Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

Sample Meetings

Earning and Learning:

A Taste of Girl Scout Journeys and the Girl Scout

Cookie Program

What is This?

The following pages contain suggestions for your first three Girl Scout Cadette troop meetings. The sample meetings are based on activities from The Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting and the three different Leadership Girl Scout Journeys for Cadettes. This guide is intended to get your girls acquainted with the badge activities and traditions, as well as assist the troop in deciding which Leadership Journey they may want to do during their first and/or second year as Girl Scout Cadettes.

What is Most Important?

Be sure to include girl/adult planning as a part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This partnership gives the girls an opportunity to be with people who care about what they think, who listen to what they say and have a genuine regard for them and their ideas. Girl Scout Cadettes will enjoy making decisions about activities, choosing what community service projects to complete and deciding which field trips to take. All activities should be based on the needs and interests of the girls in your troop and be age appropriate. Be sure to complete your Girl Scout trainings to understand the how, what and why! Girl-Led: As it sounds, girl-led is having girls play an active part in figuring out the what, when, how and why of their activities. Encourage them to lead the planning, decision making, learning and fun as much as possible. This ensures that girls are engaged in their learning and experience leadership opportunities. Learning by Doing: Also known as, experiential learning, learning by doing not only incorporates hands-on experiences, but also includes opportunities for girls to reflect on and process what they have learned. This means that girls participate in meaningful activities and reflect on them through exploration and discussion. They then use this reflection to make choices for the future. Cooperative Learning: Through cooperative learning, girls work together toward shared goals in an atmosphere of respect that encourages the sharing of skills and knowledge. Working together in an all-girl environment also helps girls feel empowered as well as emotionally and physically safe. It also allows them to feel a sense of belonging.

What are the Girl Scout Cadette Leadership Journeys?

It’s Your World—Change It! aMAZE!

It’s Your Planet—Love It! Breathe!

It’s Your Story—Tell It! MEdia

The adult book of a Leadership Journey is a guide that walks adult volunteers through the basics of a meeting, with samples for each meeting, suggested activities and field trips, and shows how the Girl Scout Leadership Experience plays out in a troop setting. To purchase Journey books, contact the council shop nearest you. Girl Scout Cadettes will earn awards through their chosen Girl Scout Journey to put on their uniforms to show the skills they have learned. They can also earn badges throughout their experience, in addition to the Journey awards from The Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting.

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Additional Program Resources

The Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting Available to borrow from your regional Girl Scout Center Resource Library or for purchase at your regional Girl Scout Shop or online, click on Shop.

• Includes a handbook and steps to earning the seven Legacy, three Cookie Business, three Financial Literacy and Make Your Own badges.

• Additional Skill-Building Badge Activity Sets must be purchased to know the steps to

earning those badges: Click on Shop > Journeys & Girl Guides > Skill Building Activity Sets.

• Each girl can have her own copy, or one can be purchased for the troop.

Volunteer Training Required training for Girl Scout Cadette leaders. For more information, go to the website and click on Volunteer Resources > Volunteer Training. Regional Girl Scout Center Resource Libraries and Shops

• Cincinnati: 4930 Cornell Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242

• Dayton: 450 Shoup Mill Road, Dayton, OH 45415

• Lima: 1870 W. Robb Avenue, Lima, OH 45805

• Toledo: 2244 Collingwood Boulevard, Toledo, OH 43620 Annual Program Opportunities for Girls and Adults Includes council-sponsored and community-sponsored enrichment and badge opportunities for troops. Hard copies are available from your service unit or electronically online. Click on Who We Are > Publications. Service Unit Support You received information about your service unit in your welcome letter and from a staff or service unit volunteer contact before/after you were approved. These volunteers and staff are happy to support you by answering questions, meeting in-person and/or providing workshops. Locate your service unit website information, click on Volunteer Resources > Service Unit Communication. Troop Start-Up Guide Our Troop Start-Up Guide provides valuable snapshots for information such as your first parent meeting, opening a

bank account, checklists, forms and kaper charts. Go to Volunteer Resources > New Volunteer Resources, scroll down to Troop Start-Up Guide. Volunteer Essentials If your question begins with “Can I do this…” or “How do I…” look for the answer in Volunteer Essentials. Important financial information is also included. Hard copies are available from your service unit or electronically online. Click on Who We Are > Publications.

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Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Sample Meeting #1: Introduction to Girl Scouting

In this introductory meeting, Girl Scout Cadette girls will learn about the Girl Scout Promise and Law, set their own team agreement and be able to teach each other Girl Scout traditions. Objective: Girls develop a strong sense of self. Supplies:

• Poster board (Two sheets)

• Markers

• Scissors

• Girl Scout Cadette Program Overview (attached handout) (One per girl)

1. Business and Opening (10 Minutes)

• Introduce yourself.

