Scouts Meeting Schedule Theme: World Scout Environment Programme – Clean Air Objective: Introduce Scouts to the significance of air pollution and potential environmental implications. Using games and activities, Cubs will begin to understand some of the causes of air pollution and will learn some ways that they can help reduce air pollution. Time
Activity
Program Details
10 mins
Gathering Activity
Earth, Air, Fire, Water
5 mins
Opening Ceremony
15 mins
Game
Climate Change Dodge Ball
30 mins
Theme Activity
Air Pollution Detectors
10 mins
Theme Activity
Carbon Footprint
20 mins
Game
Multi-Mode Relay Race or Forest Line Tag
15 mins
Patrol/Troop Meeting
10 mins
Closing Ceremony
15 mins
Leader Discussion Time
Leader Responsible
Meeting Notes: ————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————————————————————————————— ————————————————————————————————————————————————————
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
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Scouts Meeting – Detail Planning
Introduction Air is one of our most important resources and is the most basic requirement for life. Plants and animals (including people!) could not survive without air. The number one air quality concern in Canada is particulates, which can cause serious health problems for seniors or young children. Particulates are small, fine particles in the air – most of them we cannot even see! Particulates are made up of many different kinds of materials, and come in a variety of sizes. Some of the sources for particulates include smoke, dirt, dust, mold, spores, pollen, heavy metals, and toxic organic materials. Air pollution can produce acid rain and worsen respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. Acid rain is produced when sulfur or nitrogen oxides from smoke enter the air and mix with the moisture in the atmosphere. When it rains, these compounds fall on lakes, forests and urban areas, and cause damage to aquatic/terrestrial species and can even strip bark off of a tree or paint off of a building! Improving the quality of our air will help sustain the health of people, animals and plants and ensure that our earth stays green. Some sources that contribute to air pollution include factories/ industry, power plants burning fossil fuels like coal, exhaust from automobiles and airplanes, and open/backyard burning. Air pollution contributes to climate change, which is a global concern with the potential to significantly affect the future of our world. There is strong evidence that human activities are impacting our climate now – resulting in a change in climate and weather patterns, a greater frequency and intensity of storms and droughts, and a higher incidence of forest fires.
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JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
Gathering Activity
Game
Earth, Air, Fire, Water
Climate Change Dodge Ball
Equipment:
Objective:
• A large, defined playing area.
Instructions: Scouts stand in the centre of the room. Label the four walls of the room (or the four sides of the playing area, if outdoors) as Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The leader will call out one of the four words. When a leader calls out a word, the Scouts will movie in the appropriate way to the wall. Last one to the correct wall is eliminated.
Actions are:
Earth – slither like a snake
Air – fly like a plane or a bird
Fire – run to the wall, stop, drop and roll and stand up
Water – lay on belly and swim to the wall
Add in these two actions for more fun – Scouts can do them in the centre of the room, at the wall where they are standing. Flood (get up off floor) and Hurricane (spin like a top).
To explain the connection between non-renewable sources of energy and climate change.
Background Information: The process of generating energy with non-renewable materials such as oil and coal creates greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind energy, produce comparatively few greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past one hundred years, the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere has risen exponentially compared to the previous one thousand years. Scientists are almost unanimously in agreement that this increase in greenhouse gas concentrations comes from human-generated causes. One of the most significant of these is the use of fossil fuels to create energy.
Equipment: • 10 soft balls that can be used in a dodge ball type game • A large playing space (about 10 x 20 metres)
Instructions The object of the game is for the team with the balls to try to hit all members of the tem in the centre. Set the playing space with defined borders. Explain to the pack that many types of energy are produced with fossil fuels. The process of creating energy with these non-renewable materials releases greenhouse gases into the air, which cause climate change. The balls in this game represent greenhouse gases. The playing space represents the Earth. Over time, humans have used more and more energy from fossil fuels, and have in turn produced more and more greenhouse gases. This game will simulate that process. Split the Scouts into two teams – Earth Team and Energy Team.
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The Earth Team stands inside the play area and the Energy Team stands along both long edges of the playing space. Give the Energy Team two balls, which represent greenhouse gas emissions. They try to tag the members of the Earth Team with the balls. If a member of the Earth Team is hit, they must stand outside the play area. Stop the game after two minutes, allow the Scouts who have been hit back into the play area. Give three more balls to the Energy Team, explaining that there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere now. Stop the game again after two minutes and allow the tagged players back in. Give all the balls to the Energy Team. When all the players have been tagged, switch teams and repeat the process. Review with the Cubs how an increased concentration of greenhouse gases is not good for the atmosphere.
Theme Activity Air Pollution Collector Objective: Scouts will see evidence of pollution by collecting particulate matter from the air.
Equipment: • Per Patrol • Masking tape • 4 squares of waxed paper • 4 squares of cardboard that are cut to be slightly bigger than the waxed paper squares • Petroleum jelly • A magnifying glass
Instructions: Tape one waxed paper square to each piece of cardboard. Label and number the top of the cardboard “air pollution collector # ___.” Rub petroleum jelly on the surface of the waxed paper. Use only a thin layer – enough to make it sticky. You have now made air pollution collectors! Place the four collectors in different locations in your neighbourhood, community, camp, etc. Mark the locations on the back of the cardboard. Place two in areas where you think there will be a lot of solid particles (near a busy road, a factory, etc). Put the remaining two in areas where you think there will be few solid particles (a park, a residential area, etc). Gather the collectors before your next meeting.
