Anyone designed a Science curriculum from BSA Merit Badge requirements?

[bugs]

I have been wrestling with what to have my ds for study for science during his 8th grade (next) year. He recently joined BSA. Anyway, after looking over the merit badges and their requirements I felt I had a Eureka! moment. So I anticipate him working through most of the Natural Science and Conservation badges.

 

Have any of you "designed" such a curriculum and do you have any suggestions?

 

I'm new to the who boy scout thing but I know I am excited for all the learning in store for my child :D.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

We used a lot of the similar cub scout requirements when the kids were younger. I think that there are some great merit badges and that you son will probably learn a ton.

 

Since he's new to scouts, make sure that he talks to the scoutmaster and gets the cards for the merit badges he's working on and has a counselor assigned (you can help guide him to the right resources, but actually signing off that the requirements were met has to be done by a registered merit badge counselor)*.

 

I'm planning out an American Studies elective for my kids for the coming year. I'm intending to make sure that they have a chance to complete the requirements for a half dozen related badges along the way.

 

*You can register as a merit badge counselor. And there is no restriction on parents' counseling their sons. However, I've chosen to hang back from counseling my own kids unless I'm counseling several scouts on that badge. I figure that my kids see a lot of me already and already have heard my perspective on most of these topics. I don't want them to miss out on the experience of having to contact and coordinate with other adults (not to mention keeping to a good schedule for finishing badges).

[calandalsmom]

Not a bad idea at all.

 

I set off on a google search and turned this up:

 

http://homeschoolscouting.com/course-descriptions/earth-science-lab-ii

[Pam B]

I just went to the Nashville Expo. There was a lady who developed unit studies that once completed, the child would earn a merit badge. It's called "Once-A-Day-Unit-Studies"

 

HTH

[calandalsmom]

http://www.homeschoollegacy.com/Boy-Scouts-of-America.html

[bugs]

However, I've chosen to hang back from counseling my own kids unless I'm counseling several scouts on that badge. I figure that my kids see a lot of me already and already have heard my perspective on most of these topics. I don't want them to miss out on the experience of having to contact and coordinate with other adults (not to mention keeping to a good schedule for finishing badges).

 

Yep, I've decided this as well. I also plan to have him practice scheduling (yikes).

 

Calandalsmom, thank you so much for the links!

 

Pam B, I will google that information.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I have been wrestling with what to have my ds for study for science during his 8th grade (next) year. He recently joined BSA. Anyway, after looking over the merit badges and their requirements I felt I had a Eureka! moment. So I anticipate him working through most of the Natural Science and Conservation badges.

 

Have any of you "designed" such a curriculum and do you have any suggestions?

 

I'm new to the who boy scout thing but I know I am excited for all the learning in store for my child :D.

 

We're already doing a series of science topical studies this year. I just couldn't find a science book that worked for me. Right now we're reading through the Smithsonian Science 101: Ocean Science book by Jennifer Hoffman. I have the kids reading a couple chapters a week and watching one episode of Blue Planet each week.

 

They also have some other assignment, like outlining one of the two page spreads, writing a paragraph on a topic inspired by the video, or drawing a diagram of ocean zones.

 

So this weekend I remembered that there is an oceanography merit badge. I am assigning this week's paper on requirement 3: Describe the characteristics of ocean waves. Point out the differences among the storm surge, tsunami, tidal wave, and tidal bore. Explain the difference between sea, swell, and surf. Explain how breakers are formed.

 

I am planning on assigning some of the other describe/explain/define type requirements as well. When we're done with the Science 101 book, they will also have a collection of diagrams and written work that relates to the badge. It will be up to them to get a counselor and pursue the last couple of requirements, but if they want to they will have the majority of the badge preworked.

 

So while I'm leaving the badge completion up to them, I am using the merit badge outline as a rough outline for major take away points for the subject.

 

I hope this makes sense. I will probably do something similar for geology and maybe a couple of other science topics.

[starwarsmomma]

bumping this up. Love this idea.

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong, we love the troop, but getting his advancements and MB's signed off is beyond annoying-- it's brutal.

 

I'd love some advice on this.

Edited July 28, 2011 by joyfulheart

[Sebastian (a lady)]

bumping this up. Love this idea.

 

Do ya'll have any frustrating issues doing these at home? Even with accountability/him willing to show ALL his work, they seem to have some stigma against him doing them at home.... it's a constant struggle to get things signed off, and frankly I"M getting worn out over it! (I say I"M getting worn out because after they tell him he's doing it wrong, I have to then go and show them how we are doing it right.... uugh) OR when he does it at home, they treat him/us like we're overachieving parents ordering our chldren to work. It's not like that at all, but they have this OPINION of homeschoolers that I just can't seem to break through. LOTS of anti-homeschooling attitudes (no matter what troop we joined, we find this as a problem here)

 

And it's not like he can do it with the troop-- the troop isn't offering the merit badges he needs/wants right now... MAYBE next year. And they dont participate in the "college workshops"...

 

Don't get me wrong, we love the troop, but getting his advancements and MB's signed off is beyond annoying-- it's brutal.

 

I'd love some advice on this.

 

I have a general beef with scout troops that expect badges to be completed as group work.

Who are his counselors? Is it the same old faces he sees at every meeting or is there a cadre of MB counselors. If there isn't a subject matter expert within the troop, he can ask for a counselor from the district at large.

