Roundtable Planning Guide 2014-2015 THANKS TO YOU, MILLIONS OF BOYS … become more confident … GROW SPIRITUALLY … are better citizens … learn life skills … haVE FUN! WITHOUT YOU, THEY WOULD NOT. The Boy Scouts of America welcomes your comments and suggestions on how to improve this resource. Please email your thoughts to [email protected]. CUB SCOUT ROUNDTABLE PLANNING GUIDE 2014–2015 WHAT IS ROUNDTABLE? A Cub Scout roundtable is a form of commissioner service and supplemental training for volunteers at the unit level. The objectives of the roundtable are to provide leaders with program ideas, information on policy and events, and training opportunities. The roundtable is a forum for sharing experiences and enjoying fun and fellowship with other Scout leaders. When skillfully executed, the roundtable experience will inspire, motivate, and enable unit leaders to provide a stronger program for their Cub Scouts. TABLE OF CONTENTS Cub Scouting’s Core Values and Themes, 180-Minute Program Outline ...........29 September 2014 to August 2015 ....... 4 Big Rock Topic Plans ................... 31 Roundtable Overview.................... 5 Effective Advancement . 31 Roundtable Leadership .................5 Preventing Leader Burnout .............32 Training and Recognition Community Service...................34 for Roundtable Team...................6 Leveraging BSA Literature The Cub Scout Roundtable for a Better Program ..................36 Commissioner........................6 Parent Engagement . 38 Using the Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide .......................6 Role of the District Committee in Unit Support......................39 Pack Activities........................6 Role of the Unit Commissioner ..........40 Length and Format of Roundtable.........6 Trained Leaders – Why and How ........41 Technology and Roundtable Delivery ......7 Big Rock Template....................43 Parts of a Roundtable.................... 8 Cub Scout Interest Topic and Pack Activity Preopening . 8 Discussion Guides ................. 44 General Opening August – Join Scouting Night ...........45 (All Scouting Programs) ................8 September – Bobcat Badge .............48 Combined Sessions (Cub Scout Leaders Only)...............9 October – Blue and Gold Banquet........50 Cub Scout Leader Breakouts ............10 November – Flag Etiquette .............52 After the Meeting ....................10 December – Age-Appropriate Activities....53 Roundtable Mechanics .................. 11 January – Den Chief Program ...........55 Pack Participation ....................11 February – One Oath and Law Rollout ....56 Publicity and Promotion ...............11 March – Getting Ready for 2015–2016 I...58 Attendance Incentives .................12 April – Getting Ready for 2015–2016 II ...62 Roundtable Commissioner’s Notebook ..... 13 May – Getting Ready for 2015–2016 III ...63 Roundtable Team Members.............13 June – Youth Development .............65 Resources, Contacts, Speakers, July – Summertime Meetings ...........67 Materials, and Supplies ................14 Breakout Discussion and Activity Ideas..... 69 Training Courses .....................15 August.............................70 Internet References ...................16 September..........................74 Roundtable Attendance Record ..........17 October............................81 Getting to Know You..................18 November ..........................83 Roundtable Program Evaluation . .19 December ..........................85 Resource Highlights .................... 20 January ............................88 Roundtable Program Agendas ............ 21 February ...........................91 60-Minute Program Outline . 22 March .............................93 90-Minute Program Outline . 24 April ..............................97 120-Minute Program Outline ...........26 May..............................101 511-410 2 2014 Printing June .............................103 July ..............................108 Pack Resource Sheets (may be printed for handouts) ....... 111 August............................112 September.........................117 October...........................122 November .........................126 December .........................131 January ...........................135 February ..........................141 March ............................145 April .............................154 May..............................159 June .............................164 July ..............................170 Additional Handout Materials for 2015 Program Updates .......... 