Combining Wolves and Bears and Webelos Dens

Updated for November 2016 program updates.

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

Idea #1 Combine all three ranks.
If ambitious, you can try to teach the requirements for all three ranks at the same time.  Here is a link for the schedule: Three ranks combined.  In den meetings, I try to cover two or three of the requirements briefly during talk time and then have an activity where we spend most of our time on only one or two requirements.  On a few badges I look for oppurtunities to finish requirements at home, school or church such as the wood working badge where they can build a pinewood derby car at home, veteran's day assemblies at school, or learning a reverence song at church. (Wolf and Bear Combined Schedule)

Requirements grouped by topic including LDS religious emblem:

	Wolf	Bear	Webelos
1.     Physical Fitness	Running with the Pack #2, #3, #5		Stronger, Faster, Higher #1, #2, #3 part1
2.     Sports	Running with the Pack #1, #4		Stronger, Faster, Higher #6
3.     Prayer	Duty to God Footsteps #1, #3, #4 or #5	Fellowship and Duty to God #1 Learning and Living the Gospel #5	Duty to God and You #1
4.     Prepare to Hike	Call of the Wild #2, #3a, #3b, #4a Paws on the Path #1, #2, #3	Bear Necessities #2, #3, #4	Webelos Walkabout #1, #3,  Stronger, Faster, Higher #3 part2
5.     Hike	Call of the Wild #2, #3a, #3b, #4a,  Paws on the Path #4, #5	Bear Necessities #2, #3, #4	Webelos Walkabout #1, #3,  Stronger, Faster, Higher #3 part2
6.     Menu Planning	Call of the Wild #3c(after the hike) Running with the Pack #6	Bear Picnic Basket #1, #2, #3 part 2	Cast Iron Chef #1
7.     Cooking		Bear Picnic Basket #5	Cast Iron Chef #2, #3
8.     Veterans Day or Thanksgiving	(Council Fire #7 or #3 or else do a den duty chart during meeting 15)	Serving Others #2 for LDS religious emblem
9.     First Aid	(Only the Webelos needs to come)	(Only the Webelos needs to come)	Webelos First Responder #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, (#8 optional)
10.   Christmas	Duty to God Footsteps #4 (or #5 can be used if the den learned a reverence song at church)	LDS religious Emblem: Learning and Living the Gospel #6 First Christmas in America story	Homework check: Project Family #5, #6
11.   Scientist	Call of the Wild #4b Germs Alive #1, #2, #3		Homework check: Project Family #5, #6
12.   Slime and Job Charts	Germs Alive #4, #5, #6		Project Family #3, #4
13.   Visit Construction Site		Baloo the Builder #1, #2	Build It (optional) #1, #2 part 1 #4 Building a Better World #6d
14.   Wood Working		Baloo the Builder #3 (pinewood derby car at home), #4	Build It #1, #2 part 2, #3
15.   Flags!	Council Fire #1, #6 (if didn’t do a veteran’s day activity)	Paws for Action #4A (assign 3B or 3C)	Duty to God in Action #1, #2 (and assign two from #3, #4, #5)
16.   Community Service	(Wolves can carve soap with sticks or other utensils) Council Fire #2	Bear Claws #1, #2, #3 part 1 Homework Check: Paws for Action #3B or #3C	Outdoorsman #3  Scouting Adventure #6 Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
17.   Knives and Knots	homework check: Council Fire #2 if not complete	Bear Claws #1, #2, #3 part 1 Homework Check: Paws for Action #3B or #3C	Outdoorsman #3  Scouting Adventure #6 Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
18.   Comedy	Howling at the Moon #1, #2, #3 homework check: Council Fire #2 if not complete	Developing Talents #3 Roaring Laughter #1, #2	Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
19.   Comedy 2	Howling at the Moon #1, #2, #3	Roaring Laughter #4, #5	Building a Better World #5 Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
20.   History	Check that Howling at the Moon #4 is now complete	Learning and Living the Gospel #2 Paws for Action #2A (LDS religious emblem: Joseph Smith and one other)	Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
21.   Family History Stories		Learning and Living the Gospel #8	Project Family #2a Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
22.   Animals		Fur, Feathers, Ferns [#2 or #4], #3	Outdoorsman #1 Outdoorsman #2 (optional) Outdoorsman #4 (optional) Homework Check: Duty to God in Action
23.   Getting Reading For Scouting	Webelos Only!	Webelos Only!	Scouting Adventure #1a,b,c,#2a,b,c,d, 5a,b
24.   Citizenship		(LDS religious emblem Serving Others #8)	Building a Better World #2, #3, #4
25.   Day Camp	*Day Camp completes most/all of Call of the Wild, which gives the boys the intended Wolf Cub Scout experience of two outdoor activities even though Call of the Wild and Paws on the Path were earned simultaneously earlier in the year.	Fur, Feathers, Ferns [#2 or #4], #3	Outdoorsman #1  Outdoorsman #2 (if not done yet) Outdoorsman #4 (if not done yet) possibly additional elective adventures

Idea #2 Easier, teach all ages the same badge

To combine dens in the simplest way for the den leader, teach 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 19-21 months including the cyberchip.  You'll finish earlier if the Webelos earn adventure badges at day camp.

