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Cub Scout Pack 180
(Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin)
 
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Helpful links:
Tiger Leader Helpful Hints
Uniform Pricing & Purchase Information
Uniform Guidelines by Rank
Meetings and Advancement by Rank
Different Types of Scout Meetings
Where to sit at a Pack Meeting
Committee Position descriptions
Cub Scout Parent Guide 

Pack 180 Hierarchy  - Although the dens are at the bottom, the cub scout is the only reason the rest exists!

    Boy Scouts of America
        Potawatomi Area Council
            Northern Lights District
                Pack 180
                    Den(Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Weblos I, Weblos II)

MORE SCOUTING INFORMATION

Here is a list of some terminology that is commonly used in scouting:

Achievements:  These are the belt loops, pins, or other recognitions that a scout earns and is recognized for at the monthly pack meeting.

Advancements:  The process by which a scout meets certain requirements and earns recognition. These are usually reported at the committee meeting.

Arrow of Light:  The ceremony held in March where the second year Webelos is recognized for completing his Cub Scout experience.  Those eligible receive their Arrow of Light Award and the boys that wish to continue their scouting experience can cross over to a Boy Scout troop.

Arrow Points:  Electives that can be earned after you have completed all the requirements for earning your particular rank in scouting.  There are two different kinds, gold and silver arrows.  For the first 10 electives completed in your rank, you earn a gold arrow.  Any additional 10 electives completed earn a silver arrow.  (For example: If you have completed a total of 47 electives in your rank, you will have 1 gold arrow and 3 silver arrows.)   NOTE:  These electives can be worked on at any point in the scout year; however, they can only be awarded after the badge rank is completed.

Belt Loops:  Awards earned in either academics or sports related fields for those boys who complete the requirements in a particular subject or sport. Belt loops may be worn with the Cub Scout uniform on the Cub Scout belt. A list of all the awards can be found in the “Academic and Sports Program Guide”.  Every den leader receives a copy.

Blue/Gold Dinner:  Celebrated in February.  This is the birthday celebration for Scouting.

Bobcat Badge: The Bobcat badge must be earned before receiving any other award or rank (except for Tigers). Tigers usually earn this rank at the end of their Tiger year or when they first become Wolves.  The Bobcat badge is pinned on your uniform upside down until the scout does his first “good turn”.  At that point it can be placed right side up and sewn on the uniform.

Crossover:  A term used to describe the process by which the WeBeLos leave Cub Scouting for Boy Scouts.

Cub master: The leader at the pack meetings.  

Den:  A small group of boys that meet a least one timer a month.  These boys usually stay together as a group during their Cub Scout days.

Den Leader:  A person in charge of the scouts during their scouting years.  This person, along with parents, helps prepare and organize any activities that will be done during the den meetings.  

Denner:  (Optional) Boy in den that helps leaders during a den meeting.  He is a role model for his fellow scouts.  Usually you rotate the position,
giving each boy an opportunity to de a denner.

Dues:  (Optional) Some dens choose to collect dues from each scout at each meeting as a way of paying for any supplies and special events that the den participates in. Some may choose to ask for a one-time amount (ex. $10) from each family at the start of the year. Make sure someone (usually a leader) keeps records of all money collected and spent. Keeping your receipts is a good idea in case any questions should arise.

Den Chief: (Optional) This is a Boy Scout that comes to help out during the den meetings.

Electives:  Unlike achievements, electives are choices boys can make on their own.  These are found in the back of the handbook.  They can be done individually or they might be done as a group at a den meeting. Arrow points are awarded for every ten electives completed.  Note: You need to earn your rank first before you can receive any arrow points but you can work on them at any time.

Family Camp:  An overnight camping opportunity we offer to the whole family.  Usually held in June at Menomonee County Park.  We do activities, play games, cook out, have a campfire and sleep overnight in our own tents.  

Go See It: Tigers usually have one outing (fieldtrip) a month.  This is called Go See It.

Handbook:  This is the scout book for each rank. Every scout needs one of these in order to work toward progress of his rank.

IMR:  This is the Indian Mound Reservation that scouts can attend during the summer.  It is a three-day camp scouts attend.  The officially run scout camp is the only place where the scouts can earn their archery and BB gun belt loops.  The boys spend all day doing various activities around the camp.  IT’S A LOT OF FUN.  