It is worthwhile to have him meet with or at least talk to the counselor before putting together a package of the work he's done for the badge. At least that way, he and the counselor will be on the same page.

 

As much as possible, you should stay out of it. Let him keep going to them and asking them to sign him off. FWIW, the worksheets that are at scouting support websites like MeritBadge.org are optional if they are helpful to the scout. They are not requirements (if they were, that would be listed in the MB booklet). Feed him the lines, role play conversations, help him write lists of questions he has.

 

But if possible, mom and dad need to stay in the background. (YMMV with this. But as both a scout mom and a scout leader, I think that proactive scouts get more results than proactive parents.)

 

One line for him to use is, "I'm studying x this year and I'd like to work on the MB at the same time. Can you sign a blue card and give me the contact info for a counselor." The program is designed to support work that scouts do in school (like when they study Native Americans in school and then complete the Indian Lore badge). Homeschooling shouldn't be different.

 

Are you or dh registered as MB counselors? That would put you on the same footing as other counselors and might give you more insight to the quirks of this troop.

 

BTW, my kids haven't been to any, but the merit badge colleges I've seen allow scouts to register as individuals. One scout shouldn't be held back because the troop isn't attending.

 

BTW, thanks for the reminder. I need to print out some requirements that tie in with our history and science this year. Up to my sons to complete it, but I can give them the reminder.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I did! :seeya: I started another thread earlier this month about this.

 

I wanted to do something for science in my early man unit that related.

 

So I chose:

Fire Safety, Nature Study, Wilderness Survival, Pathfinding and Tracking.

 

I had to tweak them and/or chose the activities I thought he could finish on time. I gave a week for Nature Study and Fire Safety with a little Wilderness Survival in there. I used Pathfinding for the first week of mapping. I love the worksheets they provide as well.

 

For Nature Study

I had him do a Powerpoint presentation with all of the animals. I reduced the number of animals identified, but made them all local. I included some videos from the happy scientist on producers and consumers, along with the nature walk video.

He had to answer questions like:

Name three ways in which plants are important to animals. Name a plant that is important to animals that is protected in your state or region, and explain why it is at risk. And vice versa with animals and plants.

I added Tracking identification to this and made it local.

For Fire Safety

He had to answer the questions about the chemistry and physics of fire. Name the parts of the fire tetradedron. Explain how to put out a grease fire. Along with the actual fire safety checklist and escape plan. I took the 3 ways to build a fire from Wilderness Survival. I didn't get around to much else from Wilderness Survival. I'll probably come back to it another time. Just had a thought....when we get around to Robinson Crusoe.;)

The Happy Scientist videos worked in nicely to these topics. I included the oxygen ones. Other resources I gave him.

Campfire Dude

US Fire Administration

I'd love to work more in here and there. I copied and pasted the badges into a badge page in a virtual notebook just for fun. :D

 

Oh, I love the idea of tying it into early man.

[bugs]

Miss Plum, I love your unit. It inspires me to get my selection organized.

 

We are fortunate that the Scout Leader is a homeschool dad and there are at least 3 hs boys. My son hasn't contacted any of the counselors yet, but I guess it needs to be done soon so we're all on the same page.

 

Sebastian, thanks for the input too.

[Alessandra]

My experience will be less than some here, as ds is in his first year. His camp did the nature badge, among others, and assigned prerequisites to do at home. DD is doing some of the same work, just for fun. (If I use 'we', it doesn't mean ds didn't do the work independently, just that each dc did a project.)

 

For insects, we raised butterflies from Insect Lore (2 batches) ad kept a record of development, photographed them, etc.

 

We got insect collecting equipment and display boxes from Home Science Tools. For id, we used several Golden Guides, the Kaufman guide, and The Practical Entomologist (fantastic book). We went on a field trip w/ the local butterfly society. And we take our insects to the local nature center for id, if we are unsure. We also have a lot of kid books on insects. Oh, and Richard Attenborough's Life in the Undergrowth.

 

For birds, we visited a Wild Birds Unlimited shop & looked at their website to get ideas for building birdhouses/feeders. It's also good to check with a local nature center or store before building bird houses -- for example, BSA often has plans for bluebird houses -- we have no bluebirds in our area.

The National Bird Feeding Society has a lot of info:

 

http://www.birdfeeding.org/

 

We also like Backyard Bird Watching for Kids.

 

For bird id at the feeder, our favorite book is the Peterson one on Feeder Birds. For other id, we use Golden Guides, Peterson, and Sibley. I found Sibley's Birding Basics to be helpful. But probably the best thing we have done is field trips with our local Audubon society -- they id birds that I could not even guess at, plus a few people always have powerful spotting scopes that give superb close-ups. Ds keeps a record of what we see. We also use the Cornell website, Attenborough videos, and a bird song cd. A lot of local birding places have bird lists on the internet, so that can help narrow down your id.

 

We have been doing some other nature activities (even though ds has already earned his mb), but the ones above are the main ones. I have really scoured the websites of all our area nature centers & organizations and have come up with LOTS of opportunities.

 

Oh, and we read the book, Tree of Life, by R. Strauss, as an intro, since the Nature mb is species/group oriented, rather than habitat oriented.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Alessandra