FRIEND OF THE EARTH CHALLENGE
Contributed by Kathy Cormier and Diane Stewart
We hope you will enjoy working on
this challenge. It is meant to be fun and a way to get you
and your girls outside.
The challenge is divided into four sections. To complete
the challenge:
Sparks – do 1 from each section for a total
of 5
Brownies – do a total of 6 with a t least 1
from each section
Guides – do a total of 7 with at least 1
from each section
Pathfinders, Sr. Branches, Guiders – total
of 8 at least 1 from each section.
This Challenge will run until December 31, 1998.
There will be a crest or patch available at no more than $1.00
each as well as a Certificate for all those who complete the
challenge. Please see the form at the end of the challenge.
LAND AND AIR
1. Make a wind sock and try it out.
2. Test the air quality:
-Wrap pieces of wide masking tape (sticky side out) around
cardboard rolls
from paper towels or tissue paper (recycled, of course)
-Put a hole in the top of each roll and thread a string through
it.
-Hang the rolls at various spots both inside and outside.
-After a week or so, take the rolls down. Look at the
masking tape through a magnifying glass. How much pollution
is carried in the air you breathe?
3. Look for signs of acid rain damage on the trees in your
neighbourhood:
-bare branches at the top of trees
-leaves sparse on the branches
-remaining leaves discolored
-leaves begin changing colours earlier in the fall.
Why do you think this happened?
4. Explore different weather gauges. Find out what an
anemometer is and make one. Try it in different
places. (Perhaps you could try it outside your meeting
place and then go to the shore for an outing and try it there)
5. Investigate the “world of waste” and the impact that
different methods of garbage disposal (landfills, incinerators,
etc) have on our environment. Make a list of things that
you could do to improve this. Pick one of these and do it
for at least two weeks, noting the difference that it makes
(Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Composting, etc.)
6. What does “endangered spaces” mean? How does
this impact on endangered species? What is being done in
Nova Scotia to guarantee both quantity and quality for our
wildlife? Make an “otter biography” about one
endangered species to show how their habitat contributed to it
becoming endangered.
WATER
1. Make up a game about water for another age group in Guiding to
play. This should be a learning game on one or more aspects
dealing with water.
2. Make a mobile showing the water cycle.
3. Investigate C.A.R.P. – what does this stand for and what
are they doing for our environment?
Perhaps you could invite a speaker to talk to your Unit about
their program.
4. Investigate a pond or marshland.
5. Make a toad home or a toad hole.
6. Create an oil spill. Experiment with “cleaning
material” to clean up the spill.
PLANTS
1. Go outside for a walk – sketch or photograph
wildflowers. Find out the names of the wildflowers and use
the sketches or photographs to make a scrapbook to be used as a
Unit resource.
2. Go for a sock walk – you need a large pair of old socks
for each person. Find a weedy vacant lot, park or field.
Put the socks on over your shoes. Walk around among the
plants. Sit down, take off your socks, and pick the seed
off them. Make piles of the different kinds of seeds and
see how many you found. Imagine what would happen if your
socks were a rabbit’s foot or fox’s tail. Take
each seed and try to find the kind of plant it came from.
3. Investigate endangered plants. What plants are
endangered in Nova Scotia and Canada. Make a picture of one
of these with materials of your choice.
4. Investigate rainforests. Find out where they are found,
why they are disappearing and what effect this has on us.
Using an arts medium of your choice, create something about
rainforests, Eg. Poster, mural, song, rap, etc.
5. Investigate flowers that attract butterflies, bees and
birds. Plant some seeds and when it is warm enough,
transplant outside to create your own
“butterfly/bee garden”.
6. Adopt a Tree – everyone should have her own personal
tree! Keep a journal where you write what you want –
what it looks like, how it sounds. You can trace a leaf or
note the day it starts to bloom or when it changes colour in the
fall. You can describe your tree’s residents and
visitors – the insects, birds, and squirrels you see.
Maybe you’d like to make a bark rubbing of your tree.
You can also write down the things you think about when you sit
under your tree – things you might not want to tell just
anybody, except a good solid friend who won’t tell anyone
else!
