Rising Star Scout Meeting One Worksheet Print

Week One Planner

Highlights:

During this meeting, elections should be explained.  Scouts begin planning their program-wide roar and the team holler.  Scouts consider a Cross Team Sports Day.

About Meeting Worksheets

Meeting Worksheets serve as a source of suggestions to our Scouts.  However, our Scouts choose, organize, and lead their own meetings, programs, and activities, and it is up to them to decide how to run their meetings.  The choices provided for each portion of the meeting are examples for our Scouts if they choose to use them, with the understanding that our Scouts may make the choices that seem best to them. 

Preparing Well in Advance of the Meeting

Secure Guests for the Activity Buffet

Note to Team Counselors:  since this is first meeting of the team, you will be securing the Guests for the Activity Buffet.  There must be at least two Guests to ensure our Scouts have the opportunity to actually choose for themselves whom to work with.

Detailed instructions are found in the How to Hold an Activity Buffet document.  Possible choices for Guests include but are not limited to:

• Magicians
• Backpackers
• Skateboarders
• Soccer/baseball/basketball players from a local college
• Comic book illustrators
• Video gamers

Prepare for Did and Do

Note to Team Counselors:  until Scouts begin earning Challenges on their own, the Did and Do portion of the meeting can be used to accomplish simple Challenges that can be done right there at the meeting.  Since this is the first meeting, the Counselors are responsible for bringing along anything necessary for the Challenges.

Depending on which Challenges are chosen to be accomplished during the first meeting, decide which items will need to be brought along.  Whichever Challenges you choose, they need to be FUN.  Ideas include making a compass, packing a backpack, or writing their own freestyle song.

Preparing a Few Days in Advance for the Meeting

Check out the location.  See if there is an American flag (if there is not one, a flag will need to brought to each meeting and placed in storage or taken home after each meeting) in the room, and see if you can get access to storage.  It is helpful to have some kind of secure storage, like a closet because it would useful to store the American flag, pens and pencils, paperwork, and camping gear at the meeting location for the sake of convenience.  If the location does not have storage, items can be stored elsewhere, including in your own home. 

Make at least 50 copies of the following documents because you will need at least one for everyone so Scouts can take them home.  Scouts also need to have copies to refer to during the meeting, especially of the Team Constitution and By-Laws.  Always having the documents on hand helps the Scouts assume responsibility for making sure their teams are always democratically governed.  There are moments in any meeting when those present tend to get sleepy or zone out; by having the Constitution and By-Laws in their hands, our Scouts can use those moments to look them over.  The ability of a democracy to remain a democracy is directly related to how well the members know their rights.

Have at least 50 on hand, but you may want to make more copies because you will need to have them at every meeting:

o Rising Star Scout Promise
o Scout Code
o Scout Motto
o Scout Spirit
o Inspiration for Rising Star Scouts
o The History of the Scout Movement
o Paperwork for the Scouts to fill out, such as membership applications to join
o Brochures
o Team Constitution and Bylaws
o Parliamentary Procedure
o Team Sheet (list of all local teams, where they meet, and contact info)

• Collect ample pens and pencils to bring to the meeting.
• Buy a candle (not gel), which can reasonably burn down in 4-5 hours or a few meetings.

Coming to the Meeting

• Be sure to bring along the American flag if the location does not have one.
• Be sure to bring along all the copies and forms that you previously made.
• Bring ample pens and pencils.
• Bring along anything necessary for the Activity Buffet.
• Bring along anything necessary for the Did and Do portion of the meeting, in which Scouts will be performing Challenges. 
• Be sure to bring along Frisbee, basketball, or whatever other equipment the Scouts will need to play before the meeting starts.

Scouts Arrive

• Scouts create their own environment and may set up the room in the way that seems best to them.  Our suggestion is to set chairs up in a circle, invoking King Arthur’s round table of Camelot.  Forming the chairs into a circle, at our team meetings, supports the principle that all within the Scout Programs of Adventure Scouts USA are equally valued.

• Set up the American flag.
• Set up the Good Time candle.

Since your team does not have a Scout who has been elected Team Leader yet, the Team Counselor can facilitate the meeting.  However, it is essential that the Scouts always choose, organize, and lead their own meetings, programs, and activities.  Elections for Scouts who will serve as Team Officers will be held during the fourth meeting.