Long Lake:  A scout camp located in Dundee, Wisconsin. We usually pick a date in September to go as a pack. This is an option if you wish to attend. The September outing starts on Friday night and ends Sunday morning. The boys do various activities and earn achievements while they are at camp.

Outings:  Pack events that we organize for all the scouts.  Previous outings included Brewer games, Bucks games, family camp, bowling, Summertime fun, ice-skating, etc.

Pack Committee:  This is the group of adult leaders and various committee personnel that meet the second Thursday of each month to plan for upcoming Pack meetings, recap previous meetings and to share information amongst leaders.  It is important that each leader attend to keep everyone informed of all Pack activities. It is not necessary to have your leader uniform on for this meeting, however, for any other organized meeting relating to scouts, a uniform should be worn.

Pack Meeting:  This is a monthly meeting, usually the third Thursday of every month, where all cub scouts and their parents and den leaders, come together as a large group for special events, activities and awards. UNIFORMS SHOULD BE WORN. (** Scouts should wear their uniforms to school on den meeting and pack meeting days). Parents are required to attend these meetings.

Patches:  These are earned by participating in pack or den events.  

Pins:  For a greater involvement in an academic or sports area, pins can be earned. It does NOT go on the scout uniform.  These are usually worn on a red vest that goes over the scout shirt.

Red Vest:  This is a vest that is used to display all the patches, pins or other awards that a scout has earned during Cub Scouts. This is an optional item.

Roundtable: A monthly meeting for leaders to get ideas den information and ideas on possible things to do during your den or pack meetings. These are held on the first Wednesday of every month.  Reminder:  Wear your leader uniform and don’t forget to sign in.

Summertime pins and den ribbon:  Summertime pins are earned by the scout participating in one pack activity per month (or 3 total) during the course of the summer.  Each den that has a 50% participation rate of their scouts in summer activities will earn a summertime ribbon to hand on their den flag.  The pack normally plans 2 activities per month, so each scout should have ample opportunity to earn the summertime pin.

Swamp Fox:  This is a camp that our pack has not participated in for a while due to scheduling.  It is a weekend camping opportunity to any scout and parent that wish to participate.  The boys do various activities that help them earn achievements for their rank.

Tiger Cub Totem:  When you have learned the Tiger Cub motto, Cub Scout sign, and Cub Scout salute, you are awarded the Tiger Cub belt totem. This goes on the scout belt.  You will place your tiger beads and any scout belt loops earned on this belt.

Training:  There are various training workshops offered to leaders from the Potawatomi Area Council. (New Leader Essentials, Baloo, Swim float/Defense, Cub Specific, Youth Protection, Etc.) As a leader, it is helpful to take at least New Leader Essentials and Cub Specific training. We also encourage every leader to take the Youth Protection Training that can be done on line.

Uniforms:  Each rank (grade) of cub scouts wears a different uniform. Uniforms should be worn to school on den and pack meeting days.

Web site:  Pack 180 web site is http://pack180mf.scoutlander.com

Uniform Guidelines by Rank

  • Tigers:  (1st grade) Blue Cub Scout shirt, Tiger neckerchief, neckerchief slide, wolf hat, (optional). The neckerchief is worn under the collar of the shirt.
  • Wolves:  (2nd grade) Blue Cub Scout shirt, gold wolf neckerchief, wolf neckerchief slide and wolf hat (optional). The neckerchief is worn under the collar of the shirt.
  • Bears:  (3rd grade) Blue cub scout shirt, light blue bear neckerchief, bear neckerchief slide, bear hat (optional).
  • 1st year Webelos: (4th grade) Tan scout shirt, webelos red and green checked neckerchief, webelos slide, webelos hat, (optional).
  • 2nd year Webelos: (5th grade) Tan scout shirt, webelos neckerchief and slide, webelos hat (optional).

    Scout belt:  All ranks in scouting should have a blue scout belt where the earned belt loops are placed. Tigers also use this to display their Tiger Cub Belt Totem.

General Uniform Guidelines

The only items that should be placed on the cub scout uniform shirt are badges of rank, year pin (representing years of scouting- this is received after you have completed your first year in scouts), summertime pins (for participating in summer Pack events - you need to be a part of one pack or den event each month of the summer in order to earn this), the religious knot, pack and den numbers, and council patch.  All other awards or participant patches are to be placed on the red Cub Scout vest (optional).  All belt loops earned are to be placed on a blue Cub Scout belt.

