It’s Your Story—Tell It!:
5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for ANIMALS!
Audience: This series is for Daisy Girl Scouts and is suitable for in-school and afterschool troops.
Purpose: Girls will complete the 5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for ANIMALS! journey
and earn the three awards at the completion of the series: Birdbath, Red Robin and
Tula. This series focuses on animals and how to care for them, and would work best with
girls who have pets or an interest in animals.
Duration: This series is comprised of 14 sessions which are each 45 minutes long.
Required Materials: For the success of the journey, the facilitator(s) will need a copy of
the adult guide for the journey, one copy per girl of the 5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for
ANIMALS! journey book, white paper (1 sheet per girl per session) and crayons. Nearly
every session begins with a drawing warm up where girls learn about a new animal and
then draw it. Additional materials for each session are listed just below the session title,
and it would be helpful to prepare these materials well in advance of facilitating that
session.
Prior to the Series: It would be helpful for the facilitator to read the 5 Flowers, 4 Stories,
3 Cheers for ANIMALS! journey and each session’s activities in advance to understand
the “big picture” of what will be covered. All sessions included need to be completed in
order for the girls to earn the awards, but all can be expanded to add to the girls’
experience. The series is designed to be appropriate for use in school and after school
with either troops or groups, so no external trips or guest visitors are required, but these
options may be added whenever possible.
Session 1: 3 Cheers for Animals
No additional materials required
Circle Introduction: 5 minutes
Have the girls stand in a circle and say one thing they like about animals. It can be a
favorite animal or a story about a pet. If the girls do not already know each other, have
them also say their name.
Read Story: 40 minutes
With the girls still in a circle, read them the entire journey story, skipping the activities for
now. In following sessions, the girls will hear the stories again and play fun games to
help them learn more about animals.
Session 2: Starting Our Animal Adventure
No additional materials required
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they have ever seen a bald eagle. Show them the picture on page 29 of
the adult guide and read to them some of the information at the bottom of the page
about bald eagles. Then give them some paper and crayons and let them draw a bald
eagle.
Discussion: 10 minutes
Ask the girls a few questions about their experience with animals. You may use page 31
in the adult guide for some question ideas.
Story: 10 to 15 minutes
Read the introductory story to the girls again (pages 5-13). Have them pay close
attention to the sound the cat makes.
Discussion: 10 minutes
Using the questions on the bottom of page 38 in the adult guide, start a discussion about
the cat in the introductory story.
Session 3: Safe and Sound
Additional Materials Required:
Paper grocery bags (used are OK, 1 per girl) and assorted decorating materials for nests
(fabric, cotton, wool, ribbon, sticks, tissue paper, leaves)
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Show the girls a picture of a lion on page 37 in the adult guide and share that lions are a
symbol of courage, just like Tula the Tulip. Read to them a couple fun facts about lions
from the page, pass out paper and crayons and allow the girls to draw a picture of a lion.
Activity: Animal Search 5 minutes
Have the girls count how many animals and insects they can find on pages 6 and 7 in
the girl journey book. Encourage them to have fun finding them—many are hidden! The
answer can be found on page 38 in the adult guide.
Discussion: Animals Safe and Sound 10 minutes
Tell the girls that since animals are not people and cannot talk, animals have to find
other ways to let us know that they need something. Ask the girls, “What are some ways
you know your pet wants your attention? What do some of their noises or actions
mean?” Then use page 40 in the adult guide to lead a discussion of being safe around
animals.
Activity: Build a Nest 20 minutes
Using the materials you brought, let each girl create her own nest! Refer to page 41 in
the adult guide for general instructions, and have the girls look at pages 14-15 in the girl
journey book for what different nests look like.
Session 4: Tail Tales
No additional materials required
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they remember what a robin looks like. Then show them the picture on
page 45 in the adult guide and read to them some of the facts about robins. Pass out
paper and crayons and give the girls a few minutes to draw a robin.
Story: 10 minutes
Re-read “A Little Birdie Told Me…” story in the girl journey book, which is on pages 1723. If time allows, use a couple discussion questions from the top of page 46 in the adult
guide to have the girls reflect on how they are special and different.
Discussion: Spin-a-Tale 10 minutes
Use page 46 in the adult guide to explain what “Pourquoi” are. The story of how Robin,
the red robin, became red is a great example of a Pourquoi. Another example, “How the
Leopard Got Its Spots” is below, which you may read to the girls.
A long, long time ago, Leopard was the plain, solid brown-yellow color of the desert. He
was so plain he was almost invisible against the brown-yellow desert. When he headed
out to hunt, Giraffe and Zebra and the other animals didn't know which way to jump. To
escape Leopard's appetite, Giraffe and Zebra headed into the great shadowy forest.
