Girl Scout Juniors · important part of Girl Scouting that they will learn throughout their time as...

Girl Scout Juniors

It’s Your Journey Choose It!

First Four Meetings

Congratulations on deciding to become a Girl Scout Troop Leader! As you’ve probably heard

in your training already, the Girl Scout National Program Portfolio helps girls build leadership

skills they can use to help make the world a better place. We hope that you find this guide

helpful in getting started.

Inside is an overview of four meetings you can use as you begin to meet with your troop.

We encourage you to read through it before you begin. The sessions are designed to offer

girls a sample of the themes of each Journey series. Then the girls choose which series they

want to start using with the troop, all while promoting a girl-led, cooperative and learning

by doing environment.

Like the sample sessions offered in the Journey Adult Guides, these are just a sample of

what your troop can do. You can substitute other activities to meet the needs of the troop.

Some of these specific troop needs might be based on the size of your group, your meeting

space, and the girls’ interests. Local volunteers such as your Mentor, Service Unit Manager

or other troop leaders can help give ideas and tips for working with girls.

If your troop is getting started

near one of the Council’s product

sales (Cookies or Magazines &

Munchies), you will receive

information and activities to

prepare your girls. These

activities will help the girls

develop the skills they’ll need for

successful sales. Learning by

earning is one of the many ways

girls use the Girl Scout Leadership

Experience to build self-

confidence and leadership skills.

Goal: In this session, girls will be introduced to the It’s Your World Change It Journey. Girl Scout Juniors learn about

personal power. Girls discover and give voice to their special qualities and appreciate the qualities of their sister

Juniors.

Today’s Meeting Includes the Following Activities:

Power Skills Power Words

What Makes Me ME?

Gallery Mingle

Materials:

Power Skills Power Words sheet, one per girl

Markers, crayons or colored pencils

Optional: Healthy snack

Tape and glue

Assorted craft items such as feathers, pom poms, sequins, wiggle eyes, magazines, newspaper, cardboard tubes, construction paper, yarn etc

As Girls Arrive:

It’s important to always have a quiet activity for the girls to do while they wait for the meetings to start. For this

meeting, as girls arrive, invite them to sit at the table and work on the Power Skills Power Words word search.

Set up: Lay out assorted supplies on a table. You might also use paper plates, cups or bags to put items in, set out

glue, etc for the girls to share. You or a helper could arrive a few minutes early to hide the clues. Or perhaps a couple

of the girls could help after they finish their Power Skills Power Words search. Depending on your meeting space,

you may want to set things out on one table for the girls to take to their group areas, or you may want to set them out

at each table first.

Opening Ceremony: If your group is new to Girl Scouts: Bring the girls together in a circle. Practice making the Girl

Scout sign. Ask them to say the Girl Scout promise aloud with you, reading it one line at a time and having them

repeat it after you. Explain that the Girl Scout Law tells all the good ways that Girl Scouts treat one another and the

world, being kind and considerate, friendly and helpful, caring and thoughtful. Let them know that the law is an

important part of Girl Scouting that they will learn throughout their time as Girl Scout Juniors. Take turns going around

the circle saying your name and your favorite word in the Power Words puzzle.

If your group has been together a while: Ask the girls to open the meeting by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and

the Girl Scout Promise together. Ask for a volunteer to lead the group in this opening. Then ask the girls to take turns

sharing their favorite word in the Power Words puzzle.

It’s Your Journey Choose It Junior First Four Meetings

SESSION 1

Business: This is a good time to talk about any product sales activities, field trip ideas or other info the group needs

to discuss or make decisions about. Let the girls know that they will discuss business at every meeting, as they work

together to choose what they will do and when they will do it!

Next, ask the girls “Ever done something you were proud of?” If they get stuck, you can offer some examples such as

aced a homework assignment, pitched in on a family project, let a worried friend talk your ear off? It takes strength,

skill, know how, and patience and all sorts of qualities to do something you can be proud of. Ask the girls, what do

they think about their powers and strengths? Why are they important?

