Combining Wolves and Bears and Webelos Dens

Is your pack too small for three full dens?  Mine is too!!! 

Idea #1 Combine Dens

To combine, dens in the simplest way you could just earn one cub scouting pin or belt loop each month as a combined den.  Give all your boys the same award at the end of the month (ie they all earn a wolf loop or all earn a Webelos pin regardless of age).  If you do one per month you can cycle through everything in 18-24 months which is plenty of time to get all the boys their rank advancement.  The last boy to finish will also be done with so many other badges.  Start with Webelos/AOL, then Bear, then Wolf.  Working backward allows the oldest boys to earn their advancment before graduating, the younger boys might earn Bear and Wolf together.  When boys are all caught up on advancement there are so many fun electives to do before starting the cycle again for a new bunch of boys in a few years.  Once they have all their advancements you could uncombine the dens at anytime if more boys join the pack.

Sample Plan:

Year 1

September	1) Webelos Walkabout, (LDS Webelos discuss primary program for one of the requirements in the Duty to God award.) 2) Requirement #1 for Duty to God all ranks.
October	3)Webelos Stronger, Faster, Higher (optional start Running with the Pack)
November	4) Cast Iron Chef  (optional start Bear Picnic Basket)
December	5) Webelos First Responder
January	6) Webelos Elective-Build it and 1) Baloo the Builder
February	1) Arrow of Light Building a Better World (Paws for Action Requirement #1) (Council Fire requirement #1)
March	2) Arrow of Light Elective
April	3) Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure taught at a special time to Webelos Only. 4) Webelos finish Duty to God in Action at home Cyber Chip for 3, 4, 5 grades, Whittling Chip (start Bear Claws)
May	5) Arrow of Light Outdoorsman
June	3)  Finish Bear Claws if needed or another elective
July	Make-up or elective
August	2) Bear Necessities

Year 2

September	4) Bear Fern Feathers Fur
October	6) Bear Paws for Action (optional for LDS religious emblem teach about Joseph Smith for one of the famous Americans to start Learning and Living the Gospel #2)
November	7) Bear Duty to God earn religious emblem (for LDS Religious Emblem, Wolf Howling at the Moon can be paired with  "Developing Talents #3" Wolf Duty to God footsteps can pair with Learning and Living #5 and #6, Serving Others #2 is great for Thanksgiving time) 1) Wolf Duty to God Footsteps
December	Finish Bear Duty to God (LDS see Learning and Living the Gospel #6)
January	2) Wolf Elective (such as Germs Alive if started with LDS religious emblem.)
February	3) Wolf Howling at the Moon
March	4) Wolf Council Fire
April	5) Running with the Pack
May	6) Wolf Paws on the Path
June	7) Wolf Call of the Wild
July	Make-up or elective
August	Make-up or elective

Bear Fellowship & Duty To God: Requirements for LDS Religious Emblem

Learning and Living the Gospel	Serving Others	Developing Talents	Preparing For The Priesthood
#2 Give a family home evening lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20). Discuss how Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayers. Bear Paws For Action requirement #1	#2 Write a letter to a teacher, your parents, or your grand- parents telling them what you appreciate and respect about them. Bear Duty to God (November)	#3 Write a poem, story, or short play that teaches a principle of the gospel or is about Heavenly Father’s creations. Wolf Howling at the Moon	#5 Read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” Make a list of things you can do to help strengthen your family and make a happy home. Share the list with your parents or Primary leader. Bear Duty to God (November) pair with Wolf Germs Alive #4,5,6
#5 Give an opening and a closing prayer in family home evening or at Primary. Share your feelings about how prayer protects us and helps us to stay close to Heavenly Father and the Savior. Wolf Duty to God Footsteps requirement #3	#9 Help your leaders plan and carry out an upcoming activity. (optional since primary no longer does quarterly activities)
#6 Tell a story from the Book of Mormon that teaches about faith in Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the Savior. Bear Duty to God (December) Can be a nice Christmas Activity if you tell the first Christmas in America and add games and treats.
#8 Prepare a pedigree chart with your name and your parents’ and grandparents’ names. Prepare a family group record for your family and share a family story. Discuss how performing temple work blesses families. Bear Duty to God Meeting 1

“Webelos Scout Night” for Webelos only to earn their “Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure” pin.  LDS version.  This is an accelerated badge night where the boys preparing to leave cub scouts earn this pin rather than the whole combined den meeting.  The boys and their parents if possible should come.  I like to plan this about a month or two before their birthday if possible.

Meet at the same time as the older scouts meet.          

Visit A Scout Meeting:  Boys will briefly visit the 11-year-old or the deacon scouts with a checklist of the following questions and then they will separate to finish the other requirements for this badge.

When do the scouts in our ward meet?

How do scouts help with leadership in the patrol meetings?

What does the opening ceremony include each week? Pledge? Oath? Law?

Learn how patrols correspond to quorums and who the president/patrol leaders are for your ward.

Do the patrols/quorums have names, flags, or cheers?  If yes, what are they?

Who is the 11 year old scout leader?  Assistant?

How many camps do the scouts do per year? What is the plan for this year?  

Any other questions?

Plan to attend the daytime part of a Scout Activity or Plan to Attend A Webelos Day Camp.

20 min Memorization Time: Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan Explain to your leaders.

5 min Teach: Scout Spirit, Sign, salute, handshake, first class badge insignia (pg 186-187), and how boy scout advancement works (pg 192-196).