The placement of badges of rank, den and pack numbers, council patches, etc. is all shown in your Cub Scout handbook. ** Every scout should have a handbook.

Uniforms can be purchased at various locations. Read Uniform Pricing & Purchase Information for more information. You will also need to purchase the Potawatomi Area Council patch, the numbers 1, 8, and 0 (for Pack 180), a den leader patch (if that is your position) the World Crest patch and Den patch (this number will be assigned to you). Leaders should purchase the tan scout shirt for any scout rank.

Potawatomi Area Council
Boy Scouts of America
Council Service Center (Harkrider)
N12 W24498 Bluemound Road
Waukesha, WI 53187
(262) 544-5357

Sherpers in Hales Corners and Dunham’s Sporting Goods also sell scout supplies.

Tiger Cubs EmblemTiger Cubs EmblemTiger Cubs EmblemTiger Cubs EmblemTiger Cubs Emblem

Meetings and Advancement by Rank

The location, time and day of your den meetings is up to you.  You can meet at your house, at the library, a church or any other meeting place you are comfortable meeting at.  Meetings usually last about an hour but again this is up to you.  Some people prefer to meet after school while others like to meet at night.  

Tigers
Since this is a parent-child program, the parents are asked to help out.  Tigers usually meet once a month. One meeting is a den meeting and the other is Go See It.  During the den meeting you can work on achievements, do crafts, sing songs or work on electives found at the end of your handbook.  The Go See It is usually a field trip you or one of your parents sets up for the second meeting of the month. There are five achievements toward earning your Tiger patch and each one has Go See It.  The parents should be at every meeting you have with the scouts so ask for some help.

A good idea is to assign a son/parent one meeting that they host.  It will be up to them to decide what will be done at the den meeting for that month.  Usually they pick an elective or two and do a meeting around the electives. 

Tigers first have to earn their Tiger Cub Belt Totem. They do this by learning the Tiger Cub motto, the Cub Scout sign, and the Cub Scout salute. This is a good idea to do at the very first meeting and then they can be awarded the totem at the next pack meeting they attend. (The totem is worn on the scout belt and is used for any additional tiger beads he earns).

There are five achievements in Tiger Cubs.  Each achievement has three parts: a family activity, a den activity, and a Go See It outing.  A boy receives
totem beads as he completes each part:

  • White Bead:  Earned for each required family activity part completed.
  • Orange Bead:  Earned for each required den activity part completed.
  • Black Bead:  Earned for each required Go See It part completed.
  • Yellow Bead: Earned for completing ten electives in handbook.

When a boy has earned all 15 beads, he is eligible to receive his Tiger Cub badge. After he has earned the Tiger Cub badge, he can earn Tiger Track beads by completing elective activities.  He can do each elective twice and receive credit.  He needs to complete ten electives in order to get his first
yellow bead.

Den Meeting Ideas:  
Elective 2: Make a craft for any of the holidays during the year
Elective 4: Take a picture of each boy and at some point trim the picture and use Popsicle sticks, foam shapes, etc to make it into a picture frame. Place a magnet on the back.
Elective 11:  Participate in Scouting for Food in February
Elective 18:  Sew a button on a craft.
Elective 30: Plant a seed (beans, sunflowers, etc)
Elective 32: Make a simple birdfeeder.

Use your imagination or the Internet is full of kid’s crafts and games that can be used.

Bobcat

This is the first badge of rank that must be earned before any others.  No matter what age or grade a boy joins Cub Scouting, he must earn his Bobcat badge before he can be awarded a Wolf badge, Bear badge, or Webelos badge. The requirements are listed in the front of each book.  When the badge is earned it is pinned on upside down until the boy completes a good turn.  At that point it is turned around and sewn on the uniform. Tigers earn this badge after their Tiger badge.  All other scouts need to earn it before they start earning achievements for their rank.

Wolf

If a boy has not earned his Bobcat rank, he must complete those requirements first. Wolf’s usually meet once a month plus the pack meeting. Parents are not required to attend the den meetings but each den can decide this individually.  The following is a list of some possible den meeting ideas:

  • Achievement 1:  All can be done in the backyard.  You can set it up like an Olympic Day with ribbons for each scout if you wish.
  • Achievement 2:

    2a - Pledge and flag ceremony can be done at each den meeting
    2d - each scout can choose a state and draw a picture of it’s flag and then share it during the den meeting.
    2g - Bring a flag to a den meeting and alternate holding and folding the flag.

