Craft: Tie Dye Crayons

This spring, my daughter's third grade class held a Product Fair.  For several weeks leading up to the special day, students earned play money.  Each student created a product and designed a poster, hoping to entice fellow classmates to spend their hard-earned cash on his or her goods.  My daughter decided to make tie dye Lego crayons, using silicone Lego molds we had purchased from Amazon several years ago.  Here are the steps she followed (with parental supervision, of course):

1. Choose the crayons to use.  My daughter used 2-3 crayons of each color.

 










2.  Place the crayons in a zippie bag.  She used a separate baggie for each color.  The wrappers fall off when the crayons are smashed with a hammer or a rolling pin.  This is much easier and less time consuming than peeling the wrappers from the crayons.
3.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
4.  Place the silicone molds on a cookie sheet.
5.  Sprinkle the crayon crumbles into the molds as desired.
                          
6.  Slide the cookie sheet into the oven and bake until melted.  We checked the progress in five minute intervals, adding minutes as needed.  The Lego men finished in about twelve minutes, and the Lego bricks took about 20 minutes.

NOTE:  After removing the Lego men from the oven, my daughter noticed the finished product was not going to be as thick as she had expected.  She sprinkled more crayon crumbles on top of the melted wax before sliding the cookie sheet back into the oven for about five more minutes.

    

7.  Let the crayons cool before popping them from the molds.

NOTE:  If a tie dye crayon happens to fall on the floor and crack in all the excitement, place the pieces back in the mold and bake until melted.  Once the crayon cools, it will be as good as new.

My daughter paired a Lego man with a Lego brick and packaged them for the Product Fair in a 4x6" clear treat bag.  These Lego crayons were quite a hit!  She was really excited to be the first in her class to sell out at the Product Fair.

With such a variety of silicone molds available today, the options are endless.  Tie dye crayons make great birthday party favors.  Consider trying this craft on a rainy day, during a birthday party, or at your next Scout meeting. (Think about using a bug-shaped mold to make a bug craft for the Brownie Bugs badge.  Remember these crayons as the girls experiment with different shading materials for the Juniors Drawing badge).  I would love to hear how this worked for you and the special kids in your life.  Thank you for reading.

Girl Scout Bridging Event

This spring, our combined troop of Brownies and Juniors were ready to bridge to the next level of Girl Scouts.  When talking with the girls about the occasion, they made it clear they did not want to have a ceremony, nor did they wish to invite family members to attend our event.  But they did love the idea of doing something special.  We agreed to schedule an evening trip downtown (Cincinnati).  The girls wanted to cross the Ohio River on the Suspension Bridge before celebrating the occasion with a sweet treat from Coldstone Creamery in Newport, Kentucky.

Since we had already scheduled an evening service project at the Fisher House in April, we agreed we could extend the evening and head downtown after cleaning up the planting project. 

After reviewing the budget, we leaders knew we had enough money in the troop account to allow the girls to order a small ice cream with the one complimentary topping of their choice ($4.54).  Troop funds also covered the cost to park in the garage adjacent to Newport on the Levee ($2/car on this specific evening).
  
When we reviewed our expenses for the year, we realized we had some money remaining from our Bake Sale in the fall.  That money had had been promised to the men and women who have served our country.  Our girls voted with their families, and we decided all remaining troop funds be donated to the Bake Me Back Home project with Bake Me Home.  Our donation will deliver a jar of cookie mix and 48 baked cookies to the Fisher House every week for one month.  

Seems like it was yesterday when they were Daisies.  Please check back soon.  I will share our plans for the future in my next post.

Geology Program at the Cincinnati Nature Center

Earlier this month, the Cincinnati Nature Center offered a two-hour Geology Program for Scouts at Rowe Woods.  One chaperone per six participants was required.  The cost was $10 per Scout, and chaperones were free.  Online registration was easy.  In the days leading up to our event, I received a couple of emails providing drop off and pick up instructions.  Rain boots or water shoes were highly recommended.  I ordered a Geology fun patch for the troop through Advantage Emblem.
   
Upon our arrival, we were directed to a classroom.  Staff and volunteers divided the participants and chaperones into three groups:  Boy Scouts, our Brownies, and our Juniors.  We set off on our way.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover our instructor was my middle school science teacher!  

We walked along portions of a couple trails and learned about Ohio's State Flower (scarlet carnation), Wildflower (white trillium), Bird (cardinal), and Tree (buckeye).  Our guide also identified poison ivy for the girls and recited the famous rhyme, "If it's hairy, it's scary."

At various points during our hike, the girls had the opportunity to use a soil auger to obtain soil samples.  These samples were inspected for similarities and differences.

