Most Girl Scout Meetings have the same general format and are usually one to two hours in length. The basic parts of a meeting are:

Transcription

1 WHAT DO YOU DO AT A GIRL SCOUT MEETING? Most Girl Scout Meetings have the same general format and are usually one to two hours in length. The basic parts of a meeting are: Start-Up Activity Opening Business Activity Clean-up Closing Optional An informal activity for the girls to enjoy while waiting for everyone to arrive. Some examples of a start-up activity are: singing songs, playing a game, making nametags, or planning an opening or closing. An activity that starts the meeting. Examples of typical openings are: learning or saying the Girl Scout Promise or Girl Scout Law, learning about each other, reading a story. The business of the troop/group is conducted during the business portion of the meeting and may include basic elements such as dues collection and attendance, record keeping, short planning for upcoming events. The girls should be encouraged to handle as much as their age and experience allows. The highlight of the meeting: a girl s answer when her parent asks her What did you do at your Girl Scout meeting today? singing a song or when it's made into a game. Everyone helps. Meetings end with simple closing ceremonies. After a few examples and a little encouragement, the girls will come up with suitable openings and closings on their own. Girls may choose to have a nutritious snack at any scheduled time during the meeting. The group decides on who brings the snack. Where do we start? Before you plan your first meeting, look over the Journey Facilitator Set How-to Guide and the leader's guide for your troop/group level. Your first few meetings will include registration for all girls and adults, getting to know the girls and helping them get to know you, learning the Girl Scout Promise and Law and sharing the special stories of Girl Scouting with the girls. You will want to find out what the girls are interested in, help them to plan an investiture and rededication, assemble a first-aid kit and participate in lively, fun activities such as songs and games.

2 STARTING A TROOP ON A SHOESTRING LEADER S SUPPLIES Girl handbooks Age level award book, Journey books Safety-Wise The Source Storage box (some leaders us a wheeled luggage cart if they have them) Sharpies, multiple colors Big scissors Tissue First aid kit INCOME Start-up grant from community, if available. Start-up fee from parents: should cover the first batch of pins, patches, etc. Dues: decided with or by girls depending on age-level. SUPPLIES Look in your own cupboard. Watch garage sales and shop thrift stores. Don t be afraid to mention that it is for a Girl Scout troop some people will give discounts. PAPER/PHOTOCOPIES Ask parents for old office letterhead, and use the back - great for drawing, paper airplanes, etc. Some companies will let employees use the printer/copier for the cost of paper, or for free, as a community service. GIRL SUPPLIES 1. Have each girl bring in her own supplies in a box labeled with her name or use zip lock bags 2. Ask parents for donations of excess craft materials they might have. 3. If a craft project calls for something special, have each girl bring that item. 4. Plan ahead for projects and ask parents to start saving items that will be needed in the future. 5. Juliette Low Birthday Party or troop shower - ask each girl to bring in a wrapped item that could be used for crafts or the first aid kit. Provide a list of suggested items like a registry. Use a game to let the girls unwrap a present: musical chairs, hot potato, left-right, etc. 6. Have a troop scavenger hunt (prizes can be simple things like stickers, balloons, etc). SUPPLY LIST (SUGGESTIONS) scotch tape beads fabric paint shoe boxes rubber bands yarns markers crayons buttons ribbon seeds baby food jars potting soil straws sponges tempura paint liquid starch pens face paint kids scissors paper bags thread tissue paper pencils/colored pie tins stickers poster board wiggle eyes feathers scrapbook items: paper, albums, die cuts, band aids antiseptic cream gauze pads hand sanitizer INEXPENSIVE GIRL SCOUT ACTIVITIES Sing songs, practice the flag ceremony, visit fire station, animal shelter, nursing home, day hike at the council camp or your meeting place, visit a playground to eat a sack dinner and just play! Adapted from Lisa Smith Beasley and scoutingweb.com

3 USE THIS FORM TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR MEETING Meeting # Sharing Time: Clean up: Leaders should bring: Girls should bring: Suggested supplies for every meeting: These should be purchased with troop funds or parents may donate an amount for start-up expenses or you may ask your Girl Scout Area Manager (formerly Service Team Coordinator) for other funding ideas. Resource Books Safety-Wise, Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide, Junior Girl Scout Handbook, Junior Girl Scout Badge Book, Junior Facilitator Set (adult & girl books) First aid kit American Flag Troop box (sturdy cardboard or purchased filing box) Three-ring binder with divider inserts for keeping troop records and/or pocket folders for each girl. Craft supplies, writing implements Agenda Attendance record sheet