• Explain what will be happening by saying something like: We are starting a new journey in Girl Scouting. Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the possibilities of Girl Scouting, which will lead us right into the Cookie Sale. We will get a taste of the history of Girl Scout and Journeys, too. This program is all about you—you get to decide. It’s like you choosing your own adventure. Who’s ready?

• Hand out registrations, explaining what they are, what the membership fee is and any other important meeting information.

2. Introduction to Girl Scouts (35 Minutes)

• Girl Scout Promise and Law Poster

o Say something like: Now we are going to make posters to use at our meetings that have the Girl Scout Promise and Law on them. As Girl Scout Cadettes, you are going to make those posters reflect who you are as a group and as individuals.

o Give the girls time to create and decorate the poster.

• Team Agreement (taken from aMAZE! Journey):

o Ask something like: What does the law mean to you? How do laws impact us? Why is it important to have laws? What would happen if there weren’t any laws? Do you think that as a group we should have an agreement as to how we will conduct ourselves while we’re here?

o Let’s take a few minutes to come up with a team agreement. This agreement will consist of what you as a group agrees that the group should accomplish. It might contain a few rules or examples. Think of the Girl Scout Promise and Law as you’re coming up with the agreement. When you’re ready, write your agreement on a piece of poster board.

o If girls are stuck, give them some ideas like the ones below.

� We will watch our body language and listen. (No eye rolling!)

� If we have a conflict with someone in the group, we can…

� If we have a different opinion, we can…

� Gossip would be hurtful because…

The 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.

The 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.

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3. History of Girl Scouts and Traditions (35 minutes)

• For this activity, split the girls into two groups. During this time, in their group they will learn either about Juliette Gordon Low or Girl Scout traditions. The girls will then present their findings to the rest of the group.

• Juliette Gordon Low Facebook page

o Using the attached fact sheet about the founder, encourage the girls to create a “Facebook page” for Juliette. You may use another format for Juliette if Facebook is not applicable, like a magazine cover, website or other.

• Girl Scout Traditions

o Using the attached traditions sheet, ask the girls to learn their three favorites and figure out how to teach or share them to the rest of the group.

4. Cleanup and Closing (10 Minutes)

• Have the girls clean up their areas, making sure that everything is better than how they found it (Girl Scout Golden Rule).

• Gather the girls into a friendship circle and sing “Make New Friends” (attached).

• Remind the girls to bring their completed registration forms to the next meeting.

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Juliette Gordon Low Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA

Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, was born Juliette Magill Kinzie Gordon on October 31, 1860, in Savannah, Georgia. "Daisy," as she was affectionately called by family and friends, was the second of six children of William Washington Gordon and Eleanor Kinzie Gordon. Family members on her father's side were early settlers in Georgia, and her mother's family played an important role in the founding of Chicago, Illinois. A sensitive and talented youngster, Daisy Gordon spent a happy childhood in her large Savannah home, which was purchased and restored by Girl Scouts of the USA in 1953. Now known as the Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center, or

often referred to as the Birthplace, the handsome English Regency house was designated a registered National Historic Landmark in 1965. Young Daisy Gordon developed what was to become a lifetime interest in the arts. She wrote poems; sketched, wrote and acted in plays; and later became a skilled painter and sculptor. She had many pets throughout her life and was particularly fond of exotic birds, Georgia mockingbirds and dogs. Daisy was also known for her great sense of humor. Early Adulthood In her teens, Daisy attended boarding school at Virginia Female Institute (now Stuart Hall School) in Staunton, Va., and later attended Mesdemoiselles Charbonniers, a French finishing school in New York City. On December 21, 1886, her parents' 29

th wedding anniversary, Juliette married William Mackay Low, a

wealthy Englishman, at Christ Church in Savannah, Georgia. Although the couple moved to England, Juliette continued her travels and divided her time between the British Isles and America. Before her marriage, Juliette had suffered from chronic ear infections. She had lost most of her hearing in one ear because of improper treatment. At her wedding, when she was 26, she lost hearing in her other ear after a grain of good-luck rice thrown at the event lodged in her ear, puncturing the eardrum and resulting in an infection and total loss of hearing in that ear. During the Spanish-American War, Juliette came back to America to aid in the war effort. She helped her mother organize a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers returning from Cuba. Girl Scout Life Juliette Gordon Low spent several years searching for something useful to do with her life. Her search ended in 1911, when she met Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, and became interested in the new youth movement. Afterwards, she channeled all her considerable energies into the fledgling movement. Less than a year later, she returned to the United States and made her historic telephone call to a friend (a distant cousin), saying, “I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America and the entire world and we're going to start it tonight!” On March 12, 1912, Juliette Low gathered 18 girls to register the first troop of American Girl Guides. Margaret "Daisy Doots" Gordon, her niece and namesake, was the first registered member. The name of the organization was changed to Girl Scouts the following year.

