The Citizen Activity Badge relates directly to developing responsible citizens, one of the prime purposes of Cub Scouting and the Boy Scouts of America.  This badge is one of the requirements for the Arrow of Light Award.  The appeal of this badge to the boys will be determined in large part by the method used by the Webelos Leader in presenting it. It can be exciting, fun and informative; or it can be just some more reports to write.  For a boy on the road to Eagle Scout, the Citizen Activity Badge is the most important step in his Webelos year.

 

 

The Webelos leader should plan carefully so that boys get a feeling for the real meaning of citizenship without spending a lot of time in study.  There are various ways to do this.  You might give them the opportunity to get a close look at government by planning a field trip to a local government agency or court.  One of the best ways to stress the meaning of good citizenship is by practicing the good turn.  This should be a "must" for every boy.  Working on this badge can be exciting, fun and informative, or it can be just more reports to write. Heart of America Council

 

LINKS - REQUIREMENT 1

US President:   George W. Bush

US Vice President: Richard B. Cheney

Oregon Governor:   Ted Kulongoski

Beaverton Mayor:   Rob Drake

Washington County Chair Board of Commissioners:  Tom Brian

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CITIZEN DEN ACTIVITIES

• Discuss requirements of the badge with the boys. Decide on a good turn for the school, church or community and plan how to carry it out. Perhaps the den will want to involve the whole pack in their good turn, so that all the boys will be included in the excitement and rewarding feeling of doing something for others.
• Make logbooks for boys to record their work on the badge.
• Plan a special good turn for the next pack meeting, such as setting up chairs, ushering, cleanup, etc.
• Visit a local government agency. Find out how it works, what services it provides, how It affects you and your family.
• A campaign against litter is a "must" for good citizenship. Discuss how your den can carry on such a campaign - and do it. This could Include making posters for display, litter cleanup, making litter bags, a fight against pollution, collecting items for recycling.
• Discuss the various organizations in the community which help people. How are they financed and run? Do they use volunteer help?
• Attend a naturalization ceremony.
• Observe the voting process.
• Visit a city council meeting or school board meeting.
• Remind people to fly the flag.
• Invite a new citizen to speak to your den on what becoming an American citizen means to him.
• Visit a court. Ask the judge to speak to the boys about citizenship. Acquaint boys with the court procedure.
• Visit police and/or Fire department.
• Learn more about your community.
• Discuss the difference between the rights and duties of a citizen.
Animatics

 
 
• Discuss the difference between the rights and duties of a citizen.
• Invite a guest speaker from a local community board to explain his/her duties and tell the Scouts why he/she volunteers time.
• Obtain a pack of US commemorative stamps. Pass out several to each Webelos and challenge them to discover the story behind the stamp.
• Plan and carry out a citizenship project or litter campaign, complete with posters, etc.
• Visit a city council meeting, police station, fire station, etc.
• Tour city hall or your county court house.
• Fly a flag at home, particularly on appropriate occasions.
• Learn more about your community. Your local historical society can help with this.
• Make a chart that shows the responsibilities of a citizen and discuss this with the parents and younger Cub Scouts at a pack meeting.
• Make and hand out small posters showing how to raise and lower the flag; give a demonstration on folding the flag.
• Make posters and hand out voter registration cards; tell everyone why it is important to vote.
• Make and hand out litter bags. Tell why litter hurts all of us.
• Invite a new citizen to speak to your den on what becoming an American citizen means to him or her.
• Plan and make a citizenship display for the pack meeting.
• Make “GET OUT AND VOTE” door hangers and help the pack place them on every door in your neighborhood. Remember - DO NOT put them in the mailbox. It is against the law!
• Make logbooks for boys to record their work on the badge.
• Plan a special good turn for the next pack meeting, such as setting up chairs, ushering, cleanup, etc.
• Visit a local government agency. Find out how it works, what services it provides, how it affects you and your family.
• A campaign against litter is an example of a good turn. Discuss how your patrol can carry on such a campaign - and then do it. This could include making posters for display, letter clean-up, making litter bags, a fight against pollution, collecting items for recycling.
• Discuss the various organizations in the community which help people. How are they financed and run? Do they use volunteer help?
• Attend a naturalization ceremony.
• Observe the voting process.
• Visit a city council meeting or school board meeting.
• Remind people to fly the flag.
• Invite a mew citizen to speak to your patrol on what becoming an American citizen means to them.
• Visit a court. Ask the judge to speak to the boys about citizenship. Acquaint boys with the court procedure.
• Visit police and/or fire department,
• Learn more about your community.
• Discuss difference between the rights and duties of a citizen.

