Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Brownie Automotive Design badge requirements.
Info Needed for Badge Requirement: People use transportation to get from one place to another. Vehicles help us move depending on where we are and what we need to do. Cars, bikes, buses, boats, planes, and trains are all different types of transportation. Some vehicles are made for speed, some are for carrying things, and some help in special situations, like food trucks, ambulances, or snowplows. Wheels, wings, engines, and even propellers help them do their jobs.
Items Needed:
- Brownie Photos of Vehicles for Good by GSUSA
- 2–3 heavy, bulky, or awkward items (e.g., loose balls, a large floatie, books, gallon jugs)
- 2–3 wheeled tools to help move items (e.g., cart, wagon, rolling suitcase, skateboard)
Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 25–30 minutes)
- Part 1: Move and Compare (10–12 minutes)
- Place the heavy or awkward items on one side of the room.
- Scouts try moving the items across the room without wheels.
- Introduce the wheeled tools and have scouts move the items with wheels.
- Reflect together:
- Which method was easier or faster?
- Explain that mobility means moving things from place to place.
- Part 2: Everyday Transportation (5–7 minutes)
- Talk about different ways people get around (bike, car, plane, etc.).
- Scouts share how they travel to school or troop meetings.
- Part 3: Vehicles for a Purpose (10–12 minutes)
- Show Photos of Vehicles for Good. Discuss what each vehicle does and how it helps people.
- Brainstorm new helpful vehicle ideas:
- What would a snow vehicle need?
- How would a food truck be designed?
- Any tool-moving or people-helping design they can imagine
The Badge Archive 