Welcome to Girl Scout Brownies Basics for Brownie Troop Leaders 1 888.747.6945 | [email protected] | gsnwgl.org REV January 2021 Thank you! Because you’re a Girl Scout volunteer, girls have opportunities to learn about themselves, build new friendships, and make the world a better place. Use this resource guide to remind you of key opportunities in this grade level. Thank you for volunteering! Contents Understanding Healthy Development for Girl Scouts ............................3-5 Uniform ..................................................................................................................6 Awards and Badges............................................................................................7 Journeys ................................................................................................................. 8-9 Girl Award Record ...............................................................................................10-13 From Leader to Advisor .....................................................................................14 Safety Resources to Know and Use .............................................................15 For Every Girl Scout ............................................................................................16 The Girl Scout Leadership Experience .........................................................17-18 Glossary .................................................................................................................19-21 2 Understanding Healthy Development for Girl Scouts Just being attentive to what girls are experiencing as they mature is a big help to girls. So, take some time to understand the likes, needs, and abilities of girls in this grade level. As you listen and learn along with girls, you may find it useful to review the highlights of their development in the chart below. Of course, each girl is an individual, so these are only guidelines that help you get to know the girls. Girl Scout Brownies At the Girl Scout Brownie level (second and third grade), This means... girls . Have lots of energy and need to run, walk, and play outside. Taking your session activities outside whenever possible. Allowing girls to team up in small or large groups for art Are social and enjoy working in groups. projects and performances. Letting girls lead, direct, and help out in activities whenever Want to help others and appreciate being given individual possible. Allow girls as a group to make decisions about responsibilities for a task. individual roles and responsibilities. Doing more than just reading to girls about the Brownie Elf’s adventures. Ask girls questions to gauge their understanding Are concrete thinkers and focused on the here and now. and allow them to role play their own pretend visit to a new country. Offering only one direction at a time. Also, have girls create the Need clear directions and structure, and like knowing what to schedule and flow of your get-togethers and share it at the expect. start. Offering support only when needed. Allow girls to set schedules Are becoming comfortable with basic number concepts, time, for meetings or performances, count out money for a trip, and money, and distance. so on. Encouraging girls to express themselves and their creativity Are continuing to develop their fine motor skills and can tie by making things with their hands. Girls may need some shoes, use basic tools, begin to sew, etc. assistance, however, holding scissors, threading needles, and so on. That girls might like to create a play about welcoming a new Love to act in plays, create music, and dance. girl to their school, or tell a story through dance or creative movement. Acknowledging when the girls have listened or followed the Know how to follow rules, listen well, and appreciate directions well, which will increase their motivation for listening recognition of a job done well. and following again! 3 Brownie Meeting Activity Brownies are ready for most anything! They’re usually ready to say “yes” to whatever troop leaders offer. So, it’s a good idea to collect the Brownies opinions first, either in a survey, a vote, or in a Brownie Ring discussion, in order to keep the troop activity girl-led. You can see second and third graders bursting with pride in their achievements. It’s a great time to introduce ceremonies to celebrate their accomplishments. A ceremony is something to mark a special occasion. Here are two ideas. Investiture: An investiture ceremony is for welcoming a new girl to Girl Scouts. New girls receive their special Brownie pin and are officially welcomed into the troop. Adding new members to a Brownie troop is very common, because girls are becoming more social and seeking opportunities to be with their friends and because families are seeking extracurriculars for their daughters to enjoy. Make Your Own Ceremony: It’s always a good time to celebrate! Decide what you’re celebrating and invite the girls to identify a reason to celebrate and help them build their own ceremony • You might begin a ceremony by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, saying the Promise and Law, or singing a Girl Scout song. • Then you might recite a poem, put on a skit, tell a story, or perform a dance. • For a special touch, girls could light candles with the help of a Girl scout adult. - from the Girls’ Guide to Brownie Girl Scouts Handbook Brownies are helpers Look for the Brownie elf in Brownie program materials. These cute little figures in their striped caps are unique to the Brownie grade level. They present helping tasks as fun tasks, reinforcing the enjoyment that 2nd and 3rd graders find in being useful. Age- appropriate community service activities are a popular choice to get girls out of the meeting room and using their helpful energy. Teach values Teach the meaning of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Write out the Girl Scout Promise on a big sheet of paper. Recite it as you are writing it. Tell the girls that part of becoming a Girl Scout Brownie is learning the Girl Scout Promise and Law. The Promise and Law guide everything we do as Girl Scouts. Talk about what it means and ask the following questions: • What is a promise? • Why is it important to keep our promises? • What if we forget? • What do the words, “I will try” mean? Once girls have memorized the Girl Scout Promise, read the Girl Scout Law to them. Talk about what it means and ask the following questions: • What does fair mean? • What did they do during the day that was friendly to another person? • What does it mean to be courageous? • What does it mean to be respectful? • What does “being a sister to every Girl Scout” mean? 4 Be fair Be fair with an “It and Other” can. Girl Scout Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts are very concerned about fairness. Have each girl decorate and write her name on a wide craft stick and put it in a small can or envelope. When you need to select someone to do something, you’ll draw a name from the “It” can. When the task is complete, put the craft stick in the “Other” can. This will continue when special help is needed until all the names in the “It” can have been used. Then all the sticks will be transferred from the “Other” can back to the “It” can and you’ll start all over again. Create an inclusive environment. Brownies love their best friends and they sometimes forget to include everyone. Be observant for intentional bullying and unintentional exclusion. Use the Girl Scout Law language of “Be A Sister to Every Girl Scout” to foster troop connections and affection. Rotate seating arrangements and small groups often. The Brownie Smile Song Girl Scouts love to sing, and we have a very special Girl Scout song just for Brownies. Here’s a link to an online video so you can practice prior to the meeting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lcpeM-KiDE The Brownie Smile Song I’ve got something in my pocket I’m sure you couldn’t guess it It belongs across my face. If you guessed a long, long while, I keep it very close at hand, So I’ll take it out and put it on, In a most convenient place. It’s a great big Brownie smile! 5 Girl Scout BrownieGir lVest Sc ando Sashut Brownie Vest & Sash Visit GSNWGL’s online shop for all your official Girl Scout merchandise needs. Click on the name or image of insignia to find out more information and to purchase. Visit www.girlscoutshop.com for all your Official Girl Scout merchandise needs. American Flag Patch Brownie Insignia Tab World Trefoil Pin Girl Scout Council Identification Set Girl Scout Brownie Membership Pin Troop Crest Bee Journey Summit Troop Numerals Bee Award Pins Membership Stars and Discs MY PROMISEMY Bridge to Girl Scout Brownie Award FAITH MY PROMISEMY FAITH MY MY PROMISE PROMISE MY MY My Promise, My Faith Pins FAITH FAITH Journey Award Badges Cookie Sale Activity Pin Place your Journey Safety Award Pin awards above Girl Scout Brownie Vest & Sash your badges. Girl Scout Brownie Badges Click on the name or image of insignia to find out more information and to purchase. Place your first Journey Visit www.girlscoutshop.comWorld Thinking D afory Aallw yourard Official Girl Scout merchandise needs. awards at the bottom of your vest. As you earn Global Action Award additional Journey awards, work your way up. If your Journey awards Brownie Insignia Tab American Flag Patch and badges don’t fit on World Trefoil Pin Girl Scout Council Identification Set the front of your vest or Girl Scout Brownie Membership Pin sash, you can wear them Troop Crest Bee Journey Summit on the back. Troop Numerals Bee Award Pins Membership Stars and Discs MY PROMISEMY Bridge to Girl Scout Brownie Award FAITH MY PROMISEMY FAITH MY MY PROMISE PROMISE MY MY My Promise, My Faith Pins FAITH FAITH Journey Award Badges Cookie Sale Activity Pin Place your Journey Safety Award Pin awards above your badges. Girl Scout Brownie Badges Place your first Journey World Thinking Day Award awards at the bottom of your vest. As you earn Global Action Award additional Journey awards, work your way up.