175 3 CUB SCOUTING’S CORE VALUES AND THEMES SEPTEMBER 2014 TO AUGUST 2015 Month Core Value Theme SEPTEMBER 2014 Cooperation Under the Big Top OCTOBER 2014 Responsibility Dollars and Sense NOVEMBER 2014 Citizenship Give Goodwill DECEMBER 2014 Respect Stars and Stripes January 2015 Positive Attitude Yes, I Can February 2015 Resourcefulness Litter to Glitter MARCH 2015 Compassion Aware and Care APRIL 2015 Faith Soaring the Skies May 2015 Health and Fitness Backyard Fun JUNE 2015 Perseverance Go for the Gold July 2015 Courage Under the Sea AUGUST 20145 Honesty Play Ball 4 ROUNDTABLE OVErviEW The 2014–2015 Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide is designed followed by a midyear review. This process brings a level of to help you plan and produce a successful roundtable program standardization to district roundtable in terms of content by for your district. For the 2014–2015 program year, you will find: promoting the use of national roundtable guides and other resources while allowing local flexibility for the districts. In • Program agendas that include the key elements for some larger councils, there may be multiple assistant council presentation of a Cub Scout roundtable. Recommended times commissioners for roundtable depending on the local needs. for each activity will help you maintain a reliable schedule. The district roundtables fall under the guidance of the assistant • Big Rock topic plans that can be used flexibly to meet the district commissioner for roundtables. This individual oversees needs of the combined roundtable group. the district roundtables in all program areas, reports to the district • Cub Scout interest topic plans that can be used flexibly to commissioner, and works with the district structure, but also needs meet the needs of Cub Scout leaders. to be responsive to and work in cooperation with the assistant council commissioner for roundtable to see that the annual • Supplemental resource sheets that include activities, planning and midyear review programs are well attended by the ceremonies, and other support material that can be used by district program-specific roundtable commissioners. In addition, leaders in their meetings. These suggestions should be used this is a perfect position from which to see that national roundtable to build the individual Cub Scout leader breakout sessions. guide materials are being used so that proper program materials are Additional supplemental pack meeting plans that correspond to the being given to units. monthly Core Value and optional pack meeting theme may be found Roundtable programs are then implemented by the program- online at www.scouting.org/CubScouts/Leaders/DenLeaderResources/ specific roundtable commissioners for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, DenandPackMeetingResourceGuide/PackMeetingPlans.aspx and Varsity Scouts, and Venturing crews. These individuals are may be downloaded, reproduced, and distributed to roundtable responsible for coordinating and conducting the various parts of participants for use with their dens and packs. the roundtable meetings. They make their contributions under the The Cub Scout program is considered a year-round program. guidance of the positions described above and with the help of the This means that packs and dens are encouraged to meet and assistant roundtable commissioner position as described below. conduct activities year-round, and thus, roundtable may need to Assistant roundtable commissioners conduct tasks directly for the operate year-round also. This, of course, is up to the council and program-specific roundtable commissioners, as mentioned above, districts to decide as part of the yearly planning process. Some to assist in the development and delivery of their monthly meeting of the resources listed above, such as Big Rock Topics, may not agenda and program items. This role replaces the previous position have plans for every month of the year, and local councils and of roundtable staff and allows the assistants to pursue the normal districts may have unique local topics to be discussed in certain roundtable training and awards structure in place for roundtable months. Councils and districts are encouraged to use the provided leaders. Each program-specific roundtable commissioner would templates to create topics that meet any needs they identify. Topics be able to have as many assistants as needed; i.e., Cub Scouts may from previous years are archived on the Roundtable Support need several to facilitate their program breakouts, while others may page of the Commissioner Website: www.scouting.org/scoutsource/ not need so many. Commissioners/roundtable.aspx. The positions of assistant council commissioner for roundtable and assistant district commissioner for roundtable have specific role ROUNDTABLE LEADERSHIP descriptions that are available online at http://www.scouting.org/ scoutsource/Commissioners/roundtable/RoundtableChanges.aspx. Overall coordination of all roundtables held in the council is under the jurisdiction