Merit Badge Know How!

Hiking Merit Badge:

1. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while hiking, including hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, sunburn, sprained ankle, insect stings, tick bites, snakebite, blisters, hyperventilation, and altitude sickness.
2. Explain and, where possible, show the points of good hiking practices including the principles of Leave No Trace, hiking safety in the daytime and at night, courtesy to others, choice of footwear, and proper care of feet and footwear.
3. Explain how hiking is an aerobic activity. Develop a plan for conditioning yourself for 10-mile hikes, and describe how you will increase your fitness for longer hikes.
4. Make a written plan for a 10-mile hike. Include map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch.
5. Take five hikes, each on a different day, and each of 10 continuous miles. Prepare a hike plan for each hike. *
6. Take a hike of 20 continuous miles in one day following a hike plan you have prepared. *
7. After each of the hikes (or during each hike if on one continuous "trek") in requirements 5 and 6, write a short report of your experience. Give dates and descriptions of routes covered, the weather, and any interesting things you saw. Share this report with your merit badge counselor.

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Home Repairs Merit Badge:

1. Discuss general precautions related to home repairs. Name at least 10 safe practices that every home repairer should exercise.
2. Under the supervision of your merit badge counselor, do FOUR of the following:
   1. Maintain or recondition a garden tool and show that you know how to clean up and properly store it and other tools.
   2. Install insulation in an attic, wall, or crawl space.
   3. Caulk cracks or joints open to the weather.
   4. Waterproof a basement.
   5. Repair a break in a concrete or asphalt surface.
   6. Repair the screen in a window or door.
   7. Replace a pane of glass.
   8. Solder a broken wire or metal object.
3. Under the supervision of your merit badge counselor, do THREE of the following:
   1. Install or build equipment for storing tools.
   2. Build a workbench
   3. Repair a piece of furniture.
   4. Paint or varnish a piece of furniture, a door, or trim on a house.
   5. Repair a sagging door or gate.
   6. Repair a loose step.
   7. Repair a fence.
4. Under the supervision of your merit badge counselor, do TWO of the following:
   1. Locate a main electrical switch box and know how to replace a fuse or reset a circuit breaker.
   2. Replace an electrical cord or repair a plug or lamp socket.
   3. Install a single-pole light switch.
   4. Replace an electrical wall outlet.
5. Under the supervision of your merit badge counselor, do TWO of the following:
   1. Clear a clogged drain or trap.
   2. Repair a leaky water faucet.
   3. Repair a flush toilet.
   4. Repair a leaky hose or connector.
   5. Clean or replace a sprinkler head.
6. Under the supervision of your merit badge counselor, do THREE of the following:
   1. Paint a wall or ceiling.
   2. Repair or replace damaged tile or linoleum.
   3. Install drapery or curtain rods and then hang drapes or curtains.
   4. Replace window blind cords.
   5. Repair or replace a window sash cord.
   6. Reinforce a picture frame.
   7. Mend an object made of china, glass, or pottery.

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Horsemanship Merit Badge:

1. (a) Describe the safety precautions you should take when handling and caring for a horse.
   (b) Describe the fire safety precautions you should take in a barn and around horses. 
2. Name the 15 main parts of a horse. 
3. Name four leading breeds of horses. Explain the special features for which each breed is known. 
4. Describe the symptoms of colic. Name and describe four other horse health problems.
5. Explain what conformation is and why it is important. Explain the difference between lameness and unsoundness.
6. Explain the importance of hoof care and why a horse might need to wear shoes.
7. Demonstrate how to groom a horse, including picking hooves and caring for a horse after a ride.
8. Explain how to determine what and how much to feed a horse and why the amount and kind of feed are changed according to the activity level and the breed of horse. 
9. Do the following:
   (a) Name 10 parts of the saddle and bridle that you will use, and explain how to care for this equipment.
   (b) Show how to properly saddle and bridle a horse.
   (c) Demonstrate how to safely mount and dismount a horse. 
10. Explain and demonstrate how to approach and lead a horse safely from a stall, corral, or field and how to tie the horse securely. 
11. On level ground, continuously do the following movements after safely mounting the horse. Do them correctly, at ease, and in harmony with the horse.
    (a) Walk the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.
    (b) Walk the horse in a half-circle of not more than 16 feet in radius.
    (c) Trot or jog the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.
    (d) Trot or jog the horse in a half-circle of not more than 30 feet in radius.
    (e) Lope (canter) the horse in a straight line for at least 60 feet.
    (f) Lope (canter) the horse in a half-circle not more than 30 feet in radius.
    (g) Halt straight.
    (h) Back up straight four paces.
    (i) Halt and dismount.

