Traditions for All Girl Scouts

SUPP_GS Traditions_List.pdf is a listing of all supplements that go with the Girl Scout Traditions badge set. Since many of the supplements cover more than one of the badge programs, we will have one large area for all Girl Scout Printables on Scribd, Google Documents and our Yahoo! Group. The traditions listed below are featured individually in supplements to help expand upon a tradition or to provide examples of a tradition. All FOUND items on our supplement list are items that I found on the Web that are additional resources for you. For example, the 1913 How Girls Can Help Their Country, the rst Girl Scout Handbook, is available to download from the New York Library. I adjusted the name to FOUND_1913_HowGirlsCanHelp.pdf and it is now part of our supplements. This saves you time and hassle by including it with the rest of the set. NOTE: The les area within Yahoo! Groups is limited to 5 MB per le, eliminating some of the items. If you need an item thats not on the Yahoo! Group, youll need to go to Scribd or Google Documents.

Girl Scout History Review historical video clips on YouTube. Find some videos you would like to share with girls. If you have time for only one, see The Golden Eaglet. Books are an excellent way to learn about previous Girl Scouts. Check with your council or local library rst. If you want to purchase materials, new books about the history of Girl Scouts are on Amazon. Using an auction site to purchase old books may not be a bargain. Some people look at the book as antiques and want to charge inated prices. Always compare pricing for the same book in various locations. Many councils are setting up traveling history displays. See if your council is doing this or if they have them at gathering places for you to visit. Lastly, check out Who We Are / History / Museum on girlscouts.org to nd out about GSUSA.

Girl Scout Traditions Overview

Baden-Powells Lord Robert Baden-Powell started the Boy Scouts in 1908. Agnes started Girl Guides at her brothers request in 1910. Juliette Low was introduced to the scouting program by these two. In 1912, Olave married Robert. She continued to be a powerful force with the scouting movement until 1970. Badges Currently, all Girl Scouts earn badges except for Girl Scout Daisies who earn petals and leaves. In the past, badges have been known by other names: Merit badges / prociency badges Brownie Try-Its Brownie Bs Junior Badges Interest Projects Focus Charms Birthplace The Birthplace is where Juliette Low was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. It is now a historic house museum. It has programming for Girl Scouts and is a place many Girl Scouts visit. Bridging activities Activities girls do to move to the next level in Girl Scouts. Usually, this includes trying activities a Girl Scout at the next level would do or participating in an event or meeting with Girl Scouts at the next level. Brownie ring Form of government for Brownies as they use it to discuss troop business and planning. Buddy system When girls leave the meeting area or on eld trips, they use the buddy system. This practice involves pairing girls by two when they leave the safety of the group. Campus Girl Scouts Girl Scout adults who are still a student at a college, university, trade school, etc. They work with the girls to give them a role model. Community service Girl Scouts identify issues and problems within their own community and work to solve these problems using the three program keys Discover, Connect and Take Action. Court of awards Ceremony where girls receive awards for their achievements. These are usually held twice a year. Daisy Juliettes nickname when she was a girl. Day camp Camping by day with no overnight activities. Girls come to camp in the morning and leave in the evening. Destinations / wider ops Any Girl Scout activity that takes them outside their own council. Destination categories are international, outdoor, science, people and getaways. These originated as Senior Roundups, held every three years from 1956 to 1965.

Diversity As you look through the history of Girl Scouts, you will see that no girl wanting to be a Girl Scout is turned away. Girl Scouts encompass all ages, race, ethnicity, ability and religion. This has been commented on by others outside of the Girl Scout community including Martin Luther King, Jr. Dunk bag A mesh bag used to put used dishes into so it can be dunked in sterilized water and hung on a line to dry. This is a traditional camping item. Edible re Common snack items are used to teach campre building skills before building a re outdoors. Edith Macy Conference Center Year-round training facility which provides training for adults. Friendship circle The friendship circle is often formed at the end of meetings or campres as a sort of closing ceremony. Everyone gathers in a circle where they cross their right arm over their left in front of them and hold hands with the people on either side. Once everyone is quiet, the leader starts the friendship squeeze which is passed from hand to hand. Often the girls will make a wish after their hand has been squeezed before they pass the squeeze along. Also, in some larger groups, the girls put their right foot out into the circle when they receive the friendship squeeze, so that everyone can see it travel along the circle. Girl Guides Girls in other countries are known as Girl Guides instead of Girl Scouts. Girl Scout Alumnae Adults who have been Girl Scouts, as girls or adults. There are over 50 million Girl Scout Alumnae. Girl Scout Gold Award Highest award in Girl Scouting, recognizing leadership and service to her community. Girl Scout handshake This is the way many Girl Scouts and Girl Guides greet each other. They shake their left hands while making the Girl Scout sign with their right hand. The left-handed handshake represents friendship because the left hand is closer to the heart than the right. Girl Scout Leadership Experience Girl Scouts learn leadership skills as part of the program. Leadership is taught through the Journeys which utilize the three keys, the three processes and the fteen outcomes. Girl Scout levels Currently, there are six levels of Girl Scouts based on the level grade a girl is in. Girl Scout Daisy kindergarten and rst grade Girl Scout Brownie second to third grades Girl Scout Junior fourth to fth grades Girl Scout Cadette sixth to eighth grades Girl Scout Senior ninth to tenth grades Girl Scout Ambassador eleventh to twelfth grades Girl Scout Mission To build girls of courage, condence and character to make the world a better place. Girl Scout Motto Be prepared.

