The Pledge of Allegiance in American Sign Language

Here are a few videos of the Pledge of Allegiance in American Sign Language. Remember that there are regional variations in ASL, just as there are different accents across the country, so that some of the signs may be slightly different from person to person.







Learning to sign the Pledge fulfills one of the requirements for the United We Stand badge (online only).

Cat's cradle

There are some good illustrations on how to play this ancient game here at Cat's Cradle and How to Do Cat's Cradle.

Depending on how you make some of the figures, you can keep going on and on until someone makes a mistake, or you can come up with a figure that ends the game.

This video is an endless loop between the Diamonds, Candles, and Manger figures, but it helps you to see how those three go back and forth --



This particular game goes to Fish in a Dish and Clock to finish --



See if you can figure out what's going on here! --

How to sharpen and clean a pocket knife

Granola

Granola

6 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 oz. canola oil
3 oz. honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ahead of time:

Preheat oven to 300 F. Spray a 9x12 baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix together the oats, pecans, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a microwaveable measuring cup, warm the oil and honey for about a minute -- this will help the liquids to mix evenly with the oats. Add the vanilla extract to the warm honey, and stir it into the oats.

Spread the granola evenly in the prepared dish, and bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool and store in a plastic container or resealable plastic bag.

Serves:

Makes about 8 servings.

Ingredients to bring:

prepared granola
milk
dried fruit, if desired

Equipment to bring:

none

"Three chartreuse buzzards"

This song has more drama than tune, but should be sung rather dryly.

Three [hold up 3 fingers] chartreuse buzzards [hunch shoulders, look mean]
Sitting in a dead tree [arms out like gnarled branches, head off to side]
OH look [shade eyes with hand]
One has flown A-way [point to distance]
What A shame [one hand at forehead in dramatic gesture]
Darn.

Two chartreuse buzzards ....
One chartreuse buzzard ....

No chartreuse buzzards [hunch shoulders, look mean]
Sitting in a dead tree [arms out like gnarled branches, head off to side]
OH, look [shade eyes with hand]
One has RE-turned [beckoning motion]
Let us RE-joice [arms up in joy]
Yay.

One chartreuse buzzard ....
Two chartreuse buzzards ....

Three chartreuse buzzards [hunch shoulders, look mean]
Sitting in a dead tree [arms out like gnarled branches, head off to side]
Now they're ALL here [arms spread]
This is THE end ["end" motion]
Yay.

Easy peach cobbler

Easy Peach Cobbler

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (brown or white)
1 cup milk
1 24-oz jar sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Melt butter in an 8x8 pan, in the oven.

Drain the peaches.

While the butter is melting, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in the milk.

Remove the pan from the oven and pour the batter over the melted butter, then top with the peaches.

Return the pan to the oven, and bake until nicely browned, 35-45 minutes.

Makes about 8 servings. Active work time, 10 minutes; total preparation time, 1 hour.

A basic Girl Scout flag ceremony

For a basic Girl Scout flag ceremony, you will need a color bearer (the girl who carries the flag) for each flag used in the ceremony, a color guard (the team of girls that guards the flag or flags), and the caller or Girl Scout in-charge (the girl who announces or calls each part of the ceremony).

Here are the commands for a basic flag ceremony:

The caller announces that the flag ceremony is to begin: "Girl Scouts, attention."

The caller instructs the color guard to advance with the flags, or advance to pick up the flags: "Color guard advance."

The caller directs the color guard to place the flag in flag standards, or to attach the grommets to a flag pole rope: "Color Guard, post the colors." (If not posting the colors, skip this part.)

The caller announces, "Please join us in saying the Pledge of Allegiance." It is helpful to add, "Ready, begin."

At this point, an appropriate song, quotation, or poem may be used, or the Girl Scout Promise recited.

The caller directs the color guard to salute the American flag: "Color guard, honor your flag." (The color guard should decide ahead of time how they are going to salute.)

The caller dismisses the color guard: "Color guard, dismissed." The color guard leaves in formation.

The caller dismisses the assembled Girl Scouts: "Girl Scouts dismissed." The girls may leave in formation or be at ease where they have been standing.

More information is available at Girl Scouts of America.