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Indian Lore Merit Badge:

1. Give the history of one American Indian tribe, group, or nation that lives or has lived near you. Visit it, if possible. Tell about traditional dwellings, way of life, tribal government, religious beliefs, family and clan relationships, language, clothing styles, arts and crafts, food preparation, means of getting around, games, customs in warfare, where members of the group now live, and how they live.
2. Do TWO of the following. Focus on a specific group or tribe.
   1. Make an item of clothing worn by members of the tribe.
   2. Make and decorate three items used by the tribe, as approved by your counselor.
   3. Make an authentic model of a dwelling used by an Indian tribe, group, or nation.
   4. Visit a museum to see Indian artifacts. Discuss them with your counselor. Identify at least ten artifacts by tribe or nation, their shape, size, and use.
3. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Learn three games played by a group or tribe. Teach and lead one game with a Scout group.
   2. Learn and show how a tribe traditionally cooked or prepared food. Make three food items.
   3. Give a demonstration showing how a specific Indian group traditionally hunted, fished, or trapped.
4. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Write or briefly describe how life would have been different for the European settlers if there had been no native Americans to meet them when they came to this continent.
   2. Sing two songs in an Indian language. Explain their meanings.
   3. Learn in an Indian language at least twenty-five common terms and their meanings.
   4. Show twenty-five signs in Indian sign language. Include those that will help you ask for water, for food, and where the path or road leads.
   5. Learn in English (or in the language you commonly speak at home or in the troop) an Indian story of at least three hundred words, or any number of shorter ones adding up to three hundred words. Tell the story or stories at a Scout meeting or campfire.
   6. Write or tell about eight things adopted by others from American Indians.
   7. Learn twenty-five Indian place-names. Tell their origins and meanings.
   8. Name five well-known American Indian leaders, either from the past or people of today. Give their tribes or nations. Describe what they did or do now that makes them notable.
   9. Learn about the Iroquois Confederacy, including how and why it was formed. Tell about its governing system. Describe some of the similarities and differences between the governments of the United States and of the Six Nations (the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy).

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Insect Study Merit Badge:

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Landscape Architecture Merit Badge:

1. Explain the differences between a landscape architect and a horticulturist, a landscape contractor, an architect, an urban planner, and a civil engineer. Give an example of the work each might do that is unique to that vocation. How might people in these positions work with a landscape architect?
2. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Visit a landscape architect's office or invite a landscape architect to your troop meeting to tell about his or her work. Find out about and discuss the following with your merit badge counselor:
      1. What a landscape architect's daily work is like.
      2. The education one must have to be a professional landscape architect.
      3. The methods used in developing a design.
      4. The drawing tools and computer equipment used in design.
   2. Log on to the American Society of Landscape Architects' Web site  and find out more about the landscape architecture profession and schools that educate landscape architects. Using documents printed from this Web site, report to your counselor what you have learned.
3. Go to a completed landscape project that a landscape architect has designed. Before you visit the site, obtain a plan of the design from the landscape architect if one is available.
4. Make a report in the form of a short talk to your Scout troop on what you found in requirement 3. Discuss the following:
   1. Tell whether the design had separate spaces, a clear path system, and sun and shade variety.
   2. Tell about the places to sit, eat, or park a car.
   3. Tell whether you were always comfortable and protected.
   4. Tell about some of the trees, shrubs, and ground covers used in the design.
5. Identify five shrubs, five trees, and one ground cover, being sure that you select examples of different shapes, sizes, and textures. With the help of your counselor or a local nursery, choose plants that will grow in your area. Bring pictures of the different planting materials or, if possible, examples of their branches, leaves, or flowers to a troop meeting. Be prepared to tell how you might use each in the design of a landscape.
6. Look at and study a place of worship or school grounds to find the place where most people arrive by bus or car. Show you can do the following:
   1. Using a measuring tape, measure and draw the entry and its nearby area using a scale of 1/8 inch equal to 1 foot on an 11-by-17-inch piece of paper. Be sure to include the driveway and the wall and door where people enter the school or place of worship. Indicate any sidewalks, structures, trees, and plants within the study area. Make a copy of this plan to save the original. Do the next two items on copies.
   2. On one copy, use directional arrows to indicate where the water drains across the site, where ditches occur, and where water stands for a longer period of time.
   3. Decide how you can make the place safer and more comfortable for those using it. Redesign the area on another copy of the plan. You may want to include new walks, covered waiting areas, benches, space-defining plantings of trees and shrubs, and drainage structures.

