brownie flashlight fun

7/25/2019 Brownie Flashlight Fun

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Brownie Flashlight Fun

Night Time Adventures at

Meetings and at Camp

5601 North Allen RoadMableton, GA 30126

770-702-9100

Toll-Free: 1-800-771-4046www.gsgatl.org

AUGUST 2013

Being outdoors at night is both exciting and scary!Troops can usethese activities to help themselves Be Prepared for their first overnight orevening out experience, and to plan night-time fun activities for camp.
http://www.gsgatl.org/http://www.gsgatl.org/http://www.gsgatl.org/


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Volunteer Learning and Development

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Knowledge ManagementAugust 2013Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

As you help the girls prepare for an overnight camping trip, you could usethese activities:

As part of an evening troop meeting, even if its just outside in achurch parking lot.

As part of a late afternoon/early evening trip or experience thatincludes supper, a campfire, and night-time activities.

As part of a slumber party/sleep-over or backyard camp-out. As a before or after activity combined with a trip to an observatory.

As a troop family evening event, perhaps combined with a picnic,cookout or fishing trip.

All of these will help girls (and adults!) get ready for and feel morecomfortable on an overnight camping trip. If you include parents in theseactivities, they may feel more comfortable with their daughters first campingtrip, too!

AS THE GIRLS PLAN THEIR CAMPING TRIP:

In your Girl Scout Brownie Ring (whole troop) or Circle (committee of 4 - 6girls) ask the girls to come up with ideas for things to do at camp after dark.Ask them to make three lists: things to do indoors (lodge or cabin), things todo under an open shelter, and things to do outdoors. Ask them to put an R(or a raindrop) next to activities that can happen whether it rains or not.

Some possible activities include: hike/nature snoop, scavenger hunt, treasure hunt campfire, ceremony

talent show, skits/plays, songs, stories, jokes, riddles astronomy/star gazing science experiments, nature at night inventors workshop crafts, art projects, journaling

snacks (cook or prepare) games

Also ask girls to imagine how camp will be different from home at night.Some differences might be (depending on where you camp, etc.):

No television, radio, computer, etc. No bedroom/no bed/sharing sleeping space with other girls

No closet to store clothes, shoes, etc. No electric light (tents); no night-lights No traffic noises

Animal and bird and insect noises Other nature noises, like the wind in the trees, which you may not

hear indoors. No bathroom in your tent! Having to put on shoes and a jacket or

raincoat to go to the bathroom.


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Seeing stars, the moon, moonlight, fireflies/lightning bugs/glowworms.

HAVE AN IN THE DARK MEETING

First (indoors) we talked about the fact that navigation is harder in the dark,when you can't necessarily see landmarks so easily.

Then we went outdoors and the girls had to walk the perimeter of our localpark and design a map or set of instructions to help someone navigate theroute in the dark. We told them to imagine that there were no streetlights lit.They had loads of fun counting the number of paces from gate to gate,making notes of the types of houses they were walking past, counting lightpoles and using compasses to check the direction they were traveling in.

They then came back indoors to create their map or instructions. It wasreally interesting to watch them working together (or not!) and the differentstyle of maps/instructions they produced. And of course, it was fun being outin the dark with flashlights, too!

- Rosalind M.

[At our] In the Dark meeting] the Brownies played Hunt the Owl - same

as Hunt the Thimble but we used a ceramic owl. Used flashlights but not toomany so it wasn't too light. The girls had to really look!

- Corinne

Apart from usual games I played a game which my girls loved. Each girlwas given three string tails which they had to tuck into their waistband. Inthe dark they had to try and remove other peoples tails while keepingtheir own. I would turn the lights on randomly and anybody at that time

without a tail was out.

- CrazyGuider

OUTDOORS AT NIGHT


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AVOIDING YUCKY STUFF AT NIGHT

Stay on trails or open areas to avoid poison ivy and briars. Use insectrepellent during mosquito and tick weather, and dress for the weather

and terrain. Always have an adult a both the head and the tail of the line; at least

one of the adults should have a flash light withouta red cover for

possible emergencies. Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, pay attention to

where you put your hands and feet, and do not rush down trails thisis for your own safety (avoiding falls, etc.) but also protects wildlife.

When tent camping, put a light stick/glow stick on the adults tent(s)steps or railing so girls can find an adult easily if they need one.

If girls get up during the night to visit the bathroom or latrine, they

should shake out clothing and shoes before putting them on; critterssometimes move in overnight including scorpions. (Do this in themorning, too!)

FLASHLIGHT FUN: SIMON SAYS

Everybody wants to play with their flashlight, so do it once and get it overwith! Either in a dark room (lodge, cabin) or outdoors before the campfire,have everyone sit in a circle and listen to Simon:

Put your flashlight in your right handleft hand Turn your flashlight on.

Point your flashlight at the sky. Make BIG circles Make little circles.

