Breakdown - DIY - 200

Pickling exists, in part, to prevent decay. While this method of food preservation has become less essential with modern technology, this ancient technique is both nutritious and delicious. 

Objective:

1) Watch History in a Jar: Pickles, from The History Channel. 

2) Create pickles of your own. You can do traditional pickles, or refrigerator pickles. (And no, you're not limited to pickled cucumbers!)

Members should expect Dill Pickle spices & a refrigerator pickle recipe from Souper Spices in their Scout Packs this month. 

3) Take a photograph of your finished pickles and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts and #Pickles.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

4) Describe your pickling experience in the comments below. What recipe did you use? How did the pickles turn out?

Breakdown - Art - 300

People find the humor in my work and enjoy it, because there's not a lot of humor in the art world. I think it just comes as just a welcome relief to be able to just have a laugh.

-Wayne White

Objective:

1) Watch the video below from Oxford American and check out this article from Twisted Sifter. Each feature an artist who puts his own mark on paintings originally created by others. 

2) Go to a thrift store and buy a painting. The painting can be an original or a reproduction.

3) Inspired by the work of Wayne White, Chris McMahon and Thryza Segal (see number one,) paint an image into your painting. 

4) Take a photograph of your co-created painting and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts and #ThriftReno.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

Breakdown - Visit - 250

In 1893 the first elongated coin was born in Chicago, IL. It was a pressed penny with the "Columbian Exposition" printed on it. Since that time, elongated coins have exploded in popularity, and can be found at tourist destinations across the world. Instead of ignoring these machines, this objective asks you to intentionally seek them out. 

Objective:

1) Identify and locate an elongated coin machine.

Penny Collector is a good place to start, but is not exhaustive.

Not sure what an elongated coin is? Check Wikipedia!

2) Visit the elongated coin machine of your choice.

3) Press a coin!

3) Document your visit with a photograph and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts and #ElongatedCoin.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

4) Tell us about your experience in the comments below. 

Breakdown - Travel - 300

Ruin (roo-in)

noun

1. the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay:

We visited the ruins of ancient Greece.

2. a destroyed or decayed building, town, etc.

Objective:

1) Identify and locate a set of ruins you'd like to visit.

What counts as "ruins." Any structure or former structure that has fallen into a state of disrepair. 

Do your best to keep the heart of this objective in mind when choosing your ruins. Think "ruined," not just abandoned. You want to find a place where only foundations, stairs, and pieces of pillar are leftover- for example.

As always, use your best judgement and challenge yourself when deciding on your destination.

2) Visit the ruins you chose.

3) Document your visit with a photograph and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts and #Ruins.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

4) Tell us about your experience in the comments below. Where did you go? Did you have a good time? Did anything fun or unexpected happen during your visit?

Breakdown - Literature - 100

Most of us have read Ray Bradbury's classic novel, Farenheit 451, Lets take a moment to read a short story about one couple's reaction to the end of the world.

Objective:

1) Read the short story The Last Night of the World by Ray Bradbury. 

You can find it through Esquire Magazine, where it was originally printed in 1951.

2) Tell us what you thought of the short story in the comments below.

Breakdown - Literature - 300

"In his morbidly fascinating nonfiction eco-thriller, “The World Without Us,” Weisman imagines what would happen if the earth’s most invasive species — ourselves — were suddenly and completely wiped out."

-Jennifer Schuessler, New Your Times

Objective:

1) Read The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. 

Check out the book from you local library, buy it at your local bookstore or get it on Amazon.

Prefer listening over reading? Grab the book on Audible!

2) Write a book review and post it in the comments below. 

Breakdown - Media - 150

Objective:

1) Watch one of the documentaries/movies listed below.

2) Let us know which you watched and what you thought of it in the comments below.

Farenheit 451. Directed by Francois Truffaut. 

Available from Netflix DVD and Amazon Instant Video.

Looper. Directed by Rian Johnson.

Available from Netflix DVD and Amazon Instant Video.

