An Opening Ceremony providers a definite beginning. The familiar routine, whether at the Scout hall or camp , helps Scouts orient their thinking and feel at home wherever they are.

Preparations
The duty patrol makes everything ready to set a smart tone for the meeting.

The duty patrol leader calls the troop into horseshoe formation and to the alert, then hands over to the person conducting the ceremony. Scouters stand either in line abreast behind the flagstaff facing the troop or on either end of the horseshoe facing the flagstaff.. You want everyone to be able to see the flag when standing at alert. 

The duty patrol Scout who will break the flag takes up position by the halyards. A Scout Counsellor calls “Troop alert.!” and the Scout and the flag reaches up as high as possible with the right hand to take hold of the breaking halyard. 

The Troop Scouter calls “Troop , salute!” and the Scout brings down the right hand smartly, breaking out the flag. Then the Scout takes a couple of turns around the cleat with the loose halyard, marches a predetermined number of paces into the horseshoe, turns about and salutes. When this Scout returns to the alert, the rest of the troop follows suit. 

The Scouter in charge now takes over while the duty patrol leader marches back to the flagstaff, secures any loose halyard and returns to the patrol around the outside of the horseshoe. 

Prayers come next, if they’re part of your opening.

After this brief period of devotion, place the troop at ease and continue with notices or information about the next activity. If you have a lot to say, allow the Scouts to squat or sit.