BIRDS/ANIMALS
1. Invent an animal. Small pieces of styrofoam (about 5cm.
Cube), 2 boxes of Toothpicks (up to 25 players), masking tape,
glue markers, plasticene, paint, and brushes. All optional
items (this game can be carried out with just the first two
items). 2 separate outdoor locations, such as a grassy
area, a treed area, a rocky place, a hedgerow, a beach. Two teams
are chosen. Each player is given a piece of styrofoam and
each team is given a box of toothpick. Make an imaginary animal
that is camouflaged from predators in its own habitat. Each team
is taken to its habitat and boundaries are set (about 3metres x 3
metres). Explain that the players should consider the
colours and shapes in the habitat. Materials in the habitat
may be used, such a grass, leaves, soil, if they are not pulled
off living plants. The styrofoam cube can be re-shaped, but
pieces must be carefully collected for disposal, because this
material is not biodegradable. After the animals are completed
(they can be named!), the players hide them in the habitat.
They should not be completely covered, but have a section
showing. The teams change habitats, but it is much more fun
to go to one habitat first, with both teams. The predator
team looks for the animals, and brings them out as soon as they
are found. If any are not found, the hiding team members go
and find them. These are the successful camouflagers.
The same is done at the other habitat. Some habitats are
easier to work with than other. Some examples of camouflage
can work as well in other habitats. These can be points for
discussion. Think also about animals you know that are well
camouflaged, and some that would find it very hard to hide.
How do they protect themselves? (From Guidestuff #91)
BIRDS/ANIMALS CONTINUED
2. Visit a zoo, Wildlife Park or a farm.
3. Read a story or watch a video about a species that is now
extinct or one that
is endangered.
4. Make a bird feeder, nesting box or
birdhouse that would be suitable
for the birds found in your area.
5. As a Unit, make a display of
endangered species, out of materials of your choice –
modeling clay, toilet paper rolls, construction paper, etc.
6. Write a poem describing an endangered
species by using the letters in its
Name. See the example below:
S wift fox
W andering the blustery prairie
I n search of prey.
F or me, it shows
T that all life forms are linked. We must
F ight for your life
O or we’ll all be
X tinct.
GENERAL
1. In the spring, go for a walk – observe nature and record
what you see. Return to the same place in the
autumn – how many of the things are still
there? How many new things did you see? What would
you conclude?
2. Discuss with the girl’s ideas for a project for Earth
Day/Environmental Week. (eg. Litter chase, Swap Saturday,
Wasteless Wednesday, etc.). Do
one of the projects.
3. Discuss ways you could “conserve” around your
home. As a group, make a chart of these and take them home
for two weeks to see how you do.
4. In a camp setting, create an interpretive trail for others to
follow.
5. Create your own rainbow legend. Many myths and legends
around the world involve rainbows – many First Nations
people believe rainbows are a bridge
between earth and the heavens; in the Philippines rainbows are
supposed to bring happiness and children make wishes when they
see one. Write you own
legend – the characters could be the sun, rain, a green
frog, etc. Then, as a group, make your own rainbow!
(directions included)
6. An old adage is “Leave nothing but your footprints; take
nothing but pictures”. Today we often call this
“no trace camping” in Guiding. During
camp period, keep a log of how you have practiced this.
7. Participate in a local or provincial environment program
– eg. Frog Watch, Beach Sweep, Nova Scotia Pick-Me-Up,
Yellow Fish Road.
8. Design a patch that could be used for “Friend of the
Earth” challenge another year.
9. During camp period, make a useful object, using recycled
materials.
If help or resources are needed for any of the
challenges you wish to do contact Kathy or Diane.
Send the form below upon completion to:
Cheques should be made out to :GIRL
GUIDES OF CANADA - FUNDY VIEW AREA
and sent to:
Kathy Cormier
850 Meadowvale
Rd.
RR#5, Kingston,
N.S.
B0P
1R0
902-765-6254
FRIEND OF THE EARTH CHALLENGE
Name of
Unit__________________________________________________________
Total number of participant’s (girls and adults)
___________________
Challenges completed: (Which #’s)
Land ___________________________ Water
___________________________
Plants __________________________ Birds/Animals
_____________________
General _________________________
Name and Full Address of Guider in Charge
_________________________________________________________Telephone_________
Additional comments for next year as well as on the activities
you enjoyed doing:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________