Girl Scout organization Girl Scouts of the USA are broken down as follows: GSUSA our national organization Councils we have a little over 100 in the US forming GSUSA Service Unit community based areas of the council Troop / groups clusters of girls that belong to a service unit Pathways ways girls can participate, with or without a troop Girl Scout Promise and Law Pledge made by every Girl Scout of the ideals each should pursue. These have changed over the years. All of the supplements with Overview in the title feature the Promise and Law at that time. Girl Scout quiet sign In order to maintain order at lively Girl Scout functions, the leader raises her right hand for silence. The girls follow in the motion; as their hands go up, the conversation stops, until everyone has their hand up and the room is silent. Girl Scout sign The sign is formed by holding down the thumb and little nger on the right hand, leaving the three middle ngers ex-tended. These three ngers represent the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise. Girl Scout Silver Award Second highest award in Girl Scouting. Girl Scout Slogan Do a good turn daily. Girl Scout trefoil The three leaves of the trefoil reect the three parts of the Girl Scout Promise. Girl Scout volunteer Any adult that contributes her / his time to any part of the Girl Scout organization including troops, service units, council, or even national. Some positions might include troop/group leader or advisor, coach, mentor, trainer, delegate, board member or as an expert resource. Golden Eaglet, The First movie made by a non-prot organization, it shows what a Girl Scout can do. GORP / good old raisins and peanuts Also known as trail mix, this is a mix of cereal, nuts and dried fruits that can be eaten on hikes. Graces Songs or sayings the girls sing before snacks and meals. GSUSA Girl Scouts of the United States of America, usually referred to as Girl Scouts. Health history Form each girl must ll out so their basic information is available at any time in case of accident or injury whether at meetings or additional activities. How Girls Can Help Their Country Title of the rst Girl Scout handbook in 1913.

Insignia Badges, pins and other awards worn on a uniform, usually in a location dependent on the item itself. Charts for placement of insignia are available on the GSUSA site. Journey A coordinated series of activities following a theme. The activities are designed to allow girls to Discover, Connect and Take Action with the theme. There are three Journeys. Its Your WorldChange It! Its Your PlanetLove It! Its Your StoryTell It! Juliettes or Independents Individual Girl Scouts who are not members of a troop or group, normally due to other extracurricular activities or lack of volunteers available to work with them. Juliette Gordon Low Founder of the Girl Scouts. Held the rst Girl Guide meeting on March 12, 1912. Inuenced by the Baden-Powells in Europe and brought the idea back to the United States. Juliette Low World Friendship Fund A fund to allow older girls to travel abroad, increasing universal friendship and understanding. Donations are often made by girls / troops. Kaper chart A job / chore chart (kapers) that shows all the jobs available and who is responsible for doing them. Kapers during meetings are often rotated among the girls so everyone gets a chance to do every job. Kaper charts are also used at events and camp. Lifetime member Any adult who has paid lifetime membership dues (25x annual membership or 13x for graduating girl) and follow the principles / beliefs of Girl Scouts. Mess kit Non-breakable dishes, plastic or metal, including a plate, cup, bowl and eating utensils which are used at camp. National Centers Two national centers are owned and operated by GSUSA. Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center, Georgia Edith Macy Conference Center, New York Nose bag Bag lunch / meal that does not require cooking. Nose bag skit Lunch bag containing odd items intended to be used by a group of girls to use in a skit. Participation patches and pins Insignia that a girl receives for participating in an event / activity. These go on the back of the Girl Scout vest or sash. Patrol system Form of government where girls are formed into groups (patrols) and a leader is appointed for each. This is used by Girl Scout Juniors. Program Aide Older Girl Scouts trained to assist younger Girl Scout troops / groups with games, songs, crafts, etc.