What Makes Me Me? Start with a brainstorm. Ask for adjectives that describe the qualities of different people. You

might give an example to get the conversation started such as good listener, energetic, funny, or confident. Ask the

girls to write down the words that describe themselves too. Next let the girls know that they are going to create a

self-portrait. They can use the supplies provided to sketch, cut and paste or otherwise create something that

represents them, their loved ones, friends, and interests. They can go all out using recycled items, words cut from

magazines, yarn, paper etc. Encourage the girls to be as creative as they want and to put some thought into it.

Gallery Mingle: When the girls are finished, have them work together to hang their creations up for display.

Celebrate their accomplishments! Use the time to mill around, look at each other’s work, mingle and get to know each

other. You can also incorporate this with an optional snack(see below).

Optional: Snack

Some troops like to have snack time to give the girls some energy and time to chat. This will depend on your group,

when you meet, and the rules of the space you’re using. Use your kaper chart to help select helpers to pass out

snack, napkins, and anything else you’ll need. When it’s time to clean up, use the kaper chart to select helpers to

help with clean up. Everyone should help clean up, but the clean-up helpers remind everyone that “A Girl Scout

always leaves a place better than she found it.”

Closing: Friendship Squeeze

Ask the girls to join together in a circle. If they’ve never done the friendship squeeze before, explain that they will

now join hands for a special closing to their time together. Explain that in a Friendship Circle, everyone gathers in a

circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and hold hands with the girls on either side.

Once everyone is silent, one girl starts the friendship squeeze by squeezing the hand of the person to her left. One

by one, moving clockwise, each girl passes on the squeeze until it travels all the way around the circle.

Before breaking for the evening, let the girls know that you’ll be working on a recycled project next time.

Ask them to bring old magazines, newspapers, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper etc to use in the project.

Finally, thank the girls for a great first Girl Scout gathering. Let them know that you really look forward to their next

time together.

Goal: In this session, girls will be introduced to the It’s Your Planet Love It Journey. Girl Scout Juniors learn about

energy! Girls will take a look at how they use energy and how they can the most their own energy to conserve it.


Energy Everywhere!

Recycled Paper Beads Energy Balance Ball Toss

Materials: Light ball or bean bag

Pencils

Glue

Scissors

Optional: Energizing snack

Rulers

Paper from magazines, used wrapping papers, etc.

Soft flex wire or elastic cording

Small colorful beads

As Girls Arrive:

It’s important to always have a quiet activity for the girls to do while they wait for the meetings to start. For this meeting, as girls arrive, invite them to help set up the materials for the Recycled Paper Beads project.





important part of Girl Scouting that they will learn throughout their time as Girl Scout Juniors. Let the girls know that at

today’s meeting you’ll be focused on energy. Sometimes when we use the word “energize” we mean that we’re

excited or enthusiastic about something. Ask the girls to go around the circle and share something that makes them

feel energized.


the Girl Scout Promise together. Ask for a volunteer to lead the group in this opening. Let the girls know that at

today’s meeting you’ll be focused on energy. Sometimes when we use the word “energize” we mean that we’re

excited or enthusiastic about something. Ask the girls to go around the circle and share something that makes them

feel energized.




Start a discussion with the girls about energy. You might say something like “Energy can be found everywhere! One

form or another, energy is connected to almost everything we do.” Ask the girls to think of all the ways they’ve used


SESSION 2

energy or seen energy being used in the past 24 hours. Did you take a shower, play with the cat, or text a friend? Did

you toss a ball? Figure out a math problem? Invite the girls to take turns sharing her own energy example with the

group.

Next ask the girls if they know the terms “energy efficiency” or energy-efficient” and can explain what they mean. If no

one knows, say something like “Energy efficient means using less energy to the do the work needed.

Now go around the circle and ask the girls to name a more efficient use of energy for one of the energy uses they first

named.

Beads of Recycled Paper: This activity uses triangles cut from magazines, newspapers, wrapping paper, and the

like to create delicate and attractive beads that can be fashioned into jewelry items the girls desire. Let the girls know

that their beads, a purely “recycled”’ creation, are a way to symbolize all the things they’re doing to save energy.

