Lesson Plan: Mari the Marigold

Daisy Girl Scout Planting

Actually, for the Orange Petal (Responsible for What I Say and Do), I wanted to build on that “heart strength” we talked about last time. At this age, being responsible is all about the girls realizing that their words and actions belong to them—and that they have the power to make them good ones!

Since we’ve been working so hard on our petals, I kept the energy high but focused on “owning” our choices. Here is the recap of our meeting:

Goal: To understand that being “responsible” means taking care of our tasks and being mindful of how our words affect others. Materials Used: Mari the Marigold story, orange paper or petals, “Responsibility” stickers, and a small plant or seeds for our activity.

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 practice a “Responsibility Task”—everyone was assigned a specific spot to put their coat and bag neatly to keep our space clear.

  • The Girl Scout Promise: We stood in our Daisy Circle and said the promise with our hands over our hearts.
  • The Law: We focused on the orange line: “I will do my best to be… responsible for what I say and do.”
  • Check-in: I asked each girl to share one “big kid” job they do at home, like putting their own shoes away or helping feed a pet.

0:10 – 0:25 | Story Time: Mari’s Big Lesson

I read the story of Mari the Marigold, who learns that being responsible means doing what you say you’re going to do.

  • Interactive Element: I told the girls that every time Mari made a good choice, they should clap twice. Every time she had to fix a mistake, they had to “dust off” their shoulders.
  • Discussion: We talked about how “what we say” can be like a superpower—we can use our words to be kind or to be responsible leaders.

0:25 – 0:45 | Practice: The “Petal Promise” Seeds

  • To show them what it looks like to be responsible over time, we started a mini-gardening project.
  • The Activity: Each girl decorated a small cup and planted a seed.
  • The Lesson: I explained that this seed is now their responsibility. If they don’t “do” what they are supposed to (water it and give it sun), it won’t grow.
  • Reflecting on Words: While we planted, we practiced “Responsible Phrases,” like “I’m sorry,” “I can help with that,” and “I will finish my work.”

0:45 – 0:55 | Responsibility Game: “The Choice Train”

We played a game where I called out different scenarios (e.g., “You accidentally knocked over a friend’s block tower”).

  • The girls had to move to the “Responsible Side” of the room if the choice was to tell the truth and help fix it, or the “Think Again” side if the choice was to hide or blame someone else.
  • The Lesson: We practiced how to say “I did that, let me help fix it.” It was so cool to see them realize that fixing a mistake is actually a very “strong” thing to do!

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

Clean-up: This was the ultimate test! I didn’t give directions—I just asked, “Who can show me they are responsible for their own mess?” They cleared the table in record time!
Friendship Circle: We formed our circle and joined hands.
Friendship Squeeze: I started the squeeze, and when it finished, we all said, “I am responsible for me!” before heading to our parents.

Leader Note: If your troop wants to take their “caring and responsible” skills to the next level, you might want to look into some DIY to Donate projects for your next service opportunity!