Progression Teaching skills by slowly increasing a girls knowledge and abilities as she grows older. As Daisies, the girls make decisions, but the adults do the planning and carry out what is needed for programming. As Ambassadors, the girls decide what theyre going to do as well as all the planning necessary to make it a success with the adult merely an advisor. Sit-upon Waterproof pad / mat used to sit on ground when it is damp that each girl makes herself. Skits Short skits given on a chosen topic or idea, usually 1-3 minutes long. They may be instructional, but always entertaining. They include gags, jokes, singing and more. SWAP / special whatchamacallits affectionately pinned somewhere Small, traditionally crafty items, made by Girl Scouts to be traded at events, camp or meetings with other girls. Sometimes they reect a theme or location the girl is from. They need to be waterproof as many Girl Scouts attach their favorite to their camping hat. Talking stick A talking stick is a tool that shows which girl is speaking. Others are to be quiet until they receive the talking stick. Three Keys The three keys describe the ways the girls learn in the Girl Scout program, part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Discover Connect Take Action Three Processes All Girl Scout activities are to follow the processes. Girl lead Learn by doing Cooperative learning WAGGGS / World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The worldwide organization for girls, all Girl Scouts are part of WAGGGS. It was set up in 1928 and all Girl Scouts show their membership with the World Trefoil Pin. Wide game A game that is played by following a trail and having stations to stop at along the way. Often, a storyline connects the activities. World Centers There are four international scouting centers. Our Cabaa in Cuernavaca, Mexico Our Chalet in Adelboden, Switzerland Pax Lodge in London, England Sangam in Pune, India

Girl Scout Days

Throughout the year, girls and adults celebrate some very special days in Girl Scouting. February 22 World Thinking Day celebrates the birthdays of Girl Guides/Girl Scouts founder Robert, Lord Baden-Powell (1857-1941) and World Chief Guide, Olave, Lady Baden-Powell (1889-1977). In the United States, Girl Scouting grew out of the friendship between Juliette Gordon Low and Lord Baden-Powell and his sister, Agnes, who began Girl Guiding. World Thinking Day celebrates that friendship and the sisterhood of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the globe. The day is also a time to donate funds to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund. March 12 Girl Scout Birthday commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organizations rst 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia. April 22 Girl Scout Leaders Day honors all the volunteers who work as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. Girls, their families, and communities should nd a special way to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers. October 31 Juliette Gordon Lows Birthday, or Founders Day, marks the 1860 birth of Girl Scouts of the USA founder Juliette Low in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette started the organization in 1912. Sometimes troops or service units will have tea parties to celebrate.

March, Week that includes March 12 Girl Scout Week starts with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes the Girl Scout Birthday, March 12. Girl Scout Sunday and Girl Scout Sabbath gives girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout. If a place of worship is the group sponsor, girls may perform a service, such as greeting, ushering, or doing a ag ceremony. These days can also be a time when girls explore other faiths.

Girl Scout Traditional Ceremonies

To nd specic ceremonies, see the supplement SUPP_GS Ceremonies.pdf. Adult Recognition Girl Scout Alumnae, Volunteers and Staff receive insignia and small gifts to show thanks for the work they do. Bridging Girls move up from one grade level to another in a Bridging Ceremony. If they have completed various steps outlined in the handbook, they earn a rainbow bridging patch. Campre Ceremony that takes place around a campre. Closing Ceremony to close or stop a meeting. Court of Awards Ceremony where Girl Scouts are given badges and earned recognitions. Other ceremonies such as a ag ceremony may also be part of a Court of Awards. Flag Ceremony where the United States ag is involved. Fly-Up Ceremony where Girl Scout Brownies become a Girl Scout Junior. At this ceremony, Brownie Wings are given to the girls. There are no requirements for this patch. Girl Scouts Own / Scouts Own A ceremony with a theme that the girls plan and carry out themselves. Investiture When a girl becomes a Girl Scout, an investiture ceremony is held. It only happens one time in a girls life. Investiture ceremonies are normally held with a rededication ceremony. Opening Ceremony to open or start a meeting. Rededication After a girl is invested in Girl Scouts, she is rededicated to scouting at the beginning of the year. This is normally held with an investiture ceremony where new girls are accepted into Girl Scouts.