Law Merit Badge:

1. Define "law." Tell some of its sources. Describe functions it serves.
2. Discuss two of the following:
   1. The Justinian Code, The Code of Hammurabi, and the Magna Carta.
   2. The development of the jury system.
   3. Two famous trials in history.
3. Tell what civil law is; criminal law. Tell the main differences between them. Give examples of each.
4. Ask five people (not more than one from your immediate family) about the role of law enforcement officers in our society. Discuss their answers with them. Go to a law enforcement officer in your neighborhood and ask him about his responsibilities and duties. Report your findings.
5. Tell what a contract is. Must all contracts be in writing? Explain. Tell about several laws that have been passed to protect the consumer and the seller. Tell about several organizations there are to help them.
6. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Attend a session of a civil or criminal court. Write 250 words or more on what you saw.
   2. Plan and conduct a mock trial with your troop or school class. After the trial is over, discuss it with the group.
7. Arrange a visit with a lawyer who works for a business, bank, title company, or government. Find out his or her duties and responsibilities. Report what you learned.
   • If it is impossible for your to arrange such a visit, discuss with your counselor the duties and responsibilities of a lawyer who works for one of the groups listed.
8. Explain the requirements for becoming a lawyer in your state. Describe how judges are selected in your state.
9. Make a list of 15 jobs which deal with some aspect of law or legal processes. Tell which you prefer. Why?
10. Tell where a person can go to obtain the help of a lawyer if they are unable to pay for one. Tell what you can do if you can afford a lawyer but do not know of any in your area.

Leatherwork Merit Badge:

1. Identify and demonstrate to your counselor the safe use of leatherworking tools. Show correct procedures for handling leathercraft dyes, cements, and finished. Know first aid for cuts, internal poisoning, and skin irritation.
2. Explain to your counselor
   1. Where leather comes from
   2. What kinds of hides are used to make leather
   3. What are five types of leather
   4. What are the best uses for each type of leather
3. Make one or more articles of leather that use at least five of the following steps:
   1. Pattern layout and transfer
   2. Cutting leather
   3. Punching holes
   4. Carving or stamping surface designs.
   5. Applying dye or stain and finish to the project.
   6. Assembly by lacing or stitching
   7. Setting snaps and rivets
   8. Dressing edges
4. Recondition or show that you can take proper care of your shoes, a baseball glove, a saddle, furniture or other articles of leather.
5. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Learn about the commercial tanning process. Report about it to your merit badge counselor.
   2. Tan the skin of a small animal. Describe the safety precautions you will take and the tanning method that you used.
   3. Braid or plait an article out of leather or vinyl lace.
   4. Visit a leather-related business. This could be a leathercraft supply company, a tannery, a leather goods or shoe factory, or a saddle shop. Report on your visit to your counselor.

Lifesaving Merit Badge:

1. Before doing requirements 2 through 15
   1. Complete Second Class rank requirements 7a through 7c and First Class rank requirements 9a through 9c.
      
      Second Class rank requirements 7a through 7c:
      
      (7a) Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim.
      
      (7b) Demonstrate your ability to jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, turn sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place.
      
      (7c) Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
      
      First Class rank requirements 9a through 9c:
      
      (9a) Tell what precautions should be taken for a safe trip afloat.
      