At one point during the hike, we stopped to speak with a professional geologist.  He seemed excited to tell the girls that he works with many female geologists.  He informed us of the educational requirements should the girls wish to explore geology as a future profession.  The photos on his display pictured geologists working in a variety of settings, including caves, mines, and wetlands.  After explaining how geologists extract a sample of rock from the earth, he showed us how they test the hardness of a rock.

Following a brief discussion about erosion, we made our way down to the creek and met up with the rest of our troop.  After being shown samples, the girls were asked to find a sedimentary rock, a glacial erratic rock, and fossils.  Splashing in the creek and searching for fossils was the highlight of the trip.  We all enjoyed sharing the fossils we discovered with the others in the group.

A very rare discovery--horn coral!

The Cincinnati Nature Center consistently provides fun educational programming for children and families.  I've heard their CincyNature Camps are phenomenal! 

I invite you to check back soon.  My daughters and I visited Mammoth Cave over Spring Break, and I'll share our experience in my next blog post.  Thank you for reading.    

Junior Girl Scouts badge: Gardener Part 2

From Seed to Sprout
For the past couple of years, my daughters have helped my husband with a garden in our backyard.  They begin in early spring by planting seeds in peat pellets that are placed in a covered tray.  The tray is set on a heating pad and covered with a thick blanket to provide a dark, moist environment.  The girls use their resources wisely and label the pellets with old address labels.  One end of the label is wrapped around a toothpick before being inserted into the dirt.

A few days later, sprouts will appear. 

The pellets are transferred to a modified greenhouse.

Supplies for the modified greenhouse:
standard 10' piece of 3/4" PVC pipe cut to size as follows:
     1 piece (4.5 feet) for the crossbar
     2 pieces (18 inches) for the legs
     4 pieces (8 inches) for the feet   
2 PVC elbow joints 
2 PVC Ts 
Fluorescent Shoplight (chains and s-hook come with the shop light)
foil
duct tape

Steps:

1. Construct your greenhouse PVC frame.   
2. Cut two 4.5' sheets of foil and lay on ground.
3. Tape bottom and side edges of foil with duct tape to reinforce.
4. Hang shop light from top of PVC frame using chains
5. Tape foil sheets to edge of shop light.

As the sprouts continue to grow, they will need to be transferred to larger pots, most likely more than once, before being planted in the ground.

As long as the plants receive an adequate amount of sun and water in your garden, you will enjoy a bountiful harvest.  Just watch out for those woodland creatures who always seem to get to those tasty veggies first!

Hanging Gardens 
I happened to be watching an older episode of Kelsey's Essentials when Kelsey Nixon visited Rockaway Taco to speak with Andrew Day Field about his unique approach to tacos.  In preparation for this post, I read that this taco stand has closed, but I wanted to share how Andrew was able to grow vegetables and herbs in a small space.  Unfortunately I was unable to find a video of this episode online, but you can view other episodes of her show here.  On a bright note, I did come across this picture which shows the hanging garden of various planters that caught my eye during Kelsey's visit to Rockaway Taco.  

Steps to make your own hanging garden:
1.  Punch holes in the bottom of the container to allow excess water to drain.
2.  Cut an opening in the side of the container near the top.
3.  Fill the container with soil.
4.  Insert the plant and add more soil as needed.
5.  Create a loop with twine and secure on handle of container.
6.  Hang on fence or deck.
7.  Enjoy!

Not only could these ideas help satisfy Scout badge steps, they could spark ideas for a future service project.  For example, a hanging garden could be appreciated at a retirement or nursing home.  Additionally, it's a great way to reduce, reuse, and recycle those plastic containers.  Whether you are planting for someone else or for your own enjoyment, I wish you great success as you exercise your green thumb.  Thanks for reading!                                                           

Junior Girl Scouts badge: Gardener Part 1

Last spring, our troop attended a Junior Girl Scouts Flower badge program and a Brownie Bugs badge program offered by the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati.  Time was split between the classroom and the field, and our girls enjoyed the experience.  When I learned about the Junior Girl Scouts Gardener badge program, I immediately placed a call to register.  Our Juniors officially earned the badge while the Brownies enjoyed the fun event.  We used troop funds to cover the cost of the program ($5/girl).  In this post, I will describe how the girls completed the five steps to earn this Junior Girl Scouts Gardener badge.

STEP 1:  Visit a garden.   
The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati has beautiful outdoor gardens.  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, so we spent the majority of our two hours together in the classroom.  The rain stopped long enough for us to take a quick hike to the rooftop, herb, and dwarf conifer gardens located throughout the park.