1984. Directed by Michael Radford.

Available from Netflix DVD and Amazon Instant Video.

The Hunger Games. Directed by Gary Ross.

Available from Netflix DVD and Amazon Instant Video.

Secrets of Archaeology. Directed by Robert Yuhas.

Available from Amazon. (As of Apr 1, select episodes were also available through Youtube.)

Note: This is a television series. Choose 2+ episodes to watch. 

Small World - Members Only Micro Quest - 50

Without member support Quest Scouts wouldn't exist. In order to show our appreciation for our members we provide a monthly Members Only Micro Quest worth 50 exclusive points. 

Objective:

1) Download and print the Small World MOMQ puzzle from our members only page, or use the back of the Small World quest card that Scout Pack Member's will receive in the mail. 

2) The puzzle contains two quotes with a "small" theme. Do your best to unscramble the letters and reveal the quotes.

3) When you've completed the puzzle, (or tried but given up,) you can check your answer with the puzzle key on the members only page. 

4) You're done! Leave a comment below telling us whether or not you completed the puzzle. If you'd like, let us know how many items you places in the correct timeline slot.

Small World - Media - 150

Objective:

1) Watch one of the documentaries/movies listed below.

2) Let us know which you watched and what you thought of it in the comments below.

A Small Section of the World. Directed by Lesley Chilcott. 

Available from Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix.

The Short Game. Directed by Josh Greenbaum.

Available from Netflix.

Small Is Beautiful. Directed by Jeremy Beasley. 

Available from Amazon Instant Video.

Small World - Games - 250

Micro games are designed to utilize very few components while still creating an engaging experience for the players. 

Objective:

1) Choose and play a microgame from the list below.

Coup. # of Players: 2-6. Available at your friendly local gaming store or from Amazon 

Eight Minute Empire or Eight Minute Empire:Legends. # of Players: 2-5. Available at your friendly local gaming store or from Amazon.

Where Art Thou Romeo. # of Players: 2-5. Available at your friendly local gaming store or from Amazon. 

Bicycle Race. # of Players: 4-6. Free print and play available from Good Little Games.

 Combo. # of Players: 4-6. Free print and play available from Good Little Games.

2) Share a photograph of yourself playing the game on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts and #MicroGame.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

3) Comment below and tell us what microgame your played and what you thought of it.

Small World - Find - 300

Not all hides are created equally. When a geocacher or letterboxer puts time and effort into crafting a high quality hide, the experience for both hider and finder is elevated. 

Objective:

Hide a "high quality" geocache or letterbox.

Details:

1) (Optional) Take this survey from Quest Scout's sister company, Skyward Spark, that asks what makes a high quality geocache hide. This will help you get your juices flowing as to what a "high quality find" means to you.

2) Create and hide* a high quality micro. Hiding a micro over a larger container adds an extra layer of challenge to keeping your hide fun and interesting. 

Note: If you're not sure what "micro" means, check out this objective!

3) In the comments below, describe your hide. What did you do to ensure your hide was of high quality?

4) Photograph your hide (in any stage) and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tags #QuestScouts, #QualityHide and #Geocaching or #Letterboxing.

Remember, if you post to a public Instagram or Twitter account with the tag #QuestScouts your photo will show up on our Scout Board for other Quest Scouts to view and interact with.

*A "hide" can be either a geocache or letterbox. Not familiar with either? Watch this video by Groundspeak, the #1 lister of geocaches or read about letterboxing from Atlas Quest.

Small World - Find - 150

Often abundant in urban areas, micros allow for hides where larger containers would not normally fit. Some are "evil," others are an easy find that point out unique locations. Go find one!

Objective:

Locate a micro sized geocache or letterbox.

Details:

1) Locate a micro sized geocache or letterbox.*

The geocaching community calls them "Micros" while letterboxers call them "Microboxes," but in both cases these hides are described as the size of a film can or smaller. While less room for trade items or larger stamps, micros can still bring you to awesome locations and are often hidden in fun, innovative ways. 

Note: This objective should not be overlapped with another objective "find" objective. 