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In developing the Girl Scout movement in the United States, Juliette brought girls of all backgrounds into the out-of-doors, giving them the opportunity to develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. She encouraged girls to prepare not only for traditional homemaking, but also for possible future roles as professional women—in the arts, sciences and business—and for active citizenship outside the home. Girl Scouting welcomed girls with disabilities at a time when they were excluded from many other activities. This idea seemed quite natural to Juliette, who never let deafness, back problems or cancer keep her from full participation in life. Juliette Gordon Low had admirers and friends of all ages, nationalities and walks of life. By maintaining contact with overseas Girl Guides and Girl Scouts during World War I, she helped lay the foundation for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. After her death from breast cancer in 1927, her friends honored her by establishing the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund, which finances international projects for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world. Juliette Gordon Low died at her Savannah, Georgia, home on Lafayette Square January 17, 1927. She was buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah.

• On July 3, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill authorizing a stamp in honor of Juliette Gordon Low. The stamp was one of the few dedicated to women.

• During World War II, she had a “Liberty Ship” named in her honor.

• In 1954, in Georgia, the city of Savannah honored her by naming a school for her. A Juliette Low School also exists in Anaheim, California.

• On October 28, 1979, Juliette Low was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.

• On December 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill naming a new federal building in Savannah in honor of Juliette Low. It was the second federal building in history to be named after a woman.

• In 1992, a Georgia non-profit honored Juliette Low as one of the first Georgia Women of Achievement. A bust of Juliette Low is displayed in the State Capitol. In 2000, The Deaf World in Wax, a traveling exhibit, featured her as a famous deaf American.

• On October 14, 2005, Juliette Low's life work was immortalized in a commemorative, bronze-and-granite medallion as part of a new national monument in Washington, D.C. The Extra Mile Points of Light Volunteer Pathway pays tribute to great Americans who built their dreams into movements that have created enduring change in America. The monument's medallions, laid into sidewalks adjacent to the White House, form a one-mile walking path.

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Girl Scout Traditions All Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in all parts of the world share many symbols and customs. These are our special forms of communicating and celebrating. The Girl Scout Sign is a form of greeting exchanged whenever Girl Scouts or Girl Guides meet. Three fingers on the right hand are extended to symbolize the three parts of the promise. The Girl Scout Handshake is another form of greeting. It is done by shaking hands with the left hand while making the Girl Scout Promise with the right. The left hand is the one nearest the heart and therefore symbolizes friendship. The Quiet Sign is used in meetings and other gatherings to quiet a group. It is made by raising your right hand high. As people in the group notice the quiet sign, they stop talking and raise their right hands. The Friendship Circle is formed during a meeting, at a campsite, or during a ceremony. Everyone stands in a circle and each person crosses her right arm over her left, clasping hands with her friends on both sides. A friendship squeeze is passed from hand to hand. The friendship circle stands for an unbroken chain of friendship with Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all over the world. The Girl Scout Slogan is “Do a good turn daily.” The Girl Scout Motto is “Be prepared.” Girl Scout and Girl Guide Special Days Juliette Gordon Low's Birthday, or Founder's Day, October 31: marks the 1860 birth of Girl Scouts of the USA founder Juliette Low in Savannah, Georgia. World Thinking Day, February 22: In the United States, Girl Scouting grew out of the friendship between Juliette Gordon Low and Lord Baden-Powell and his sister, Agnes, who began Girl Guiding. World Thinking Day celebrates that friendship and the sisterhood of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the globe. Girl Scout Birthday, March 12: Commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia. Girl Scout Leader's Day, April 22: Honors all the volunteers who work as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. Girls, their families and communities should find a special way to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers.

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Friendship Squeeze and Song

The friendship squeeze and song is a Girl Scout tradition. It is important to close every meeting with this tradition to signal the end of your time together as a group. Everything that you need to say to the group should be said before you lead the friendship squeeze and song. Girls should cross their right arm over their left arm and hold hands. Once the song is sung, pass the squeeze around the circle. When every hand has been gently squeezed, count 1-2-3 and have everyone turn out of the circle while untwisting their crossed arms. Tips

• Try assigning the squeeze “starter” to a girl that was well behaved during the meeting. You might try announcing this incentive during the opening.

• Let the group know that if they have not done well with their team agreement during the subsequent meetings, they may lose the privilege of doing the friendship squeeze and song for the closing. This is also an incentive to reward good behavior.

