Webelos Handbook 2015 Cub Scouts

THEWEBELOSHANDBOOK

TableofContents

WEBELOSPARENTINTRODUCTIONYourSon,Scouting,andYouThePurposesofCubScoutingWhatIsaWebelosScout?TheHistoryofWebelosWebelosDenandtheCubScoutPackYourSonsAdvancementIfYourSonIsNewinScoutingYourResponsibilitytoYourWebelosScoutScoutingandDutytoGodWebelosDenOvernightCampoutsPlanningOvernightCampouts

WELCOME,WEBELOSSCOUT!TheMeaningofWebelosYourWebelosDenYourLeadersPackMeetingsYourUniformArrowofLightBadgeCharacterCompassAScoutsResponsibilitytotheOutdoors

TheOutdoorCodeLeaveNoTracePrinciplesforKids

YOURFIRSTRANKBADGEBOBCAT

THEWEBELOSANDARROWOFLIGHTADVENTURESANDREQUIREMENTSWebelosBadgeRequirementsArrowofLightBadgeRequirements

WEBELOSREQUIREDADVENTURESCastIronChefDutytoGodandYouFirstResponderStronger,Faster,HigherWebelosWalkabout

ARROWOFLIGHTREQUIREDADVENTURESBuildingaBetterWorldCamperDutytoGodinActionScoutingAdventure

WEBELOSANDARROWOFLIGHTELECTIVEADVENTURESAdventuresinScienceAquanautArtExplosionAwareandCareBuildItBuildMyOwnHeroCastawayEarthRocks!EngineerFixItGameDesignIntotheWildIntotheWoodsLookingBack,LookingForward

Maestro!MoviemakingProjectFamilySportsman

SpecialAwardsYouCanEarnBobcatTrailWebelosandArrowofLightAdventureTrackingTheAdventuresofBoyScoutingAwaitYou!

ScoutRankRequirementsIndexandCredits

TheCubScoutingWebelosprogramwillopenanewworldofadventureforyoursonawaytolearnnewskills,enjoylotsofoutdooractivities,andmostofall,havefun!Thisparentinformationsectionwillgiveyouaheadstartinunderstandinghowtheprogramworks,andyoulllearnaboutthemanywaysyoucanhelpyoursonandhisWebelosden.Asaparentorguardian,youwantthebestforyourson.Youwantacloserelationshipwithhim,andyou

wanttohelphimgrowphysically,mentally,andmorally.TheWebelosprogramisgearedtoyoursonsdevelopingabilitiesandchanginginterests.Theprogramwillprovideyourboywithavarietyofnewexperiencesthatwillhelphimassumeresponsibilitiesandgainmaturity,knowledge,andskills.YoullfindyourselfgrowingclosertohimasyouencouragehiminhisadvancementandtakeaturnassistingwithWebelosdenactivities.Joinhimintheseadventures!

Inthefrontofthisbook,thereshouldbeaninsertsectionforyouonyouthprotection.Iftheinsertisnolongerinyoursonscopyofhishandbook,talkwithyourdenleaderaboutfindingone.

Thisinsert,andtheexercisesincludedattheback,arerequiredforeachparentandsontoreadanddiscussateachrank.

YourSon,Scouting,andYouAsaparentorothercaringadult,youwantyourWebelosScouttogrowuptobeself-reliantand

dependable,worthyandcaring.Scoutinghasthesesamegoalsinmindforhim.ThemissionoftheBoyScoutsofAmericaistoprepareyoungpeopletomakeethicalandmoral

choicesovertheirlifetimesbyinstillinginthemthevaluesoftheScoutOathandScoutLaw.

TheScoutOathandtheScoutLawaredefinedonpages24through27intheBobcatrequirements.Since1910,theBoyScoutsofAmericahasbeenweavinglifetimevaluesintofun,developmental

activities.Theseactivitiesaredesignedtohelpfamiliesteachtheirsonshowtomakegooddecisionsthroughouttheirlivesandgivethemconfidenceastheybecometheadultleadersoftomorrow.Inasocietywhereyoursonisoftentaughtthatwinningiseverything,CubScoutingteacheshimtoDO

HISBEST,tohelpothers,andtotrytolivehislifeaccordingtotheScoutOathandtheScoutLaw.IfaCubScouthasdonehisbesttosatisfyarequirement,thenhehasmetthestandardforadvancementinCubScouts.Itisuptohisparentanddenleadertogaugewhetherhehasofferedhisbesteffort.TheCharacterCompass,shownonpage18,willserveasaguideforyourScoutashediscoversthe

meaningoftheScoutLaw.TakenoteoftheCharacterCompasssymbolasitappearsthroughoutyoursonshandbook,anduseeachnoteasanopportunityfordiscussionaboutthespecificpointandhowitrelatestotheadventureheisworkingon.