      (9b) Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
      
      (9c) With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. (The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water).
   2. Swim continuously for 400 yards using each of the following strokes in a strong manner for at least 50 continuous yards: front crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke.
2. Explain the following:
   1. Common drowning situations and how to prevent them.
   2. How to identify persons in the water who need assistance.
   3. The order of methods in water rescue.
   4. How rescue techniques vary depending on the setting and the condition of the person needing assistance.
   5. Situations for which in-water rescues should not be undertaken.
3. Demonstrate "reaching" rescues using various items such as arms, legs, towels, shirts, paddles, and poles.
4. Demonstrate "throwing" rescues using various items such as lines, ring buoys, rescue bags, and free-floating supports. Successfully place at least one such aid within reach of a practice victim 25 feet from shore.
5. Show or explain the use of rowboats, canoes, and other small craft in performing rescues.
6. List various items that can be used as rescue aids in a noncontact swimming rescue. Explain why buoyant aids are preferred.
7. Perform the following equipment-based rescues for a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore. Use a proper entry and a strong approach stroke. Speak to the subject to determine his condition and to provide instructions and encouragement.
   1. Present a rescue tube to the subject, release it, and escort the victim to safety.
   2. Present a rescue tube to the subject and use it to tow the victim to safety.
   3. Present a buoyant aid other than a rescue tube to the subject, release it, and escort the victim to safety.
   4. Present a buoyant aid other than a rescue tube to the subject and use it to tow the victim to safety.
   5. Remove street clothes in 20 seconds or less and use a non-buoyant aid, such as a shirt or towel, to tow the subject to safety. Explain when it is appropriate to remove heavy clothing before attempting a swimming rescue.
8. Explain the importance of avoiding contact with an active victim and describe lead-and-wait tactics.
9. Perform the following nonequipment rescues for a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore. Begin in the water from a position near the subject. Speak to the subject to determine his condition and to provide instructions and encouragement.
   1. Provide a swim-along assist for a calm, responsive, tired swimmer moving with a weak forward stroke.
   2. Perform an armpit tow for a calm, responsive, tired swimmer resting with a back float.
   3. Perform a cross-chest carry for an exhausted, passive victim who does not respond to instructions to aid himself.
10. In deep water, show how to escape from a victim's grasp on your wrist. Repeat for front and rear holds about the head and shoulders.
11. Perform the following rescues for an unconscious practice subject at or near the surface 30 feet from shore. Use a proper entry and strong approach stroke. Speak to the subject and splash water on him to determine his condition before making contact. Remove the victim from the water, with assistance if needed, and position for CPR.
    1. Perform an equipment assist using a buoyant aid.
    2. Perform a front approach and wrist tow.
    3. Perform a rear approach and armpit tow.
12. Describe how to respond if a victim submerges before being reached by a rescuer, and do the following:
    1. Recover a 10-pound weight in 8 to 10 feet of water using a feetfirst surface dive.
    2. Repeat using a headfirst surface dive.
13. Demonstrate knowledge of resuscitation procedures:
    1. Describe how to recognize the need for rescue breathing and CPR.
    2. Demonstrate proper CPR technique for at least 3 minutes using a mannequin designed to simulate ventilations and compressions.
14. Demonstrate management of a spinal injury:
    1. Explaining the signs and symptoms of a spinal injury.
    2. Support a face up victim in calm, shallow water.
    3. Turn a subject from a facedown to a faceup position while maintaining support.
15. Show that you know first aid for other injuries or illnesses that could occur while swimming or boating, including hypothermia, heat reactions, muscle cramps, sunburn, stings, and hyperventilation.

Mammal Study Merit Badge:

1. Explain the meaning of "animal," "invertebrate," "vertebrate," and "mammal." Name three characteristic that distinguish mammals from all other animals.
2. Explain how the animal kingdom is classified. Explain where mammals fit in the classification of animals. Classify three mammals from phylum through species.
3. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Spend 3 hours in each of two different kinds of natural habitats or at different elevations. List the different mammal species and individual members that you identified by sight or sign. Tell why all mammals do not live in the same kind of habitat.
   2. Spend 3 hours on each of 5 days on at least a 25-acre area. List the mammal species you identified by sight or sign.
   3. From study and reading, write a simple history of one nongame mammal that lives in your area. Tell how this mammal lived before its habitat was affected in any way by man. Tell how it reproduces, what it eats, what eats it, and its natural habitat. Describe its dependency upon plants, upon other animals (including man), and how they depend upon it. Tell how it is helpful or harmful to man.
4. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Under the guidance of a nature center or natural history museum, make two study skins of rats or mice. Tell the uses of study skins and mounted specimens respectively.
   2. Take good pictures of two kinds of mammals in the wild. Record light conditions, film used, exposure, and other factors, including notes on the activities of the pictured animals.
   3. Write a life history of a native game mammal that lives in your area, covering the points outlined in requirement 3c. List sources for this information.
   4. Make and bait a tracking pit. Report what mammals and other animals came to the bait.
   5. Visit a natural history museum. Report on how specimens are prepared and cataloged. Explain the purposes of museums.
   6. Write a report of 500 words on a book about a mammal species.
   7. Trace two possible food chains of carnivorous mammals from soil through four stages to the mammal.
5. Work with your counselor, select and carry out one project that will influence the numbers of one or more mammals.

