Quest Scouts inspires your to squeeze the most out of life while collecting real-life, physical badges.
1) Watch The 1960s in America: Crash Course US History.
2) In the comments below, tell us one thing you learned while watching.
1) 1) Wikipedia has a list of games published by year. Browse between 1960 and 1969 until you find one you’d like to play.
2) Acquire your game! If you don’t own the game, you’ll of course need to find a way to play it. Borrow it from a friend, visit your local board game store, or find it online. (Pun intended! Acquire is a great 1960’s game!)
3) Grab some friends and play the game you chose!
3) Post a photo that documents your gameplay on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your photo in our Facebook group.
Macrame is the craft of creating textiles through knotting. Popular in the 60’s, it has begun to make a resurgence in recent years.
1) Choose what macrame project you would like to make.
Consider the following:
Owl (Very 60’s!)
Use the above links for inspiration, or go with a different tutorial altogether. Pinterest has A TON of cool macrame ideas to browse.
2) Create your macrame project!
3) Take a photo of your completed project and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your art in our Facebook group.
While civil rights are undoubtedly being fought for even today. the sixties is arguably known as the peak of the civil rights movement.
1) Spend 30-60 minutes researching the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s as it relates to your region. Start locally with your town/city, and broaden the search as necessary until you find information relative to you.
Tip: Live in a small town? Consider visiting the local historical society!
2) Based on what you’ve learned about your region’s role in the civil rights movement, choose a book (that meets the criteria listed below0 to read in order to further your knowledge on the subject.
Your book should be:
In some way inspired by the history you’ve learned about your region.
Primarily focused on a topic that relates to the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s.
Non-fiction
For instance, if you are based in Wyoming, your research may bring you to the Wyoming native and civil rights activist James Reeb. You might then decide to read Selma’s Bloody Sunday, a book about the event that inspired Reeb to action.
3) In the comments below, tell us:
What book did you read?
How does the book relate to your local history?
2-3 facts you learned about civil rights in your region.
2-3 facts you learned from the book you chose.
1) Identify the location of historical significance to the 1960’s.
It would be AWESOME if this location could be a place where a historical event happened! However, a site of a memorial, statue, or artifact of this time would work too.
Examples Include:
Do your best to keep the heart of this objective in mind when choosing your location. It's 300 points, so think big!
2) Visit the the location you chose.
3) Document your visit with a photograph and and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your photo in our Facebook group.
4) Tell us about your experience in the comments below. Be sure to include 3 facts you learned and/or interesting things you saw.
1) Choose and watch one of the documentaries listed.
2) Let us know which you watched and what you thought of it in the comments below.
The Vietnam War
Note: This is a mini-series. Choose any episode that takes place fully or partially in the 1960’s.
Quest Scouts inspires your to squeeze the most out of life while collecting real-life, physical badges.
1) Check out the article, “Some Americans say 'firefly' while others say 'lightning bug”. It contains great maps that illustrate the regional divide between the two terms.
2) In the comments below, tell us:
A) Do you say firefly or lightning bug?
B) Does your answer to A correspond with the maps in the article?
1) Lets start with some inspiration! Watch The Master of Shadow Puppets from Great Big Story.
2) There are plenty of cool tutorials for making shadow puppets out there. Search and find a material and method that sounds fun.
Inspiration:
Puppets with Moving Parts
Portraits of Family Member
IMPORTANT: This objective is not referring to shadow “puppets” created through shaping your hands. You need to create something physical.
3) Create your puppets!
4) Take a photo to of your finished puppets and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your experience in our Facebook group.
5) In the comments below, describe your shadow puppet journey. What sort of puppet did you make? What tutorial, if any, did you use? Was it any fun? Did you turn out the lights and give them a try?!
1) Grab a camera! We’ll be taking black and white photos, so you’ll need to use black and white film if you’re going with a traditional camera, or use photo editing/filters if you’re going digital. (Camera phones will work fine for this.)
2) Watch 9 quick tips for BETTER BLACK & WHITE photos from Jamie Windsor. (Don’t let the title fool you- It’s a really fun video!) While some of the tips provided are for advanced photographers, don’t get overwhelmed! There is plenty that photographers of all levels can take away from Windsor’s words.
3) Keeping in mind what you have learned, plan to photograph, or keep your eye out for, a subject well suited to black and white photography.
4) Take your black and white photo. Better yet, take a bunch of photos! The more photos you take, the more likely you are to get something you’re proud of.
5) Choose your best black and white photo and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your photo in our Facebook group.
Quest Scouts inspires your to squeeze the most out of life while collecting real-life, physical badges.
1) BEFORE you watch the above video, rate your knowledge of dark matter on a scale of 1-10, where one means you’ve never heard of the term “dark matter” before and ten means you’ve published a scientific journal article on the subject.
2) Watch the Sci Show video about “Dark Matter” matter, which is posted above.
3) Did you learn anything? Rate your knowledge of dark matter AFTER watching the video using the same scale you did previously.
4) In the comments below, post your before and after ratings of your knowledge of dark matter.
A luminary is a vessel, dotted with intricately shaped holes, designed to have a candle placed inside it. When illuminated, the luminary casts shadows in the shape of the holes. Have you ever made one? If not, now is your chance to give it a try! If so, consider branching out and trying a new technique or material when creating your luminary.
1) Choose which type of luminary you would like to make.
Consider the following:
Use the above links for inspiration, or go with a different tutorial altogether. Pinterest has A TON of cool luminaries to browse.
2) Create your luminary!