ThePurposesofCubScoutingCubScoutingisayear-roundfamily-orientedpartoftheBSAprogramdesignedforboyswhoarein

firstthroughfifthgrades(orare7,8,9,and10yearsold).Parents,leaders,andorganizationsworktogethertoachievethePurposesofCubScouting.

1.CharacterDevelopment2.SpiritualGrowth3.GoodCitizenship4.SportsmanshipandFitness5.FamilyUnderstanding6.RespectfulRelationships7.PersonalAchievement8.FriendlyService

9.FunandAdventure10.PreparationforBoyScouts

WhatIsaWebelosScout?YoursonhasjoinedthepartoftheCubScoutingprogramoftheBoyScoutsofAmericathatisfor

fourth-andfifth-gradeboys.WebelosScoutsareolderthanboysintheTiger,Wolf,andBearlevelsofCubScouting.Ifaboyhascompletedthirdgrade,orifhehasnotcompletedthirdgradebutis10yearsold,hestherightageforthisden.BoyswhohavecompletedthethirdgradeworkontheWebelosrank.BoyswhohavecompletedthefourthgradeworkontheArrowofLightrank.MostWebelosScoutsareinthisprogramforabout18months.Thisispreparationforhislater

participationinthegreatadventureofBoyScouting.AfteryoursonsWebelosScoutexperience,andafterhehascompletedthefifthgradeorisage11,orhasearnedtheArrowofLightrankandisatleast10yearsold,hellbereadyformoreindependenceandadventureinaBoyScouttroop.

HistoryofWebelosIn1902,ErnestThompsonSetonstartedanoutdoorprogramforboyscalledtheWoodcraftIndians.In

1910,hebecameoneofthefoundersofthenewBoyScoutmovementandoneofitsbest-knownpromoters.HelaterhelpeddeveloptheCubprogram.Thenewprogramadaptedactivities,games,andceremonies

fromseveralyouthgroups,suchasSetonsWoodcraftIndians,WolfCubbing(developedinEnglandbythefounderoftheScoutingmovement,LordBaden-Powell),andtheBoyRangersofAmerica.AmericanIndianlorewasemphasized.TheBoysCubbookwasalsopublishedin1930.Inthebook,AkelawasanAmericanIndianboy,sonof

thechiefoftheWebelostribe.Webeloswasexplainedasawordwithaninnermeaning,signifyingprogressfromWolfthroughBearandLionRankstoScout:W-B-L-SWellBeLoyalScouts.(TheoriginalCubScoutrankswereWolf,Bear,andLion,withWebelosaddedinthe1950s.)ThechiefoftheWebelostribewasnamedArrowofLight,whichwasadaptedfromtheArrowParkWorldJamboreeinLondonin1929,whentheGoldenArrowwasmadethesymbolofworldfriendship.TheCubbingstorytoldoftheboyAkelabeingtakenontripsintotheforestwherehelearnedknowledge

andskillsfromthewolfandthebear.BeforehecouldbecomeaScouthehadtolookthelionintheeyeandlearncourageanddetermination.Then,hewasadmittedtothelowerranksoftheyoungScoutsofthetrail,advancing(attheageof12)fromtheworldbrotherhoodofCubsintotheworldbrotherhoodofScouts.Inlateryears,thenameAkelawasusedforthechiefofthetribeorpack.By1980,aparentoranother

caringadultcouldbeAkelaandhelptheCubScoutalongtheadvancementtrail.In1953,aCubScoutadvisorygroupbeganstudyingaproposedWebelosdenplantohelpcreatemore

varietyintheprogramforolderboys.In1954,theWebelosdenwascreatedfor10-year-oldboys,withanewWebelosdenbadge.ThefirstLion-WebelosBookwithmeetingoutlinesforWebelosleaderswasintroducedin1958.In1988,atwo-yearWebelosScoutprogramwasrecommended,anditwasimplementedthenextyear.