STEP 2:  Explore garden design.
Another Junior Girl Scout troop had also registered for this program.  The girls divided into teams of three and used a variety of books to research different garden designs.  They were instructed to find five facts about their garden design that they later presented to the rest of the group.  We learned about zen gardens, indoor gardens, butterfly gardens, and a garden designed to attract birds.

STEP 3:  Learn how to choose garden plants.

The girls were given unnamed seasonal growth charts for California (pictured on the left), Alaska (in the middle), and Ohio (pictured on the right).  They worked in their teams of three to match each growth chart to its state.  Then they chose one state and a month and developed a menu using ingredients that were in season.

STEP 4:  Experiment with seeds.

Each Girl Scout was asked to choose four different vegetables to plant in paper pots.  They were instructed to fill the pot with potting soil before dropping two seeds in the pot.  Then they covered the seeds with another pinch of dirt.  The instructor explained that the seeds should be placed at a depth about two times the width of the seeds.  Since many of the seeds were really tiny, they needed to be situated near the surface and not buried too deep where they could not get adequate sunlight.  These paper pots will eventually be planted in gardens throughout the park--another service project!  

STEP 5:  Grow your own garden.  

The girls were shown how to make their own paper pots out of old paper.  They learned to use a PotMaker, but we were told a water bottle and a table works as well.

Fold the paper in half lengthwise.  
Line the fold with the top edge of the PotMaker.
Roll the paper tightly like a sleeping bag.
 

Fold the bottom edges in.
Press down and twist on the base of the PotMaker.
 

Voila!  "An easier, economical and Earth-friendly way to grow plants."






After reusing paper to make some pots, the girls planted seeds to take home.
 
At Open House this summer, our troop held a Bake Sale.  Our troop will use that money to plant flowers in garden boxes later this spring for Veterans and their families staying at the Fisher House in Cincinnati.  This is another great way to complete a badge step while performing a service project!

In my next post, I will share two fun ways to start a garden at home.  I hope you'll check back soon.  Thank you for reading.

Craft: Stuck in a Snow Globe

For one hour each week, I volunteer in my daughter's fifth grade class.  Sometimes I read with the students, asking comprehension questions from the teacher's book.  Other times I help edit creative writing assignments.  Recently the students have been working on figurative language.  The last time I visited the classroom, I got really excited when I learned the teacher wanted me to help with a craft!  The students were working on a writing assignment, describing how they got stuck in a snow globe.  Another teacher originally saw this idea on Pinterest and shared it with my daughter's teacher.  There are a million different ways to do this project...just ask Google.  This was the first time I'd ever seen this snow globe craft.  I am sharing it here because I thought it could be a fun winter project for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors.

Supplies needed: 
4x6 photos of the kids
6" clear plastic plates
Mod Podge
paintbrush or sponge brush
white glitter
assorted scrapbook or constructive paper
hot glue gun (not pictured)
scissors (not pictured)
 
 STEPS:
1.  Have the kids bundle up in their winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves (or not).  Take a picture of each child.  Print 4x6 pictures.  If working with a Girl Scout troop, take a group picture.  It would be fun to read how the troop ended up getting stuck in a snow globe.

2.  Have the kids cut around themselves to eliminate the background.
3.  Spread a thin layer of Mod Podge down the center of the plate.  Assure the kids that it dries clear. 
4.  Place the photo on the Mod Podge face down.  When the craft is finished, the photo can be viewed through the convex side of the plate (like the rounded edge of a snow globe).
4.  Apply an additional thin layer of Mod Podge along the bottom third of the plate and sprinkle glitter over it. (Left photo below).  To achieve a "just shaken" effect, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge all over the plate before adding the glitter.

5.  Have the kids cut a shape for the base out of cardstock, construction paper, or patterned scrapbook paper.  The students in my daughter's class cut squares, rectangles, triangles, and trapezoids.  
6.  An adult can hot glue the base to the bottom of the plate.
7.  Cut about 3-4" pieces of ribbon and have an adult hot glue one to the top edge of the plate.

CREATIVE WRITING PIECE
The teacher instructed her fifth grade students to explain how they got stuck in a snow globe.  She encouraged them to describe what it felt like, what they saw, heard, and smelled.  She wanted them to use figurative language as they were writing.  

If your Scouts haven't already done this activity at school, consider incorporating it during your next winter meeting.  If your Junior Girl Scouts are interested in earning the Scribe badge, this activity could potentially satisfy the requirements for Step 1 (Start With a Poem) or Step 2 (Create a Short Story).  Challenge your girls to get super creative by describing how they got stuck in a snow globe in the form of a haiku, limerick, or sonnet (Step 1).  

