Lotsa Knots Activity

This Activity is meant for Scouts BSA.

4 foot rope for every scout.
15 foot rope for each patrol.
2 poles for each patrol.

Need a score keeper. The judges yell out the score for each knot to the scorekeeper.

Patrols group up into a circle with each patrol at least 15 feet away from those next to it.
Patrol leaders retrieve gear for their patrol (two poles, long rope, and rope for each scout) and distribute it to their patrols.

The patrol leaders will be the judges in this activity/game. Have each patrol leader choose someone else in the patrol to be in charge while they are gone - probably the assistant patrol leader. Then, have each patrol leader stand in front of a different patrol. Patrol leaders will rotate around the circle, judging a different patrol for each task. A patrol leader can use an adult as a technical aid in determining the 'correctness' of a knot if the patrol leader is not sure.

The leader calls out the name of one knot and everyone in each patrol ties the knot, shows it to the judge, and is awarded points.

Knots:

• Square Knot
• Clove Hitch
• Sheet Bend
• Taut Line Hitch
• Two Half-Hitches
• Bowline

For the lashings (Square Lashing, Diagonal Lashing, Shear Lashing), each patrol ties it with two different scouts working together each time it is tied. The rest of the patrol can watch and coach, but not touch the rope.

Sample Patrol Scoring:

• 5 points for the first correct knot in the patrol.
• 3 points for the next.
• 1 point for each additional correct knot.
• 4 bonus points if every scout in the patrol ties the knot.

Rules:

• 3 minute time limit per knot.
• Can use scout handbook.
• Can teach other scouts.
• A scout can only touch his own rope.

Reflect:

• What skills were developed?
• How did you help someone else?
• Was it important to be the first one to tie a knot?
• What was most important to score points?
• Was this a fair contest?
• Were the judges fair?