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Rove Around the World with Scouts.

The world is waiting, are you ready to rove around the world with Scouts Canada?

Makin' waves Challenge

Challenge 1 | OCTOBER 4-10

Sustainable Development Goal: #14 Life Below Water

Partner: Ocean Wise

Country: Australia

Meeting Length: 20 min–1 hour

Gadget: Rope

Challenge 1
Makin' Waves

As your Section embarks on adventures to get Around the World in 60 Days, you will be able to see first-hand how easily activities can connect and further the impact of various SDGs.

If youth are interested in exploring certain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or topics more, dive into the dozens of activities in the Activity Finder to continue building connections in your program.

As individuals, it can feel impossible to change the world. Good thing that no Scout acts alone! We are part of a global movement that includes all of Scouts Canada’s members, along with National Scout Organizations across the world! Together, we are all working toward bettering the planet we share.

Are you ready to rove around the world with Scouts Canada? Get ready, you’re in for a 60-day adventure that will take you across the globe! Ping to different destinations quickly using this transporting compass. Hold on tight, here we go!

It’s your first time using the transporting compass. While you were aiming for Argentina, you somehow find yourself in Queensland, Australia! Thankfully, you’re near one of the best places on the planet for studying marine life—the Great Barrier Reef.

We depend on oceans, rivers and lakes every day for transportation, food and enjoyment. Oceans are important for regulating the planet’s temperature, but they are suffering from overfishing and plastic pollution. What can we do to help our waterways?

You might already be doing some great Goal #14 Life Below Water activities with your Section like pond dips, shoreline cleanups or finding ways to use less plastic. How will you get to the Great Barrier Reef to further explore Life Below Water, and put sustainable methods of water transportation into play?

Build a raft or boat and sail into the Coral Sea to explore the rich biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef! Bring your GADGET (Rope) with you on the boat—it’ll come in handy on your adventures later on.

 


Challenge:

Using simple supplies, youth can design and build a boat that can float the weight of their team’s “sailor.” Your sailor can be an item that represents your small team (for example, the Bear Lodge may choose to use a small bear), something that represents your Section (like Scouter Marc’s beloved coffee mug), or anything else you can think of (small dollar store plastic animals would work well!).

For an added challenge, add more weight to the boat, like coins or rocks. You can also test how water-tight the boat is by challenging the youth to float a piece of cotton candy in the boat—as soon as the cotton candy gets wet, it will disintegrate!

 

 

Safety Tips

What tools are you using and does everyone know how to use them safely?

  • For older Sections, ensure the use of a life jacket for anyone on the raft or floatation device.
  • Scouters—if you are using natural water (river, lake, etc) as part of your safety moment, make sure everyone knows the boundaries of the activity and that you have an appropriate entry/exit area from the water in the event you get wet!

 

 

Other Activities

Other activities to explore the SDGs (through the Scouts for Sustainability program)

SDG #14—Life Below Water:

Four Seasons,Climate Scientists,Climate Charades,Bow, Stern, Port, Starboard, Echolocation

Resources

Supplies:

Per small team (Lodge, Lair, Patrol, etc.):

  • Boat-making supplies: Milk cartons, duct tape, non-plastic straws, reused plastic bags, reused plastic dishes, etc. anything you think would be fun.
  • A ‘sailor’—have the youth bring something from home or supply each team with a ‘sailor’ like a stuffy or your Section’s mascot (Chuck the Beaver).

For the Section:

  • Somewhere to test the boat—natural water is great (remember to Leave No Trace), but a bin filled with water would work just as well
  •  Extra items to add more weight (coins, rocks, etc

Virtual Meetings

To keep your virtual meeting safe, skip the water during the meeting and simply focus on awesome boat building! You can use materials from around the house like egg cartons, sticks, paper, empty milk jugs and more. Alternatively, you can explore an origami boat-making tutorial together.

After the meeting, get the youth to take pictures or videos of their boats floating in a bin of water (tub, sink, bathtub). Can it hold coins or a handful of rocks without sinking? Share your boating stories, photos and videos at the next meeting!

 

Review

  • How does Australia use boats to get around?
  • What boats were traditionally used by the Indigenous People of Australia?
  • What dangers would you have to look out for when sailing around Australia?
  • Have you tried tying a bowline knot?
  • What other safety items do sailors use?

 

Supplies List:

  • Milk cartons
  • Non-plastic straws
  • Reused Plastic dishes
  • Coins
  • Cotton candy
  • A ‘sailor’ (could be a stuffed toy, a hot wheel’s car etc.)
  • Duct tape
  • Reused Plastic bags
  • Cardboard
  • Rocks
  • Rope
  • Water to test the floatability (stream, river, even a bin or bath)
Explorers Needed

The world is waiting. Let’s all become explorers this fall as we embark on new adventures together. Check out all the great activities and sessions we’ve got planned.

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