Bright Ideas - Program

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Experiments to Help Girls Decide What to Wear in All Weather

Each patrol is given an experiment to do.

After 30 minutes, we reassemble and all take a tour of the different experiments. The patrol explains their experiment, observations and how they will put their newly discovered (and over learned skills) into every day practice. We then do the 'dressing daisy' exercise and at campfire, share the Daisies we have created. This is a tried and true 'Fun with a Purpose' activity! We are always toasty warm and dry at our events! Hope you'll enjoy it too!

EXPERIMENT #1 FINGERS OR THUMBS QUESTION

• What really works better... gloves or mitts... does it matter what material they are made of?
• Does it help to layer your hand coverings?

ANSWERS BEFORE YOU DO THE EXPERIEMENT

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THE EXPERIMENT MATERIALS

• An assortment of mini mitts, fleece mitts, woolen mitts, gloves, waterproof mitts,
• a pan of ice,
• a dish of snow

METHOD

• Put on one type of covering on one hand, one on the other...
• put your hands in the snow for a while,
• lay your hands on the ice for a while

OBSERVATIONS (WHAT HAPPENED)

• Which are warmer?
• Which stays dry?
• Which would be best for the wind?
• When would you wear mitts
• When would you wear gloves?

Now what type of hand warmers will you choose to wear when we go on outings. Will you bring a change in your back pack.

Why?

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EXPERIMENT 2 BRRRRRRRRRRRRR

QUESTION: Does being cold really affect how well or how quickly we can do things

ANSWERS BEFORE YOU DO THE EXPERIMENT

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THE EXPERIMENT MATERIALS

• Small cooler with snow or icewater,
• shoes with laces,
• stop watch

METHOD:

• Have someone time how long it take you to tie your shoe.
• Put your hands in the cold water for 15 seconds.
• Now have someone time you as you tie your shoe.

OBSERVATIONS

• What affect do you think chilly finger have on tying shoes, or buttoning your coat or finding warm clothes in your back pack?
• Why is it important to keep your hands warm.
• What do you think is the best way to do that?

EXPERIMENT #3 PUT A LID ON IT

QUESTION

• What happens when you leave the top of your head uncovered in the cold weather?
• What about in the hot weather?

ANSWERS BEFORE YOU DO THE EXPERIMENT

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THE EXPERIMENT MATERIALS

• 5 POP CANS,
• HOT WATER,
• A PAN OF ICE,
• A HAT FOR ONE OF THE CANS,
• A EAR WARMER FOR ONE,
• A BALL CAP,
• LAMP

METHOD

• Fill three cans with hot water,
• put a hat on one,
• a warmer on one,
• no hat on one,:
• Place the 3 hot cans on the pan of ice.
• Fill two cans with cold water, put a ball cap on one and nothing on the other.
• Sit it on the counter.
• Shine the lamp on them.
• Leave them, come back and check on them every once in a while

OBSERVATIONS

What is happening to the water in the PAN OF ICE WITH:

• CAN WITH A HAT
• CAN WITH AN EAR WARMER
• CAN WITH NO HAT
• WITH A BALL CAP
• NO HAT

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE... WHAT WILL YOU WEAR ON YOUR HEAD, WHY

EXPERIMENT #4 LAYERS LAYERS LAYERS

QUESTION

Why are layers important when we're on an outing

ANSWERS BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT

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EXPERIMENT MATERIALS

TAPE WITH BOOGIE MUSIC,

METHOD

• Check your body temperature before you start to boogie,
• is your skin dry/moist/
• are you cold./ warm?
• Now, put on the tape and dance away.

OBSERVATIONS

• What was your body temperature like before you started to boogie?
• What was it like while you were exercising?
• What was it like right after you stopped exercising?
• What was it like 5 minutes after you stopped exercising?
• Do you feel like putting more clothes on or taking some off?

What type of clothing will you choose when we go out? How many layers will you start with... then what?

EXPERIMENT #5 WARM TOASTY FEET QUESTION:

What socks should you choose for your feet, what boots are best for you

ANSWERS BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT

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EXPERIMENT MATERIALS :

• a felt pack boot,
• a pointy fashion boot,
• a gum boot,
• cotton socks,
• wool socks,
• a pan of ice

METHOD

• Place each boot on the ice.
• Place one of each type of sock on the ice....
• After waiting a little while, put your hand in each boot, leave it there for a while.
• Put one dry sock and one wet sock from the same pair on your hand.
• Take off your shoes and check out your own socks

OBSERVATIONS

• Which boot is warmer inside?
• Which type of sock is warmer?
• Does it matter whether they are wet or dry?
• What if you layer the socks, what happens?
• What are your socks like now? Dry? Wet? Warm? Cold?
• Why is that?
• If we were outside how would your feet and toes feel right now?

What type of boots will you be wearing on our next winter outing. Why? What type of socks will you choose? Why? Will you bring extra socks? Why?

EXPERIMENT #6 THE WICK QUESTION:

What type of pants are best to wear when we go on outings?

ANSWERS BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT

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EXPERIMENT MATERIALS

• Clothes line,
• pegs,
• blue jeans,
• wind pants,
• jogging pants,
• pan of water

METHOD

• Suspend the pants from the clothes line.
• Put one pant leg of each pair so it just touches a pan of water,

OBSERVATIONS

• What is happening to the jean pant leg in the water
• What is happening to the wind pant leg in the water
• What is happening to the jogging pant leg in the water
• What will happen if you wear jeans when we go on a winter outing?
• What will you choose to wear when we go on winter/rainy outings"? Why

DRESSING DAISY

• Each Patrol is given a large sheet of paper.
• They are asked to trace one of their patrol members ... the traced Guide is now DAISY. (of course their patrol box is full of felts that work!!!)
• PATROL 1 Daisy is going cross country skiing. Please dress her ready to get on the bus for the 2 hour drive to the mountains
• PATROL 2 Daisy is getting ready to march in the parade. It is snowing out. The ground is covered with wet snow. It is just below freezing. Please dress her so she can march for 1 hour.
• PATROL 3 Daisy has been skiing for 30 minutes now. Please dress her for the weather. It is just below freezing. There is a north wind.
• PATROL 4 Daisy is going to join the others at the campfire. It is snowing out and -10 degrees. There is a wind. Please dress her for the weather.
• PATROL 5 Daisy is going for a hike up the mountain. It is very hot out. There are a few rain clouds in the sky. Please dress her for this 4 hour hike.

(we share our Daisy's at campfire …. and the girls explain why they made the clothing choice they did!) Have Fun!

Pat M

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