15 min Teach: Patrol Method, 4 steps of advancement, ranks in in Boy Scouting, how to earn merit badges (pg 197-199)

20 min Tie a square knot pg 201, two half hitches pg 202, and a taut-line hitch pg 203, Explain what each is used whipping pg 203, fusing pg 203.

Choose a “Patrol Leader”, Make a patrol flag and cheer. 

Plan to show leadership in the den the next month

Refreshments!!!

Cub Scouting at a Glance:

Required Adventures by Type for each rank:

	Wolf	Bear	Webelos/Arrow of Light
Outdoor Adventure (hiking)	Wolf Paws on the Path	Bear Ferns Feathers Fur	Webelos Walkabout
Outdoor Adventure (day camp)	Wolf Call of the Wild	Bear Necessities	Arrow of Light Outdoorsman
Participatory Citizenship	Wolf Council Fire	Bear Paws for Action	Arrow of Light Building a Better World
Leadership Development	Wolf Howling at the Moon		Arrow of Light Building a Better World
Personal Fitness	Wolf Running with the Pack		Webelos Stronger, Faster, Higher
Scouting Skills		Baloo the Builder and Bear Claws	Webelos First Responder and Webelos Cast Iron Chef
Character Development	Wolf Duty to God Footsteps	Bear Fellowship and Duty to God	Webelos Duty to God and You and Arrow of Light Duty to God in Action

** "Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure" should be done with just your webelo(s).

Cub Scout Elective Adventures (I categorized them myself just to help me sort them more easily)

CC=Culture/Community, STEM=Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

S=Sports 0=Outdoors 

1.     CC Wolf -   - Collections and Hobbies (pairs well with the free gem and mineral expo we have each year)

2.     CC Wolf -   - Cubs Who Care   

3.    CC Wolf -   - Digging In the Past*** dinosaur theme lots of fun

4.     CC Wolf -   - Hometown Heroes   

5.     S Wolf -   - Paws of Skill

6.    S Wolf -   - Spirit of the Water maybe a fun summer adventure?

7.     STEM Wolf -   - Adventures In Coins   

8.     STEM Wolf -   - Air of the Wolf*  cool ideas

9.     STEM Wolf -   - Code of the Wolf*  very easy to teach

10.  STEM Wolf -   - Germs Alive! explode balloons, grow mold, make slime, so fun! (has a chore chart pairs with LDS religious emblem preparing for priesthood activity)

11.  STEM Wolf -   - Motor Away * so much fun!!!!

12.  O Wolf -   - Finding Your Way

13. O Wolf -   - Grow Something (springtime?)

1.     CC Bear -   - Bear Picnic Basket- recipe exchange, cooking fun(pairs well with Cast Iron Chef

2.     CC Bear -   - Beat of the Drum- crafty, Native American Culture,

3.    CC Bear -   - Roaring Laughter-Comedy super easy to teach

4.     CC Bear -   - A World of Sound –music around the world, hands on

5.     CC Bear -   - Critter Care   

6.    S Bear -   - Marble Madness *

7.     CC Bear -   - Grin and Bear It 

8.     STEM Bear -   - Forensics  *

9.     STEM Bear -   - Make It Move * 

10.  STEM Bear -   - Robotics, very cool*(order bristle bot kits ahead of time, university robotics lab?) 

11.  STEM Bear -   - Super Science, good, not quite as cool as robotics,   

12.  O Bear -   - A Bear Goes Fishing*

13. O Bear -   - Salmon Run    boating and swimming (best done with families)

1.     CC Webelos -   - Looking Back, Looking Forward (history)   

2.     CC Webelos -   - Fix It (home repairs)

3.    CC Webelos -   - Project Family* (completes three Faith in God activities!) 

4.     CC Webelos -   - Aware and Care   (similar to wolf cubs who care)

5.     CC Webelos -   - Art Explosion* (completes one Faith in God activity)

6.    CC Webelos -   - Build My Own Hero  

7.     CC Webelos -   - Maestro!   

8.     S Webelos -   - Aquanaut (best done at a camp)

9.     S Webelos -   - Sportsman (good for athletic boys to do at home)

10.  STEM Webelos -   - Adventures in Science* 

11.  STEM Webelos -   - Build It* pairs REALLY well with Baloo the Builder

12.  STEM Webelos -   - Earth Rocks!

13. STEM Webelos -   – Engineer (offered at our camp)

14.  STEM Webelos -   - Game Design

15.  STEM Webelos -   - Moviemaking 

16. O Webelos -   – Castaway

17.  O Webelos -   - Into the Wild   (offered at our camp with homework)

18.  O Webelos -   - Into the Woods (offered at our camp with homework)    

Idea #2 Ask your stake leaders if you can combine with another pack.  This requires compromise and definitely a monthly committe meeting for everyone involved.  Care must be taken to coordinate and figure out who is in charge, there needs to be one committee chair not two, decide which pack they will be from and then support them.  Budgeting must be carefully shared, if one pack is bigger than the other how will that affect the budget?  

Idea #3 Try to teach the requirements for all three ranks in one den meeting.  Schedule for Three ranks combined.  I do not like how this breaks up badge requirements and the boys don't get their monthly awards (they get a bunch and then none for a few months), I also do not like how it causes the boys to repeat all requirements each year and makes it so they don't get hardly any elective adventures.  It also makes for a longer den meeting because there is more to cover each time.  However, I have found that a majority of cub scouting leaders desire this option.  If they are dedicated and can get parents to support it, this can work.