Lion Champions for Nature Adventure

Printable requirements for the Lion Champions for Nature Adventure

Checkoff sheet to keep track of your den’s progress on the Lion Champions for Nature Adventure

Lion Adventures Check Off Sheet

Types of Waste

Discover the difference between organic, paper, plastic, metal and glass waste.  

In the Lion Champions for Nature adventure, Lion Cub Scouts learn about different types of waste: organic, paper, and glass. Organic waste comes from living things, like banana peels or apple cores. Paper waste includes items like newspapers and school papers. Glass waste is made up of things like broken bottles and jars.

Here are some creative ideas to help Lions understand these differences:

• Recycling Relay Race: Set up bins labeled organic, paper, and glass. Give each Lion a mix of waste items. Have them race to sort the items into the correct bins. This activity is fun and teaches quick decision-making about recycling.
• Crafts Using Recycled Materials: Use paper and glass items from recycling to create art. For example, make collages from old magazines or paint on glass jars. This shows the Lions how recycled materials can be reused creatively.
• Visit a Recycling Center: If possible, arrange a visit to a local recycling center. Let the Lions see how waste is sorted and processed. This real-life experience can be very impactful.

Here is an option for Lion Champions for Nature requirement 2:

• Types of Trash
  • Identify the difference between items that are organic, paper, and glass. 
  • Supplies: Lion handbook, crayons
  • Indoor, low energy, minimal prep

Teaching these concepts through activities helps the Lion Champions for Nature adventure be both educational and enjoyable.

Recycling

Discover recycling.

In the Lion Champions for Nature adventure, Lion Cub Scouts learn about recycling. Recycling is the process of collecting used materials, like paper, plastic, and glass, and turning them into new products. This helps reduce waste and protect the environment.

Here are some creative ideas to help Lions understand recycling:

• Create a Recycling Poster: Have each Lion create a poster showing what items can be recycled. They can draw pictures of recyclable materials like cans, bottles, and cardboard. Display these posters in their meeting place or share them at school to teach others about recycling.
• Interactive Recycling Workshop: Set up different stations where Lions can learn how different materials are recycled. For example, one station can show how paper is recycled, another can show glass, and so on. They can touch and see the materials before and after recycling.
• Recycling Sorting Challenge: Provide a variety of recyclable and non-recyclable items. Have the Lions sort them correctly into bins. This helps them learn which items can be recycled and which cannot.

Here are some options for Lion Champions for Nature requirement 3:

• Use It Again
  • Take a trip to a recycling center.
  • Supplies: Activity Consent Form  
  • Requires travel, low energy, a week or more prep
• You Can Recycle
  • Invite a guest speaker to share how Cub Scouts can recycle in their community
  • Supplies: None
  • Indoor, very low energy, a week or more prep

These activities can make learning about recycling fun and meaningful in the Lion Champions for Nature adventure.

Conservation Project

Participate in a conservation service project.

In the Lion Champions for Nature adventure, Lion Cub Scouts participate in a conservation project. This project helps them learn how to take care of the environment. Conservation projects are activities that protect natural resources like water, plants, and animals.

Here are some age-appropriate conservation projects for Lion Cub Scouts:

• Plant a Tree: Lions can help plant trees in a local park or schoolyard. This is a simple way to learn about how trees benefit the environment by providing oxygen and homes for animals.
• Community Clean-Up: Organize a trash pick-up day at a local park or along a river. Lions can collect litter and learn the importance of keeping natural spaces clean.
• Butterfly Garden: Help Lions create a butterfly garden by planting flowers that attract butterflies. This project teaches them about plant and insect life cycles and how certain plants can help local wildlife.
• Bird Feeders: Lions can make simple bird feeders and hang them in their backyards or at a school. This helps them understand how to support local bird populations, especially in winter.

Here are some options for Lion Champions for Nature requirement 4:

• Dinner Time for Bees
  • Plant native plants that attract bees. 
  • Supplies: Gardening pots, potting soil, garden spades, plants which attract bees (bee balm, echinacea, snapdragon, hostas, California poppies evening primrose), water, table cover
  • Outdoor, high energy, a week or more prep
• Sowing The Seeds of Love
  • Make “seed bombs” to plant wildflowers. 
  • Supplies: native wildflower seeds, peat-free compost, water, powdered clay, large mixing bowl
  • Outdoor, low energy, 1 to 3 days prep

These projects are great for Lion Champions for Nature because they are hands-on and show Lions the impact of caring for the environment.

Before any activity, check the SAFE Checklist to make sure everyone is safe. Everyone involved in Scouting America activities should know the Guide to Safe Scouting and other relevant guides or books. Also follow any state or local rules that are more strict than Scouting America rules and guidelines.

Before starting this Adventure, complete the following:

• Use the Service Project Planning Checklist to plan your den or pack service project.
• Review the SAFE Project Tool Use guide. This guide is for service projects, not crafts. It includes age guidelines for tools and activities allowed for service projects.

During the Adventure:

• Train all youth and adults on how to use the tools needed for the project.
• Provide continuous, qualified adult supervision and discipline during the project.
• Follow all manufacturer’s instructions and age and skill restrictions. If there is a conflict, follow the most restrictive guidelines.

See more information

The Lion Champions for Nature adventure is a key part of the Lion Cub Scout program, designed for young scouts to engage with the environment in meaningful ways. This adventure helps Lion Cub Scouts understand the basics of natural resources, recycling, and conservation through a series of fun and educational activities.

Lions start by learning the difference between natural resources and man-made items. This helps them appreciate the items that come from the Earth and how they differ from what humans create. They also explore different types of waste like organic, paper, and glass, and discover the importance of recycling each type properly to help the environment.

An important part of the adventure involves Lions participating in a conservation project. This could be a community clean-up, planting trees, or setting up a butterfly garden. These projects not only teach them about caring for nature but also show them the direct impact of their actions on their local environment.

Overall, the Lion Champions for Nature adventure is designed to spark an interest in environmental stewardship among Lion Cub Scouts. It combines learning with hands-on activities that emphasize teamwork, responsibility, and the joy of making a positive difference in the world around them. This adventure sets the foundation for a lifelong respect and care for nature, proving that even the smallest actions can lead to significant changes.