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download
Download the booklet from TroopLeaderHub
Print out the booklet. Cut the pages along the dotted line the in center of the page. Staple on the left side.
meet
Meet with your troop and go through the booklet to meet the minimum requirements of the badge!
Suggestions for Using this Booklet
Supplies to complete this badge using the activities in the booklet.
- ink/stamp pad
- white computer paper
- clear packing tape
Page 1
The skill of observation is what makes a great detective. We'll warm up the girls' power of observations with a quick "spot the difference" activity. Below are the answers for this page.
Page 2
Learn about cryptology - the study of codes. Here you can expand your meeting by diving into Morse code more. Or you can simply move on after reviewing and learning about codes, ciphers, and different types of codes.
Page 3 and Page 4
In page 3 we learn about the Pigpen Cipher which is a substitution cipher. This means one symbol represents one letter in the alphabet. Have the girls decipher the message on the page. And then on the next page they'll write their own message about their favorite breakfast food. Have the girls trade codes with another girl to decode the message.
Page 5
Girls will now learn about fingerprints and the different types. They'll spend time using their power of observation to see what type of fingerprints they have and the types of their friends'. They can tally in the boxes or write the names down below.
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For this activity you can also skip ahead to the fingerprinting section to get a better view of each girl's fingerprint type.
Page 6 and 7
We want the girls to use their observation powers to solve a mystery. You can do an easier mystery by having the girls observe the room you're in for a few minutes. Then have everyone leave and you remove 5 items. Have the girls come back in and try to identify the 5 items that were removed.
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Or you can have more fun with fingerprints.
- Have each girl take their fingerprint using an ink pad, clear packing tape, and white paper. Have her make 2 different prints - one for you and one for the rest of the troop to see.
- Once all the girls have made their prints and put their names on them you can choose one of the fingerprints (or two or three) to place around the room.
- Have the girls examine each one and try to identify the person. Have them try to explain why they feel that fingerprint belongs to the girl.
Pages 8 and 9
Lastly we have a little logic puzzle they have to solve. To make this harder, you can have the girls just LISTEN to you read the clues. This additional "power of observation" task focuses on their listening skills. You could read it twice to them and they can take notes and work in groups to solve.
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Or you can have them read it themselves to solve it.
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Below is the answer to the grid.
