Advancement Ceremonies/02-03

Equipment needed: 1 potato and several straws

Cubmaster: (to boy receiving his award) (boy ‘s name) I understand that you have worked
hard to receive the (award name). We are all very proud of you tonight. I want to
see if you have done your best. Why did you want to receive this award? Was it
hard?

Because you have worked so hard and accomplished this, I am going to show you
a strange phenomenon.

TAKE A POTATO: Take a potato and a straw. Tell the boy you are going to push the straw
into the potato. Try 1 or 2 times without making it work
Put your finger over the end of the straw and push it into the potato. Explain to the boy this
works because you have tried and worked on it, just like he has tried and worked on his Cub
Scout program. Congratulate him and give him the award.

BAFFLE THE BOYS  

Call forward the boys receiving awards. Explain to them that sometimes we have to work very
hard to earn an award. Sometimes things are easy, but more often they are difficult and take
quite a bit of time. Ask them, “Why do you suppose that is?”

Tell them to watch you (Make a big production of this). Put a big glass 1/2 full of water on a
table.

Place a regular (not foil) pie tin (facing up) on top of that -
a glass of water so you could place something in the pie tin.
Put the cardboard roll from a toilet tissue roll in the center of
the pie tin. Put a boiled egg on top of the toilet tissue roll.

Place a broom with the bristles touching the floor tightly
against the table. Put your foot on the bristles to hold them
down. Pull the broom handle toward you and flip the broom
handle so it hits the table fairly strongly (remember your foot
is holding down the bristles). The egg will fall into the water.

Ask the boys, “What makes it do that?” Present awards.

Eskimo cheer: Wrap arms around yourself                         Seal of approval: Place arms together
and say, “B, r, r, r.”                                                                   from elbows to wrists, then slap hands
                                                                                                  together while barking like a seal.