Have a long rope handy for this game. Use it to form a big circle. This will represent a body of water which is full. Cubs run around and when the whistle blows, they all need to get into the water. Those who do not fit into the circle are out of the game. Each time the Cubs run around, make the circle smaller and smaller until there are only two or three Cubs left.

Give the Cubs different materials to build a small bridge.  You can give them specific challenges (e.g. must hold the weight of a can or some coins, must span a certain distance, must be a certain height).  You can mix up the materials and give each group a different set of materials or they can select for themselves what they want to use.  Alternatively, provide them all with the exact same items and make it a competition of sorts.

The Da Vinci bridge design is an option using sticks, staves or popsicle sticks to show a self-supporting bridge with nothing holding the sticks together.  

HOW TO MAKE A DA VINCI BRIDGE // Full-size Leonardo Da Vinci bridge - YouTube

Pollution is a problem in our world. We pollute the water and ground by litering paper, plastic, glass, and other garbage on the ground or into the water. Pouring chemicals such as motor oil and gas into water or runoff from weed killers used on our lawn make their way into our water and must be filtered.  Factories, homes and cars pollute the air by burning coal, gas, and other chemicals. The smoke travels through the air and into the atmosphere where it gets trapped in the clouds with the moisture that naturally evaporats from the earth’s surface.  When clouds get full of water, they empty by raining (or snowing)  bringing the pollution along ; this is called acid rain.  Not all rain is acid rain. Acid rain is the rain that has a high ph level (acid level).

So, what’s the big deal – that’s the Earth’s way to filter and provide water, right? Well the problem is that when we produce too much pollution that rains down and becomes part of the water source for plants – the acid rain can harm plants (and animals in high enough concentrations).  Normal rain has a PH of 5.6. At 4.3 acid rain starts to have harmful effects headaches, coughs, and throat irritations in humans.  Fish will begin to die at a ph of 4.2. When people eat toxic plants and animals that have been contaminated with acid, they can have kidney problems, brain damage, and more.

Acid rain experiments

Start by labeling your 3 jars and adding the solution indicated:

water (just water)

little acid rain (1/4 cup vinegar OR lemon juice and the rest water)

lot of acid rain (1 cup vinegar OR lemon juice and the rest water.

Add a flower to each solution. Point out how all the flowers are healthy and look about the same. 

Observe the flowers. DO you notice a difference in the flowers. (24 hours later, share photos or can check on them the following week).

The captain calls out orders to the rest of the players who are the crew. If a Cub does not follow an order correctly, then they are out. This decision is made by the Captain who is always right! The game is played until only one Cub is left. Some command ideas:

Port - run to the right side of the boat

Starboard - run to the left of the boat

Bow - run to the front of the boat

Stern - run to the back of the boat

Hit the deck - lay down on your stomach

Attention on deck - salute and yell “Aye Aye Captain”. Cubs must not move until the next command is given.

Sick turtle - everyone lies on their backs with their feet and hands in the air

Shark - everyone must run to a designated area and shout out SHARK! The last one there is out.

Three men in a boat - the crew must form groups of three and sing "row, row the boat"