• Sing the song in repeat-style. You lead the first verse and have the girls repeat after you for each line. Try not to sing the song too slowly-keep it nice and even.

Make new friends,

but keep the old.

One is silver,

and the other is gold.

A circle is round,

it has no end.

That’s how long,

I want to be your friend.

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Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Sample Meeting #2: Journey Sampler

Girl Scout Cadettes will explore new things in their world by choosing activities from the three Journeys—MEdia, Breathe! and aMAZE!

Objective: Girls will seek challenges in the world.

Supplies:

• Markers

• Large paper/Newsprint

• Scissors

• Pens/Pencils

• Glue

• Paper

• MEdia

o Magazines for collage making, 10–15 age-appropriate magazines

o Logo Evolution (Two sets for girls to share) (attached)

o Blank paper or cardstock (One per girl)

• aMAZE!

o Circle of Friends worksheets (one per girl) or large paper with two concentric circles

• Breathe!

o Small fan

1. Pre-meeting (5 Minutes)

• Collect registrations.

• Take attendance.

2. Icebreaker (5 Minutes)

• Human Knot—see attached instructions.

3. Business and Planning (10 Minutes)

• Review the Team Agreement and the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

• Recap the previous meeting. Say something like: Last week we learned about the history and traditions of Girl Scouting. This week we will jump into the Journeys-----and you get to choose which way we go. There are three Journeys-----aMAZE! (focused on relational aggression, bullying and how to take action to impact your school or community), Breathe! (focused on air quality, the environment and our impact on both) and MEdia (focused on leadership, media and the impact that media has on how you perceive yourself and others).

• Give the girls the chance to review the activities listed below and vote on which activity they would like to do for the meeting. Be sure to include an activity from each Journey.

4. Major Activities (50 Minutes) This section, the girls will choose one activity based on the three Journeys: MEdia, Breathe! and aMAZE! A. Option One, MEdia: Logo Evolution (25 Minutes) (See attached “Logo Evolution”)

• Say something like: “Logos are often the first impression of a brand or company that its consumers associate with what those brands are. Think of some of your favorite brands.”

• Go through the Logo Evolution sheets.

o Page 1—Do the girls recognize the logo on the first page?

o The answer is Xerox (pronounced zeer-ox)!

• Ask something like: What does a logo say about a company? What kind of identity does this lend to the product? To the company?

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• Ask something like: What would cause a company to change their logo or the logo of one of their products? How can this change be received? Check out the Logo Revolution sheets. Go through each sheet with the girls.

o Discuss the logo, and continue down the page. Discuss the next logo, ask something like: How has this logo changed over the years? What differences do you see in the logos? What can those changes convey to the consumers? Do you think companies purposefully create an unrealistic image so that people will buy their product?

B. Option Two: My Image Collage (25 Minutes)

• Have the girls create a collage using magazines to cut out logos that catch their eye, or represent themselves.

• Spread some magazines out for the girls to look through. Have the girls cut out 10 items that they think are wants and/or needs.

• Ask something like: o Why did you choose those logos? (I liked the colors, the shapes, the lettering, the simplicity/

complexity or I know the brand.) o What do your logos say about you? (Do you have popular tastes like Sketchers, Nike, Vera

Bradley, Apple? Are you more practical? Do you like store brands? Why? How do these logos convey messages?)

o How do you want your identity to be portrayed? o Would it be easy or hard to change your image? (Yes, it can be easy, if you want it to be!)

What are some ways you can quickly do so? (Possible answers are changing your attitude, working with your parents to come up with a solution, changing schools, trying a new sport, joining a new group, getting your haircut or listening to a friend.) The overall goal is to have the girls conclude that their image is in their hands. Every day we make the choice to keep, find or change our image.

C. aMAZE! Option One: Circle of Friends (25 Minutes)

• Ask something like: How many of you have a best friend? How many have more than one best friend? Maybe some of you have good friends too, and then friends you like and hang out with, who aren’t as close to you as your best friend. Let’s talk about how we pick our friends. What are the qualities you look for in a friend? Ask for a girl volunteer to write answers on newsprint.

• Hand out the “Circle of Friends” worksheet to each girl and encourage them to share colored pencils. If printing is not an option, swap out the worksheets for large paper, and draw two concentric circles.

• Explain that the circle represents their circle of friends. Ask the girls to write the words in the very center circle that describe the qualities they look for in friends. (They can use the newsprint list for help.) Next, in the second ring, ask the girls to write words that they feel describe the qualities they bring to friendships.

• When the girls have finished their circles, divide them into groups of three to four girls to share what they wrote with their small group.

Ask debriefing questions like:

• Did you notice any similarities in what you look for in friends?

