Webelos Scout Activity Badges - Help Requested

Ken-

Looks good !

Maybe importance of not disturbing monuments too ?

Cheers

Derek

Maybe a little historical background, famous surveyors, that kind of thing.

As a former Webelo, Thanks Ken for your dedication!

Dale Jones

I am happy that I know what the meaning of "Webelos" is. This is mostly due to my son currently being in the Tiger Cubs and myself being his den leader. The Webelo's are a few years away for us.

Sounds like a good plan.

Those guys should be pretty familiar with a compass by this point. If you can accomplish it without getting too complicated (declination and different basis of bearings), it might be nice to address the angle between lines as well. Maybe using a compass from one corner to get the rough direction to the next.

Too bad its winter. I'd always tell kids my locator was a worm finder. Sure enough, there would always be a worm right near that pin. Always got some smiles to go along with that initial big eye look and the 'gosh mister'....

Then I'd explain it all in their terms. Always worth the time IMHO.

It sounds like a great project you've got!! Have fun.

sounds good...

Maybe get out a plat with bearings and show them the bearing compass.
That be a little much for 5th graders though. I don't know.. I was building and shooting off rockets in the 5th grade. The entire school would come out to watch a launch. Being an introvert, I was always nervous as all get out being the center of attention. That was 41 years ago but I remember it all very well.

I think here in GA they actually have a surveyor badge separate from an engineer badge. I'd have to ask Taso to be sure. I think he has both his boys in the scouts. The oldest one might be in 5th grade by now.

Best of luck to ya in any event.
E.

After measuring one short distance with a ruler or tape, show them the same thing with a Total Station. Once they get to see that, you'll capture their imaginations. As far as angle measurement, I'd wait until they're Boy Scouts and are working on their Surveyor Badges. That's when they will ALSO have to draw a parcel measurement to scale.

Dittos Cliff. You are probably right.

But, if you want to show them the total station, be sure to set it up really short otherwise they can't look through the scope. I've had several folks come along and want to know what "that thing" is all about. One was an archeological professor at UNC-Asheville and they just bought a total station. She was curious how "that thing" works. My party chief was nearby watching me showing her how it works and stuff. I think he got more of a kick out watching me teaching her than anything.

Another time I recall fondly was a little ole lady who knew I was surveying but she had never been able to see what we see through the scope. I was setup kind of high for me that day (maybe 5.6). She was only about 4' tall so I would have to break down and re setup. We were in a hurry that day and the PC was hollering at me over the radio. I would have most happy to oblige her but we really were in hurry that. She understood and went on her way.

Everyone wants to look through the scope!
Oblige them if you can.
Everyone I've let look are amazed when they see the reticles and how accurate you can aim when you show them how the controls work. I've only done that a couple of times when I was fixin to break down the setup anyhow and we had time to kill.

Now that I think of it.... let them pull some tape maybe a couple hundred feet.
See what they come up with on distance.
Then hit it with the total station and a prism.
They would be super amazed... and maybe drag in a future surveyor out of the mix.

Just ran across this in a "scouting pamphlet" awhile ago. I would recommend that you have them measure a distance along a slope.
Have one group measure by "breaking chain" and using plumb bobs.
another group measuring slope distance with a clinometer or abney
and another shoot the distance with a total station.
then have all three of them present and discuss their results
Who's more correct, should lead to some good discussion.

Calibrate their steps(ft / pace).
Have each stand at a defined mark and guess(estimate) the distance to another mark approx 100-150 feet away, then pace the distance, and finally measure the distance. Award prizes for the best results for each and the overall combined.

You beat me to it Grant...that is a really good test for the younger folks because it combines simple math and a physical activity... try first a flat pacing contest. You can take it everywhere from there, uphill, downhill, through the woods, on and on. You wouldn't believe how interested little guys and girls can get if you show them something different and relavent, and takes some skill. Try tree identification as a contest, after you show them a few different ones...every time around the yard and with seasonal changes they get it. Not many surveyors know a Maple from an Oak, let alone how many different varieties there are. Scouts are one way to get a real education, merit badges are cool, and so are Eagle Scouts!!!

I have an outline and materials I have used dozens of times. Easy to cover it all since I am a PE and a PLS. Including a slide rule, scales, portable board with "T" square, grid paper and plans for a project. For this project I have an aerial photo for the site to scale, the aerial topography from the photo to same scale and my grading plans for the major subdivision with roads and driveway and proposed house for each lot, all at the same scale. What is neat about the aerial photo is that it includes a small plane flying over the property and the plane's shadow on the ground. I explain the steps to a design project using those plans.

If daylight allows I have them measure the outside of their meeting building or parking lot with long tapes. I took my rollotape only once, they wasted too much time with it and we missed other requirements. After they make some measurements and a sketch on the grid paper I do some EDM shots, some with the laser. Then I connect the dots in my data collector and get them to compare it to their sketches. If it is raining or dark outside I set up my EDM in their meeting room and take corner shots, the more complicated the room the better. After I connect the dots and pass the data collector around, I read off the dimensions and have them each sketch the room to scale. Up until a few years ago it was impressive technology to have computing devices so small. Now more of them may have more powerful devices in their backpacks. There is now probably an "app for that".

Paul in PA

Webelos Scout Activity Badges - What Happened

My Engineering Activity with the Webelos this afternoon went well. I had 4 10 year olds and 3 dads. I think the dads enjoyed it more than the kids.

We started in the office, looking at a deed, the filed map the deed came from, the survey of the lot described in the deed, and then looked online at the differences between the survey map and the aerial photo the county posts with the tax map overlaid.

Talked about why 60 degrees in an hour, why 12 in a dozen instead of 10, afterall, we have 10 fingers. Explained how the digits on 4 fingers gives a dozen. You knew that, right? Talked a litle about bearings; how 48 degrees 15 minutes is the same as 48 and 1/4 degrees; that may have sunk in, it may not. Talked about a degree on a ferris wheel being the same as a dime. That one got all the brains churning.

We talked a little about GPS, despite having it in their parents cars, none knew how it worked with satelites.

Then we went outside, had them look at the prism that was set up as a target; they were amazed at how, no matter where you go, it looks back at you. I use that trick often with kids that are hanging around when working in a neighborhood.

We sniffed out a rebar that has not seen daylight in aout 5 years, found some bogus markers that I planted (and since removed). One fellow REALLY liked the finder! Wanted to keep finding stuff!

I then had them measure betweeen 2 kiel marks in the driveway with a 1 foot ruler. The marks were 15.13 feet apart. Watching the measuring with the rulers was a panic. Results varied from 13 1/2 feet to 14' 9 inches. Gave the dads a 6 foot folding rule to let them try. Instant howling from the kids, as it is clear that a 6' rule is a better tool than a 1' ruler. Dads got 15' 1 inch. Then I pulled out the steel tape - much better tool than a ruler.

We moved to the Geodimeter and measured 192' to the target in a flash. Good wow factor. I walked around with a target while it tracked, changing as I moved. Another wow moment.

We discussed how anyone can find things that might look like a property corner, but only a surveyor can analyze the records and field data to tell if it really is.

Last thing was have them pace between 2 100 foot marks in the driveway. All did well. Again, the light bulbs were going off on how this is a practical thing to do.

As we left the session, I reminded the kids that someday they will buy property; have it surveyed.

It was a good afternoon. I enjoyed it.

KS