Point your flashlight at your toes. Point your flashlight at your elbow.

Put it under your chin and grin. Write your name with it.

Always end with Turning it off and keeping it that way so you can enjoy thenight time sky.

TIP: Be sure girls put their names on their flashlights. Have masking tapeand a permanent marker at camp so you make flashlight nametags ifnecessary. Then when you have to collect all the flashlights and put them ina box or bag (because the girls wontturn them off and willshine them ineach others eyes) youll know whose is whose when its time to return them.

STARLIGHT SAFARI


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After your campfire dies down or before your campfire sit quietly in thedark. In a low voice, ask girls to use their senses to explore the night: Whatdoes the night smell like? What does the night sound like? What noises doyou hear that werent caused by nature? What were they?

What does the night look like? What can you see? Can you identify anything?Now turn on your flashlight and point it a little ahead of your feet (or a littleto the side.) What happens? (You can see whats in the circle of light, buteverything else disappears into the dark.) Tell or remind girls that after thirtyminutes in the dark, their eyes are as good as a cougars but if they turn

on their flashlight they will lose their night vision. [If you like, ask or tellwhy.]

Explain that red light doesnt bother our eyes very much, so that coveringour flashlight lens with red cellophane or tissue paper or red plastic will let ususe our flashlight for astronomy activities like reading a star map. It doesnt

bother most other animals, either, so we can use our red lights for a StarlightSafari without bothering our animal neighbors.

Safari Hike: Get everyone in a buddy line (partners.) Have the girls on theright side close their eyes and let their buddy guide them. Go half-way toyour destination and have everyone trade. Ask the girls not to talk but to usetheir senses again: listen to the night, smell the night, and feel the night ontheir skin (or the trail under their feet.)

If possible, let your destination be an open area where you can stargaze. Thedarker, the better! Spread out blankets, towels or ground clothes so girls can

lie down and look up. Take a few minutes just to relax and enjoy looking atthe stars. If some constellations are visible and you know them, point themout. If not, look for the following:

A planet (doesnt twinkle like a star) Stars with color: red, blue, and yellow

A meteor (shooting star) especially during predicted meteor showers Full moon quarter moon crescent moon The man, lady, or rabbit in the moon (tell the story if you know it) A satellite (about the size of a small star, moving rapidly across the

sky.) Go to: science.nasa.gov/Realtime/JTrack/Spacecraft or tospaceflightnow.com/tracking/index or to www.heavens-above.comto track satellites!

FOR THAT EXTRA-SPECIAL TOUCH

For adventurous eight and nine year-olds, take ground cloths and sleepingbags/bedrolls outdoors; it can be around the campfire, in a level area of your
http://www.heavens-above.com/http://www.heavens-above.com/


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camp site, down by the lake, or? (Wherever there is the least light.) Fromthis secure and snug location, listen to night noises, find pictures in the starsor look for satellites, listen to American Indian stories, and quietly check outwhat the night-time critters are doing by using a red tissue paper or plasticcover for your flashlights. End with a ceremony in the moonlight or at thecampfire, then settle in to sleep late in the morning or take a nap after lunch.

Spider Shine: Sapphires and Emeralds of the Night

Best age range: 3-year-olds and upLocation:anywhere short grass meets the woods is idealBest time:nightSeason:summer, fallSpecial materials:lightweight flashlight

What to do:Find a lawn or grassy area near hedges or some woods. Hold aflashlight on the side of your head, next to your eye. Shine the flashlight onthe ground and look for tiny sparkles of blue or green light. When you see asparkle of light, keep the light fixed on the sparkle and carefully walk closer.This should lead you to a small, harmless ground-hunting spider, most oftena wolf spider. The sparkle you see is the light reflecting off the spiders eyes(spider eye shine). See how many spiders you can spot. Whats the smallestspider you can find?

Eyes At Night Hike

Why do animals eyes reflect light?


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The eyes of many animals, but not humans, contain a reflective layer calledthe "tapetum lucidum". That helps the eye gather more light, whichimproves night vision. You just see what's reflected back at you; the rest ofthe light is absorbed by the creature's eye.

But it's not a precision mirror, and it tends to give you less accurate visionduring the day. Humans go in for precision (which is why we can read) atthe expense of hunting or seeing predators at night.

The tapetum lucidumis reflective, but it's not like a mirror. It's more likesome bird feathers and butterfly wings, where it uses ridges or dots of clearmaterial to achieve a colored effect. The distance between the ridgesinteracts with the frequency of light to give you different colors. The colorsyou're not seeing are what the animal actually sees.

Hike Preparation at Troop Meeting

Materials:

Black construction paper

Reflector Tape (look in the automotive products at a hardware store)

Poster board

Glue Stick

Markers

Divide girls into two groups: each one will need to makes a set of eyes, onefor the trail, and one for the poster. (The eyes pattern is below.)

