Meeting Lesson Plan: Clover the Flower

Here is a recap of how our troop earned their Green petal using this lesson plan!

I’ve been so impressed with how the girls are mastering the “people” parts of the Law, so I was really excited to dive into the Green Petal (Use Resources Wisely). At this age, I like to explain that being a Girl Scout means being a “caretaker” of our world—making sure we don’t waste things so there’s enough for everyone and for the Earth!

Here is how our one-hour meeting bloomed:

Goal: To understand the difference between “wants” and “needs” and practice repurposing items instead of throwing them away. Materials Used: Clover the Flower story, a “mystery bag” of recyclables, green markers, and scrap materials for our craft.

0:00 – 0:10 | Arrival & Opening Circle

We’ve included some patch suggestions to give to participants. See all our fun patches.

As the girls arrived, I had a “Scrap Art” station set up. Instead of new paper, I gave them the backs of old fliers and broken crayons to show that “old” things can still make “new” art.

The Girl Scout Promise: We stood in our Daisy Circle and recited the promise with pride.
The Law: We cheered the green line: “I will do my best to be… use resources wisely.”
Check-in: I asked each girl to name one thing they recycled or “saved” this week, like a water bottle or a cardboard box.

0:10 – 0:25 | Story Time: Clover’s Clean-up

I read the story of Clover the Flower, who learns how to keep her woods beautiful by not wasting what she has.

Interactive Element: I told the girls that every time Clover used something in a “smart” way, they had to make a “recycling circle” in the air with their fingers.
Discussion: We talked about what happens to the Earth when we use too many paper towels or leave the water running while we brush our teeth.

0:25 – 0:45 | Practice: The “Mystery Bin” Challenge

To show them how to be resourceful, I brought in a bin of clean “trash” (egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, bottle caps).

The Activity: I challenged the girls to work in pairs to turn one piece of “trash” into a “treasure.” We saw egg cartons become caterpillars and bottle caps become tiny hats!
The Lesson: I explained that “using resources wisely” means looking at something old and seeing something new.
Service Connection: We talked about how DIY to Donate projects are the ultimate way to use resources wisely—like turning old fleece scraps into blankets for shelter pets.

0:45 – 0:55 | Green Game: “Water Saver”

We played a quick game of “Red Light, Green Light,” but with a twist.

The Rules: When I shouted “Running Water!” they had to run fast. When I shouted “Turn it off!” they had to freeze instantly.
The Lesson: This helped them visualize how much “water” (energy) we save when we are quick and mindful.
0:55 – 1:00 | Clean-up & Closing Circle
Clean-up: This was our most important clean-up yet! We sorted our mess into two piles: one for the trash and one for the recycling bin.
Friendship Circle: We formed our circle and joined hands.
Friendship Squeeze: I started the squeeze, and when it got back to me, we all whispered, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!” before saying goodbye.

Leader Note: If your troop is ready to become real Earth experts, you should definitely check out the Green Daisy Petal – Use Resources Wisely page for more creative ways to turn scraps into scouting gold!
Does your meeting space have recycling bins handy, or do you have to bring a “take-home” bag for the girls to sort their scraps?