When Leopard tried to follow them, he stood out like a bright-yellow sunflower against a
dark fence. He could not hunt at all. Giraffe and Zebra saw yellow Leopard right away,
and ran off deeper into the forest. Leopard had to do something. He asked his human
friend to help him. So the Man carefully dipped his five fingertips in black ink and painted
spots all over Leopard's fur. Now Leopard could blend into the shadows, and once again
he became a great and powerful hunter!
Activity: 15 minutes
Now create a Pourquoi together as a group, one line at a time. Decide on a story to tell
about how an animal got to be the way it is, have one girl say the opening sentence, and
let each girl add a new sentence until everyone has had a turn and the story is complete.
Session 5: Look at My Wings
Additional Materials Required: streamers of different colors
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Show and read to the girls pages 26-27 in the girl journey book. Pass out paper and
crayons, and have the girls draw a turtle.
Activity: If I Were a Bird 15 minutes
Have the girls turn to page 25 in their journey book and have them draw what they would
look like as a bird!
Activity: Fly, Fly Away 15 minutes
Follow the directions on page 47 of the adult guide so the girls can fly like a bird!
Session 6: Caring for Animals
No additional materials required
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they know what a cheetah looks like. Show them the picture on page 51
of the adult guide, and read some of the facts about cheetahs. Then pass out paper and
crayons and have the girls draw a cheetah.
Activity: Role Play Choices 20 minutes
Have the girls break into pairs, and have some of the girls create a short skit based on
scenario 1 and some create a short skit to scenario 2. Then have the girls present their
short skits to the group. Follow the directions and scenarios given on page 48 of the
adult guide. This will earn the girls their Birdbath award!
Activity: Act Like... 15 minutes
Allow the girls to spread out in the room, and name some animals for them to act like.
Some fun ideas are: elephant, bear, alligator, fish, rabbit, gorilla and frog. Then name
some animals and have the girls guess how they eat by acting like that animal foraging
or hunting! Some ideas are: squirrel searching for acorns, anteater “slurping” up ants,
horses grazing on grass, lions chasing smaller animals and hummingbirds collecting
nectar from flowers. Give the girls as many hints as they need so they may learn how
animals eat!
Session 7: Keeping Healthy
No additional materials required
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Have the girls turn to page 37 in their journey books, complete the sentences and draw a
picture that shows her taking care of herself.
Activity: Move Like Me 15 minutes
Tell the girls that part of keeping healthy is making sure your body gets enough exercise.
Ask each girl to name her favorite sport or physical activity that she does at least once a
week (even jumping rope counts!). Then have the girls spread out, and ask one girl her
favorite animal and have her demonstrate how that animal moves. For example, if she
says her favorite animal is a horse, she should gallop around the room. Have all the girls
join in and move like the first girl. After a few seconds, ask them to stop and have
another girl give her favorite animal, repeating the cycle until everyone has moved like
every girl’s favorite animal!
Discussion and Activity: 15 to 20 minutes
Ask the girls how they could tell someone that they are sad without talking. Remind them
that animals cannot talk to us like we would talk with each other, so they need to
communicate in different ways. Many animals can make noises, and those noises can
often communicate just as much as words! Ask the girls what it would mean if they heard
a dog whimper? What about a cat purring? What are some other noises animals make,
and what do those noises mean?
Then whisper in each girls ear an emotion that they need to communicate without
talking. Have each girl, one at a time, act out their emotion and have the group guess
what it is! For example, a girl could show that she is bored by yawning, crossing her
arms, and rolling her eyes. Try to give the girls easy emotions, like anger and fear, so
that every girl is able to act out the emotion she is given.
Session 8: Mexico with Zinni
Additional Materials Required: Hardening clay (for each girl), sculpting tools and
tablecloths to cover tables
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they remember what a donkey looks like from Zinni’s story in Mexico. Use
the picture and information on page 69 in the adult guide to help the girls remember
what donkeys are used for in Mexico. Then pass out paper and crayons and let the girls
draw a donkey.
Story: Zinni’s Story 10 to 15 minutes
Re-read Zinni’s story, which is on pages 29-35 in the girl journey book.
Story: 5 minutes
Then read “A Love of Horses” on page 38 of the girl journey book. Show the girls the
picture of her sculpture and ask what they think about it!
Activity: 15 to 20 minutes
Pass out the clay and let the girls create a sculpture of their pet or their favorite animal!
At the end, have the girls share their sculpture to the group and say what it is!
