Invisible Ink Secret Messages

Wolf Elective 1B is to use a secret code using Invisible Ink. I tested the methods in the Wolf book prior to teaching them to the boys. The problem with using Milk or Lemon Juice as your invisible ink, is that you need a light bulb to "burn" the message. Many people are switching to florecent lightbulbs and they don't produce enough heat to burn the message. In fact, I even tried heating the message up over the stove, and didn't have much luck. Not to mention, I thought better about the boys using a heat source.

I found an alternate invisible ink source. You can use baking soda and water as your "ink". 1 part baking soda to 2 parts water. The baking soda and water don't mix well, so you will need to stir with each dip in your "ink". To make your message appear, use concentrated grape juice. The grape juice reacts with the baking soda to create a chemical reaction and turns the secret message a different color. This works great and you don't have to worry about your cubs accidentally burning the house down.

You can use Q tips to apply both the secret message and the grape juice.

Note: Don't let the boys get carried away with the grape juice. The wetter it gets, the more the message smears. But if they do a quick swipe with the juice, the message appears with no problems.

Boy's Life Say Yes to Reading Contest and Patch

Boy's Life is having it's annual Reading Contest. Details are below. This is a great way to incorporate the October theme of "Adventures in Books". You can also use this activity to work in the electives on Computers and also the Computer Belt Loop!

Wolf Elective 21B Write a Report

Computer Belt Loop:

• Explain these parts of a computer :CPU, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, modem and printer. Satisfies Wolf Elective 21C Tell what a mouse is and discribe how a CD ROM is used.
• Demonstrate how to start up and shut down a computer properly.
• Use your computer to print a report.

Say Yes to Reading Contest:

• Write a one page report no more than 500 words on the best book you read this year
• Fiction or non fiction
• Select your age group: ages 8 and under, ages 9-10, 11 years or older

Everyone who enters gets a free patch! First place winners in each catagory get a $100 gift certificate for the Boy Scouts official retail catalog, 2nd place winners get a $75 gift certificate and 3rd place winners get a $50 gift certificate.

Include your name, age and grade in school on your report.

Mail your report along with a business sized SASE to:

Boys Life Reading Contest

S306

P.O. Box 152079

Irvine, TX 75015-2079

Den Flags

We created our own den flag this year. I found banners from Oriental Trading Company 56/9015. They come in several colors. We selected white and added a blue trim and Wolf Den 6" Patch. Our footprints represent and reinforce the Leave No Trace theme: Leave nothing but footprints. As we complete each monthly theme we will add the monthly theme patch along the bottom of the flag.

We added blue and gold feathers and our boys and parents have already started adding more embellishments to our flag and flag pole to make it their own! Our flag pole also carries our den doodle, so there are lots of strings and beads hanging off our flag! This was a super fun project and the kids love our flag.

On the back of our flag, we have a second flag with the Cub Scout Patch and foot prints of our Sprouts. We incorporate our Sprouts in all of our activities and they are thrilled to be included with thier own flag.

Buddy Racers

We tried Wolf Elective 7C this weekend (Buddy Racers) to reinforce our theme of buddies. Our Asst Den Leader made them and the boys had fun. Next week we will do the requirements in section 5 for "tools", have the boys disassemble and reassemble the buddy racers and therefore get the tools, and Elective 7C under their belts!

Buddy Racers took the boys a minute to figure out. They work best with bigger kids in the front and smaller kids in the back. Also, have your kids in the back hold the shoulders of the kids in front and have the kids in front say "left, right" until they get used to walking together.

Note: If you assemble them, you can have the boys unscrew them and then screw them back together again and add a few nails to satisfy Requirement 5C and 5D and then they have the completed Racers to play with.

Building Buddy Racers satisfies the following:

• Wolf Elective 7C make a pair of Buddy Racers
• Wolf Requirement 5C Screws and Screwdrivers
• Wolf Requirement 5D Hammer and Nails