1. Cut black construction paper into 16 2"x 4" strips (each group makes 8)

2. Using the picture below as your guide (print out and cut apart to maketemplates), each group cuts eyes out of reflective tape and attaches them toconstruction paper strips.

3. Attach one set of eyes to the poster board, and label each pair of eyes(see picture) for the group to use as a key when hiking

Hike Preparation at Camp


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Materials:

Night Eyes Poster

Set of Night Eyes

Masking tape, string or thumbtacks

1. Pick an area or trail that gives room for several people to stand together,as well as an area that has room for a group to gather prior to entering thetrail.

2. Using the poster as your guide, hang the eyes at suggested heights ontrees or bushes so that they are visible from the trail. Avoid brushy areasthat would obscure the view of the eyes. Do this during the day! The otheradults with your troop should keep the girls busy (preferably on the otherside of camp).

3. Map the trail for future reference (optional)

Leading the Hike

This hike is best done when it is very dark. Only the group leader shouldhave her flashlight on at this time. Lead the group to the Night Eyes Trail,keeping your flashlight pointed to the ground. Have another adult bring upthe end of the line. As you walk, you may encourage the participants to

discuss the sounds you may hear at night and to listen carefully for them.

When you reach the gathering spot, hold up the poster and let everyoneshine their light on it. Explain that you are going to be hunting for specialanimals on the trail. Only their eyes will be visible. Ask how many have seennight eyes when driving. How could they tell what animal it was just bylooking at the eyes? Demonstrate by placing flashlight up beside your eyes(girls can do this, too). Explain that they will be looking for animals off to thesides of the trail and on either side of it. They will need to look in the treesand undergrowth. If they spot a pair of eyes, they should try to guess whatanimal they have found. You may tell them how many eyes are out on the

trail. The poster is available to help them identify the animals.

If holding a contest for the most animals spotted, you may split up the groupinto teams at this point. An adult should accompany each team. Give the firstteam a few minutes head start. Instruct the girls to stay on the trail and walkwith a buddy. Flashlights can be turned on now, but they should be pointedat the ground until they reach the beginning of the trail. After each groupfinishes, they should return to the campsite.


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Retrieve the eyes in the morning. Save the eyes and reuse, if possible.

Variation: Ghost and Goblin Hike (Halloween)- make pairs of round or ovaleyes. Use construction paper scraps to make irises for the eyes, if you wish.If you make a poster key, you may label the eyes "ghost", "goblin", "trick-or-treater", "black cat", etc.

Idea developed by Wally Brines, Naturalist at Woodlands Nature Center,DuPage, IL and Girl Scouts of DuPage Council. New format and variation by

A. Robert-Curry, Whispering Oaks Girl Scout Council, LaGrange Park, IL

PATTERNS FOR EYES AT NIGHT HIKE EYES


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Animal Eyes at Night Where to Look/Place Eyes for Hike

Owl- High in tree

Fox 2 feet from ground

House cat- 6" to 1' from ground

Skunk- 8" from ground

Rabbit- 6" above ground

Possum- 1 1/2 -2' from ground

Raccoon- 1 1/2 -2' from ground

Deer- 4-5' from ground
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As well as providing a great opportunity to reinforce the message that recycling andreusing are important for the environment, this outdoor art activity is simple and lowmess making it perfect for children of all ages (and for mum!). Plus, the end resultis just a little magical. In fact, my daughter has asked for us to eat dinner by thecandlelight of her lanterns each night since we made them.

To make your own recycled bottle lantern, you will need:

One clean soft drink bottle with the label removed. A 1 liter bottle works wellwith one candle, a 2 liter bottle provides room for two candles

Coloured permanent marker pens (Sharpies or similar - the darker andbrighter colours will be more effective than light colours)

A utility knife and a pair of scissors Sand

Tea light candles

To make your lantern:

1. Invite your child to decorate the bottom half of the bottle with the marker pens.Shapes, patterns and simple motifs work best. Being that we were creating outdoors,my daughter was inspired by her surroundings, featuring flowers, trees, the sun,moon, stars, butterflies, snails and other insects, and rainbows.
http://www.goexplorenature.com/2013/05/making-recycled-bottle-lanterns-with-kids.html


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2. Cut the top half off the bottle by making a small slit with the utility knife and thensliding the bottom blade of the scissors into the hole. Cut all the way around the

bottle (depending upon the age of the child, this step may be best performed by anadult). If you find the exposed, plastic edge is sharp (ours was not), fold a length ofcoloured washi or electrical tape along the edge.

3. Place some sand in the bottom of the bottle. This weighs the bottle down,providing some stability. Then push your tea light candle into the sand in the middleof the bottle.

Enjoy, indoors or out!

http://www.goexplorenature.com/2013/05/making-recycled-bottle-lanterns-with-kids.html

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