See attached for instructions

Energy Balance Ball Toss: Start a discussion with the girls about energy balance. Now that we know what energy

is, and we thought of some way we could conserve it, what does it mean to have energy balance?

Energy Balance is the balance of two things: Energy In…the calories you get from eating and drinking. Energy

Out…the calories you burn from physical activities. These include daily living activities (like getting dressed or

cleaning your room), physical activities that take more effort (like climbing stairs or playing sports), and basic body

processes (like thinking and sleeping).

Gather the girls in a circle. Using a light ball or bean bag, take turns tossing the ball around the circle. When the ball

is tossed to you, name one thing you eat or drink regularly(Energy In), and one activity you do regularly(Energy Out).

Optional: Snack

Some troops like to have snack time to give the girls some energy and time to chat. This will depend on your

group, when you meet, and the rules of the space you’re using. Use your kaper chart to help select helpers to

pass out snack, napkins, and anything else you’ll need. When it’s time to clean up, use the kaper chart to select

helpers to help with clean up. Everyone should help clean up, but the clean-up helpers remind everyone that “A

Girl Scout always leaves a place better than she found it.”



now join hands for a special closing to their time together. Explain that in a Friendship Circle, everyone gathers in

a circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and hold hands with the girls on either side.

Once everyone is silent, one girl starts the friendship squeeze by squeezing the hand of the person to her left.

One by one, moving clockwise, each girl passes on the squeeze until it travels all the way around the circle.

Finally, thank the girls for a great Girl Scout gathering. Let them know that you really look forward to their next

time together.

Recycled Paper Beads

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-RECYCLED-PAPER-BEAD-Bracelet/?ALLSTEPS

Tear or cut the page from the magazine (calendar, brochure, wrapping paper, etc.) that you have selected.

-Using a paper cutter, utility knife, or scissors begin cutting the page into strips. Starting at either the bottom or the

top of the page, cut the page into 1/2" strips. (approx. 1/2" by ~7-8" long.) You may cut the entire page into strips or

cut at least four for a bracelet. -Next, cut each strip in half on the diagonal.

Organize a work space with the 8 diagonal paper strips, several toothpicks, a glue stick and some clear nail polish. -

Take a toothpick and one paper strip. Roll the WIDE end of the paper strip completely around the toothpick ONE

rotation. Next, take the glue stick and quickly cover the remaining paper surface with glue. (you can quickly run the

glue stick over the paper twice. You may need to wipe any excess glue from your hands if they get too sticky!)

-Now it is time to completely and TIGHTLY roll the paper slip around the toothpick. Smooth the tip/end of the paper

strip in place. Next, slip the paper "BEAD" off the toothpick. It should slide off easily since the glue was not applied to

the section of the paper that directly touches the toothpick.

Note: This opening made by the toothpick will provide the space to string your beads onto the bracelet cord.

Just make a little stack of completed beads...the glue will set up while you coil the remaining paper beads.

This step is optional...

Add a gloss coating to the beads. It seems to harden/ cure the paper and helps the bead to be more water-resistant

(ex. if water splashes onto the bracelet when washing your hands---would not recommend wearing the bracelet while

bathing---even if you do seal with the nail polish!) You decide if you want to include this step...

-Select a finished/glued bead. Place upon a toothpick and "polish" with the clear nail polish. Quick dry polish makes

this step fast and easy(dries in less than 5 minutes) Tip: Stick a row of the toothpicks containing the polished beads

in a piece of styrofoam so they may dry without touching the table top or each other.

gather your beads and add some others into a "stringing" order

-Cut the beading cord in a 9-10" piece. If you prefer to triple knot the cord, add in a little extra cord to make sure there

is enough to tie and then trim the excess. If you are making a bracelet for a child or smaller wrist, adjust the size

accordingly. -String the beads, knot and trim the excess cord.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-RECYCLED-PAPER-BEAD-Bracelet/?ALLSTEPS

Goal:

In this session, girls will be introduced to the It’s Your Story Tell It Journey. Girl Scout Juniors learn about roles and

stereotypes. Girls have fun getting to know all the roles available in the world for women and girls.