When I did a brief search for this craft online, I came across a website that provided a great writing prompt for younger kids.  The teachers used the prompt in their kindergarten and second grade classrooms.  I really like how Tori's students embellished their snow globes, and I love that they used fake snow!  Depending on the materials chosen, the cost of this project could vary.  Remember when using fake snow, a piece of paper needs to be adhered to the back of the plate.  The kids can decorate this paper with crayons and markers as they did in Tori's post.  While these additions will most likely increase the cost and the time required to complete the craft, the effect is quite different and could be well worth the additional expense and time.  And if you're like me, you might already have most of the supplies on hand.  

During our next meeting, the girls will be making cards for Veterans and their families staying at the Fisher House in Cincinnati.  Out of curiosity, I did a Google search for "haiku for veterans."  I was directed toward a website with poetry for and by Veterans, and I was completely surprised to find several haikus.  If your Junior Girl Scouts are working on their Scribe badge, have them write a haiku or poem in a card for a Veteran. Not only are they completing a badge step, they are participating in a service project.  I hope you will check back with us soon.  Thank you for reading.

Junior Girl Scouts badge: Drawing

This past August, my younger daughter attended an art camp at a local civic center.  The program was hosted by Young Rembrandts, a network of franchise business owners across the United States and around the world who teach children to draw.  Their preschool program is appropriate for children ages 3 ½ to 5, while the Elementary program is suitable for students 6 to 12 years old.  According to camp class descriptions, there are a variety of themes available.  Several examples include:  Animal Cartooning, Horses, Science Fiction, Superhero Cartooning, and Under the Sea. My daughter was registered for two classes, so she was at camp for a total of three hours a day for three consecutive days.  The classes were taught by the same instructor and were held in the same room.  There was a fifteen minute break between the classes.  Students learned to draw cartoons in the first class, and they practiced using pastels in the second class.  She absolutely loved it!
  

Knowing that our Junior Girl Scouts wanted to earn their Drawing badge this year, I looked beyond the Young Rembrandt summer camps and discovered we could set up a class on our own.  A minimum of 6 students is required to schedule your own class. The cost is $120 for a two-hour Scout program, and this covers up to 20 students.  CORRECTION:  The two-hour class is $12 per Girl Scout with a minimum of 10 girls and a maximum of 20 girls.  There is also a one-hour class option for $6 per Girl Scout.  Classes are often held at a school or community center, and the troop leader is responsible for finding the location.  We were able to reserve a room at the Civic Center free of charge since we are part of a nonprofit organization.  Young Rembrandts requested the room have a dry-erase board, and they provided all of the supplies needed for the program. This specific two-hour program has been designed to meet the Girl Scout badge requirements.  Young Rembrandts has six years worth of curriculum, so it is possible that the drawings could change from what is published in this post.  During the two-hour program, our girls did complete all five steps for the Drawing badge.

STEP 1:  Experiment with different shading materials.
The girls drew three drawings during our two-hour program.  One they left in pencil, one they outlined in Sharpie and colored with markers, and one they colored with colored pencils. 

STEP 2:  Learn how to add shading.
Our instructor gave the girls a quick coloring lesson.  She outlined an area on her drawing before shading the area in, moving in only one direction.  She demonstrated how to shade the area with a colored pencil.  She provided many tips throughout the class, but one was especially helpful--If you are going to use an orange marker, for example, color everything on the paper you want to be orange before you switch to a different color.  This is a great suggestion for a group of kids who are sharing the same resources.

STEP 3:  Get some perspective.

We had a discussion about drawing from different perspectives, and the girls practiced perspective while drawing a planet landscape.
 

STEP 4:  Use your imagination like a graphic artist.
The girls drew three cartoon aliens and had the opportunity to add details to make them their own.  

 

STEP 5:  Make your masterpiece--and show it off!
At the end of the program, the girls made a portfolio.  They folded half a piece of poster board in half and secured the two sides with patterned duct tape.  They punched a hole in the center of the top edge and tied a ribbon through the hole.  They used markers to decorate their portfolios.

I highly recommend booking a class with Young Rembrandts.  They were prompt when returning phone calls and answering emails.  They were flexible when we had to reschedule our original date.  The instructor kept the girls on task, and they were busy from the minute the class began to the minute it was time to leave.  Well worth every penny!  Since this was our only event for December, the girls had a cookie exchange at the end of the evening.  Our Brownies will earn the Family Story badge in January.  I hope you check back with us.  Happy Holidays!  Hope you all have a fun and safe New Year!