4 Meeting #1: Girl Scout Junior Meeting Clean-up: Rededication/Investiture/Girl Scout Ways Review Agent of Change Journey Set (adult and girl books), The Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide Book, pages 6-7, 32-37, and this guide before attending this meeting. Attendance Girls work in pairs on Junior Girl Scout Handbook, pages 42-43, or Junior Leader Guide, page 54. Welcome girls Pledge of Allegiance Girl Scout Promise Ask girls to share something they learned from the start-up activity. Leader and co-leaders can share also. Discuss the routine troop responsibilities. Develop a Group Agreement. Parts of a meeting, Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide, pages Brainstorm ideas for things the girls might want to do during the year using Junior Girl Scout Badge Book and Journey Agent of Change. Use notebook or newsprint to record them. Discuss rededication/investiture. You might provide the first one and then use kaper chart or It Can to assign girls to bring snack. Have the girls take a close look at the Girl Scout Promise and Law, Girl Scout Junior Handbook, page 6. Do one activity on page 7. Ask if anyone can recite the Girl Scout Law from memory. They should learn the Girl Scout Law for investiture/rededication. Read and discuss Girl Scout Basics, Junior Girl Scout Handbook, pages 2-4. Ways to celebrate Juliette Low s birthday, 10/31 autograph books singing a song or when it's made into a game. Everyone helps. Friendship Circle, The Guide for Junior Girl Scout Leaders, page 23 or How to Guide Junior Girl Scouts Adult Journey book, page 29. Wait with girls until all are picked up by a parent or pre-arranged adult. Resources for Meeting #1 It Can and Other Can To e sure that each girl gets a turn to do something special, to help, or be It for a game, write eachgirl s name on a popsicle stick, place all in the It Can. Draw from the it Can when there s a task to be done, then place that stick in the Other Can. Autograph book Fold cardstock in half. Cover vinyl, wallpaper or leather with glue. Place cardstock on the cover and press down tightly. Allow to dry. Fold Writing paper in half. Place inside cover and staple in the center seam. Have each girl get all members to autograph her book, with a statement telling one new skill they would like to learn during the Girl Scout year.

5 Meeting #2: Girl Scout Junior Meeting Clean-up: Rededication/investiture/form troop government Review Agent of Change Journey Set (adult and girl books), The Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide Book, page 33 and Junior Girl Scout Handbook, pages and this guide before attending this meeting. Attendance. Girls make covers for autograph books. Each girl may write a poem to herself about being a friend. See Junior Girl Scout Handbook page Test on page 67. Pledge of Allegiance Girl Scout Promise and Law Offer Girl Scout handshake and Girl Scout sign. Perhaps share a poem or thought about friendship Post Group Agreement Review Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide, page 33. Girls may want to discuss different forms of government and take one or more meetings to decide the best for their troop. Use kaper chart or It Can to assign girls to bring snack Get general ideas from girls about ceremony activities Guide and advise when necessary, but let them make decisions. Some ideas are writing poems, singing, reading special words, putting on a skit, lighting candles, reciting Girl Scout Promise and Law. Use worksheet from Junior Girl Scout Handbook, pages singing a song or when it's made into a game. Everyone helps. Friendship Circle, The Guide for Junior Girl Scout Leaders, page 23 or How to Guide Junior Girl Scouts Adult Journey book, page 29. Wait with girls until all are picked up by a parent or pre-arranged adult. Leaders Should Bring: Supplies for every meeting Leather, vinyl or wallpaper scraps for autograph books

6 Meeting #3: Girl Scout Junior Meeting Rededication/Investiture/Girl Scout Ways Before the third meeting, leaders/co-leaders meet to discuss ideas the girls want to do during the year. Compile girl s lists onto one sheet of paper/newsprint. Leave plenty of space between each item for writing more ideas. This is the troop Dream list. Review Agent of Change Journey Set (adult and girl books), The Junior Girl Scout Leader Guide Book, pages 24-25, and this guide before attending this meeting. Attendance, ask girls to look at Dream list and pick one or two favorites. Ask them to write down what they think it would take to make the Dream come true. Then have them work in groups to determine what they would need. Pledge of Allegiance Girl Scout Promise and Law Ask each girl to share one of her Dreams and why she thinks the troop would enjoy doing this also. Leaders can share also. Vote on favorite Dreams. Prioritize the Dream list and decide what steps should be taken first to reach a selected dream. Discuss troop dues, product sales, or other ways to meet the costs. If the Dream requires funding, decide who might be able to help. Use the Junior Girl Scout Handbook Managing Money Section, pages 26-30, if costs are involved in the girls plans. Introduce the Safety-Wise book to the girls and help them look up the safety procedures that are necessary for specific activities, such as horseback riding or overnight camping, etc. Clean-up: Use kaper chart or It Can to assign girls to bring snack. Review plans for investiture/rededication ceremony. Make a list of all responsibilities and review ceremony worksheet or create kaper chart for ceremony. With the art materials available, girls can make invitations for their families to attend ceremony. singing a song or when it's made into a game. Everyone helps! Friendship Circle, The Guide for Junior Girl Scout Leaders, page 23 or How to Guide Junior Girl Scouts Adult Journey book, page 29. Wait with girls until all are picked up by a parent or pre-arranged adult. Leaders need to bring: Supplies for every meeting

7 Clean up: Meeting #4: Girl Scout Junior Meeting Rededication/Investiture Check to make sure you have everything you need, including an agenda, program for parents, refreshments, certificates, pins, display board. Name tags for everyone Welcome invited guests Investiture/Rededication with the Pledge of Allegiance, GS Promise and Law and any activity girls have planned. Present new members with their pins and turn current member s pins upside down (until they do a good turn ) Refreshments as planned by the girls singing a song or when it's made into a game. Everyone helps! Remarks by the leader/co-leader, perhaps stating the Dreams for the year and soliciting help from parents and friends. Friendship Circle Leaders Should Bring: Supplies for every meeting Refreshments, tablecloth, flowers, Girl Scout Pins