Favorite Characters

Take the Stage Sticky Stereotypes

Materials:

Copies of Favorite Character sheets, one per girl

Pencils or pens

Take the Stage Roles (cut from sheet attached)

Stereotype tracker cards(cut from attached sheet)

Post It Notes

Hat or bag

Optional: Healthy snack

As Girls Arrive:

It’s important to always have a quiet activity for the girls to do while they wait for the meetings to start. For this

meeting, as girls arrive, invite them to sit at the table and work on the Favorite Characters sheet. While they are

doing this, you could have adult helpers or girls who finish early to set up the Take the Stage activity, placing the

role slips tonto a hat or bag.





important part of Girl Scouting that they will learn throughout their time as Girl Scout Juniors. Take turns going around

the circle saying your name and sharing one of your favorite characters from the activity sheet.


the Girl Scout Promise together. Ask for a volunteer to lead the group in this opening. Then ask the girls to take turns

sharing their favorite character from the activity sheet




Start a discussion with the girls about roles. Now that you’ve thought about your favorite characters and the roles

they play, what roles do you think you play? (student, Girl Scout are just two of many!). You may need to give other

suggestions to get the conversation going, computer whiz, soccer player, friend, pet lover, dancer, reader, or writer.


SESSION 3

The list may seem endless! Let the girls know it’s up to them to decide which roles they are most comfortable with

and which may not be for them.

Take the Stage: Get the girls moving with this role- playing a game about “active” roles for girls and women. Invite

the Juniors, one at a time, to choose one of the slips of paper from the hat or bag. After each girl chooses a role, ask

her to jump into the “spotlight” (you can use a flashlight or set up a circle on the wall to represent the spotlight, or just

imagine one!) and act out the role quickly in just 5 or 10 seconds, as the other girls try to guess what role she’s

playing. When her time is up, have the girl say who guessed her role correctly, or call out what her role was. Then

another girl takes the stage. Continue the game until all the girls have had two or more turns at playing a role.

Bring the girls back together, and have a discussion about stereotypes. To help the girls understand stereotypes, you

might say something like: “Think about how, in our own minds, we sometimes limit the roles that people in the world

can play. For example, you might not think of your dad as someone who would braid your hair or help you pick out a

party dress. Or you might think that a boy who’s really good at science wouldn’t also be good at baseball. When we

limit the roles people can play- even just in our minds- we put people in a role we choose for them, rather than a role

they choose for themselves. That’s what we call stereotyping! If you ever find yourself casting people in certain roles

without thinking of them as individuals first, you might be using a stereotype. Movies and TV shows, and even

advertisements might cause you to think in stereotypes. For instance, if all the dancers shown in movies, on tv, or in

magazines looked the same, all tall and thin for example, some people might believe that only people who looked

that way could be dancers. Stereotypes can prevent people from playing all the wonderful roles life offers.

Sticky Stereotypes: Tape up on the wall or spread out on a long table the category slips from the Stereotype

Tracker Cards sheet(attached). Invite the girls to use pencils and the sticky notes to brainstorm stereotypes they’ve

seen and where. Then, add the 2nd group of categories to the list. Ask the girls to add sticky notes to those two

columns, what can be done to stop it, and how it would make the world better. Follow up the activity by sharing with

the group, and coming up lots of ideas. Ask the girls if they think there are any they could try out and encourage them

to do it!

Optional: Snack

Some troops like to have snack time to give the girls some energy and time to chat. This will depend on your group,

when you meet, and the rules of the space you’re using. Use your kaper chart to help select helpers to pass out

snack, napkins, and anything else you’ll need. When it’s time to clean up, use the kaper chart to select helpers to

help with clean up. Everyone should help clean up, but the clean-up helpers remind everyone that “A Girl Scout

always leaves a place better than she found it.”



now join hands for a special closing to their time together. Explain that in a Friendship Circle, everyone gathers in a

circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and hold hands with the girls on either side.

Once everyone is silent, one girl starts the friendship squeeze by squeezing the hand of the person to her left. One

by one, moving clockwise, each girl passes on the squeeze until it travels all the way around the circle. Finally,

thank the girls for a great first Girl Scout gathering. Let them know that you really look forward to their next time

together.