Background Information:
Please note: Always go with a trusted adult to place and gather the collectors.
There are different kinds of air pollution. It can be made up of solid particles, gases, or a combination of the two. Some solid particles, called particulates, in the air come from nature, including things like dust and pollen from flowers. Other solid particles come from garbage, wood, coal, or oil products burned for energy.
Remove the waxed paper from the cardboard. Use the magnifying glass to examine each sheet. Which area had the most particulates? Which area had the least? What kind of particulates did you collect? Were there any surprises? What does this tell you about the air quality in your area?
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JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
Theme Activity Carbon Footprint
Carbon Footprint Quiz Calculate your impact on Climate Change. How much Carbon Dioxide do you put into the atmosphere each year?
Objective:
BEHAVIOUR
To discover the extent to which the Scouts each contribute to Climate Change in their daily lives, and brainstorm some ways that this can change for the positive.
1. Do you leave the sink running while you brush your teeth? (0 points for no, 10 points for yes)
Equipment: • Carbon Footprint Quiz • Answer Guide • Calculation Guide
Instructions: Hand out a copy of the Carbon Footprint quiz, and have Scouts fill it out. Discuss results and ways that their contributions to Climate Change can be lessened. Scouts will give themselves points for yes/no answers. See who has the biggest/smallest impact, and then discuss how everyone might lower their impact. Extension Activity: Pass out calculators and use the second sheet provided, in which Scouts can add up their actual carbon footprint.
POINTS
2. Do you turn the lights off when you leave a room? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) 3. Have you replaced your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) 4. Do you take a bike or walk to school instead of driving? (O points for yes, 10 points for no, 5 points for sometimes) 5. Do you take the bus or carpool to school with a friend? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) 6. Do you recycle? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) 7. Do you turn off your television when you aren’t watching it? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) 8. Do you turn off your DVD players and game consoles when you aren’t using them? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) 9. Do you use a power bar to plug in frequently-used charging devices (for your cell phone, etc), and turn the power bar off when not in use? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) 10. Do you have your computer set to go to “sleep” when not in use? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) TOTAL POINTS
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Carbon Footprint Quiz – Answer Guide
6. Do you recycle? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) Per year, this can save up to: 52 lbs of carbon for magazines
Calculate your impact on Climate Change. Approximately how much Carbon Dioxide do you put into the atmosphere each year?
172 lbs of carbon for newspapers 30 lbs of carbon for glass
1. Do you leave the sink running while you brush your teeth? (0 points for no, 10 points for yes) This can save up 528 lbs of carbon dioxide per year from going into the atmosphere. 2. Do you turn the lights off when you leave a room? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) This can save up to 453 lbs of carbon dioxide per year. 3. Have you replaced your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) Replacing just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL saves 138 lbs of carbon dioxide a year. Imagine if you replaced all of the light bulbs in your house! 4. Do you take a bike or walk to school instead of driving? (O points for yes, 10 points for no, 5 points for sometimes) If you bike or walk to school just one day a week, you can save up to 70 lbs of carbon dioxide a year! 5. Do you take the bus or carpool to school with a friend? (O points for yes, 10 points for no) This can save up to 210 lbs of carbon dioxide per year, if you carpool or take the bus to school just one day a week.
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47 lbs of carbon for plastic 146 lbs of carbon for metal (aluminum, steel, etc) 7. Do you turn off your television when you aren’t watching it? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) This would save 53 lbs of carbon dioxide if it is off for one hour a day for a year. Wow! 8. Do you turn off your DVD players and game consoles when you aren’t using them? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) This would save 9 lbs of carbon dioxide if one DVD player or game console was turned off for one hour a day for a year. Think about how much you can save if you keep it turned it off when you aren’t using it! 9. Do you use a power bar to plug in frequently-used charging devices (for your cell phone, etc), and turn the power bar off when not in use? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no) This can save 3 lbs of carbon dioxide per year, per charger, if you only leave them plugged in when you need them. 10. Do you have your computer set to go to “sleep” when not in use? (0 points for yes, 10 points for no)
This can save up to 169 lbs of carbon dioxide a year.
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
Carbon Footprint Calculation Question
Carbon Dioxide Value
Running Total
1. Turning the sink off while you brush your teeth.
Yes = 528 lbs
2. Turning the lights off when you leave a room.
Yes = 453 lbs
3. Replacing one incandescent light bulb with a CFL bulb
# of bulbs x 138 lbs
4. Biking or walking to school
# of days per week x 70 lbs
No = 0 lbs
No = 0 lbs
___________________________
___________________________ 5. Carpool or bus to school
# of days per week x 210 lbs ___________________________
6. Do you recycle? Which categories do you recycle at your house? Add them together and put the total in the column to the right.