Early Arrivals

Scouts who arrive early can help get ready or play a game.  Preferably, Scouts can play outside, if weather permits, games like Frisbee or basketball.  This will help them bond as friends and work out their energy in a constructive way before participating in the meeting.

The Meeting

This meeting must be FUN.  All meetings should be FUN, but it is vital that Scouts have FUN during their first several meetings because that is what is going to encourage them to come back.  This not school.  Scouts are supposed to have FUN, and FUN is what keeps them coming back. 

Jump Start (approximately 1-3 minutes)

The purpose of the Jump Start portion of the meeting should be explained to the Scouts.

Jump Start serves as a way to allow Scouts to get to know each other by asking and answering some FUN questions “hot potato” style.  A question is tossed out to a Scout and then they pick someone else to answer.  The goal is to get the Scouts participating and to come up with an answer immediately..  Every question should be discussed for a total of approximately 60 seconds, allowing time to discuss 1-3 different topics.  Naturally, every Scout will not speak every time.

It is not considered acceptable for Scouts to be late, but if they are, Jump Start also allows time for all the Scouts to arrive and not miss more important portions of the meeting. 

Below are a few choices or Scouts are free to come up with their own:

What was the last movie you saw that you liked?
What was the last book you read that you liked?
What is your favorite movie?

Best of America (approximately 1-2 minutes)

The purpose of the Best of America portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

Best of America allows our Scouts to talk about what they think is best about our country.  Examples of what Scouts can do during this portion of the team meeting include: tell a story, sing a song, or speak from the heart regarding what they believe is the Best of America.  A different Scout presents Best of America at each meeting.  A Scout volunteers at each meeting to present this section at the next meeting.  When each Scout has led this portion of the meeting,, start over .

Below are a few choices or Scouts are free to come up with their own:

Sing the National Anthem
Talk about the history of the American flag
Talk about a Founding Father

Personal Hero (approximately 1-2 minutes)

The purpose of the Personal Hero portion of the meeting should be explained to the Scouts.

During this portion of the meeting a Scout’s name is drawn from a hat randomly to name someone they consider a hero and why.  Afte rward there is time for other Scouts to comment.  After a Scout has already led this portion of the meeting, remove their name from the hat.  Scouts may choose anyone they want.  Popular choices include historical figures, parents, and grandparents, figures from the heritage of their faith, athletes, or mythic action heroes

Team Time (approximately 5-10 minutes)

The purpose of the team time portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

Team Time is the portion of the meeting in which Scouts discuss information or take part in activities are that are relevant to the entire team.  During Team Time, Scouts plan future meetings, such as the Educator Night, and weekend activities, such as camping trips.  It is also during Team Time that Scouts vote and decide via consensus whom they want to be Activity Buffet Guests at future team meetings, and Scouts volunteer to contact them.  Consensus means the Scouts discuss the issue until they all agree. 

Scouts choose which Guests they would like to invite to the Activity Buffet for the next meeting(s).

Choices include but are not limited to:

Magicians
Backpackers
Skateboarders
Soccer/baseball/basketball players from a local college
Comic book illustrators
Video gamers

During this meeting, elections should be explained.  Scouts begin planning their program-wide roar and the team holler.  Scouts consider a Cross Team Sports Day.

Friendship Activities (Approximately 5-10 minutes)

The purpose of the friendship portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

Friendship activities help our Scouts get to know each other better and help them develop the skill of fostering friendship.  During this portion of the meeting, the Scouts take part in games and activities to help them get to know each other better.
.
Below are a few choices or Scouts are free to come with their own:

Name Game—Scouts go around in a circle naming each Scout as they go along.  Those who miss one, compete with each other until everyone knows everyone else’s name.  If the game goes more than a minute or two over the suggested time frame, end the game.  Since there will be no formal Crew Time during this meeting, allow them to keep playing.

Spider Game – Scouts put all their hands in a circle and hold another Scout’s hand.  Scouts try to untangle themselves without letting go.

Scout Spirit! (approximately 1-2 minutes)

The purpose of the Scout Spirit! portion meetings should be explained to the Scouts.

The Scout Spirit! portion of  meetings provides our Scouts the opportunity to understand and appreciate the guideposts they have been provided by participating in our Scout Programs.  During this portion of the meeting a Scout’s name is drawn from a hat randomly to lead the other Scouts in reciting a guidepost of their Scout Program.  Afterwards, the Scout who lead the others will personally comment on what those words mean to them. 