When combining dens, you work backward on ranks so that the older boys don’t graduate cub scouting without having earned all three ranks (assuming you combined Wolf, Bear, and Webelos).  This means finish all adventures your oldest boy needs first, then the Bear, then the Wolf.  

This works because the Webelos get their rank early, the Bears earn rank a couple of months late, and the Wolves are quite late however this is fine because they are so far ahead of schedule for their Bear.  After the cycle you can uncombine if your den has grown.

The Wolves and Bears won't finish their Webelos early because they have to go to Webelos day camp, earn the two duty to God awards, and earn the Scouting Adventure badge.  They will just be ahead.  

This allows the den leaders to focus on just one adventure per month instead of pulling out all three rank books at a time, going crazy, and trying to squeeze every rank into one den meeting!  When our den got to the end of the rotation we did a ton of electives before starting over and that was really fun!  

Sample Combined Den Schedule

August	1) Webelos Walkabout
September	2)Webelos Stronger Faster
October	3) Webelos Cast Iron Chef (start Bear Picnic Basket)
November	4)Webelos Duty to God (Webelos Only).  Cyber Chip for 3, 4, 5 grades, Whittling Chip (start Bear Claws)
December	5) Webelos First Responder
January	6) Webelos Build it and 1)Bear Baloo the Builder (consider using the pinewood derby car as one of the projects!)
February	7) Arrow of Light Duty to God (Webelos Only all done at home)  8)Arrow of Light Building a Better World
March	9) Arrow of Light Scouting Adventure (Webelos Only don't teach this with the Bear and Wolf, have a parent night with a scout troop and get it all done at once!  See below)  10) Arrow of Light Elective (or if this will be done at camp skip ahead a month!)
April	11) Arrow of Light Outdoorsman (or if this will be done at camp skip ahead a month)
May	2) Finish Bear Claws and 3)Bear Picnic Basket
June	4)  Bear Necessities (day camp requirement, you may want to count day camp for Wolves toward Call of the Wild and they can finish Bear Necessities next summer after day camp)
July	5) Bear Fern Feathers Fur

Year 2 

August	6) Bear Paws for Action (Optional LDS Teach about Joseph Smith for one of the Famous Americans for Learning and Living the Gospel #2 in Faith and God)
September	7) Start Bear Duty to God (Religious Emblem, Wolf Howling at the Moon can be paired with LDS Religious Emblem "Developing Talents #3")
October	Finish Bear Duty to God 1) Wolf Howling at the Moon (combine with part of LDS Religious Emblem)
November	2) Wolf Elective
December	3) Wolf Council Fire
January	4) Running with the Pack
February	5) Wolf Duty to God Footsteps
March	6)Wolf Paws on the Path
April	7) Wolf Call of the Wild (day camp or other outdoor activity needed.)

Idea #3 Combine with another den.

Ask 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?  

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LDS religious emblem requirements, boys should earn the religious emblem at some time during their cub scouting years. I like to count it toward the Bear Duty to God award.

Learning and Living the Gospel	Serving Others	Developing Talents
#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 (Joseph Smith is a famous American that contributed to this country)	#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 4th Meeting (great for thanksgiving time)	#3 Write a poem, story, or short play that teaches a principle of the gospel or is about Heavenly Father’s creations. Combine with Wolf Howling at the Moon
#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	#8 Read the twelfth article of faith.  Discuss what it means to be a good citizen and how your actions can affect others. Paws for Action Flag Den Meeting (video)
#6 Tell a story from the Book of Mormon that teaches about faith in Jesus Christ. Share your testimony of the Savior. Christmas Den Meeting. 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  Den Meeting

“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.

25 min Memorization Time: Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan, Outdoor Code. Explain to your leaders.  The boys shoud be able to recite the oath and law and motto pretty easily, help them to say it without reading the words, don't penalize a boy if he just can't get it word perfect, just help him understand the meaning and give him prompts if needed so he can recite the whole thing and succeed.  For the outdoor code you can have a visual aide for each line, repeat with the words and pictures and then try it with the pictures only.

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	Baloo the Builder	Webelos Duty to God and You
Personal Fitness	Wolf Running with the Pack	Webelos Stronger, Faster, Higher
Scouting Skills	Bear Claws	Webelos Cast Iron Chef	Webelos First Responder
Character Development	Wolf Duty to God Footsteps	Bear Fellowship and Duty to God (a good year to do the religious emblem, some will need to be done with family)	Webelos and Arrow of Light Duty to God awards	Webelos Sportsman (if a boy does two team sports he can finish this easily at home)

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* the trip to a rock collector's show made this a favorite for my boys!  They made sticker/autograph books as well which was a very easy activity.  In the winter their are lots of craft shows that could be a hobby/collections field trip as well.  

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! health education  

11.  STEM Wolf -   - Motor Away * so much fun, if you are up for lots of crafting!

12.  O Wolf -   - Finding Your Way

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

1.     CC Bear -   - Bear Picnic Basket- have the boys each bring multiple copies of one of the required recipes so that making the recipe book is just a matter of stapling.  Making trail mix for a hiking activity could be preparingone of the healthy snacks!  Just have each scout bring one ingredient!

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*

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)