Magazines = 52 lbs Newspapers = 172 lbs Glass = 30 lbs Plastic = 47 lbs Metal = 146 lbs
7. Turning TV off when not watching
# of TVs x # of hours per day x 53 lbs ___________________________
8. Turning DVD player/game console off when not using
# of DVD players/consoles x # of hours per day off x 9 lbs ___________________________
9. Charging devices – only leaving plugged in when in use
# of chargers x # of hours per day off x 3 lbs ___________________________
10. Enabling sleep function on comput er
# of computers x 169 lbs ___________________________ TOTAL
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Game Multi-Mode Relay Race Objective: To demonstrate in a fun way that multiple modes of transportation can be used to reach a destination. This game is best played outside and requires equipment to be brought in for each team. It is suggested that each Scout bring in their own equipment and safety gear. Alternatively, play in the winter with a focus on winter modes of transport (sleds, skis, snowshoes, etc).
Equipment: • Equipment for several modes of transportation. Each team will require one of each mode, such as bikes and in-line skates with safety gear. • One cut out cardboard picture of a bus (approx 1 metre long, 1/2 metre high) • Scouts should come dressed for physical activity with proper footwear • One backpack per team stuffed with newspaper/ clothes/other filler material • Markers for each mode-change station
Instructions: Set up a course with different stations where modes of transportation will be switched. The course could span across a neighbourhood, park, or field. For example, start by biking to a designated station, running to the next, taking the “bus’ to the following station, walking to a fourth station, in-line skating to a fifth, etc. Transportation modes can be repeated as desired.
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Each member on each team selects a transportation mode and station. Have all necessary equipment at the station with each Scout. Give the backpack to the person at the starting station. Signal the relay to begin. If, for instance, biking was the first mode of transportation, the Scout races to put on safety gear and backpack, get on the bike and reach the next station as fast as he/she can. Once reaching the station, he/she will take off the backpack and pass it on to the next Scout on the team. He/she then puts on the backpack and any gear related to their mode of transportation and continues to the next station. Continue the race until the last Scout from the last station reaches the finish line. First person there wins for their team!
Discussion What did all the modes of transportation have in common? (They are good options to reduce air pollution and climate change). What are the benefits/drawbacks of each one? (Biking is fast, but there must be a place to lock up your bike; running is good exercise but makes you sweaty, etc.) Ask Scouts to think of all the places they go to during the week in the car. Could they use one of the modes in the relay instead of the car?
How hard would it be to switch?
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
Alternate Game Forest Line Tag Objective:
tures and other impacts, which will weaken trees’ ability to survive. 4. We would run out of oxygen to breathe if forests did not create it.
This game tests Scouts’ knowledge about forests and climate change in a fun way.
Equipment: • This can be played inside a large room or outside.
5. Forests contribute to climate change.
Instructions: Arrange Scouts into two teams named “True” and “False.” Line the teams up, opposite each other, about one to two metres apart. Behind each team, about 15 metres back, mark out a “Safety Zone.” Explain that one leader will read out a question regarding forests and climate change. The answer will either be True or False. If the answer is true, the “True” team chases the “False” team, and vice versa. Anyone who is caught before reaching the “Safety Zone,” joins the other team. Before each question, the two teams line up again as they did at the beginning of the game. Leaders can take a moment during this time to discuss the true answer. The game continues until all of the questions have been answered or all the Scouts belong to one team. RUE: Canada has 400 million hectares of forest. T That is 10 percent of all of the forests in the world.
2. Trees act as “storage vessels” for carbon dioxide.
RUE: Through photosynthesis, trees absorb carbon T dioxide and release oxygen.
3. Trees will grow faster and stronger under climate change because there will be more carbon dioxide for them to absorb.
F ALSE: Tree growth will not be affected by the presence of more carbon dioxide. However, climate change will mean more drought, warmer tempera-
JUMPSTART—SCOUTS: Climate Change
RUE: Forests not only absorb carbon dioxide – T which is a greenhouse gas – they also emit carbon dioxide through decaying leaves and branches. So, trees are a cause and a solution to climate change.
6. When you cut down a tree, it releases all of the carbon dioxide that it has stored.
F ALSE: Cutting down a tree does not release carbon dioxide, burning wood or leaving leaves and branches to rot does.
7. If we just plant more trees and vegetation, we don’t need to reduce our energy use or worry about climate change.
F ALSE: Tackling climate change will require us not only to find ways to reforest and revegetate our communities, but also to change the way that we currently use energy.
8. One full-sized tree can absorb 75 percent of the carbon dioxide produced by the average car.
1. Almost half of Canada is forested.
RUE: Although oxygen makes up about 1/5 of our T air supply, we also depend on trees to produce more of it as a by-product of photosynthesis.
RUE: Trees also help to absorb the noisy sounds T of the city, including cars.
9. Climate change is going to affect forests on the coasts more significantly than those inland.
F ALSE: Climate change impacts will be most significant in higher latitudes (45 to 65 degrees N) and the interior of continents.
10. When trees shade buildings, the building must use more energy for winter heating and summer airconditioning.
F ALSE: The opposite happens when trees are used as windbreaks or shade for buildings.
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