May: Culture

May – Culture

In the Mandalorian culture, your family (clan) means everything. Be it your direct family, or those who have been adopted into your clan, Mandalorians are proud of where they came from, where they are going, and how they honor their family and clan mates. In the Mandalorian language of Mando’a, there is a saying – “Aliit ori’shya tal’din”, which means family is more than blood!

Challenge:
Mandalorian Family Tree

Novice:
Talk to your parents or a family member about the history of your family. Learn about where your family is from. Ask questions like “How long has you family lived in the country you currently live in?”, and “Did your family emigrate from another country?”. Send what you learned to strill@verdikacorps.com

Journeyman:
Complete the Novice challenge. Draw a family tree showing the family members you know or learn about. You do not need to include their names, just a description of who they are to you (Mom, Dad, Grandfather, Sibling, etc). Take a picture of your family tree off submit it to strill@verdikacorps.com

Expert:
Complete the Novice and Journeyman challenges. Tradition within a Mandalorian clan is an important part of remembering your past and honoring your family. What kind of traditions does your family have? Where did these traditions come from? Send what you learned to strill@verdikacorps.com

Send what level you completed (Novice, Journeyman, or Expert) to strill@verdikacorps.com and remember to include your Verd’ika Mandalorian Name for cred

April: Technology

April – Technology

One thing we all know about Star Wars is how different the technology is compared to what we know. They can travel through space at light speed, going to different solar systems… and I can’t tell you how many times I wished I had a jet pack like Boba Fett. Plus, can you imagine having a droid like R2-D2 at your house?!

Challenge:
Exploring our solar system

Novice:
Of all the technology you have seen in Star Wars that we don’t have on Earth, what do you wish we had? Send a message to strill@verdikacorps.com, telling us what you picked and explain why you wish we had it.

Journeyman:
Space travel is a huge part of Star Wars. Unfortunately, we can’t just hop into the Millennium Falcon and travel to another planet like they do all the time! However, organizations like NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) have been sending crafts in space for many years. You might already know that they have landed crafts on the planet Mars with rover robots (I mean, Droids!) to study the planet. Someday, they are planning to send people to Mars!

With assistance from an adult or parent, see if you can find some pictures that the “Droids” on Mars have taken.  After looking at the pictures, do you think that Mars looks like any planets you have seen in Star Wars?

Expert:
Our solar system is made up of the sun, eight planets, and 146 moons around those eight planets! In addition, there are tons of comets, asteroids, space rocks, ice, and several dwarf planets, including Pluto.
Here is a picture of the planets we have discovered in our solar system.

Pick one of the planets, and with assistance from an adult or parent, so some research on the planet. Things to find out might include:
-How far is the planet from Earth and the Sun?
-What is the planet made out of? (Rock, metal, gas, etc.)
-How long does it take the planet to orbit around the Sun?

Send a message to strill@verdikacorps.com telling us which interesting facts you learned about the planet you picked.

Send what level you completed (Novice, Journeyman, or Expert) to strill@verdikacorps.com and remember to include your Verd’ika Mandalorian Name for credit.

March: Cultivating

March – Cultivating

Many hunts are short, lasting only a few days or even weeks. However, there are legends of great hunters that tracked and followed their prey to alien worlds and stalked them for months or years waiting for the right chance to strike. Sometimes these worlds were starved for resources and the Hunter has to set up a semi-permanent camp to act as a central base (or place of concealment), and grow their own food to be able to continue their hunt.

Challenge:
Grow an edible plant.

Novice:
With the help of a parent, choose seeds from a plant that produces something edible. Start the seeds (get them to germinate) and then plant them in soil.

Journeyman:
Building on the Novice Level Challenge, start some seeds and get them to germinate, plant them, and get them to mature into a seedlings that are ready to be planted in the ground or some kind of growing pot. Once you’ve planted them in the growing pot or ground take a picture.

Expert:
Building on the Journeyman Level Challenge, with the help of a parent – cook (if needed) and eat something that came from one of the surviving seeds you first planted (this can be a fruit, grain, nuts, a tuber, or even the leaves of the plant – whatever is the edible part). This challenge will take some time, probably more than one month to complete. Take a picture of the meal created from your plant.

Send what level you completed (Novice, Journeyman, or Expert) with a photo of what you accomplished to strill@verdikacorps.com and remember to include your Verd’ika Mandalorian Name for credit.

February: Starship Maintenance

February – Starship Maintenance

Taking care of your starship is super important! If you watch any of the Star Wars movies or shows, you’ll probably see someone doing some maintenance or repairs on a ship at some point! Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon is notorious for breaking down at the worst possible time, he and Chewie are always fixing something!  A starship is both a vehicle and a home for many people in the Star War universe. Just like they have to keep their ships up and running, we have to take care of our vehicles and homes, to make sure they are working correctly!

Challenge:
Starship Maintenance

Novice:
Find a time in a Star Wars movie or show where someone is doing maintenance or repairs on a starship. See if you can hear them say what part of the ship they are working on, or if they name a tool they are using. Reach out to the Strill Battalion Sergeant (strill@verdikacorps.com) if you are having trouble finding something, and we can send you some hints.

Journeyman:
A starship is both a vehicle and a home in the Star War universe. Just like our own vehicles and homes, we need to take care of them to make sure they are working correctly! Ask an adult or parent about a time they had to perform a repair or do maintenance on their vehicle or home. Ask them what they were fixing, and what tools they needed to get the job done.

Expert:
Ask an adult or parent if there are any small repairs that are needed around your home, or with a vehicle. If there is anything you can safely assist with, help them get it done! Be sure to use all proper protective gear, and to be safe using any tools that are needed. If there is nothing that needs to be repaired, help with cleaning an area of your home or a vehicle. Keeping your starship tidy is also a very important part of making sure everything runs well, and to make sure you are organized before your next adventure!

Send what level you completed (Novice, Journeyman, or Expert) with a photo of what you made to strill@verdikacorps.com and remember to include your Verd’ika Mandalorian Name for credit.

January: Cuisine

January – Cuisine

On long hunts, eventually pre-packaged food runs out (or you get sick of how it tastes straight out of the package). Mandalorians must know how to prepare their own food. Warriors from the Mando home-world are famous for loving spicy & seasoned food!

Challenge:
Prepare a meal

Novice:
With the help of a parent, prepare a meal for yourself. It should consist of a main item, a side item, and a beverage. This may be a cold (from the refrigerator) or warm (oven, stove-top, or microwave) meal.

Journeyman:
With the help of a parent, prepare a meal for yourself and your family. One or more of the items should be warm (either prepared using an oven, stove-top or microwave).

Expert:
With the help of a parent, plan, purchase the ingredients for, and prepare a meal for yourself and your family. One or more of the items should be warm (either prepared using an oven, stove-top, or microwave).

Send what level you completed (Novice, Journeyman, or Expert) with a photo of what you made to strill@verdikacorps.com and remember to include your Verd’ika Mandalorian Name for credit.