Webelos TechnologyCraftsman, Engineer, Handyman, and Scientist

Some Craftsman requirements can be used to fulfill requirements from other activity badges .#2 – “With adult supervision and using hand tools, construct two different wooden objects…. Use a coping saw or jig saw…. Put them together with glue, nails, or screws. Paint or stain them.” Engineer #7 – Make drawings of three kinds of bridges and explain their differences. Construct a model bridge of your choice. Engineer #8 – Make a simple crane using a block an tackle and explain how the block and tackle is used in everyday life. Engineer #9 – Build a catapult and show how it works. Handyman #12 - Build a sawhorse or stool to be used around the house. Showman #4 – Build a simple stage for marionettes or puppets.#3 – “Make a display stand or box to be used to display a model or an award. Or Make a frame for a photo or painting.” Artist # 3 – Draw or paint an original picture out-of-doors, using any art materials you prefer. Frame the picture for your room or home.#4 – “Make four useful items using materials other than wood…such as clay, plastic, leather, metal, paper, rubber, or rope.” Engineer #6 – Construct a simple working electrical circuit using a flashlight battery a switch, and a light. Showman #3 – Make a set of puppets or marionettes for the play you have written or for another play. Showman #6 – Make a set of four paper bag puppets for a singing group….

Some Engineer requirements can be used to fulfill requirements from other activity badges.#2 – “Draw a floor plan of your home. Include doors, windows, and stairways.” Readyman #11 – Make a home fire escape plan for your family.

Some Handyman requirements can be used to fulfill requirements from other activity badges.#1 – “Responsibility character connection. c. Practice: Choose one of the requirements and show how you are responsible by doing that task well for two weeks.” Family Member #2 – Make a chart showing the jobs you and other family members have at home. Talk with your family about other jobs you can do for the next two months.

Interesting options for teaching Technology group requirements:

CraftsmanUseful items out of material other than wood can be anything that Webelos age boys are interested in. Included in these handouts are patterns or instructions for fun puzzles, games, and other miscellaneous useful items.

Yoke puzzleMake this puzzle from a 1 in. by 6 in. piece of thin boardor cardboard (a tongue depressor works well), string, andtwo washers. Bore three holes in board, one in the center,and one at each end. Run the string through holes andthrough washers as shown in the diagram. Tie knots atends of string. Challenge the boys to get the washers together without untying any of the knots. After they tryfor a while, show them how to do it. Have them pull theloop at the center hole straight out about 2 in. Slide thewasher through the loop. Then pull the rest of the centerloop back through center hole. Slide washer through center loop onto opposite loop. Pull center loop back through hole. The washer is now hanging on the opposite loop. Reverse procedure to get it back..

Strap and Button puzzle Page 2Have boys make two parallel cuts in the center of a strip of firm, pliable leather or vinyl. Just to the side of this, cut a hole the same width. Make sure the hole is smaller than the diameter of the buttons. Then pass a heavy string under the slit and through the hole, as illustrated. Fasten buttons to loose ends of twine.

The object is to remove the string without taking off the buttons. The boys can do this easily by bending the leather and drawing the narrow strip through the hole. The string and buttons can be removed easily.

Homemade MicroscopeMaterials needed: Clean, empty milk jug, scissors,plastic wrap, large rubber band.Cut off the top section of the jug just below the handle.Cut two large openings in the sides. They need to be largeEnough to get your hands inside. Place the plastic wraploosely over the open end of the jug and secure it with therubber band. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of water onto the plastic wrap.The water creates a lens that magnifies the object youhold beneath it. Raise or lower the object to get the best focus.

Worm Farm

Materials needed: large empty jar, dirt with sand, 6 inch square of loosely woven fabric or cheesecloth, black colored paper, leaves, worms, rubber band.

Loosely fill the jar with damp dirt mixed with a little sand to keep it nice and loose. Dig up 2 or 3 worms and put them on top of the dirt, with a few leaves for their dinner. Lay the fabric over the jar opening and secure it with a rubber band. Now, wrap the jar with black paper and leave it alone for 2 to 3 days. When you take the paper off, you’ll find the worms have made themselves right at home, burrowing all through the jar. To keep your worms happy, make sure they always have fresh leaves and moist soil.

Vacation BoxKeep games, postcards, and mementos in this box and follow your travel route on the map.Materials needed: extra map of your travel route, box with lid(a shoe box works well), buttons, hole punch, yarn, and glue.Glue the map onto the box and lid. Put the part with yourtravel route on the lid, if it fits. Cut slits in two corners of the lid to make a long tab. Glue the tab to the box tomake the hinge.Glue a large button on a small button. Glue thesmall button to the front of the box. Punch a holein the lid. Tie yarn through the hole. To close the box, wrap the yarn behindthe big button.Be sure to take a marker with you to mark your travel route on the map. See how many nearby towns, lakes and rivers you can identify on your trip. Take along a small note book and pencil to keep a journal of things you do and sights you see as you travel.This is a great companion craft to do when while working on the Traveler Activity Badge.

Webelos are at an excellent age to learn simple sewing so they will be prepared to make Page 3simple repairs to their own clothing when they leave home. Sewing on buttons is anotherhelpful skill. Here are a three crafts that can involve teaching a little sewing.

