Our Class is a Family is a wonderful book to base a Girl Scout meeting. It will help foster sisterhood, as well as review some of the concepts of the Girl Scout Law.
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As Girl Scout leaders, we have the incredible opportunity to teach our girls about community, friendship, and acceptance. One wonderful resource for this is the book My Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. This charming picture book beautifully illustrates how a classroom—much like your Girl Scout troop—can function as a supportive family unit.
This book can also foster sisterhood and troop connections, which is important in preventing cliques. Hopefully, your troop will be together until they graduate high school. Your troop can be a soft place to fall if all the girls get along.
This meeting can be done at the start of the scouting year, or it can be used if the girls are getting cliquish.
When you share this book, your girls will understand the concept of community and family, which in turn, will help foster a sense of belonging within the troop. This book ties in with the Girl Scout Law of being Considerate and Caring, Respect Myself and Others, and Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout.
Introduction Activity for Our Class is a Family
This is a fun game that I have played with my students. Have the girls sit in a circle. If you want, you can have a stuffed animal or other item for them to pass around and hold when it is their turn to speak.
The game they are going to play is “I am Going to the Market”. The first person gets the stuffed animal and says, “I’m going to the market and I am buying __________.” The blank is something in the market that starts with the first letter of the scout’s first name. Then the stuffie gets passed to the next scout, and she has to repeat what the first scout said and then what she is going to get. Repeat until you get back to the first scout, and she has to try and repeat what everyone said.
For example, Sarah says, “I am going to the market, and I am going to buy steak.” She passes the stuffie to the next person, Leah, and she says, “I am going to them market and I am going to buy lettuce and Sarah is going to buy steak.”
Help the girls as needed. My third grade class of 18 needed assistance by the end. This game may be difficult for kindergarten Daisies.
Then read “Our Class is a Family” to the troop.
Craft Activity for Our Class is a Family
Make a Friendship Collage (Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout)
Materials
- Magazines
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Markers
- Stickers
- Large poster board or construction paper for the base of the collage.
Explain to the girls will create a “Friendship Collage” that represents their troop as a family. Encourage them to cut out pictures and words from magazines that represent friendship, teamwork, and community.
They can also draw or write their own messages about what friendship means to them.
Once completed, have them glue their items onto the poster board to create a collaborative collage.
Display the collage in the meeting space or take a picture to share with parents.
Freebies for Our Class is a Family
There are close to three pages of freebies on Teachers Pay Teachers that relate to this book. While some are academic and not suitable for a Girl Scout meeting, there are many fun activities and printables you can have ready for early finishers or to have if you need a time filler. You can find them here.
Have you read “Our Class is a Family” to your troop?