Youth Activity Archive

Activity Description: Youths practice making clay shapes and learn how the 5S system helps workers stay organized.

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Items Needed:

• Copy of 5S Poster by GSUSA (The 5S system includes Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain.)
• Modeling Clay (enough for each team of 3–4 youth)
• Cookie cutters or similar items to press shapes (enough for each team of 3–4 youth)
• Timer or stopwatch
• (Optional) Small rolling pins to share

Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 20–25 min):

1. Do a Trial Run of an assembly line. (4–5 min)
   • Divide Youth into teams of 3–4. Give each team clay and a cutter and two minutes to decide the best way to produce as many equal shapes in a 2 minute time.
   • Use the timer for 2 minutes. Youth flatten clay and cut shapes to see how many shapes they can make.
2. Count and reflect. (3–4 min)
   • Youth count their shapes.
   • Discuss if shapes were the same size, neat, or difficult to make.
3. Learn the 5S system. (3–4 min)
   • Review the poster: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain. Talk briefly about how this helps workers stay safe and organized.
4. Rethink with 5S. (6–8 min)
   • Provide two minutes for teams to re-evaluate their original set up and try to make a new mini assembly lines using 5S.
   • All them another two minutes to organize tools, assign roles, and prepare their space.
5. Try again with 5S. (3–4 min)
   • Start the timer and let them cut shapes for another 2 minutes.
6. Wrap up. (3–4 min)
   • Youth count their shapes again. Discuss if shapes were more consistent and if the process was easier or faster using 5S.

Note – You can learn more about 5S manufacturing with a mini lesson.

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Click Here -> See what GSUSA Requirements could be met

Leaders – please be aware of double dipping and make your own informed choice.

Info Needed for Automotive Manufacturing: Understand how manufacturing works, what an assembly line is, and why quality testing is important. They should learn that assembly lines break big jobs into smaller steps, each person or station adds a part, and finished products are checked to make sure they work correctly.

• Fulfills Steps 1, 2, and 3 of GSUSA Daisy Automotive Manufacturing  badge requirements.
• Fulfills Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of GSUSA Brownie Automotive Manufacturing badge requirements.
• Fulfills Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of GSUSA Junior Automotive Manufacturing badge requirements.

Art and Design Step 3 requires focus on Shape and Form, Space, Patterns, or Symmetry.

• Fulfills Step 3 of GSUSA Brownie Art and Design badge requirements.
• Fulfills Step 3 of GSUSA Junior Art and Design badge requirements.

This activity does not meet any Scouting America Requirements