Session 9: Caring for All
Preparation Required: Create a version of the “Comparing the Caring” chart on page 73
in the adult guide on large paper or poster board
Additional Materials Required: index card or postcard-sized piece of card stock, pencils,
“Comparing the Caring” chart and marker to write on chart
Warm Up: 5 minutes
Have the girls open their journey books to pages 78 and 79 and complete these two
pages instead of learning about a new animal. Then go over the girls’ answers. This will
help set up the session, which prepares the girls to complete their Red Robin project
next session.
Readings: 10 to 15 minutes
Show and read to the girls pages 72, 73, 76 and 77 in the girl journey book, which each
tell a story about people and animals taking care of each other. Ask the girls what they
think of each story.
Activity: Power of a Postcard 15 minutes
Use page 71 in the adult guide to help the girls create a postcard that gives a tip of how
to care for animals.
Discussion: 15 minutes
Help the girls complete the “Comparing the Caring” chart you created with the discussion
questions on pages 72-73 in the adult guide. This will set up the next session, where the
girls will earn their Red Robin award by completing a project.
Session 10: Red Robin Project
Preparation Required: Facilitator should read pages 75-81 in the adult guide to
understand the Red Robin Project
Additional Materials Required: “Comparing the Caring” chart, poster board, paper,
markers, and any other materials you think would be useful to the girls for their projects
Activity: 30 to 35 minutes
Use pages 75-81 to help the girls create their Red Robin project. Encourage the girls to
each choose something from the “Comparing the Caring” chart as their topic, and agree
as a group on how they will share their caring tips. Some easy ideas are: create a mural,
create short skits, or draw pictures of each caring tip.
Share: 10 to 15 minutes
If possible, gather some nearby students, teachers, or other people for the girls to
present their projects to. This will earn them their Red Robin award!
Session 11: Japan with Gloria
Additional Materials Required: Origami paper (2 per girl with extras)
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they remember what a crane looks like from Gloria’s story. Then show
them the picture of the crane on page 83 in the adult guide and share some of the neat
facts about Japanese cranes!
Story: Gloria’s Story 10 to 15 minutes
Re-read Gloria’s story, which is on pages 41-47 in the girl journey book.
Activity: Origami Cat 20 minutes
Let the girls create a cat out of origami! Give each girl one piece of origami paper and
create the head together using page 53 in the girl journey book. Once everyone has the
head made, pass out the second piece of origami paper to each girl and have them
create the body.
Session 12: Inspired by Animals
Additional Materials Required: Large chart paper or poster board and a marker
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls if they know what a panda looks like. Show them the picture on page 89 of
the adult guide and share some fun facts about pandas. Then pass out paper and
crayons and let them draw a panda.
Activity: Japanese Garden Yoga 15 minutes
Have the girls spread out and try the yoga poses on pages 50 and 51 in the girl journey
book (also found on page 84 of the adult guide).
Activity: Animal Riddle Poem 15 minutes
Use page 85 in the adult guide to make a couple animal riddle poems with the girls!
Activity: Animal Charades 5 minutes
If the girls would like, let them play animal charades again, where one girl acts like an
animal and everyone guesses what the girls is!
Session 13: Africa with Mari
Additional Materials Required: Obstacles for Elephant Parade (see page 100 in adult
guide) and photocopies of Backwards Bingo on page 99 of the adult guide (1 per girl)
Warm Up: 10 minutes
Ask the girls to share something they know about elephants. Then read to them some of
the neat facts on page 97 in the adult guide. Pass out paper and crayons, and have
them draw an elephant.
Story: 10 minutes
Re-read Mari’s story with the girls. Her story is found on pages 55-61.
Activity: Elephant Parade 20 minutes
Use page 100 in the adult guide to lead the girls through the Elephant Parade activity.
Before you explain the rules, place some of the obstacles around the room so the girls
know what to expect.
Activity: Backwards Bingo 5 to 10 minutes
If time allows, play Backwards Bingo with the girls, found on pages 98-99 in the adult
guide.
Session 14: Animals Are Like People
Additional Materials Required: Paper plates (1 per girl), craft sticks, glue, feathers,
masking tape, other materials for masks and 3 Journey awards (1 set per girl)
Reading: 5 to 10 minutes
Read pages 62 and 63 with the girls. After they have heard about Irene and her parrots,
ask the girls how else animals are like people.
Activity: 20 to 25 minutes
Have the girls make their own animal masks! The activity details can be found on page
101 of the adult guide.
Discussion: 10 minutes
Have the girls sit in a circle and answer the question, “How does caring for animals
make you feel?”
Awards: 5 minutes
Before giving the awards to the girls, they must promise that they will continue to care for
animals. Then they may receive their Birdbath, Red Robin, and Tula awards!