The Bear program runs from September to May. If the pack awards the Bear rank badge at the BlueGold dinner in February, that gives less than 6 months to fulfill the requirements. Our pack did that a couple years and it was quite frustrating for the den leaders. We now present the Bear rank badges at the April pack meeting. Some dens start right into their Bear program in May so they are active over the summer - if new scouts join in September, that makes it more difficult for them.

2 den meetings each month - (2nd Thursday at 6:30pm for 1 hr 15min, 4th Sunday at 2pm for 2 hrs)
1 pack meeting each month - (3rd Thursday at 7pm)

The Den Leader is responsible for planning activities for the month's den meeting and hosting the den meeting. The den leader uses a Den Meeting Planner document to organize the plan.
We used an adult Guide to help lead activities at each meeting. Your den may work better with no Guide or with having each Guide do all the planning and leading of the month's meetings - it depends on your adult participation levels.
A blank version of this schedule document is available here.
 

MONTH	Guide	Activities
September	Andy	Pack Mtg: Registration and Program start. Tell the scouts when and where den meetings will be held.   Den Mtg: Start on Time! Introduce the Bear program, including Achievements, Electives, Progress Towards Rank beads, Bear Badge, and Arrow Points. Achievements #1 or 2, 10, and 12 will be done completely at home, not with the den. Achievement #24b-f (Be a Leader) and #15c (Lead a game) will be done individually by each scout as a denner. Make a denner schedule and tell the scouts the Denner Duties. Introduction time - play name learning games and teambuilding games. See Bear Cub Games for ideas. Tell scouts to read the sections in their books for Achievement #4 and #6. Do #4a-c before next den meeting and be ready to tell one story. Also, do #6d, e, and f before next meeting.   Den Outing: No den outing this month.
October	Paul	Den Mtg: Do #4c - have each scout tell a tall tale. Tell scouts to do #3a and j before next meeting and be ready to share their thoughts.   Den Outing: Do #6b & g - plant a tree and do a clean-up project.
November	Bob	Den Mtg: Share #3a thoughts. Do #3b & e. Draw the state flag, bird, tree, and flower on 8.5x11 paper and laminate into a placemat. Do #15b - play 2 games.   Den Outing:
December	Dean	Den Mtg: Do #11a-e,g. Do #8d - hand out a genealogy chart to fill in. Tell scouts to have their grandparents help them fill it in over Christmas. Hand out any Progress beads earned. Tell scouts to do #10 at home over Christmas.   Den Outing: Do #8a - Visit the library and view some old newspapers.   Pack Mtg: Working with Wood - build wood projects
January	Dave	Den Mtg: Do #22a-e - knots and ropes.   Den Outing: Weekend campout at Andrew's cabin. Everyone chooses 2 electives to lead. Do #9a-c,f,g taking turns with meals during the weekend. Do Progress beads. Go over Arrow Point electives list and have scouts choose some to do as a den over the next 3 months.   Pack Mtg: Find out the Webelos Summer Camp dates for the summer and get scouts to register.
February	Dean	Den Mtg: Do #19 - Shavings and Chips. Make sure you have adequate adult supervision with knives. Complete any leftover achievement tasks. (Extra achievement tasks are used as Arrow Point tasks.) Play games. Do Progress beads.   Pack Mtg: Blue Gold dinner.
March	Bob	Den Mtg: Do electives chosen by the scouts. Do Progress beads.   Den Outing: Do electives for Nature Craft or American Indian Life.   Pack Mtg: Receive Bear rank badges. Receive arrow points.
April	Dave	Den Mtg: Final tracking of arrow point electives. Get final counts to advancement chair.   Den Outing: Visit an arboretum, nature center, or local park to go on a hike.   Pack Mtg: Receive arrow points.
May	Paul	Pack Mtg: Pack Picnic   First Webelos den meeting. Den overnight campout at local campground or someone's back yard.