Mother’s Ribbon for pinsMaterials needed: 16 inches each of grosgrain ribbon Dark Green 1 in. wide,Yellow 1 in. wide, Red 5/8 in. wide, and Dark Blue 5/8 in. wide, red threadand blue thread, enough needles for each boy to have one, scissors.I find it is best to connect the ribbons at the top and bottom before I have theboys do their sewing. At the top (behind the neck), fold the edge of theribbon under at least a half inch.. Stitch the red on top of the green and theblue on top of the yellow. Overlap the connected ribbon and stitch themtogether. At the bottom or point, do the same thing, but overlap them at a90 degree angle.Help the boys thread the needle and teach them to do a running stitch, withshort stitches, down each of the long sides. It is helpful to pin the ribbonstogether so they don’t slide and become crooked. The boys stitch the redribbon on top of the green ribbon with red thread. Then they stitch the blueribbon to the yellow with the blue thread. It is helpful to have extra help atthe den meeting when you do the sewing. Boys need help with threadingtheir needles several times during the process. Try to get other leader tohelp if you want the boys to make these for their mothers for Mother’s Day or Christmas.

Bean Bag gamesAnother great craft to help boys learn to sew is a beanbag game. Cut squares of scrap fabric. With the fabric right sides together, have the boys make small stitches all the way around, leaving a two inch space on one side that is not sewn. Make sure the beginning and end of stitching are knotted well. Clip corners and have the boys turn the bag right side out. Use the eraser end of an unsharpened pencil to push the corners into place after turning. Fill the bean bag with beans or rice. Pin the open edge and have the boy stitch it closed.Use empty #10 cans or empty ice cream buckets or other empty containers for targets in your bean bag game.This can also be a teaching tool if you label the targets and have the boys answer questions when they get the bean bag in the target.

Puppets There are many ways to make puppets. You can have the boys each bring and old sock, with no holes. Provide scraps of felt and fabric for them to sew on or glue on using tacky craft glue. Let them use their imaginations and don’t worry if the puppets aren’t recognizable as whatever the boy says it is.Simple puppets can be made by cutting two pieces of felt that will fit on a hand like a mitten. You may want to have a separate area for your thumb and one for your pinkie, especially if the puppet will be a person with hands. These puppets can be glued together with Tacky Craft glue or sewn. Let the boys decorate with felt, fabric, buttons, wigglie eyes, etc. Another inexpensive way to make puppets is from paper lunch bags. Provide construction paper or card stock and white glue and scissors. Also provide markers or crayons for drawn on details.If you want to make something a bit more involved, try marionettes. You can get as elaborate or as simple as you want. Pompom balls strung on string or heavy thread make cute inexpensive marionettes. Use craft sticks for attaching the strings to at the top. Paper plates can also be used to make marionettes.Don’t forget the possibility of stick puppets. Small stick puppets can be attached to craft sticks and larger ones can be attached to paint stir sticks.You can make a simple puppet stage with a large appliance box and a small piece of fabric for curtains. Remember if the boys are performing in front of more than a few people, have then use a microphone so the lines can be heard.

Fold under the edges,Overlap and sew together.

Fold under edges, Overlap at 90 degrees and sew together.

This pattern is for a craft that can be used as a fun way to pass off craftsman and at the same Page 4time teach about inertia and gravity.The Gravity ScrewMaterials needed: 2 – 19 inch 16 gage florist wires, 2 small corks, 2 paper clips, and the airplane template on card stock (can be copied ahead so boys just have to cut them out).

1. Wind one piece of florist wire around a pencil to make a loose ‘screw’.2. Place a cork on one end.

3. Using the airplane template, cut out two airplanes, decorate them using crayons or markers if you like, and assemble by gluing the wings and tail fins in position.

4. Place a paper clip over the cockpit of each plane as shown in this diagram.

5. Take the second piece of florist wire and twist it to make a loop in the middle. Then bend each end to make a ‘v’ shape as shown.

6. Place the middle loop of the second wire over the open end of the ‘screw’ and place the second cork on the end.

7. Hang your decorated airplanes, using the paper clips, onto each of the ‘v’ shapesat the end of the second wire.

8. Gravity will cause the planes to spin down the screw. When they reach thebottom, carefully invert the ‘screw’ and the planes will spin down again.Pretty simple, but very interesting and fun to play with.

Here is a simple frame to make. Instead of a photo, the Webelos could insert a drawing to pass of the Artist activity badge requirement.

Photo Key Chain

Supplies needed: two 13X17 hole pieces of 7 count plastic canvas, 1 yard of roundplastic lacing, 6 pony beads color of your choice, 1 split silver key ring,2” X 3” piece of plastic sheeting (clear transparency works), one 1 ¾ X 2 ¼ inchphotograph or hand drawn piece of art, scissors, and ruler.

1. Run a 1 yard length of lacing through the key ring and center it. Tie an overhandknot close to the ring. Make sure the tails of the lacing are the same lengthen.

2. Frame: Cut the center out of one piece of plastic canvas leaving an edge that is2 holes wide all around. Lay the frame on the solid piece of canvas. Start at thetop left corner and whipstitch with one end of the lacing along the top and rightside of canvas. Whipstitch down the left side with the other lacing end.

3. Place the photo or drawing with the plastic sheet covering it. Slide both pieces through the bottom opening of the frame and whipstitch around the bottom edge. The lacing will meet at the bottom right corner. Tie a tight overhand knot at the corner

4. Slide three pony beads onto each lacing end. Bring the lacing back through the last bead and tie and overhand knot to hold the bead in place. Trim off excess lacing.

Venetia Wilhelmaen, Webelos Technology, 480-986-8440 SANAFI@msn.com