Summary

We worked on the traveler activity pin during 5 days of day camp.  Below is the information for day 4.

Supplies

• US Atlases (you could use state maps too).  We had a very nice set donated to us from State Farm Insurance.
• Compass course pre-designed by staff
• Compasses

Requirements covered and activities for each requirement

Map and Compass BL: 10. Measure your pace. Then layout a simple compass course for your den to try.

• We implemented this by having the staff provide a compass course to the boys. They all started at the same location and ended at the same location and we timed their progress. We broken into two teams (patrols) and had them leave about five minutes apart.  We had a staff member with each patrol to ensure they didn’t get too lost. We wanted to make sure they didn’t go into the woods (full of poison ivy and ticks)! Their goal was to find a staff member who was hidden at the end of the course. The winning team received tokens to spend at the camp store.

Traveler 9. Look at a map legend on a road map of your area.  Learn what the symbols mean.  Show your den members what you have learned.

Traveler 10. On a road map of your area, find a place of interest, and draw two different routes between it and your home.  Use the map legend to determine which route is shorter in miles.

• Name That State:  Two or more people can play this game.  Take turns holding the map.  The player with the map calls out the name of any capital – say “”Austin!””  The other player must call out the state “”Texas!””  The first person to miss is out.  Continue playing until one player – the winner – remains.  Once you’re good at matching the capitals with their states, try the game in reverse.  Call out the name of the state.  The correct answer would be the capital.  (boyscouttrail.com)
• Note: We intended to use game to give away the atlases but didn’t get to the game (due to time).  We used a variant of the game on day 5 to give away the atlases

Analysis (Start/Stop/Continue)

• Start: Nothing (this worked well)
• Stop: Nothing (this worked well)
• Continue: I would do this session again as it is.