Here are some activities for your Beaver Colony to explore JOTA and radio.
JOTA for Beavers Beaver Post
Intro - Explain that before phones and radios, Scouts used letters and that JOTA is like sending radio letters! You need to think about what you will say and say it clearly.
Beavers write or draw a simple to another lodge and decorate it. Then the Postie will deliver these to other lodges. Wrap Up by reading them together.
Was it hard to write your message in a small space? Did you need to think about what you would say? Would you have said something different over a radio?
Our Chief Scout studied electronic engineering and has always been fascinated by radios and computers. He knows how exciting it can be to talk to people all over the world, learn about different places, and share your story. That’s why he is delighted to support Beaver Scouts to take part in Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and learn how radio connects people everywhere.
Every year, over 1 million Scouts from more than 170 countries take part in Jamboree on the Air!
Think of all the different ways we can communicate our voicesphones, walkie talkies, radios and more. Do you know anything about how they work?
JOTA for Beavers
Travelling radio messages
Explore how far radio waves can travel by following the imaginary journey of a radio message from Ireland around the world.
Look at Ireland on the map: “If we sent a radio message from here, where could it go?” Each Beaver picks a country card or flag, learns its name, and attaches it to the map with string connecting back to Ireland. Leader reads or invents a short story about a radio signal travelling from Scout to Scout around the world, saying “Hello!” in different languages. To wrap up think about “Where would you like to send your Scout message next year?”
How many languages can say hello in?