Medicine Merit Badge:

1. Discuss with your counselor the influence that EIGHT of the following people had on the history of medicine:
   1. Hippocrates
   2. William Harvey
   3. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
   4. Edward Jenner
   5. Florence Nightingale
   6. Louis Pasteur
   7. Gregor Mendel
   8. Joseph Lister
   9. Robert Koch
   10. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
   11. Marie and Pierre Curie
   12. Walter Reed
   13. Karl Landsteiner
   14. Alexander Fleming
   15. Jonas Salk
   16. James Watson and Francis Crick
2. Explain the Hippocratic Oath to your counselor, and compare the original version to a more modern one. Discuss to whom those subscribing to the original version of the oath owe the greatest allegiance.
3. Discuss the health care provider-patient relationship with your counselor, and the importance of such a relationship in the delivery of quality care to the patient. Describe the role of confidentiality in this relationship.
4. Do the following:
   1. Describe the roles the following people play in the delivery of health care in your state. (Note: Not all may exist in your state.)
      1. Physician
      2. Chiropractor
      3. Optometrist
      4. Podiatrist
      5. Pharmacist
      6. Psychologist
      7. Physician's assistant
      8. Nurse practitioner
      9. Nurse-midwife
      10. Registered nurse
      11. Licensed vocational/practical nurse
      12. Medical assistant
      13. Emergency medical technician
      14. Medical laboratory technologist
      15. Radiologic technologist
      16. Physical therapist
      17. Occupational therapist
      18. Respiratory therapist
   2. Describe the educational and licensing requirements for five of those in 4a : other than 4a1 : practicing health care in your state.
5. 1. Tell what is meant by the term "primary care" with regard to a medical specialty. Briefly describe the types of work done by physicians in the following "core" specialties:
      1. Internal medicine (a "primary care" specialty)
      2. Family practice (a "primary care" specialty)
      3. Obstetrics/gynecology (a "primary care" specialty)
      4. Pediatrics (a "primary care" specialty)
      5. Psychiatry
      6. Surgery
   2. Describe the additional educational requirements for those specialties.
6. 1. Briefly describe the types of work performed by physicians in FIVE of the following specialties or subspecialties:
      1. Allergy/immunology
      2. Anesthesiology
      3. Cardiovascular disease
      4. Colon and rectal surgery
      5. Dermatology
      6. Emergency medicine
      7. Endocrinology and metabolism
      8. Gastroenterology
      9. Geriatric medicine
      10. Hematology/oncology
      11. Infectious disease
      12. Nephrology
      13. Neurological surgery
      14. Neurology
      15. Nuclear medicine
      16. Ophthalmology
      17. Orthopedic surgery
      18. Otolaryngology/head and neck surgery
      19. Pathology
      20. Physical medicine and rehabilitation/sports medicine
      21. Plastic, reconstructive, and maxillofacial surgery
      22. Preventive medicine
      23. Radiology
      24. Rheumatology
      25. Thoracic/cardiothoracic surgery
      26. Urology
      27. Vascular surgery
   2. Describe the additional educational requirements for the five specialties or subspecialties you chose in 6a.
7. 1. Visit a physician's office, preferably one who delivers "primary care." (This may be that of your counselor.) Discuss the components of a medical history and physical examination (an official BSA health form may be used to guide this discussion), and become familiar with the instruments used.
      • If this cannot be arranged, demonstrate to your counselor that you understand the components of a medical history and physical, and discuss the instruments involved.
   2. Describe the characteristics of a good diagnostic test to screen for disease (eg, routine blood pressure measurement). Explain briefly why diagnostic tests are not perfect.
   3. Show how to take a blood pressure reading and a pulse reading.
8. Do the following:
   1. Discuss the roles medical societies, the insurance industry, and the government play in influencing the practice of medicine in the United States.
   2. Briefly tell how your state monitors the quality of health care within its borders, and how it provides care to those who do not have health insurance.
9. Compare and discuss with your counselor the health care delivery systems in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
10. Serve as a volunteer at a health-related event or facility in your community (eg, blood drive, "health fair", blood pressure screening, etc) approved by your counselor.