3) Once you’ve created your luminary, it’s time to light it up! Depending on the luminary you create and the location you place it in, fire safety may be a concern. Make sure to take proper precautions.
4) Take a photo of your illuminated luminary and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your art in our Facebook group.
–Anthony Doerr, All the Light We Cannot See
1) Browse our list of “darkness” themed books and choose whichever most appeals to you.
Buying directly from the Quest Scouts “bookshop” supports us, but feel free to acquire your book from any source. (Don’t forget to check your local library!)
2) Read the book! (Listening to the audio version is great too!)
3) Write a short book review and post it in the comments below. Include the name of the book, author, and what you thought of it.
Quest Scouts inspires your to squeeze the most out of life while collecting real-life, physical badges.
This micro objective exists to introduce to you a concept that you may not otherwise have thought much about. Most black paint really isn’t all the dark! And for most people, that’s just fine… but for some, it was a problem that needed a solution!
1) Spend 10-15 minutes learning about the “blackest black” paint. Research this topic in whatever way feels right to you! This is a micro objective, so you don’t have to go all that deep into your research.
Suggestions include:
The Blackest Black Paint is Now Available to Buy—Unless You’re Anish Kapoor (Article)
I Painted My Entire Room With Musou Black—The World's Blackest Paint (Video)
Stuart Semple/Culture Hustle Black 2.0 Review | The Darkest Black Paint? (Video)
Do your own research! A quick google will reveal a world of possibilities!
2) In the comments below, tell us what project your would undertake with the “blackest black” paint if time and money were not a barrier.
For those of us who are sighted, the prospect of painting without using our eyes is probably a new one. Good! Let’s use that to our advantage, step out of our comfort zone and create not just a unique piece of art, but also a unique experience! (If you’re blind, contact us! Let’s work together to to make this objective fun for you as well!)
1) Gather your materials. You’ll need:
Paint. Any kind of paint will do, although you may want to consider something washable!
Important: This objective requires the use of paint! Please don’t substitute for another medium.
Paint Brush
Canvas or paper
(Optional) A drop cloth or some other way to help minimize mess
(Optional) Clothes you don’t mind getting messy
A blindfold
2) Set up your studio! You’ll want to set up your canvas, paints and brushed in a way that will help facilitate using them without sight. You should also consider setting up in a manner that minimizes mess!
3) Blindfold yourself. Make sure to make sure your blindfold is secure, and that you truly can’t see.
4) While blindfolded, create your painting! Take your time with this and do your best despite utilizing one less sense.
5) Take a photo of your finished painting and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your art in our Facebook group.
6) Reflect on your experience in the comments below by answering the following questions:
Describe the experience of painting without sight? Did you notice anything interesting? Did you have a good time?
How did your painting come out? What aspects about the painting do you, or do you not, like?
We experiences food through several, and some might argue all, of our senses. Of course, taste immediately comes to mind! However, just the smell of a good meal is enough to make our mouth water. And as the old saying goes, “you eat with your eyes first”! But what if we took away the visuals associated with food? Let’s experience darkness in a new way through dining in the dark!
1) Choose and prepare your space.
Option A- Restaurant
Did you know there are restaurants that exist to provide you the experience of dining in the dark? If you are lucky enough to live near one of these establishments, we encourage you (post COVID) to try one out.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your objective is to dine in COMPLETE DARKNESS. Don’t choose a restaurant that simply happens to have low light.
Option B- Home
No “dark restaurant” nearby? Create your own! Choose a room, set up a dining table, and create darkness. You’ll need to go above and beyond just drawing the blinds! Do your best to make the room pitch black.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please know your own limits and be safe!
2) Prepare your food.
There are two options here! You could prepare the food yourself, OR EVEN BETTER, have someone else prepare it for you! This might be a great time to order takeout!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Know your limits and be safe! Set your food at the table BEFORE you turn out the lights! We also suggest avoiding sharp knives.
3) Dine in the dark!
4) Reflect on your “dark dining” experience in the comments below by answering the following questions:
Tell us about your preparation for dining in the dark. Did you travel to a restaurant? If not, how did you ensure your room was as dark as possible? What precautions did you take to keep yourself safe?
Who did you dine in the dark with? What did you eat, and who prepared the meal? What did you think of the food?
Describe the experience of eating in the dark? What were the drawbacks of eating without sight? What were the benefits?
Quest Scouts inspires your to squeeze the most out of life while collecting real-life, physical badges.
This micro objective is part of our ongoing series, "index card art." We chose index cards for two reasons. First, index cards are inexpensive and readily available. We don't expect that it will be difficult for any of you to procure an index card. Second, many who don't consider themselves "artists" tend to stress about creating or sharing art. Using an index card instead of a sketch book lends itself to silliness. Have fun with the prompt! We're not looking for perfection, just a good time. You can save your index cards and look back at them over time, or throw them away. The choice is up to you!
1) Gather your supplies. You'll need an index card (4x6 or 5x7) and something to draw with. (Pencil, pen, markers... you get the point!)
2) Interpret the prompt below to make your index card art.
3) Take a photo of your art and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your art in our Facebook group.
When you think of black and white movies, you most likely think of the classics. But did you know that they’re still producing black and white movies today?
1) Choose any black and white movie that debuted in or after 2000. (Google “modern day black and white movies” and you’ll be presented with plenty of options.
2) Watch you chosen black and white.
3) In the comments below, tell us:
What movie you chose.
How many stars (out of four) would you award your movie? (0= No redeeming qualities, 4= Best movie ever!)
Why do you think the director chose to present the film in black and white? Do you think the film benefitted from this artistic choice?