Mad Science Day Camp - BB Gun/Archery Ideas

[Faith]

Hi all This will be my first time posting in this forum for ideas, please go easy on me, lol.

 

My husband is going to take the range officer training this weekend so that he can be over the range at our upcoming day camp this June. Our day camp's theme is Mad Science. With these two things in mind, our CM contacted me today and asked me to partner up with my husband to try and come up with some ideas for the bb gun and archery range. They want it science related. I am a crafty person by nature, I do scrapbooks, posters, etc. and have helped out in the past with these. However, I have never taken part in any shooting activities so coming up with something will be a new challenge for me. I've looked around online for ideas, the only thing I've come up with so far is filling balloons with baking soda and letting it drop into something containing vinegar (and causing a reaction the kids can see.) However I know they'll be fairly far away and thinking of things ricocheting, I'm still trying to come up with something. I know things with sights/sounds will draw the most attention from them - with all these factors, any ideas? I will continue to browse around and figure something out!

[King Ding Dong]

Maybe building a wall will arches and such to show the integrity of the whole structure when parts are removed.

 

You have a tough assignment.

[Faith]

I was wondering if I was the only one thinking that, lol. They want it almost chemistry related (lots of experiments and such will be there), I'm just drawing a blank. Spent a couple hours searching around and couldn't find anything remotely close to what I'm aiming for (especially for cub scouts.) But I will not give up! I like the wall idea, just gotta look more into that (thankfully the husband was a carpenter for almost 12 years so maybe he'll have some ideas with that.)

[virden]

you could use a plastic bottle filled with say blue food colored water and have it sitting above a clear bowl of red food colored water then when the boys hit the water bottle the blue water will begin to drain out of the bottle into the red water causing the water to turn green kinda like mixing to different chemicals. plus you can talk about primary and secondary colors covering one requirement for the art belt loop and or weblos activity pin!

[virden]

another option to the plastic bottle would be paper cups so that the BBs penetrate better and it makes the color a mystery adding to the excitement

[virden]

as far as archery goes take a que from the old carnival balloon and dart games. have a few balloons secured to the target with differant states of mater inside. one with air(gases) one with water(liquids) and one with flour(solids) filling a balloon with flour may be to difficult so try using a large zip lock bag

[Sqyire21]

Faith: Just my two cents, but I don't personally like the idea of mixing anything with Archery and BB Gun.

 

The kids should be totally concentrated on the activity in-front of them. While I understand there isn't a LOT of risk during a Cub Scout outing (because we take so many precautions) I also believe stressing the importance of what they are doing and paying full attention to what is going on with the range is much more valuable than any science (or other) lesson they may get.

 

I admit I look at this through a little different lens, as I'm in the military and grew up around fire-arms. (Dad was an Army Ranger, step-dad was a cop) Just remember, in a few more years, the BB-Gun will be a .22 or shot-gun, and the bow will have much more power. Fundamentals are important.

 

On a further side-note: If I was going to try and do this, I think you've probably already discussed some good idea's. However, I don't think I'd try to do these at the Firing Range. Save it for a class-room. (we had a really cool Mad Scientist presentation back in Oct at our Spooktacular...I'll have to try and find out what university put it on. Lots of Halloween ty

 

 

[Faith]

Thank you for your suggestions Virden and your input Sqyire. I understand where you are coming from, I actually brought that up at the last roundtable (I asked if it was going to be part of the 'theme' or on its own like it was at the campout last year.) Our CM that is moving on is over camp (their last hoorah I guess) and she is the one that requested tying it in. I'm not sure if they would continue with those areas or not if we can't (this is my first year so I am unsure.) I will say that most of the boys who will be there I believe earned their beltloop at the campout last year (which will mean this is their second time at it.) Not all of them of course (we've had scouts come and go since then) but some of them have experience - some do not. I will mention all the suggestions here, so we can discuss both sides.

[virden]

I am also in the Military (US Army 15 years) and yes I agree fundamentals are extremely important as well as safety my suggestion of tying other topics into it were ment stickly as an opener not while the boys are on the firing line my main point of discussion was target type. we are not looking to make perfect marksmen out of 7-10 year olds. we stress proper handling and treatment of the weapon getting to shoot is the reward for learning these. I have found that reactive targets get the boys more excited and eager to work on proper sight picture, trigger squeeze and breathing techniques and those targets that I described tie into your theme

 

 

[virden]

I am also in the Military (US Army 15 years) and yes I agree fundamentals are extremely important as well as safety my suggestion of tying other topics into it were ment stickly as an opener not while the boys are on the firing line my main point of discussion was target type. we are not looking to make perfect marksmen out of 7-10 year olds. we stress proper handling and treatment of the weapon getting to shoot is the reward for learning these. I have found that reactive targets get the boys more excited and eager to work on proper sight picture, trigger squeeze and breathing techniques and those targets that I described tie into your theme

 

 

[King Ding Dong]

I was wondering if I was the only one thinking that, lol. They want it almost chemistry related (lots of experiments and such will be there), I'm just drawing a blank. Spent a couple hours searching around and couldn't find anything remotely close to what I'm aiming for (especially for cub scouts.) But I will not give up! I like the wall idea, just gotta look more into that (thankfully the husband was a carpenter for almost 12 years so maybe he'll have some ideas with that.)

Chemistry, guns and young children. What could possibly go wrong ?

 

I would check out what chemicals your CM is under the influence off.

[King Ding Dong]

I was wondering if I was the only one thinking that, lol. They want it almost chemistry related (lots of experiments and such will be there), I'm just drawing a blank. Spent a couple hours searching around and couldn't find anything remotely close to what I'm aiming for (especially for cub scouts.) But I will not give up! I like the wall idea, just gotta look more into that (thankfully the husband was a carpenter for almost 12 years so maybe he'll have some ideas with that.)

Chemistry, guns and lots of young children. What could possibly go wrong ?

 

Just flat out confront your CM, "Were you high when you thought that one up or just stoned ?."

[jc2008]

Balloons filled with flour or water would be cool to shoot at.

 

Why not wear lab coats ?

 

[Fehler]

Eye dominance. The dominate eye is the side you hold the gun on (so do the diamond test for eye dominance). So maybe add a couple other "tricks" that explain how your eyes work together. A very quick blind spot test (very cool). Look at the Webelos Scientist requirement 12: "Show in three different ways how your eyes work together and show what is meant by an optical illusion."

 

And now that they know the importance of having two functioning eyes, they'll understand the importance of wearing those safety goggles.

[Fehler]

As for Archery, do electrical circuits. Get a simple/cheap flashlight, some alligator clip wires from Radio Shack, aluminum foil and wax paper. Set up the circuit in front of the archery target (with the flashlight on top of the target), two sheets of foil with an insulator sheet between them, so (hopefully) when an arrow pierces the three sheets, the flashlight lights up. Hopefully, of course. I've never tried this before.