• Are there qualities you feel you bring to your friendship that your friends don’t reciprocate or vice versa?

• How can you be the kind of friend that you want to have?

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D. aMAZE! Option Two: Girl Code (25 Minutes) Supplies: Paper and pens/pencils

• While the girls are finishing their Circle of Friends discussion in small groups, distribute one piece of newsprint and markers to each group. Ask for the whole group’s attention, and say something like:::: Friendship can be difficult under the best of circumstances, and sometimes there are unwritten rules or things we simply expect our friends to know and live by. Is there an un-written code? Sometimes, when we don’t follow the un-written codes of friendships, we experience conflict with our friends and we may not understand why.

• Ask something like:::: Can someone give me an example of an un-written rule of friendship - something you just expect someone else to know? For example, do you expect your friend to keep your life details private? Is your friend allowed to tease your siblings? If you give a friend some money, do you expect her to pay you back, and if so, how soon? How long does your friend have to wait before she can date your ex-boyfriend? What un-written rules of friendship do you have?

• Explain that the girls will stay in their small groups and work together to discuss the un-written rules of friendship and list as many of them as possible.

• Once the groups are done, bring the class back together and give each group the chance to present their Girl Codes to the rest of the girls. See how many groups have the same or similar statements written down.

Ask debriefing questions like:

• Why is it important to know what you want or need from your friends?

• Did you learn something about your friends or friendships here today? If so, what?

• Why is it important to choose your friends wisely?

• How can we improve our friendships?

E. Breathe! Option One: Air is Here, There and Everywhere (15 Minutes)

• In this activity, girls will get to experiment with the air that is around them. You will need a small fan for this activity.

• As a group, try the following steps:

o Turn on the fan. If there are ceiling fans, turn those on too. Have the girls move closer. Say something like: Can you see the air now? Depending on the light, they may be able to see the air moving in front of the fan.

o Say something like: Can you feel the air? How does it feel? Encourage them to enjoy the breeze and think about what’s in it.

o If no one has mentioned the word “wind” yet, say something like: What’s moving air called?

o Keep the discussion going by asking the girls to name the times and ways they’ve experienced wind.

� When it clears the air.

� When it messes up my hair.

� When a hurricane hits or dry winds fan fires.

� When I ride in a car with the windows down.

o Encourage the girls to think about how wind can be harnessed as a sustainable, alternative form of energy—wind power.

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F. Breathe! Option Two: Music to your Ears (15 Minutes)

• Say something like: Sound is measured in decibels (dB), which describe the intensity of the sound in the human ear. That intensity is the pressure of sound waves against your eardrum. Sound can be a pleasure or a pain. Loud music, for example, can be thrilling to one person and a torment to another. Quiet ranges from 0–20 dB, normal ranges from 20-60 dB, loud ranges from 60–80 dB, dangerous ranges from 80–110 and harmful ranges from 110–180.

• On a piece of newsprint, have the girls rank in order of softest to loudest the following sounds:

o Rock concert

o Ambulance siren

o Rustle of leaves

o Quiet conversation

o Mosquito buzzing

o Refrigerator humming

o Loud conversation

o Subway train

o Cranked up home music

o Car horns

o Gunshot or firecracker

o Space rocket on takeoff

o Chainsaw

• Possible answers are: rustle of leaves (20dB), quiet conversation (30-50dB), Mosquito buzzing (40dB), refrigerator humming (40 dB), loud conversation (50-60 dB), subway train (100 dB), cranked up home music (105 dB), car horns (110 dB), rock concert (110 dB), ambulance siren (120 dB), gunshot or firecracker (140-150 dB), space rocket on takeoff (140-190 dB).

Ask debriefing questions like:

• Say something like: SO—finding the right balance of sound in your life is important—for you and your ears. How much sound is in your life? How often are you exposing your ears to harmful sounds? Are you sensitive to one sound over another? What can you do today to help your ears? (Wear ear plugs, turn down music and movies, pay attention to what noise can be eliminated.)

G. Breathe! Option Three: Check Your Noise Level (20 minutes)

• Say something like: Speaking of sound, let’s talk about noise. What kind of noise do you make? Can’t think of any? It’s time to get aware. We’re going to learn about all the big and little noises that we all make day to day—and whose airspace we’re invading.

• Gather the girls into a circle. Ask them to turn off all devices. All of them. It’s only for a few minutes. Ask something like: How many of you have turned off your phones and devices for a day? A weekend? A week? Was it hard/easy? Did you discover anything new about yourself? If you haven’t tried it, let’s try to make some time. As a group, do you think we should have no gadget areas? You might be surprised at how nice it can be to make some silent spaces. Without making any noise at all, how would we communicate? (Sign language, hand written notes, etc.)