Metalwork Merit Badge:

1. Read the safety rules for metalwork. Discuss how to be safe while working with metal. Discuss with your counselor the additional safety rules that apply to the metalwork option you choose for requirement 5.
2. Define the terms native metal, malleable, metallurgy, alloy, nonferrous, and ferrous. Then do the following:
   1. Name two nonferrous alloys used by pre-Iron Age metalworkers. Name the metals that are combined to form these alloys.
   2. Name three ferrous alloys used by modern metal workers.
   3. Describe how to work-harden a metal.
   4. Describe how to anneal a nonferrous and a ferrous metal.
3. Do the following:
   1. Work-harden a piece of 26- or 28-guage sheet brass or sheet copper. Put a 45-degree bend in the metal, then heavily peen the area along the bend line to work-harden it. Note the amount of effort that is required to overcome the yield point in this unworked piece of metal.
   2. Soften the work-hardened piece from requirement 3a by annealing it, and then try to remove the 45-degree bend. Note the amount of effort that is required to overcome the yield point.
   3. Make a temper color index from a flat piece of steel. Using hand tools, make and temper a center punch of medium-carbon or high-carbon steel.
4. Find out about three career opportunities in metalworking. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
5. After completing the first four requirements, complete at least ONE of the options listed below.
   1. Option 1 - Sheet Metal Mechanic/Tinsmith
      1. Name and describe the use of the basic sheet metalworking tools.
      2. Create a sketch of two objects to make from sheet metal. Include each component's dimensions on your sketch, which need not be to scale.
      3. Make two objects out of 24- or 26–gauge sheet metal. Use patterns either provided by your counselor or made by you and approved by your counselor. Construct these objects using a metal that is appropriate to the object's ultimate purpose, and using cutting, bending, edging, and either soldering or brazing.
         1. One object also must include at least one riveted component.
         2. If you do not make your objects from zinc-plated sheet steel or tin-plated sheet steel, preserve your work from oxidation.
   2. Option 2 - Silversmith
      1. Name and describe the use of a silversmith's basic tools.
      2. Create a sketch of two objects to make from sheet silver. Include each component's dimensions on your sketch, which need not be to scale.
      3. Make two objects out of 18- or 20- gauge sheet copper. Use patterns either provided by your counselor or made by you and approved by your counselor. Both objects must include a soldered joint. If you have prior silversmithing experience, you may substitute sterling silver, nickel silver, or lead-free pewter.
         1. At least one object must include a sawed component you have made yourself.
         2. At least one object must include a sunken part you have made yourself.
         3. Clean and polish your objects.
   3. Option 3 - Founder
      1. Name and describe the use of the basic parts of a two-piece mold. Name at least three different types of molds.
      2. Create a sketch of two objects to cast in metal. Include each component's dimensions on your sketch, which need not be to scale.
      3. Do the following:
         1. Make two molds, one using a pattern provided by your counselor and another you have made yourself that has been approved by your counselor. Position the pouring gate and vents yourself. Do not use copyrighted materials as patterns.
         2. Using lead-free pewter, make a casting using a mold provided by your counselor.
         3. Using lead-free pewter, make a casting using the mold that you have made.
   4. Option 4 - Blacksmith
      1. Name and describe the use of a blacksmith's basic tools.
      2. Make a sketch of two objects to hot-forge. Include each component's dimensions on your sketch, which need not be to scale.
      3. Using low-carbon steel at least 1/4-inch thick, perform the following exercises:
         1. Draw out by forging a taper.
         2. Use the horn of the anvil by forging a U-shaped bend.
         3. Form a decorative twist in a piece of square steel.
         4. Use the edge of the anvil to bend metal by forging an L-shaped bend.
      4. Using low-carbon steel at least 1/4-inch thick, make the two objects you sketched that require hot-forging. Be sure you have your counselor's approval before you begin.
         1. Include a decorative twist on one object.
         2. Include a hammer-riveted joint in one object.
         3. Preserve your work from oxidation.