Choices include:

Inspiration for Rising Star Scouts
Scout Promise
Scout Code
Scout Motto
Scout Spirit

Crew Time (approximately 5 minutes)

The purpose of the Crew Time portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

The Crew Time portion of the meeting is for Crews to get together and discuss Crew information and activities such as camping trips or which Challenges can be accomplished together.  Crews during Crew Time may also play Crew-building games.  .

At this first meeting,, it is too soon to break up into Crews.  Scouts can continue playing Friendship games.

Snack Time (approximately 5 min.)

Scouts can enjoy a healthy snack during this time.

Activity Buffet (approximately 35-40 minutes)

The purpose of the Activity Buffet portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

Scouts get the opportunity to acquire new skills by interacting with Guests in learning-by-doing presentations.  This is the portion of the meeting where Scouts get to choose the Guests they would like to interact with.

Guests will present their learning-by-doing sessions during this period.  Scouts have the responsibility during this portion of the team meeting to make sure they are participating in learning by doing sessions, and not simply listening to a presentation.

Did and Do (approximately 10-15 minutes)

The purpose of the Did and Do portion of team meetings should be explained to Scouts.

Scouts get the opportunity to demonstrate their newly acquired skills.  Scouts earn Challenges and also get bragging rights by showing what they can do.  This is time of the meeting when Scouts demonstrate their Challenges and are evaluated. 
Counselors are prepared with Challenges which can be accomplished during this portion of the team meeting.  Since this is the first meeting, Scouts will be working on Challenges which can be easily accomplished during this section of the meeting, such as creating their own freestyle song.

Remember the goal is to get the Scouts completing Challenges on their own, so during the first few meetings, if Scouts do start accomplishing Challenges on their own, scrap your plans, and let them demonstrate their Challenge.

Announcements (approximately 1-2 minutes)

Announce the next meeting and time and remind those Scouts who have been given a responsibility such as telephoning potential Guests for the Activity Buffet, or presenting the Best of America segment next time of what they should be doing.  The Scouts should be reminded to write down what they need to be doing for the next meeting, as well as the time and date of the next meeting.  They should also receive a copy of the Team Sheet. 

Clean-Up (approximately 1-2 minutes)

Your team meeting location should left exactly as or better than you found it.  Beat the Clock is a good tool for getting Scouts to clean up fast.  Set a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand and time how long it takes them to clean up each time, getting them to try to better their previous time.

Closing (approximately 1-2 minutes)

The Closing portion of the meeting should be explained to Scouts.

The Closing Activity should be FUN and enjoyable.  This is the grand finale and should be memorable.  People remember the beginning and the end of meetings, programs, and activities so we want it to be FUN!  The Closing should be inspirational and motivational.
 
Below is a choice, or Scouts are free to come up with their own:

Scouts break up into small groups and start creating the team “roar”.  Scouts can demonstrate their roars.

Departure

Note to the Team Counselors:

At least one Counselor must stay until every Scout has been picked up, however everyone must be in a group of three at minimum – two adults to one Scout or two Scouts to one adult.  Under no circumstances is an adult ever alone with an individual Scout (unless they are the parent or guardian of that Scout). At least one Counselor must stay either with another Counselor or with another adult to meet our youth protection standards.  We know our Counselors have gone through a background check; it is inappropriate to leave a Scout with an adult who has not undergone a background check, such as a parent or guardian of another child.  This is true of every meeting, program, and activity.

After the Meeting:

Team Counselors should call the two or three most enthusiastic Scouts.  Talk to their parents first so they know who you are, why you are calling their child, and so they can give permission for their children to make phone calls.  Ask the Scouts how they liked the meeting, their favorite parts, and what they would improve, if anything.  Have each Scout call several other Scouts to ask them the same questions.  The Team Counselor needs to follow up with those Scouts to make sure the calls were made.  If the Scouts who made the calls receive information from the other Scouts, such as what to improve, they should make note of it and give it to the Team Counselor so the meeting can be improved.  Calls should be made relatively quickly, within two days preferably, as there is only a week between meetings.  The purpose of these calls is to get Scouts talking and starting to build friendships.  Imagine how a shy youth would feel if no one ever took interest in them and suddenly as a part of the Scout Program, a Scout and teammate called just to see if they liked the meeting.

If you have additional suggestions, we appreciate and value your ideas.  Please let us know by contacting us at the national office.

 

Last Updated ( Sunday, 09 December 2007 10:05 )