• Savoring the silence (an introduction to meditation):

o Say something like: Take a deep breath and imagine silence. How about a whole evening of silence. No phones, no screaming, no email, no texting or talking, no TV or computer games. Let your mind wander. Where does it go? Let your body daydream. Do you sense anything? Smell anything? What do you see? Feel your body slowly releasing from your toes, to your legs, your knees, hips, belly, shoulders to your neck and head. Relax your face. How does it feel to be just in the moment? Have the girls “come back.”

o Charades—another way. Now, have the girl’s think of what sounds they like. Have them take turns acting out what that sound is. No talking! No noises! Once everyone has had their turn, have them act out noises they don’t like.

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4. Clean-up (5 Minutes)

• Share one or two activities the girls will be doing at the next meeting.

5. Closing (15 Minutes)

• Having a consistent closing at each meeting creates uniformity and reinforces what Girl Scouting is all about. Talk with the girls on what they would like their closing ceremony to be during each session. It can be different each time, or you can do the same thing each time as a tradition.

o Friendship Circle—This Girl Scout tradition incorporates a sisterhood, and the traditional Girl Scout friendship squeeze. During the friendship squeeze, each girl can explain her favorite part of the meeting, and then pass the squeeze along.

o Now it’s time to vote on which Journey they would like to start with. Say something like: Today

we sampled all three Journeys:

• It’s Your World—Change It! aMaze!, which is focused on relational aggression, bullying, and

how we can take action to impact our school and local community.

• It’s Your Planet—Love It! Breathe!, which is focused on air quality, the environment and our

impact on both.

• It’s Your Story—Tell It! Media, which is focused on leadership, media and the impact that

media has on how we perceive ourselves and others.

o Be sure to have the troop vote on their favorite Journey.

o Review The Cadette Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for more ideas. Bonus Activity: Trash to Treasure (10–15 Minutes) Objective: This activity will encourage girls to mentally and physically build a trash blocker, or spam filter to clean out negative commercials and marketing campaigns from their lives.

• Revisit those old magazines.

• Have the girls rip out images they believe are meant to get you to buy or believe something. Then, decide which images you would like to trash—then do it! Rip those ads you don’t want to keep into shreds.

• What kind of statement can you make? Turn those shreds into something memorable; is it a paperweight? A sculpture? Decoupage? Treasure what you have learned, and share with a friend or family member.

Facilitator Notes:

• Be sure to include parents in any activity that you can. This is a great way to get them as excited and involved as the girls.

• They can help with games, songs, activities, friendship circle and more.

• This will develop confidence and leadership skills in the adults as well.

• Feel free to have girls guide the debriefing or modify questions—it’s OK to be flexible.

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Circle Of Friends

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

EV:lb/1201616-001

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Game: Human Knot

Equipment: None

Grade level: Girl Scout Junior, Cadette and Seniors

Objectives: • Teamwork

• Problem solving

Directions:

Set-Up

• Divide participants into small odd-numbered groups such as 5, 7 or 9.

• Have each group stand in a circle shoulder-to-shoulder.

• Have the groups then face to the right while remaining in a circle.

• Then ask the groups to take their left hand and without looking, reach into the circle and grab another participant’s hand.

• Ask the participants to repeat the procedure with their right hand, also without looking.

• Once the group has created the knot, instruct them to untangle the knot without releasing their hands.

Play:

• As the facilitator, you should allow the game to be difficult. Allow and encourage everyone to talk.

• Usually there is a dominant leader or two in the group. It’s OK for these people to take the lead for a while. However, the purpose of the game is for the entire group to give opinions and make decisions as a team to untangle the knot.

• When you see people getting frustrated, ask them to freeze and then assign a leader(s) at different points in the game.

• Provide new challenges such as no talking at all, or only certain girls (i.e. girls wearing purple) can talk. You want to help them ultimately to realize that they need to listen and work as a team.

• This shouldn’t be a competitive game; it is not a race between groups. Maintain a teamwork atmosphere and encourage the groups to concentrate on their task and finishing their game.

• Take mental notes of those getting frustrated and ask them the questions during the debriefing.

• If some of the girls feel uncomfortable participating, you may even allow then to “coach” the group to help them untangle the knot.

Ask debriefing questions like:

• What did you notice other people saying or doing during the game?

• What surprised you about the game?

• What was the hardest part of this game?

• How did you feel during the game (when people weren’t working together)?

• What did you do to untangle the “knot?”

• What did you learn?

• Why is this important?

• What would you do differently (or the same) next time?

• How is this like a real life experience that you’ve had (family, school, sports, church…)?

• Are there any final thoughts before we move on?

