Meeting Lesson Plan: Gerri the Geranium

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

I loved how our last meeting focused on treating others as “precious,” and I wanted to carry that same energy into earning our Magenta Petal (Respect Authority). For our Daisies, “authority” can sound like a scary word, but I explained it to them as the people whose job it is to keep us safe and help us learn.

Here is the recap of how we spent our hour together:

Goal: To recognize the people in our lives who help keep us safe and practice following directions with a happy heart. Materials Used: Gerri the Geranium story, magenta paper or petals and a toy whistle.

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 them draw a picture of a “Safety Hero” in their lives—like a teacher, a firefighter, or even their mom holding their hand in a parking lot.

The Girl Scout Promise: We stood in our Daisy Circle and recited the promise with our best “official” posture.
The Law: We focused on the magenta line: “I will do my best to … respect authority.”
Check-in: I asked the girls to name one person at school or home who makes “safety rules” for them.

0:10 – 0:25 | Story Time: Gerri’s Great Advice

I read the story of Gerri the Geranium, who learns that listening to her elders and leaders helps her grow strong and stay out of trouble.

Interactive Element: I told the girls that every time a character followed a rule, they had to give a “Scout Salute.”
Discussion: We talked about why we have rules. I asked, “What would happen if there were no stop signs?” This helped them see that authority figures aren’t just “bossy”—they are helpers!

0:25 – 0:45 | Practice: “Leader for a Minute”

To help them understand what it’s like to be in charge, I gave every girl a chance to be the “Authority Figure.”

The Activity: We played a game similar to “Simon Says,” but we called it “The Leader Says.”
The Twist: Each girl got to step into the center of the circle and give one respectful direction (e.g., “The Leader says hop on one foot”).
The Lesson: We talked about how it felt when people listened to them, and how it was much easier to lead when everyone was being respectful.
Service Connection: We discussed how DIY to Donate projects often require following specific instructions so that the items we make are safe and useful for the people receiving them.

0:45 – 0:55 | Craft: The “Authority Appreciation” Card

We used magenta markers and paper to make “Thank You” cards for a local authority figure.

The Choice: Most of the girls chose to make cards for our school principal or the local police station.
The Lesson: I told them that part of respecting authority is saying “thank you” to the people who look out for us every day.

0:55 – 1:00 | Clean-up & Closing Circle

Clean-up: I acted as the “Safety Inspector,” and the girls had to “report for duty” once their area was perfectly clean.
Friendship Circle: We formed our circle and joined hands.
Friendship Squeeze: I started the squeeze, and when it returned to me, we all said together, “We listen and we learn!”

Leader Note: If you want to dive deeper into all the different petals, we have a great Superhero Flower Garden Adventure download that makes learning the Girl Scout Law feel like a total mission!

Do you have a guest speaker ever come in for this petal, like a police officer or a park ranger? I find the girls absolutely love seeing the uniforms in person!