Webelos Scientist Activity Badge Ideas

These were structured as problem solving stations which the Webelos visited one of the days at day camp. Ended up using thewater rockets as filler activity when my program material didn't last thruthe full session.

Water Rockets

Variation of a demonstration at Philmont TrainingCenter, 1992 can be found at: http://members.aol.com/StanDCmr/rocket.html

This uses air pressure and reaction mass to shoota "rocket" 50 to 100 feet into the air. The launcher holds the rocket by"friction". Air is pumped into the rocket. When the force of the air pressureinside the rocket overcomes the force of friction holding the rocket down,the rocket shoots up into the sky.

Drink for a Bird

This is a problem for a patrol of scouts to solve..."A jar (2-liter bottle) is partly buried in the ground (sand). Rains havepartially filled the bottle with water. A very thirsty bird has found thebottle, but the neck of the bottle is so small that only the bird's beak(eyedropper) can fit down into it. The bottle is stuck too firmly intothe ground for the bird to tip it over. Can you help the bird get a drink?"

(After the scouts discuss the problem, point outsome gravel lying nearby.)

Float a gold bar

This is another problem for a patrol of scouts tosolve...

"A bar of gold (about 1/4" X 1" X 8") is lyingnear the bottom of a deep lake. You need to get the bar back onto the shore.You have nothing to tie onto the bar, and it is too heavy to lift or carry.How can you get the bar up to the surface and swim it back to shore?" (Afterthe scouts discuss the problem, offer some 5" long logs of 1 X 1 pine.These are small enough that the scouts can "swim" them down to the bar.)

The "gold bar" was actually a "silver bar"...no, actually a "stainless steel knife".

Float a sunken ship

This is another problem for a patrol of scouts tosolve... A ship, the USS Ice Cube Tray, has sunk with a dangerous cargo of radioactive material. The scouts need to float the ship so that it canbe towed to a safe area for decontamination. The ship is too fragile forlifting by ropes or cables, and it is too close to the bottom to put floatsunder it. How can it be raised? (After the scouts discuss the problem,offer each a (disposable) soda straw. They will have to work together,because too much air under any part of the tray will tip it over, allowingthe air to escape.)

I needed to tape about a quarter ounce of leadto each end of the tray to keep it from floating up on its own. Puttingthe lead high up decreased the stability and made the challenge somewhatmore difficult.

Edited by: BillNelson, Assistant District Commissioner, Salt River District, GrandCanyon Council, Boy Scouts of America. Please let me know of any additionsor corrections.

Scouts Using the Internet Cartoon - Courtesy of Richard Diesslin - Click to See More Cartoons

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