My Body (Brownie Try-it)

My Body Try-it [retired]

This Try-it was introduced in 1989 and retired in 2011.

Try these fun activities to learn more about your body.

As with all older Brownie Try-its, scouts need to complete 4 activities to earn the badge.

Brain Power

Try these activities to see how your brain works.

Different Muscles Sit at the table and write your name. Then take one of your feet and move it in a circle on the floor. Now try doing both things together. Sometimes it's hard for your brain to do two things at once.

Eye to Brain to Hand Cut a piece of paper the size of a dollar bill. Hold it in front of a friend. The idea is for your friend to have her hands in position to catch the piece of paper before it falls to the floor. Now let go of the piece of paper. What happened? Was your friend able to catch it?

The eyes send messages to the brain, which then tells the hands what to do. But sometimes an object falls faster than the message travels.

With your friend, practice this exercise. When your friend's skill at catching the falling piece of paper improves, switch roles.

Dreams

Your brain works even while you're sleeping – that's why you have dreams. In a circle with your friends, tell about one of your dreams.

Funny Face

Muscles help you breathe, see, eat, and walk. Even your heart is a muscle. It pumps blood through your body. The more you exercise your muscles, the stronger they will grow.

Your face is full of different muscles. Looking into a mirror, make a frown. Make a happy face. Pretend to chew food of blow a bubble. Each change in expression is a result of your brain sending messages to the muscles in your face.

Your eyes also have muscles. Sit facing a friend. Keep your head still. Using just your eyes, look to the left, the right, up and down. The muscles in your eyes help move both of your eyes in the same direction even if your head is not moving.

Body Volley

See how well you can use your muscles.

You will need:

• A balloon
• A friend

Facing your friend, you must try to keep the balloon in the air. Start by using your hands. Then one at a time, each of you calls out the name of a different part of your body. For example, if someone calls out "upper leg," you may only use your upper leg to keep the balloon in the air.

Muscle Reaction

Place one of your arms straight down by your side. Ask a friend to hold your arm down while you try as hard as you can to lift it. Count to 20, trying as hard as you can to lift your arm. After you have counted to 20, your friend can let go. Stand still and let your arm relax. What does your arm do? Why do you think this happens?

Pulse

Your heart pumps blood through the body. Every time your heart beats, it pushes a new supply of blood though your body. Arteries are the tubes that carry blood away from your heart. You can feel the blood going through your arteries when you take your pulse.

Now try to find your pulse on your wrist. Hold your finger directly below your hand on the bottom of your wrist. Remember not to use your thumb in checking a pulse. Your thumb has a pulse of its own.

Now take a friend's pulse on her wrist.

Check your pulse after you have run around or played a game for a little while. Has your pulse rate gone up or down? Why?

A Fit Body

Look at the fitness wheel in the picture and then make one of your own.

You will need:

• Cardstock or poster board
• Scissors
• Crayons or markers

1. Cut a piece of cardstock or poster board into a circle.

2. Draw four straight lines through the middle of the circle. Use different colors. You should have eight spaces in which to write the names of exercises.

   In each circle of the "pie" below, write in one exercise, such as:

   	hop	crab crawl	gallop	march
   	skip	jump rope	frog jump	dance

   If you want to, you can color each section lightly too.

3. Cut out the circle and the arrow pointer. Insert a brass fastener through the center point of the arrow, then through the center point of the circle. Bend the ends of the fastener on the underside of the circle. Make sure there is some "give" between the bent ends of the fastener and the circle so the arrow spins freely.

To play, spin the arrow and perform the fitness activity. Try counting your pulse before and after the game! This can be an individual or group game.

Body Parts

Your body has many parts that work together. Choose a friend and trace an outline of each other's bodies on paper.

You will need:

• Butcher paper or other long pieces of paper
• Pencils
• 13 paper fasteners for each girl
• Scissors
• A partner

1. Take turns tracing each other's body on the paper.
2. Cut around the body that was drawn.
3. Cut the body parts apart at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, thighs, knees, and ankles.
4. Fasten the body parts back together with the paper fasteners. You now have moving body parts like parts of a puppet.
5. Label the different body parts. Draw the eyes, nose, ears, mouth and hair.
6. Sign each body puppet with your handprint and your name.
7. Display your "body puppets" around the room.