Backpacking Merit Badge Course Description and Bring With List This course is intended for scouts ages 13 or older who want an introduction to backpacking. It is good preparation for an upcoming first backpacking trip. Scouts, bring the Backpacking Merit Badge pamphlet, a merit badge worksheet, and scoutmaster signed merit badge card. Bring a backpack and gear needed for a 3 day/2 night backpacking trip of at least 15 miles. A list of suggested items for such a trip is below. If you don t have all the gear or can t borrow some, that s OK, we won t need it all anyway. Try to have your backpack weighing about 25 to 35 pounds, or about 25% of your body weight. Bring ingredients for a cooked lunch for 1 or 2 people. We will go over some requirements in the morning, then hike a mile with a loaded backpack, and cook our own lunch using a backpacking stove and liquid fuel. After lunch we will clean our cooking gear and hike back. We will work more requirements in the afternoon. We should be able to complete all requirements except 8c, 10, and 11. The course limit is 8 participants Bring With List The Outdoor Essentials 1. Pocketknife 2. Personal First-Aid Kit 3. Extra Clothing 4. Rain Gear 5. Water Bottle, filled 6. Flashlight 7. Trail Food 8. Matches and Fire Starters 9. Sun and Insect Protection 10. Map and Compass
Clothes (adjust for the weather and season) T-shirt Long-sleeved shirt Underwear Hiking shorts Long pants Socks (synthetic blend or wool) Hiking shoes or boots (well fitting and broken in) Sweater or jacket Brimmed hat, stocking hat Gloves Bandanna Rain gear Personal Gear Backpack with rain cover and hiking poles Sleeping bag and pad Eating gear (mess kit) Personal toiletry kit (Kleenex, TP, toothbrush, wash cloth, etc.) Misc.: Medications, insect repellent, bug net, paper & pencil, whistle, camera, binoculars, fishing gear, etc. Group Gear Water purification system, collapsible water jug Cooking stove, fuel Cooking kit (pots, pans, utensils, & cleaning gear, sponge) Food and recipes (if needed) Shelter, tarp, tent, ground cloth, hammock Misc.: Group first-aid kit, hand sanitizer, rope, bear bag, backpacking trowel, etc.
Bird Study Merit Badge Course Description. Birds are among the most fascinating creatures on Earth. Many are beautifully colored. Others are accomplished singers. Many of the most important discoveries about birds and how they live have been made by amateur birders. In pursuing this hobby, a Scout might someday make a valuable contribution to our understanding of the natural world. Please have read the Bird Study Merit Badge book If possible please bring a bird field guide. Available at Scout Shop or the local library Please complete requirement #8.
Camping Merit Badge Course Description. Camping is one of the best-known methods of the Scouting movement. When he founded the Scouting movement in the early 1900s, Robert Baden-Powell encouraged every Scout to learn the art of living out-of-doors. He believed a young person able to take care of himself while camping would have the confidence to meet life's other challenges, too. It was just as true then as it is now. Please have read the Camping Merit Badge book Requirement #1a and 1b. Be prepared to discuss and demonstrate/show your first aid skills. We will cover requirement #2. Requirement #3. Make a written plan for an overnight trek and show how to get to your camping spot using a topographical map and compass OR a topographical map and a GPS receiver. If no GPS receiver unit is available, explain how to use one to get to your camping spot. Requirement #4a Make a duty roster showing how your patrol is organized for actual overnight campout. List assignments for each member. Requirement #4b Help a Scout patrol or a Webelos Scout unit in your area prepare for an actual campout. Including creating a duty roster, menu planning, equipment needs, general planning and setting up camp. Requirements 5a Prepare a list of clothing you would need for an overnight campouts in both warm and cold weather. Explain the term layering Requirement 5b-5e. Be prepared to discuss and present yourself and your pack Be prepared/knowledgeable to discuss requirement 6a-6e. Requirement 7a have a checklist prepared. Requirement 7b Have your pack and gear that you will need to properly demonstrate. Requirement 8a-8b Be prepared to discuss Requirement 8c Have a camp menu prepared and be prepared to discuss. Requirement 8d. May or may not be covered, please be prepared. Requirement 9a Please have your Scoutmaster sign off on your camp log and bring. Requirement 9b. If time permits we will go on a backpack hike for the four miles. Please be prepared to discuss #10.