Model Design and Building Merit Badge:

1. Study and understand the requirements for personal safety when using such modelmaker hand tools as knives, handsaws, vices, files, hammers, screwdrivers, hand drills and drill bits, pliers, and portable power tools, and when to use protective equipment such as goggles when grinding or drilling. Know what precautions to take when using flammable or hazardous products such as glue, epoxy, paint, and thinners. Discuss these with your counselor before you begin your modelmaking project and tell why they are important.
2. Explain the uses for each of the following types of models: architectural, structural, process, mechanical, and industrial. Do research into the different types of materials that could be used in making these models.
3. With your counselor's advice, select a subject from requirement 4 for your model project (no kits). Prepare the necessary plans to the proper scale. Make a list of materials and a list of the required tools. This model should be your own original work. Tell why you selected this subject.
4. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Make an architectural model. Build a model of a house to a scale of 1/4"=1'0" (50:1 metric). Discuss with your counselor the materials you intend to use, the amount of detail required, outside treatment (finish, shrubbery, walks, etc.), and color selections. After completing the model, present it to your counselor for approval.
   2. Build a structural model. Construct a model showing corner construction of a wood frame building to a scale of 1 1/2"=1'0" (8:1 metric). All structures shown must be to scale. Cardboard or flat sheet wood stock may be used for sheeting or flooring on the model. Review with your counselor the problems you encountered in gathering the materials and supporting the structure. Be able to name the parts of the floor and wall frames, such as intermediate girder, joist, bridging, subfloor, sill, sole plate, stud, and rafter.
   3. Make a process model. Build a model showing the plumbing system in your house. Show hot and cold water supply, all waste returns, and venting to a scale of 3/4"=1'0" (15:1 metric). Talk to your counselor about how to begin this model, and present the scale and the materials you will use. After completion, present the model to your counselor, and be prepared to discuss any problems you had building this model.
   4. Complete a mechanical model. Build a model of a mechanical device that uses at least two of the six simple machines. After completing the the model, present it to your counselor. Be prepared to discuss materials used, the machine's function, and any particular difficulty you may have encountered.
   5. Make an industrial model. Build a model of an actual passenger-carrying vehicle to a scale of 1"=1'0" or 1/2" = 1'0" (10:1 or 25:1 metric). Take the dimensions of the vehicle and record the important dimensions. Draw the top, front, rear, and sides of the vehicle to scale. From your plans, build a model of the vehicle and finish it in a craftsmanlike manner. Discuss with your counselor the most difficult part of completing the model.
5. Build a special-effects model of a fantasy spacecraft that might appear in a Hollywood science-fiction movie. Determine an appropriate scale for your design - one that makes practical sense. Include a cockpit or control area, living space, storage unit, engineering spaces, and propulsion systems. As you plan and build your model, do the following:
   1. Study aircraft, submarines, and naval ships for design ideas.
   2. Arrange and assemble the parts.
   3. Sketch your completed model.
   4. Write a short essay in which you discuss your design, scale, and materials choices. Describe how you engineered your model and discuss any difficulties you encountered and what you learned.
6. List at least six occupations in which modelmaking is used and discuss with your counselor some career opportunities in this field.

Motorboating Merit Badge:

