Requirements

Asia Asia is a Junior Badge from the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana Council.

Complete six activities to earn this Badge.

Activities

1. Where are you? Locate the Asian continent on a world map or globe. What oceans or seas surround it? Are there any mountain ranges or is it flat? List all the countries that make up this continent. What are their capitals? What time of day is it in that country? How would you travel to this country, by car, plane or boat?

2. Asian culture. Study at least one Asian culture. What is their traditional dress? What is the importance of this attire? What is their culture like? How is it different from ours? How is it similar? To learn about the Asian culture, visit your local library or surf the Internet. Read a book or watch an informational video.

3. Music to your ears. Each culture has music that reflects their way of life and their history. Select a country and research their style of music. Visit your local library or use the Internet. Listen to some examples of Asian music. What type of instruments do you hear? How does the music make you feel? If possible, attend an Asian theater, concert, festival or play.

4. Asian cuisine. Have you ever eaten Asian food? What kind of foods do the people on this continent enjoy eating? What is sushi? With your troop or your family, visit an Asian restaurant. Sample some Asian food. How was the food prepared? Was any of the meal similar to the meals that you eat in your home? How was it different?

5. Chopsticks. What are chopsticks? Learn what chopsticks are and how to use them. What item do we use in place of chopsticks when we eat our meals? Eating with chopsticks can be very difficult. Start by trying to eat large foods such as pieces of meat, vegetables or fruit with chopsticks. See if you can get good enough to pick up a single grain or small clump of rice with your chopsticks.

6. Asian art forms. Discover various forms of Asian art such as Japanese origami or Chinese painting. What other art forms are there? Some countries use elaborate forms of dance as an art form. Visit your local library or use the Internet to do your research. Report to your troop what your findings are. Give a demonstration of at least one of the art forms to your troop.

7. Asian alphabet. Research an alphabet of an Asian country. Learn how to write your name using their alphabet. Research if their writing guidelines are different from ours. We write from left to right across the page. Do any of the Aisian culture write this way? Do any of them write differently?

8. Haiku. What is Haiku? Find an example of Haiku using your local library or the Internet. Create your own Haiku and share it with your troop.

9. Domo arigatou. Learn to speak some basic Asian words, such as: Hello Yes Thank You Goodbye No Please Use an Internet dictionary or find a dictionary at your local library to translate these six words.

10. Flags Each nation has a flag that represents that country. There is symbolism in each country’s flag. Pick an Asian country and research their flag. What does the flag look like? What do the design and the colors represent? Does the flag have a nickname? Draw a picture of the country’s flag. Share your drawing and your research with your troop.