Thechangesincludedanexpandedoutdoorprogramwithmoreopportunitiesforboyleadership,whichwouldprovideabettervehicleforWebelosScoutstoprogressintoBoyScouting.

TodaysWebelosprogramremainsanexcitingadventureforboys,theirfamilies,andtheirleaders.Thecontinuedoutdoorprogram,theopportunitiesforboyleadership,andthepreparationforboystoleaveCubScoutingandembarkontheadventureofBoyScoutingareallwonderfulstepsforboystotakeontheroadtobecomingaFirstClassBoyScoutandthensoaringontoEagle.

WebelosDenandtheCubScoutPackIfyoursonhasbeeninCubScoutingbefore,healreadyknowsalittlebitabouttheWebelosScoutden

fromhisearlierexperiences.IfyoursonisnewtoCubScouting,hebelongstoasmallgroupcalledaWebelosden.ThedenispartofalargerCubScoutpackthatincludestheboysintheTiger,Wolf,andBeardensalongwiththeWebelosdens.

TheWebelosdenhasthreeleadershippositions.Theyllneedyourhelpifthedenistobesuccessful.

TheWebelosdenleaderisanadultwhoplansanddirectsthedenactivities.Appointedbythepackcommittee,theWebelosdenleadermustbeatleast21yearsold.TherealsoshouldbeanassistantWebelosdenleader.Onlythedenleaderorassistantdenleadermaysignoffonyoursonsadvancement.TheWebelosdenchiefisaBoyScout,VarsityScout,oraVenturer.ThedenchiefistrainedtohelptheWebelosdenleader,especiallyinleadinggamesandteachingskills.TheWebelosdennerisaWebelosScoutelectedbytheotherboystohelpthedenleaderanddenchief.

Youcanhelpaswellbyindicatingtoyoursonsleadersyourskillsandintereststhatmayrelatetoanadventurearea.Forexample,ifyouareanengineer,youcouldhelpleadtheEngineeradventure.Ifyouareskilledwithhandtoolsandknowabouthomerepairs,youcouldhelpwiththeBuildItandFixItadventures.Readthroughtheadventuresinthishandbooktogetabetterideaofhowyoucouldhelp.Thepackisoperatedbyacommunityorganization,suchasaschool,achurchorotherreligious

institution,aserviceclub,oranothergroupinterestedinhelpingyouth.ItscalledthecharteredorganizationbecauseitholdsacharterfromtheBoyScoutsofAmericaNationalCouncilthatallowsittooperatetheScoutingprogram.

Inadditiontotheirdenmeetings,WebelosScoutstakepartinthemonthlypackmeetingsledbyanadultvolunteercalledtheCubmaster.Parentsandotheradultfamilymemberscanserveonthepackcommittee,whichplanspackactivities.Duringapackmeetingrecognitionceremony,yoursonwillreceivetheadventurepinawardshehasearned.Besuretoattendsoyoucanhelppinthoseawardsonhim!

YourSonsAdvancementMuchofyoursonsprogresswilltakeplacethroughactivitiescenteredonhisadvancement.Hell

advancebyearningadventurepinsashecompleteseachadventure.Theadventuresfocusoncitizenship,leadership,outdoorskills,physicalfitnessskills,aswellasunderstandinghisdutytoGodandbuildinghischaracter.Theentiredenworkstogetheronanadventureeachmonth,mostlyintheirmeetings.Theremaybesomeoftheadventureworkthatyoursonwillneedtocompleteathomewithyourhelp.Eachadventurepresentsanarrayofhands-onactivitiesandfascinatinginformationthatwillenrichhislife.Byworkingonspecificadventuresandrequirements,hewillearntheWebelosrank.Later,hellbeeligibletoworkontheadventuresandrequirementsforCubScoutingshighestrank,theArrowofLight.Astherequirementsforadventuresandrankarecompleted,yoursonsdenleaderwillsignoffintheappropriatespaces.

IfyourWebelosScouthasacognitiveorphysicaldisabilitytha