  • Achievement 3:

    3b - put on a little skit showing what you should or should not do.
    3c - have some bandages and have them show you how to use it.

  • Achievement 4: This is a good one for the family to do.
  • Achievement 5: Home Depot will put on free workshops that you can register for or have them make something during the meeting.
  • Achievement 6: A display of a favorite toy collection, card collection, state quarters collection, rocks, etc.  Its also good to use for a show and tell.
  • Achievement 7: Talk about recycling, and go pick up trash around a park a school or their own yard.
  • Achievement 8: Grill out at a den meeting.
  • Achievement 9: Discuss safety rules and go on a bike ride.
  • Achievements 10-12: These need to be done at home with the family.
  • Arrow points: These can be earned after the badge of rank but can be worked on at any time during the wolf year. For the first 10 electives done, the scout earns a gold arrow point.  For each additional 10, they earn a silver arrow point.  If extra activities have been done for the achievements (ex. The achievement required 4 things and you did 5), then the extra one can count as one elective.

Bear

The Bear Trail Record in the back of the book gives you your options to earn your Bear badge. You must earn a total of twelve achievements.

  • Achievements 1 & 2: Must be done with the family.
  • Achievement 3:

    3a - Done as a den discussion
    3e - Have scout choose a state, find information on it and share it at the meeting
    3f - Do a flag ceremony at each den meeting.

  • Achievement 4: Go to the library and have them find books on tall tales.  Have them read two and tell about them at the den meeting.
  • Achievement 5: Visit a nature center.
  • Achievement 6: This could be a good home activity.
  • Achievement 7: Muskego Police Department will give scouts a tour.
  • Achievement 8:

    8a - Visit the library for old newspapers
    8b - Have a former scout come to a den meeting or if one of the parents was a scout have him discuss it.
    8c - Add on to your scrapbook or have each boy write a short account of what happened at one of the den meetings or outings he attended.
    8d - Do a family tree craft or have him fill out a chart.
    8e - Ask the Muskego Historical Society for some information and share it.

  • Achievement 9:

    9a - Bake some cookies together if possible.
    9b - Have each scout make a small healthy snack at home and bring it to the den meeting.
    9e - Make some trail mix together.

  • Achievement 10: Done at home
  • Achievement 11: Discuss at the den meeting.
  • Achievement 12: Done at home.
  • Achievement 13: Visit a grocery store.
  • Achievement 14: Can be done with family.
  • Achievement 15: Play a game and maybe earn a belt loop at the same time.
  • Achievement 16: Good to do at an outdoor den meeting
  • Achievement 17: Can be done at home
  • Achievement 18: Can be done at home
  • Achievement 19:

    19a-b Talk about knife safety
    19c - Scouts can make a carving out of soap

  • Achievement 20Can be done at home or a den meeting
  • Achievement 21:

        21a - Pinewood Derby fulfills this requirement
        21b - Make Styrofoam displays for derby cars
        21c - Have them bring in a drawing of their bedroom floor plan

  • Achievement 22: Do at a den meeting or have a boy scout come teach them knot tying

  • Achievement 23: Good family activity

  • Achievement 24: Have one boy be in charge of a den meeting.

  • Arrow points can be earned after the badge of rank but can be worked on at any time during the bear year. For the first 10 electives done, the scout earns a gold arrow point.  For each additional 10 completed, he earns a silver arrow point.  If you do more requirements than you need for an achievement, you may use them for elective credit to earn Arrow Points.

Webelos

A Webelo is a two-year program. It starts when the scout enters fourth grade and ends in March when they are in fifth grade. (In March, they crossover into Boy Scouts)  The scouts can now start wearing the tan shirt if they wish. As Webelos, you can earn up to 20 activity badges.  These are colorful metal emblems that you pin on your Webelos colors and wear on the right sleeve of your uniform.  You earn them by completing the requirements listed for each activity.

As part of your Webelos badge you need to earn three activity badges, each one from a different group.  One of these badges must be Fitness, from the Physical Skills Group.

Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Committee Positions Descriptions.doc Committee Position Description  
JoinCubScoutParentGuide.pdf Join Cub Scout Parent Guide  
Meetings Types.doc Meeting Types  
pack meeting gym layout.doc Where to sit at a Pack Meeting  
Tiger Leader Helpful Hints.doc Tiger Leader Helpful Hints  
Uniform Essentials.doc Uniform Essentials