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OPENING AND
CLOSING CEREMONIES
Girl Scout meetings should have an opening and closing.
They provide a frame in which to work. An opening
signals to the girls that the meeting has begun and it
is time to get down to business. The closing allows the
girls a special moment to end the meeting and say
good-bye.
Both ceremonies are usually very short and simple. They
will mean more if they are made up by the troop/group
and varied from meeting to meeting.
Any of the following ideas would be appropriate for
either an opening or closing. Two or three could be
combined if a longer ceremony is desired.
1. Flag ceremony.
2. Reciting of Promise and Law.
3. Have each girl give an example of how they observed
the Girl Scout slogan
"Do a Good Turn Daily" since the last meeting.
4. Sing a song.
5. Recite a poem.
6. Friendship circle with linked hands.
7. Discuss a symbol of Girl Scouting and its meaning:
Membership Pin The
Uniform
World Trefoil Pin Trefoil
Shape
World
Thinking Day Symbol Girl Scout Sign
8. Talk about how the program helps us live up to our
Girl Scout motto
"Be Prepared."
Special Closings
1. Clean-Up (Good for young girls)
The children skip about the room arranging everything
neatly, singing to the tune of "London Bridge."
Weave the magic in and out, in and out, in and out,
Weave the magic in and out, we are Girl Scouts.
We have tidied everything, everything, everything,
We have tidied everything, we are Girl Scouts.
Finally, the girls line up before the leader who asks,
"Is everything finished?"
The children answer: "Everything."
The leader asks: "Is nothing left?"
The children answer: "Nothing!"
The leader says: "Then be gone!"
(Leader can wave a special "good-bye wand" as girls
silently tiptoe out.)
2. Magic Tunnel - When hats and coats are on, the Girl
Scouts stand in two lines facing each other, raising
their arms and holding hands to make an arch. The two
farthest from the door go under the arch, then the next
two, etc. The tunnel diminishes until the last two go.
3. Good-Bye Song - Tune: "Good Night Ladies"
Good-Bye (name of level...repeat 3 times)
It's sad to see you go.
Note: Can be sung while doing the Magic Tunnel (above).
4. Good-Night Song - Tune: "Taps"
Night has come,
Owls are out,
Beetles hum round about,
Tip-toe so,
Out they creep,
Girl Scouts go home to sleep.
5. Girl Scout Out
Stand in circle with a girl in the center. Spell
G-I-R-L-S-C-O-U-T. Girl in center touches the top of a
head as each letter is said. The three girls that get
the letters O, U, T leave the circle and line up by the
door or are given permission to leave with their
designated adult. The remaining girls close up the space
and the spelling begins again. Keep repeating until all
are eliminated.
6. Taps
Hand motions:
Day is done - arms are held extended with palms
down, shoulder level
Gone the sun - lower arms slightly
From the lakes - turn palms up, raise arms
slightly
From the hills - raise arms higher
From the sky - raise arms level with top of head
All is well - lower arms to shoulder height, place
right hand on left elbow
Safely rest - cross left hand to right
elbow
God is nigh - bow head into crossed arms
Variations of "Taps"
Daylight:
Thanks and praise, for our days
'Neath the sun, 'neath the trees, 'neath the sky,
As we go, this we know,
God is nigh.
Evening:
So good night, peaceful night
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night.
Juliette: On this day, we have come
From the North, from the
South
East and West, all your
dreams
Will live on, Juliette.
7. Spread Arm Good-bye Circle - Extend arms sideways
at shoulder level, drop halfway to sides, step one pace
in and hold hands not with the people on either side of
you but with the person next to them. Every other person
will be holding hands and the arms will make an
interesting zig zag pattern. Sing a good-bye song.
8. Girl Scout Good-Bye Song
Tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
Now our Girl Scout meeting ends,
Say good-bye to all our friends
To our homes we Girl Scouts go
Singing songs to let you know,
We are happy as can be,
Working, playing, merrily.
9. Native American Benediction
May the Great Spirit - Extend right arm straight
overhead
In the future - Slant arm ahead
As in the past - Slant arm behind
Be in our hearts - Right hand on heart
As in our prayer - Bring hands together at
chest
Repeat, using only
gestures, no words
10. Friendship Circle with Friendship Wish
Girls stand in circle with arms crossed right over left
and grasping the hands of the person on either side. A
designated person starts the passing of the friendship
wish by thinking a silent wish and then symbolically
passing the wish to the person on her right by squeezing
her hand. That girl then thinks her own silent wish and
continues the "squeeze". This is repeated until the
"squeeze" has gone around the entire circle. When the
originator receives the "squeeze" she says, "God Bless
the Girl Scouts and Girl Guides everywhere. Goodbye".
The girls drop their hands and leave in silence.
Note: This could be preceded by singing "Taps".
Hint: So that the location of the "squeeze" can be
identified, have each girl extend her right foot as she
passes on her wish.
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