party food?...mush'shrew'm 'Vole'avaunts and Micecream... "Knock knock" "who's there?" "Owls" "Owls who?" "That's right! Owls hoo!" What do you call an owl with a sore throat? A bird that doesn't give a hoot!

13 What do you call an owl with a low voice? A growl! "Knock, knock" "Who's there?" "Owl" "Owl who?" "Owl be seeing you!" What type of books do owls like to read? Hoot-dunnits! What does an owl with attitude have? A scowl! My friend the Barn Owl told me he had just got engaged. I hooted "You twit - to who...?"

14 Section 5 Owl Games Matching Owls Photocopy, laminate and cut out two sets of the cartoon owls. With the group muddle the cards face down on a table. Turning over two cards at a time the task for the girls is to match two of the same. If she does not turn two of the same over they are placed back down. The next girl has a go. The winner is the girl with the most pairs. Owl Bingo - Photocopy as many of the cartoon owls and bingo templates as necessary for each girl to have their own. Stick the owls onto the bingo grid in all different variations try not to get two the same. Laminate for reuse. The leader holds up a picture of an owl. If the girl has it on her card she crosses it off their card. The winner is the first person to cross all of their owls off. Owl Tag Choose a few girls to be owls (depending on the size of the group). The rest are mice who start running around encourage the girls to run in different directions. On the count of 5 the owl says twit twoo and begins to chase the mice. Once caught the mouse sits out. The winner is the last mouse running around. Owl Drive Use the picture below to draw your owl. You need one dice per group of 4. The girls work in pairs and each draw the same. They take it in turns to throw the dice. The idea is to draw an owl. Each owl part has a number. A body (throw a 6) a beak (throw a 5) two wings (throw 2 lots of 4) two eyes (throw 2 lots of 3) two feet (throw 2 lots of 2) and two inner eyes (throw 2 lots of 1). Total Owl - 31 The players in turn, throw a dice. A six must be thrown to start and you can then draw the body. You may then add the wings, eyes etc. as the relevant numbers are thrown, but you need the eyes before you can add the beak- The first pair with a complete the owl appropriately shouts "Owl" and wins that round.

15 Owl Drive Total 31 for a completed owl Total

16 Bingo Sheet

17 Owl Mask

18 Finger Puppets

19 Owls for Bingo & Matching Game

20 Owls for Bingo and Matching Game

21 Badges cost 1.00 each Postage Order Form If you would like to order a single badge please send a SAE Badges Badges Badges Name Unit County Address to send badges to: Tel No Number of Badges Total Cost Challenge Badges 67mm x 60mm Postage & 1.00 each Total Cost Please send the form and cheque, made payable to 2nd Cannock Guides to: The Owl Challenge Teresa Ellis, 314 Cannock Road, Heath Hayes, Cannock, Staffs, WS12 3HA Badges will be posted when the payment has cleared. An will be sent upon confirmation of your order and when your badges have been posted to you. All monies raised will go towards the fundraising for the World Scout Jamboree in Japan. Any queries please contact: Teresa Ellis by teresa.bvrj@btinternet.com