A hands-on challenge devised by an Edinburgh student will test members of Girlguiding Scotland hoping to attain a new badge with a weather-related theme.

To earn the badge - called Go For It! Weather - Guides will complete a number of practical activities designed by Becky Coats, a student in the University’s School of GeoSciences.

Guides will study the many features of weather - including clouds, air pressure and wind - by constructing their own measuring instruments and recording their observations.

Hands-on tasks include making and using a thermometer, a rain gauge and a device to calculate wind speed.

We are delighted to hear that Becky’s work for the Geoscience Outreach Course has proved to be so valuable for Girlguiding Scotland. Dr Jenny Tait School of GeoSciences

Volunteering project

Fourth year student Becky designed the challenge while volunteering with a Guide group in Edinburgh as part of a project run by the School of GeoSciences.

It was brought to the attention of Girlguiding Scotland who decided to develop it into one of the organisation’s Go For It! challenge badges. The badge is the first on the subject of weather to be offered to Guides.

New Guide badge

Girlguiding Scotland currently has more than 40 badges that girls between the ages of ten and 14 can earn by completing individual and team challenges.

Upon completion of Go For It! Weather, Guides will be awarded a brand new badge designed by the organisation.

Girlguiding Scotland is a charitable organisation for girls and young women which has more than 60,000 members. Ms Coats developed Go For It! Weather while working with the 198A Fairmilehead Guide unit in Edinburgh.

Go For It! Weather was produced by Girlguiding Scotland in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.

The GeoSciences Outreach Course is a highly regarded course carried out by 4th year students who work with a client to develop a resource for the client’s organisation. Becky Coats, as with most students who take this course, has clearly excelled in her brief from the client. Brian Cameron MBE School of GeoSciences

Photographs © Girlguiding Scotland.