STEREOTYPE TRACKER CARDS

STEREOTYPE

WHERE I FOUND IT

WHAT I COULD DO

TO STOP IT

HOW WHAT I COULD DO WOULD

MAKE THE WORLD BETTER

Goal: In this session, girls will choose the journey they want to work on first. Girl Scout Juniors discover what they care about and team up for a great adventure!

Today’s Meeting Includes the Following Activities: • Journey Quiz • Stamp of Approval • Tally Up the Votes! • Leaders Like You

Materials:

• Journey Quiz(one per girl) • Small stickers, markers, or crayons • Voting Ballots(see attached)

• Hat or box • Optional: Snack

As Girls Arrive: It’s important to always have a quiet activity for the girls to do while they wait for the meetings to start. For this meeting, as girls arrive, invite to try out the Journey Quiz. Their answers might be helpful for when they vote later on in the meeting.

Setting up the Voting Station: Hang the vote sheets on the walls low enough that the girls can see them. Place stickers or markers nearby. Or you might decide that the girls could sway the votes if they are not sure about choosing differently than their friends. Set up a system for secret ballots: use slips of paper with the three journeys listed(attached). Have girls use a pencil marker or sticker to indicate which Journey they choose. Fold the paper, and drop in the ballot box! You or a helper could arrive a few minutes early to get this station ready. Or perhaps a couple of girls who arrive early could assist in setting it up.

Opening Ceremony: Start the discussion by inviting the girls to say the Girl Scout Promise together. You might tell the girls, “Before we begin to talk about and choose our journey, let’s start our meeting with the Girl Scout Promise just like we have been doing at our meetings.”

Talk to the girls about all the fun things they’ve done together so far in Girl Scouts. Allow each girl to talk about something she liked about what they’ve done so far in your meetings or something they hope to do with the group.

Investiture: Your first order of business for this meeting is to talk about and plan your troop investiture ceremony. An investiture is when new members say the promise and commit themselves to the Girl Scout Movement. There are no formal requirements for this ceremony, but it typically includes an opening, the group recites the promise and the girls receive their Daisy Girl Scout pin. Often family and friends are invited to share in this special tradition.

Here are some tips for working with the girls to plan a ceremony:


SESSION 4

1. Devote sufficient time to planning the ceremony. Good ceremonies have a clear purpose and enrich the meaning and mood of the ceremony.

2. Use Journey adult guides and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting to help girls plan their ceremonies.

3. Take safety precautions when using candles or fires, or when the girls construct bridges or platforms. Refer to Volunteer Essentials and the Safety Activity Checkpoints (available through your council) for specific advice.

4. Add personal elements to traditional ceremonies. Use favorite poems, songs, stories, and sayings, or have the girls write something new.

5. Consider the role of colors and symbols that the girls might use in their ceremony. 6. Observe flag etiquette when the girls hold flag ceremonies.

When working with girls at this age level, you might find that you need to decide most of the logistics but with your help the girls can make decisions about whether to offer refreshments, choosing a song or poem, or displaying some of their work. Once you know when and where the ceremony will be, and what support you will need, be sure to share that information with troop parents so everyone is prepared and feels welcomed.

You can find inspiration online or via Pinterest or by asking other leaders in your service unit. SU Facilitators, Recognition Committee or a GSWNY Program staff member can also be a good resource when looking for ideas.

It’s Your Journey Choose It!: Let the girls know that we’re ready to start a Girl Scout Journey but first we have to choose it! Explain to the girls that a Journey is an adventure we’ll have together during our Girl Scout activities. Each Journey focuses on different topics, and we’ll also earn badges, go on field trips, make art projects, play games have lots of fun! Remind the girls about all the exciting things they can do in each of the journeys:

Who am I and what is my power? When we work on the Agent of Change Journey, we will play games, read stories, and learn about ourselves and others. We will explore how powerful we are as a team, and the added strength we gain by reaching out in the wider community to take action.

• Energy is Everywhere! In the Get Moving Journey, we’ll discover the many forms of energy and the ways we

use and misuse it. We’ll get energized, and team up to energize others!