2) Tell us about your experience making the find in the comments below! If applicable, include the geocache/letterbox number. 

3) Document your find with a photo and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. Alternatively, you can also share your experience in our Facebook group.

*Not familiar with location based games? Watch this video by Groundspeak about geocaching or read about letterboxing from Atlas Quest. 

Small World - Photography - 100

Macro photography captures images in which the subject is extremely close-up to the camera lens. No matter what tools you use, this objective will have you noticing details that are often overlooked.

Objective:

Capture and share an image that utilizes macro photography.

Details:

1) Watch the above video from Mike Brown for a short introduction to macro photography. If you'd like to go more in depth, this introduction to macro photography from Tim Cooper and B & H is also great.

2) Take a walk around the neighborhood and experiment with macro photography. The more shots you take the better!

3) Share your best macro photo on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. You can also share your experiences in our Facebook group.

Small World - DIY - 300

Some may call it a terrarium, but isn't it more fun to think of it as your own,  tiny world? What type of world will you create?

Objective:

Make your own "small world" in a bottle.

Details:

1) Gather your supplies! All terrariums are different, so supplies vary. Generally speaking, you'll need the following things:

A Clear Container: Traditional terrariums are sealed, but the definition has (debatably) loosened up over the years. 

Soil and Small Rocks: Layer the small rocks underneath the soil for drainage. Some people also add charcoal to their terrariums.

Moss: You can gather your moss from nature, but be warned- Often times gathering moss from the outdoors means your terrarium will end up harboring bugs. (There are some gross stories out there.) Alternatively, you can grow your own moss! 

Small Plant(s): In addition to moss, many people choose to add small plants to their terrarium. 

Mini Figurines: Adding "inhabitants" to your terrarium takes it from a plant vessel to a "small world." Check out this Star Wars themed terrarium, or this prehistoric terrarium, for inspiration.

2) Assemble your terrarium. If you need some guidance, start with these tutorials from Happy Co Lucky and Amanda Wang. It might also be helpful to check out an instructional book from your local library.

3) Take a photograph of your terrarium and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. You can also share your experiences in our Facebook group.

Small World - Art - 250

While sometimes thought of as a kid's medium, shrink plastic has the ability to be elevated to the next level. Take this opportunity to push the medium to places you've never taken it before.

Objective:

Create a small work of art using shrink film.

Details:

1) Gather your supplies! You'll need permanent markers and a sheet of shrink plastic. 

2) Create your shrink plastic masterpiece. (Here's a helpful, but slightly cheesy, tutorial.)

If you need inspiration, check out:

State Love Pendants from Doodlecraft

Ghosts from Allison Sommers

Shrink Plastic Ring Bowl from Alisa Burke

and more on Pinterest!

3) Take a photograph of your shrink art and share it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. You can also share your art in our Facebook group.

Small World - Visit - 250

Replica [rep-li-kuh]  (noun)

1. a copy or reproduction of a work of art produced by the maker of the original or under his or her supervision.

2. any close or exact copy or reproduction.

Objective:

Locate and visit a three dimensional replica of a building or landscape.

Details:

1) Identify and locate a replica of a building or landscape you'd like to visit.

2) Travel to the replica that you chose. 

3) Document your visit with a photograph and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. You can also share your

4) Tell us about your experience in the comments below. What replica did you visit? What level of detail did it contain? 

Small World - Literature - 300

People all over the world have begun taking the curation and loaning of books into their own hands with "Free Little Libraries." Just like their large counterparts, these sidewalk structures host books for anyone to borrow. 

Objective:

Borrow a book from a Little Free Library.

Details:

1) Locate an active Little Free Library you'd like to visit.

2) Visit the Little Free Library you chose.

3) (Optional) Borrow a book from the Little Free Library

4) Take a photo that documents your visit and post it on Instagram or Twitter with the tag #QuestScouts. You can also share your experiences in our Facebook group.

5) Tell us about your experience in the comments below. Where was your Little Free Library? Who did you visit the library with? What did the library look like? What book, if any, did you borrow?