Cooking Merit Badge Course Description. The Cooking merit badge introduces principles of cooking that can be used both at home or in the outdoors. Scouts who earn this badge will learn about food safety, nutritional guidelines, meal planning, and methods of food preparation, and will review the variety of culinary (or cooking) careers available. Please have read the Cooking Merit Badge book. Please be prepared to discuss/show/demonstrate the following 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d 3a, 3b 4a, 4b, 4c 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, We will be doing 6c and 6e, so be prepared. Be prepared for 6d (if we have time) We will be doing 7a, 7b We may substitute 7c for 6d (so be prepared) Be prepared to discuss 8.
Cycling Merit Badge Course Description. Since 1911, hundreds of thousands of Scouts have made the most of their two-wheel adventures by earning the Cycling merit badge. Whether you just got your first bicycle or have been cycling for years, you will learn more about your bike and what it can do by working on the requirements for this badge. Please have read the Cycling Merit Badge book. You will need a bike as we will do requirement one of the ten mile bike rides from 7a #2 (we understand that boys will be coming with their Troops and that Troop trailers might not be able to accomidate multiple bikes. Please be creative, have your parents drive it down. Please be prepared to discuss/show/demonstrate the following: 1a, 1b, 1c 2 3a, 3b, 3c 4 5 6 7a 1 We will be doing this
Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge Course Description. Scouts are often called upon to help because they know first aid and they know about the discipline and planning needed to react to an emergency situation. Earning this merit badge helps a Scout to be prepared by learning the actions that can be helpful and needed before, during, and after an emergency. Please note the first requirement. Earn the First Aid Merit Badge. A Scout can still start Emergency Preparedness but must earn First Aid to earn a completed merit badge. Please have read the Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge book. This will greatly help you with this merit badge. Please be prepared to discuss/show/demonstrate the following: 2a, 2b Have a chart prepared 2c, bring your plan 3a, 3b,3c, 3d 4 5 6a, 6b, 6c It will be the counselor s goal to complete 6c with individuals present at camp. 7 If we are able to do 6c we will then do 7. Be prepared 8a bring your plan We will discuss 8b, but the requirement states. Before the exercise, describe your part to your counselor. There is no possible way to sign this off unless your Troop is doing a Troop mobilization in the afternoon. 8c bring a list of the contents. 9
First Aid Merit Badge Course Description. First aid - caring for injured or ill persons until they can receive professional medical care - is an important skill for every Scout. With some knowledge of first aid, a Scout can provide immediate care and help to someone who is hurt or who becomes ill. First aid can help prevent infection and serious loss of blood. It could even save a limb or a life. Please have read the First Aid Merit Badge book. Please be prepared to discuss/show/demonstrate the following: Bring your Scout book to help in satisfying requirement #1 Please bring your first aid kit for requirement 2d with you.
Hiking Merit Badge Course Description. Hiking is a terrific way to keep your body and mind in top shape, both now and for a lifetime. Walking packs power into your legs and makes your heart and lungs healthy and strong. Exploring the outdoors challenges you with discoveries and new ideas. Your senses will improve as you use your eyes and ears to gather information along the way. Please have read the Hiking Merit Badge book. Please be prepared to discuss/show/demonstrate the following: 1a and 1b 2 3 Bring your written plan for #4
Pioneering Merit Badge Course Description. Pioneering the knowledge of ropes, knots, and splices along with the ability to build rustic structures by lashing together poles and spars is among the oldest of Scouting's skills. Practicing rope use and completing projects with lashings also allow Scouts to connect with past generations, ancestors who used many of these skills as they sailed the open seas and lived in America's forests and prairies. Please have read the Pioneering Merit Badge book. Please be prepared to discuss the following: 1a and 1b 3 4 5 Bring your Scout book to help with requirement #2a Be prepared to demonstrate 2b and 2c Req. 6, 7, 8 and 10 will be performed in class. Be prepared to perform requirement 9
Search and Rescue Merit Badge Course Description. A Scout is helpful and should always be ready to render aid to those in trouble. Being prepared is more than a motto. Please have read the Search and Rescue Merit Badge book. After reading the book you should be able to discuss the following 1a and 1b 2a, 2b, 2c 3a, 3b, 3c1-3c8 4 5 10 The following will be worked on during the class period. But please have read the book to help you in being familiar with: 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d 9a, 9b