• Take the Stage with the Amuse Journey! In this journey, we will learn about and try on some roles, tell stories and share stories with others.

Give your stamp of approval: It’s time to give your stamp of approval. Invite the girls to vote for the one(s) they most want to try out first. Explain how to vote, based on your set up earlier. If you gave them more than one sticker, they can divide their votes based on multiple interests. Or the girls can draw a heart or star or a smiley face on the sheet for the Journey they want to vote for. The Journey with the most votes will be the one the troop begins. If you’re worried that the girls might sway each other, use the secret ballot sheets(attached). Girls can decide whether to cross

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/girlsguide/

out the ones they don’t want to vote for, put a sticker on the one they do want to vote for, circle the one they want to vote for, etc.

Tally up the votes! : Once all the girls have had a chance to put their stamp on the journey they chose, count up the votes for each one. Once the votes are tallied, the winner can be announced, but also let the girls know, there will be opportunities to choose to learn about other topics, so if their first choice was not selected, there will be times when the troop will do other things that are of interest to them(Learn more about the world around them, take field trips, do art projects, play games, and earn badges!

Leaders Like You: Let the girls know that Juliette Low founded Girl Scouts in 1912 so that girls like them would have a chance to try new things and make their world a better place. They’re already acting as leaders when they worked together to try new activities and choose their journey. Let’s celebrate Juliette Low and Girl Scouts with the Juliette Low Story(see attached)

Optional: Snack Some troops like to have snack time to give the girls some energy and time to chat. This will depend on your group, when you meet, allergies and the rules of the space you’re using. Use your kaper chart to help select helpers to pass out snack, napkins, and anything else you’ll need. When it’s time to clean up, use the kaper chart to select helpers to help with clean up. Everyone should help clean up, but the clean-up helpers remind everyone that “A Girl Scout always leaves a place better than she found it.”

Closing: Friendship Squeeze Ask the girls to join together in a circle. Explain that they will now join hands for a special closing to their time together. Explain that in a Friendship Circle, everyone gathers in a circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and hold hands with the girls on either side. Once everyone is silent, one girl starts the friendship squeeze by squeezing the hand of the person to her left. One by one, moving clockwise, each girl passes on the squeeze until it travels all the way around the circle. Finally, thank the girls for another great Girl Scout gathering. Let them know that you are really excited to begin the Journey they chose tonight, and congratulate them for working together as a team!

AGENT OF

CHANGE

GET MOVING

AMUSE

AGENT OF

CHANGE

GET MOVING

AMUSE

AGENT OF

CHANGE

GET MOVING

AMUSE

AGENT OF

CHANGE

GET MOVING

AMUSE

AGENT OF

CHANGE

GET MOVING

AMUSE

The Story of Juliette Gordon Low As leader reads the story, girls perform the sound effects and actions as listed below. You may have to pause for a moment while the girls perform their part.

Sound Effects:

• Little Girls - Stand and giggle • Juliette Low - Curtsy and say, "Be my friend" • Georgia - Wave and say, "Hey y'all" • Horses – Stomp feet and Say, "Neighhh" • Lord Baden-Powell - Bow formally and say, "How d'ya do" • London - Sing first line of "London Bridge is Falling Down" • Boy Scouts - Make Boy Scout sign(2 fingers instead of 3 as Girl Scout sign) and say, "Be

Prepared" • Girl Scouts – Make Girl Scout sign and say “On My Honor”

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Juliette Low who lived in Georgia and loved to ride horses. After she grew up she went to London where she met Lord Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scouts. She was fascinated by the work he was doing. She studied with him awhile, and decided to start a troop of Girl Scouts for little girls in Georgia who also liked to ride horses. So, Juliette Low said good-bye to the Boy Scouts in London, and came home to Georgia with the idea that Lord Baden-Powell gave her. She formed a group of little girls, who liked to ride horses and do other interesting things, into a troop of Girl Scouts. They all loved it so much that the idea spread and now there are Girl Scouts all over the United States.

(Speed up here)

Aren't we glad that a little girl named Juliette Low from Georgia, who liked to ride horses and do other interesting things, went to London and met Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts, and came home to start the wonderful world of Girl Scouts!

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