Webelos Adventures in Science: Retired

BSA retired this adventure on May 31, 2022. This information remains here for historical purposes.

Webelos will learn about the scientific method while working on Adventures in Science. They can explore astronomy, simple physics, electricity, basic chemistry, and other topics. They also learn about doing science safely.

Complete the following requirements. Note: BSA is retiring this adventure on May 31, 2022.

1. An experiment is a “fair test” to compare possible explanations. Draw a picture of a fair test that shows what you
   need to do to test a fertilizer’s effects on plant growth.
2. Visit a museum, a college, a laboratory, an observatory, a zoo, an aquarium, or other facility that employs
   scientists. Prepare three questions ahead of time, and talk to a scientist about his or her work.
3. Complete any four of the following:
   3A. Carry out the experiment you designed for requirement 1
   3B. If you completed 3A, carry out the experiment again, but change the independent variable. Report what you learned about how changing the variable affected plant growth
   3C. Build a model solar system. Chart the distances between the planets so that the model is to scale. Use what you learned from this requirement to explain the value of making a model in science.
   3D. With adult supervision, build and launch a model rocket. Use the rocket to design a fair test to answer a question about force or motion.
   3E. Create two circuits of three light bulbs and a battery. Construct one as a series circuit and the other as a parallel circuit.
   3F. Study the night sky. Sketch the appearance of the North Star (Polaris) and the Big Dipper (part of the Ursa Major constellation) over at least six hours (which may be spread over several nights). Describe what you observed, and explain the meaning of your observations.
   3G. With adult assistance, explore safe chemical reactions with household materials. Using two substances, observe what happens when the amounts of the reactants are increased.
   3H. Explore properties of motion on a playground. How does the weight of a person affect how fast they slide down a slide or how fast a swing moves? Design a fair test to answer one of those questions
   3I. Read a biography of a scientist. Tell your den leader or the other members of your den what the scientist is famous for and why his or her work is important.

The Scientific Method

The scientific method is the series of steps scientists use to determine if they can prove something to be true or not. See the basic parts of the scientific method.

Astronomy Word Search Puzzle

This astronomy word search puzzle features space exploration terms. Use it as a gathering activity at a space themed meeting or for an astronomy related achievement.

Finding the Big Dipper, the North Star, and the Little Dipper

Astronomy is fun for all ages. A good starting point is to locate the North Star and constellations in the night sky.

Draw the Solar System Worksheet

If you are working on an astronomy related achievement, a good place to start is by learning about the solar system.

BSA Video Resource for Adventures in Science