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Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Sample Meeting #3: Financial Literacy/Cookie Meeting

Girls will develop and practice their marketing campaign and how to deliver good customer service. Marketing techniques will be cultivated as they learn how to advertise their product.

Objective: Girls will seek new challenges.

Supplies:

• Pens/Pencils

• Markers

• Cardstock

• Poster board or like (Four each)

• Scissors

• Glue

• Notecards for goals (One per girl)

• Two to three tossables (Bonus activity)

1. Opening Business and Planning (10 Minutes)

• Collect registration forms.

• Take attendance, add new names to roster and pass out nametags.

• Team agreement review.

• Review what happened last week, recite the Girl Scout Promise and explain the day’s activities.

2. Major Activities (75 Minutes) A. We’re Going to Sell Cookies! (10 Minutes)

• Say something like: Now we know which Journey we are starting with, what are some other activities or projects you would like to do as a group? (Trips, service projects, group activities, etc.)

• Give the girls a few minutes to toss out activities.

• Have them brainstorm some ideas on paper. Don’t discourage big ideas. No matter how big or how small the idea.

• Say something like: A great tradition in Girl Scouting is selling cookies. This is the main way we can earn money as a troop to support all of our activities and pay for supplies. With that being said, there is more to selling cookies than just holding a box up. The next few activities will walk us through some of the basics involved in not only selling cookies, but knowing the cookies, our customers and how to do it all safely.

• Explain the five leadership skills involved in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Say something like: The Cookie Program isn’t just about earning money, there are five goals that you should get from participating in this group and also from selling cookies. You will be learning about:

o Goal Setting: It does not have to be package related; a good goal would be for you to call three relatives on her own and make “the ask.”

o Business Ethics: This could be about knowing important dates such order taking, delivering and money collection; you need to uphold you promise to customers to deliver cookies to customers.

o Money Management: You will be making change for purchases, budgeting for the prizes you would like to earn and learning about needs versus wants.

o People Skills: You are working as a team within the group, and asking neighbors to purchase cookies.

o Decision Making: You will choose the recognition level you want to achieve and decide your goals around what you hope to achieve.

Leader’s Note: these activities in this meeting can be correlated into the cookies business badges, found in The Cadette Girls Guide to Girl Scouting!

Leader’s Note: If you

haven’t already

completed your cookie

training, contact your

service unit cookie

consultant to find out

more.

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Facilitator’s note: if possible, the girls can purchase T-shirts from the Girl Scout Shop. If not, girls should wear non-logoed shirts, preferably of the same color (if selling in groups) with jeans or khakis. Have the girls brainstorm on what would be appropriate and how they can look like Girl Scouts.

B. Setting Goals (15 Minutes)

• Say something like: Now that we have an idea about the activities that we would like to do, it’s time to set goals for the cookie sale.

• Now, the girls need to think about what their goal should be. Have the girls walk through how much they would like to budget for each type of activity. (Examples: service project, troop supplies, trips, etc.) Keep in mind that they will be earning between 55 and 65 cents per box. More detailed planning will have to take place at another meeting, but a preliminary number can be set. The girls will need to set a goal for the troop, and then individually. Not all funds have to come from the cookie sale. The girls may decide to pay annual or monthly dues for every meeting to cover meeting costs too.

• As they are setting their goals, encourage them to think through how they will achieve their goals. What will happen if they fall short and what if cookie proceeds from one year aren’t enough? Be sure to ask open ended questions so the girls can problem solve on their own. Have them write down their goals on notecards, and affix them to where they can see them during the remaining cookie season.

C. Advertising the Project (20 Minutes)

• Say something like: Now that we have a rough idea of your goals, it’s time to develop a plan.

• Create a list of customers you plan to approach. Don’t forget, you can ask in person, over the phone, in a letter/note or by email (If over 13, with parent permission).

• Say something like: We are going to have some fun practicing our customer service skills. A short, practiced sales speech is often called an “elevator pitch,” and is used by many successful sales people. Ask the girls to imagine they are in an elevator with a potential customer. How will they quickly convince a customer to buy cookies before the door opens and the customer is gone?

• In your “elevator speech” you should discuss important points such as:

o Greet the customer

o Share your goals

o Tell the customer a little about the cookies

o Ask for the sale (ask them to buy cookies!)

o Close the sale (sell them the cookies)

• Have the girls break into small groups and practice their elevator speech. Start with two minutes, and work your way down in 30-second intervals to 30 seconds.

• Discuss with each other what would be appropriate to wear. Remind the girls to be appropriate, wearing a Girl Scout shirt if they have it, or a plain shirt.

• Say something like: Just like any other product, a plan must be made to carry out your marketing ideas. How will you market your product? How will that impact your pitch?

