Akela's Cubs: Solar Energy

Friday, September 14, 2007

Solar Energy

This afternoon's pack meeting was specifically planned to show the cubs how solar energy can be used in our daily lives, how to save energy and a little bit about climate change.

Two "Cheetahs" learning the Outdoor Code.

"I will do my best to protect and care for wildlife, trees and flowers.

I will do my best to keep the countryside, roads and beaches from from litter."

Whilst visiting Kommando's last week, they were playing this game. Musical Chairs but without the chairs! We tried it out today and it was a huge success. The cubs wanted to play it over and over again!
It is very simply to play. Line cubs up in 2 lines. The first line will be the runners and the second line will be the chairs. The 'chairs' need to stand with their right hand on their hips. When the music starts, cubs in line 1 must run around and around. When the music stops, cubs must race around to the same partner and link arms. The last cub to link arms is out. The music starts up again the the game continues.

The Leopards had to learn how to plant a young seedling.

Here are all the Leopards after having planted and watered their young seedling.

We hoped to illustrate the power of solar energy with this little experiment. The idea was brilliant. We took a 15cm square piece of mirrow; some prestik; a pencil with a rubber top; a aluminium pie pan and a pin. We placed the pencil in the prestik in the centre of the mirror. We cut the pie pan to look like a windmill and placed it on top of the pie pan and secured it with the pin. Unfortunately by the time we got outside the sun was already casting long shadows but ideally this should be done at midday so that the sunlight reflecting off the mirror can heat the air under the pan causing the air to rise. The rising warm air pushes against the bent edges of the pan causing the pan to move.