Investiture Achievement/Companion/Nature Study

	Companion/Nature Study

Requirement 1a

Read pages 1-13 from the booklet A 6 Day Creation Week?

A 6 Day Creation Week is available from AdventSource.

The creation booklet is no longer available. You may want to review these Kids articles for source material from Creation.com Creation Kids Articles

Requirement 1b

Keep a 7-day outdoor log of your personal observations from nature in which each day focuses on those things that were created on that day.

Page 32 of the Companion Record Journal has space for logging observations. Encourage the kids to begin recording their observations on a Sunday (call them on Sunday morning if necessary).

If your Pathfinders miss a day or forget, remind them that there is no requirement that the seven days be consecutive. It may be necessary to call them each day to remind them to make and record their observations.

Ideas for observation are listed below.

Day One, Light

See how a magnifying glass bends light, experiment with a prism. Observe shadows.

Day Two, Air

Feel the breeze. Inflate a balloon and release it. Make a pinwheel

Day Three, Land and Sea separated

Observe soil and rocks.

Day Four, Sun and Moon

Look at the moon. Make a pinhole observatory for viewing the sun indirectly. The Bible also mentions God created the stars, but we know the stars already existed when God made Earth. Find a constellation or a planet.

Day Five, Fish and Birds

Listen for bird songs. Find a nest. Look for pigeon tracks and feathers under a bridge.

Day Six, Animals and Man

Look for insects, frogs, squirrels, or deer. Watch a cat while it's hunting (outdoors remember).

Day Seven, Sabbath

Even the plants rest when they are finished with their work. Find one that has already gone to seed. Does it go dormant and wait for spring, die, or continue to produce fruit several times in one season? Find a sleeping animal and watch it (but do not disturb it). How does it protect itself while it sleeps? How does it stay warm (or cool)?

An example created by one of the editors here.

Requirement 2

Animal Tracking Make plaster casts of three different animal tracks

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Nature/Animal Tracking/Basic Casting Techniques

If you can manage to cast tracks from two more animals, you will be well on your way to earning the Animal Tracking honor.

Trail Companion

Requirement 3

Complete Companion requirements

You must complete the requirements listed above this one on the current page.

Requirement 4

Trees, Shrubs & Cacti Collect and identify the leaves of 15 different trees and seven shrubs. OR Photograph and observe at least five different types of cacti.

Trees and Shrubs

Unless you live in a place that it warm year-round, this requirement will be very difficult to mange from late fall through early spring. Since the Pathfinder year usually begins in September, you should get on this one right away. Otherwise you will have to wait for spring.

If you are not familiar with identifying trees and shrubs, you will need to either recruit someone who is, or get a good field guide. Be sure the the field guide covers the area where you will be collecting.

• Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification is a good choice for North America.

You should also take a look at the Trees honor and the Shrubs honor.

Cacti

If you live in an area where cacti are abundant, this requirement can best be met outdoors.

If not, you can bring potted cacti to a Pathfinder meeting. If you do not own five, ask members of your church. Someone may be willing to loan you some and even come to the meeting to talk about them.

For more information, see the Cacti honor.

Requirement 5

Complete a nature honor not previously earned. (Skill level 1)

Lists of honors sorted by Category and Skill Level can be found in the AY Honors.

Good choices for the Companion class include

• Cacti
• Shrubs
• Trees
• Animal Tracking

as the previous requirements will already have set you down the path to completing these honors.

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Skill Level 1 Nature