D. Expanding Your Reach (20 Minutes) Supplies: Large paper, pens/pencils or markers and blank paper for each girl

• Girls can utilize various selling methods such as going door-to-door in their neighborhood, calling friends and family, asking teachers at school, etc.

• Have the girls brainstorm different ways to expand their network of customers. Use large newsprint to record their answers. You could also have them break into small groups and then report out.

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• Then say something like: Now we have this great list of ideas to work from. Take a blank piece of paper and write down the three to five main strategies that you will use, when you’ll do them and the resources you’ll need. This is your Cookie Business Plan. Decorate it to make it your own and refer back to it often so you stay focused on your goals. We’ll add to it as we sell.

E. Safety Tips (15 Minutes)

• Start by asking the girls what they think some good safety tips are. Then, highlight a few from the overview for everyone. If girls do not have a membership pin or t-shirt, they can create a nametag that identifies who they are when selling door-to-door.

• “Safety Tips” overview from GSUSA and Volunteer Essentials: All girls who participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program use 10 basic safety guidelines.

• Show you’re a Girl Scout: Wear the Girl Scout membership pin and/or Girl Scout clothing to identify yourself as a Girl Scout.

• Buddy Up Always: Use the buddy system. It’s not just safe, it’s more fun.

• Be Streetwise: Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling Girl Scout cookies.

• Partner with Adults: Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies and Juniors when they are taking orders, selling or delivering product. Girls in grades 6–12 must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door and must never sell alone. Adults should be present at a cookie booth in any public place at all times.

• Plan Ahead: Always have a plan for safeguarding money—avoid walking around with large amounts of it or keeping it at home or school. Give proceeds to supervising adults who should deposit it as directed by your Girl Scout council as soon as possible.

• Do Not Enter: Never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles or going into alleys.

• Sell in the Daytime: Sell only during daylight hours, unless accompanied by an adult.

• Protect Privacy: Girls’ names, addresses and email addresses should never be given out to customers. Use a group contact number or address overseen by an adult for customers to request information, reorder or give comments. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information except for the product sale. Girls should never take credit card numbers.

• Be Safe on the Road: Always follow safe pedestrian practices, especially when crossing at intersections or walking along roadways. Be aware of track when unloading product and passengers from vehicles.

• Be Internet Wise: Take the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge before going online and follow the specific guidelines related to marketing online. Girl Scouts cannot collect money online.

3. Clean up and Closing (5 Minutes)

• Return and put away all materials, put trash in trash can, and put tables and chairs back.

• Make a friendship circle.

• Ask girls what they enjoyed most about the day.

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Bonus Activity: Name Game (10–15 Minutes)

• Using a soft tossable, start the game by saying your name and your favorite cookie.

• Then, pass the tossable to another girl.

• The girl receiving the tossable should say your name, her name and her favorite cookie.

• Then, she passes the tossable to another girl who says the first name, the second name and her own name, followed by her favorite cookie.

• This should go all around until every girl has had a chance to play. The last girl will have had to remember everyone’s name.

• Encourage the group to the girls who might be trying to remember all the names.

• Once the girls have done this one time through, tell them to try it faster and see how accurately and quickly they can play

• Ask something like: “In the beginning, was this easy or hard? What made it easier as you went along? (Girls may say paying attention, communication, anticipating what is coming next, etc.) Did you learn something new about someone? What was it?”

Next Steps:

You are on your way towards building a successful group. Now that you’ve gotten started with Journeys, The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting and the Cookie Program, there are plenty of resources at your fingertips to let you and your girls plan the rest of your meetings. Refer back to the resource page at the beginning of this packet to find out which resources you need and where to find them. Build your Girl Scout network by reaching out to other troop leaders through your service unit and don’t forget to get the parents involved so they see how important Girl Scouting is to building girls and so they are there to help support troop activities.

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As Girl Scout Cadettes, girls have many options to explore their world through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Girl Scout Cadette

Program Overview

Cadette Community Service Bar: Awarded to girls who

volunteer 20 hours with an organization of her choice.

Badges: Girls can earn a variety of badges based on subjects that interest them.

Leader in Action (LiA): You can earn a Leader in Action (LiA) award by assisting a Girl Scout Brownie group on any of their National Leadership Journeys.

Program Aide (PA): You can earn your PA pin by earning your LiA in combination with a specific PA Training course and working with younger girls.

The Girl Scout Silver Award: The highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn—gives you the chance to show that you are a leader who is

organized, determined and dedicated to improving your community.

Silver Torch Award: Recognizes Girl Scout Cadettes who act as leaders

in their communities.

Cadette Service to Girl Scouting Bar: Awarded to girls who volunteer

20 hours to the Girl Scout Organization.

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