Red Cedar Roundtable: February 2013

Keep them short and fun.
Never have a cheer that could hurt someone's feelings.
Do not use cheers to actually belittle.
Use cue cards and scripts if you need to. Rehearse until everyone is comfortable and has memorized their parts.
Speak loudly and clearly.
Avoid gross, vulgar, or un-Scout-Like topics or content.
Keep your program fast paced and get everyone involved!

Consider having a CHEER box with many cards or strips of paper inside. Larger stores still carry CHEER brand laundry soap, but you will have to look for it. Alternately, you can make any sort of box or basket and label it as a Cheer Box.

http://macscouter.com/campfire/CPB_pdf/Cheers.pdf

http://thetrainerscorner.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/open-up-a-box-of-cheer/

Cheer Lyrics:

http://ponyexpresscubs.blogspot.com/2011/07/cub-scout-cheers.html

http://www.retiredscouter.com/resource_applause_cheers.html

http://clipart.usscouts.org/scoutdoc/dmottstf/cheeryel.pdf

http://www.accesscom.com/~daveh/sean/song/songskit.html

http://www.scoutingpages.org/us/in/pack359/Forms/Cub_Scout_Cheers.doc

http://www.pack793ws.org/fun/cheers.html

Den Yells can contribute to a team feeling among the Scouts in a den:

http://rt492.org/dl/cheers.html

Cub Scout SInging

Why Sing? From Roundtable Planning Guide

Icebreakers, Songs, and Cheers

Icebreakers and cheers, such as those found in Group Meeting Sparklers, and songs from the Cub Scout Songbook help get a roundtable off to a good start by creating enthusiasm and a relaxed atmosphere. For the meeting where a song is included, make song sheets available to each participant.

Singing Boy Style

http://www.examiner.com/article/crazy-scout-songs-for-camp-fire-sing-a-longs-and-pack-meetings-rock-the-teapot

Every Cub Scout leader needs to know a few crazy camp fire songs to liven up a camp out or sing at a Pack meeting.

It's especially important for female Cub Scout leaders to recognize the huge difference between Cub Scouts and their own childhood experience as a Girl Scout. Sure, Girl Scouts like silly songs too, but they also like "pretty" songs, rounds and ballads. Not Cub Scouts. Cub Scouts are boys and boys like songs that are gross, ridiculous or down right crazy.

Songs like "I'm a Little Teapot."

No, no, no, not the cute "I'm a Little Teapot." The rock version. The hard rockin' version of "I'm a Little Teapot" is a perfect song for Cub Scouts because it's both insanely silly and easy to follow. Everyone knows the words, so there's no need to "teach" the song.

The Scout version of "I'm a Little Teapot" is done to the tune of "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Or it can just be chanted. It's best when accompanied by clapping and stomping--something that will get Cubs in the action.

If the song isn't already familiar to your Pack you will need a brave leader (preferably a real ham) to get up and lead the song. Start by getting a beat going--have the scouts follow along with a clap-clap-stomp. When they get the rhythm going, launch into the song and watch the smiles spread.

If you haven't seen this song in action, watch the video below, from a Boy Scout camp fire at Lake George Colorado. It's done as a sing-a-long, perfect for teaching new songs to Cub Scouts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0E0msPEcb8

Song Lyrics:

http://www.pioneer-district.org/roundtable/cubresources/songs/cub_scout_songbook_33222.pdf

http://www.orgsites.com/ga/pack568/CubScoutSongs.pdf

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Scout_Songs

http://www.scoutsongs.com/

http://usscouts.org/songs/cv.asp

http://cubbobwhite.tripod.com/songs/index.htm

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/songs.asp

http://www.scoutorama.com/song/

http://usscouts.org/songs.asp

http://www.angelfire.com/oh/claremansfield/cubs.html

Song videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4imPHkGZp-w

Cub Scout Skits

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Scout_Skits

Tips for Great Scout Skits and Songs

Keep them short - never longer than 3 to 5 minutes so that they can be easily memorized.
Homemade skits or songs may seem funny to the writers but often are not funny to the audience.
Use cue cards and scripts if you need to. Rehearse until everyone is comfortable and has memorized their parts.
Everyone has to speak or sing loudly and clearly.
Avoid gross, vulgar, or un-Scout-Like topics or content.
Many old topics should never be used today. Ever.

Cross-dressing, transsexual, or gay references have at times triggered lawsuits you can't defend.
Fat, ugly, ethnic or handicapped jokes, songs, or skits have no place in Scouting either.

A "volunteer" is never chosen at random from the audience. The "volunteer" is pre-selected person, a "shill" or "plant."
Have a Master of Ceremonies to keep skits and songs moving.
Keep your program fast paced and get everyone involved!