Animatics– Grand Canyon Council

 

The turtle knows more about the  trail than the hare. CLBW

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PACK MEETING OPENING.

If your den will conduct the opening ceremony at an upcoming pack meeting, perform the "Star Spangled Banner” ceremony. You will need a reproduction of the Flag of 1812 shown here. Have two Webelos Scouts hold the flag while the denner reads:
"Our country's first official flag had 13 stars and 13 stripes, one for each of the first states. in 1795 two more states joined the Union and a new flag was made with 15 stars and 15 stripes.  It was this new flag, the Star Spangled Banner, that was flying over Fort McHenry in Baltimore when the British bombarded the fort during the War of 1812.
Francis Scott Key saw the bombardment and was inspired to write our national anthem. Let us honor this flag by singing the first verse of the anthem.” Song leader leads The Star-Spangled Banner,’ Cub Scout Songbook.

Closings

Personnel: Cubmaster and six Cub Scouts
CM: I asked myself a question today.  "What does it mean to be an American?"  There were several answers, and they were all good.  Being an American means I have a multitude of freedoms.
#1: Freedom to think and to say what I think.
#2: Freedom to worship as I please.
#3: Freedom to move ahead.
#4: Freedom to try, and freedom to fail.
#5: Freedom to stand up straight and to look the world in the eye.
#6: Freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
CM: These freedoms were not of my doing.  They were here long be fore I was born.  Our forefathers fought to win them.  I have four guarantees that will remain.  The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, my fellow Americans and me.  No man could ask for more.

BB-Greater St. Louis Area Council

THANKFUL
Personnel: Den Chief and 6 Cub Scouts
Den Chief: We have a lot to be thankful for at this time of year.  We work and for this we see all the good things that come of it.  Let us all share something good with each other at this time.
Cub 1: Do the very best you can and leave the rest to God.
Cub 2: Life is hard by the yard; buy by the inch life is a cinch.
Cub 3: A clean conscience is a soft pillow.
Cub 4: We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough.
Cub 5: There is no failure except to give up.
Cub 6: Our country, right or wrong.  When right, to be kept right.  When wrong, to be made right.
Den Chief: Goodnight Cubs and families, see you next month.

Heart of America Council

OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE
Personnel: 8 Cub Scouts
Equipment: Small American flags, cue cards
Arrangement: Cub Scouts in uniform stand in a straight line with each holding a small American flag.
Cub #1: I am the symbol of the living America, the badge of it greatness, the emblem of it's destiny.
Cub #2: I am faith.  It is I who keep men mindful of their priceless heritage, life, liberty, and the right to pursue happiness.
Cub #3: I am hope.  I represent the land of promise wherein, already, man's loftiest dreams have approached closer to realization than ever before on this earth.
Cub #4: I am life.  Each strand and fiber of my being is a memorial, dedicated to the sacrifices of all those strong men and steadfast women who have lived and died in the nation's service, that it might live forever.
Cub #5: I am tolerance.  So long as I shall wave, all people under my protection may freely worship, think, write and speak, undaunted by the shadow of fear.
Cub #6: I am justice, tempered with mercy.  For I am friend to the oppressed and downtrodden of every land.
Cub #7: I am a sign of the future.  I wave over schools throughout the nation and in them the nation's future is molded.
Cub #8: I am the flag of the United State, the last, the best hope for peace on earth.

BB-Great Sauk Council

THE LAW OF SELF-CONTROL
I will control my tongue and will not allow it to speak mean, vulgar, or profane words. I will think before I speak. I will tell the truth and nothing but the truth.
I will control my temper and will not get angry when people or things displease me. Even when indignant against wrong or contradicting falsehood, I will keep my self-control.
I will control my thoughts and will not allow foolish wishes to spoil wise purposes.
I will control my actions. I will be careful and thrifty and insist on doing right.
I will not ridicule or defile the character of another. I will keep my self-respect and help others to keep theirs. Animatics
 
 

CLOSING CEREMONY

CUB NO. 1: I asked myself a question today:
"What does it mean to be an American Citizen?
There     were     several answers, and all were all good, Being an American Citizen means I have a multitude of freedoms.

CUB NO. 2: Freedom to think and to say what I think.

CUB NO. 3: Freedom to worship as I please.

CUB NO. 4: Freedom to try, and freedom to fail,

CUB NO. 5: Freedom to stand up straight and to look the world in the eye.

CUB NO. 6: Freedom to move about.

CUB NO. 7: Freedom from want, and freedom from  fear.

CUB NO. 8: These freedoms were not my doing. They were here long before I was born. Our  forefathers fought to win them, I have four  guarantees they will  remain.
The Declaration of Independence,
The Constitution,
My fellow Americans, and
Myself.
No one can ask for more.
 
 
 

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PROJECTS

KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY As a project, your den might like to check out the following list to see which of the agencies listed can be found in your community, who operates them, and how they are funded. For the pack meeting, identify the agencies you find on a large local map that you can display. The boys should be able to answer simple questions about the agencies they have located.

• Health: Hospitals, clinics, water filtration plant, sewage disposal, garbage collection, etc.
• Protections: Fire and police protection, etc.
• Education: Public schools, colleges and vocational schools, libraries, etc.
• Recreation: Theaters, pools, parks, playgrounds, golf courses, and lakes, etc.
• Transport: Roads and highways, bus and train terminals, airports, parking lots, etc.
• Stores: Shopping centers, supermarkets, corner stores, etc.
• Business: Major companies in your community.
• Religion: Churches, synagogues, temples, and seminaries.
• Volunteers: Volunteer agencies such as Good Will, shelters, food pantries, Boy Scouts of
• America, Girl Scouts of America, etc. What do they do in your community?

C-10

Wanted:

GOOD CITIZEN POSTER PROJECT Imagine the type of citizen you would want to be part of your community.  How would that person act?  What would that person look like?
Design a WANTED poster of the ideal citizen.  Cut and paste a picture or photo on a sheet of paper of the citizen you are wanting.  It can be a picture or photo of someone you cut from a magazine or you can draw a picture of a real or pretend person.  Then, describe the person physically and also describe his/her personality traits.
  Example: WANTED person with good humor, a concern for others and ability to get along with others.  Then, complete the following statements on your poster: This person was last seen in  .  He/she was  , once again showing himself/herself active and responsible citizen.  If you have seen or have any information about this person, please contact  .  This person is an ideal citizen because   .

Heart of America Council

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PUZZLES

CITIZENSHIP TEST
So you think you know all about America? Try taking this 10-question interactive quiz about your country, and see whether you have all the facts – or need to go back to civics class. It's not as easy as it sounds. And if you want more, the answer page contains a link to real questions asked during the real INS citizenship test.

Citizenship Quiz
This is a list of questions that will help prepare for the citizenship exam.

Fact Monster
Could you pass the U.S. Naturalization Test?

EAST SIDE UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
 Welcome to Citizenship Quizzes #1 - 10
 
 
 

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NEWSPAPER STUDY GAME Equipment: One current newspaper per team. Teams in corner, each with the same day's issue of a newspaper. On signal teams start a search for news items that definitely illustrate the Scout Law. Items are cut out and numbered according to the point of the Law. Team with most clippings in given time wins (smart team leaders distributes pages among his team members).

CITIZEN SCAVENGER HUNT Most government buildings have some form of a tour and you might be able to combine the tour with your scavenger hunt.  Divide the den into two or three teams and give the boys a reasonable time limit.  Have them locate answers to questions as well as inexpensive available items.

 Examples for these would be:

• What is the Middle initial in the full name of our town' mayor?  What does the initial stand for?
• Bring back a piece of stationery showing our town's logo or crest.
• Draw a picture of our state flag.
• On what floor can you find   ?
• Who run's the Water Works Department and what does that department do?
• Where does the City Council meet?
• What's on the top floor of the building?
• What is the full name of the governor of the state?
• Get a brochure about trash pick up service?
• Who takes care of snow removal/tree removal from city streets and what is their budget?

 
 

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