1. Do the following:
   1. Explain first aid for injuries that could occur while motorboating, including hypothermia, heat reactions, dehydration, motion sickness, insect stings, tick bites, and blisters.
   2. Identify the conditions that must exist before performing CPR on a person, and explain how such conditions are recognized. Demonstrate proper technique for performing CPR using a training device approved by your counselor.
2. Do the following:
   1. Before doing requirements 3 through 6, successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
   2. Name the different types of personal floatation devices (PFDs), and explain when each type should be use. Show how to choose and properly fit a PFD.
3. Do the following:
   1. Explain inboard, outboard, and inboard/outboard motors and the uses and advantages of each. Discuss the special features of a bass boat and a ski boat.
   2. Explain the safety procedures and precautions involving handling fuel and engine servicing, and equipment storage and placement.
   3. Explain how to winterize a boat motor and tell why this procedure is necessary.
   4. Explain the safety procedures and precautions involving swimmers and skiers in the water, passenger positions under way, and boat wakes.
4. Show you know safety laws for motorboating by doing the following:
   1. Have a permit to run a motorboat, if needed.
   2. Explain the rules or laws that apply to recreational boating in your area or state.
   3. Discuss how the hazards of weather and heavy water conditions can affect both safety and performance in motorboating.
   4. Promise that you will follow BSA Safety Afloat guidelines. Explain the meaning of each point.
   5. Discuss with your counselor the nautical rules of the road and describe the national and your state's aids to navigation.
   6. Explain and show the correct use of equipment required by both state and federal regulations to be carried aboard a motorboat.
   7. Explain federal and state rules for a ventilation system, and tell why these rules are required.
5. Demonstrate proper boat-handling procedures and skills by doing the following:
   1. Board and assist others in boarding
   2. Fuel the boat and complete a safety check.
   3. Get under way from dockside or from a beach launch.
   4. Run a course for at least a mile, showing procedures for overtaking and passing slower craft, yielding right-of-way, passing oncoming traffic, making turns, reversing direction, and using navigation aids.
   5. Stop an secure the boat in position on the open water using anchors; get under way.
   6. Land or dock; get out and assist others.
   7. Moor the boat and secure all gear.
6. Point out and explain the mechanical and safety features of a boat trailer.
   1. Launch a boat from a trailer.
   2. Remove a boat fom the water using a trailer.

Music Merit Badge:

1. Sing or play a simple song or hymn chosen by your counselor using good technique, phrasing, tone, rhythm, and dynamics. Read all the signs and terms of the score.
2. Name the five general groups of musical instruments. Create an illustration that shows how tones are generated and how instruments produce sound.
3. Do TWO of the following:
   1. Attend a live performance, or listen to three hours of recordings from any two of the following musical styles: blues, jazz, classical, country, bluegrass, ethnic, gospel, musical theater, opera. Describe the sound of the music and the instruments used. Identify the composers or songwriters, the performers, and the titles of the pieces you heard. If it was a live performance, describe the setting and the reaction of the audience. Discuss your thoughts about the music.
   2. Interview your parents and grandparents about music. Find out what the most popular music was when they were your age. Find out what their favorite music is now, and listen to three of their favorite tunes with them. How do their favorites sound to you? Had you ever heard any of them? Play three of your favorite songs for them, and explain to them why you like these songs. Ask them what they think of your favorite music.
   3. Serve for six months as a member of a school band, choir, or other local musical group, or perform as a soloist in public six times.
   4. List five people who are important in the history of American music and explain to your counselor why they continue to be influential. Include at least one composer, one performer, one innovator, and one person born more than 100 years ago.
4. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Teach three songs to a group of people. Lead them in singing the songs, using proper hand motions.
   2. Compose and write the score for a piece of music of 12 measures or more.
   3. Make a traditional instrument and learn to play it.
   4. Catalog your own or your family's collection of 12 or more compact discs, tapes, or records. Show how to handle and store them.

Nature Merit Badge:

1. Name three ways in which plants are important to animals. Name a plant that is protected in your state or region, and explain why it is at risk.
2. Name three ways in which animals are important to plants. Name an animal that is protected in your state or region, and explain why it is at risk.
3. Explain the term "food chain." Give an example of a four-step land food chain and a four-step water food chain.
4. Do all of the requirements in FIVE of the following fields:
   1. Birds
      1. In the field, identify eight species of birds.
      2. Make and set out a birdhouse OR a feeding station OR a birdbath. List what birds used it during a period of one month.
   2. Mammals
      1. In the field, identify three species of wild animals.
      2. Make plaster casts of the tracks of a wild mammal.
   3. Reptiles and Amphibians
      1. Show that you can recognize the poisonous snakes in your area.
      2. In the field, identify three species of reptiles or amphibians.
      3. Recognize one species of toad or frog by voice; OR identify one reptile or amphibian by eggs, den, burrow, or other signs.
   4. Insects and Spiders
      1. Collect, mount, and label 10 species of insects or spiders.
      2. Hatch an insect from the pupa or cocoon; OR hatch adults from nymphs; OR keep larvae until they form pupae or cocoons; OR keep a colony of ants or bees through one season.
   5. Fish
      1. Catch and identify two species of fish.
      2. Collect four kinds of animal food eaten by fish in the wild.
   6. Mollusks and Crustaceans
      1. Identify five species of mollusks and crustaceans.
      2. Collect, mount, and label six shells.
   7. Plants
      1. In the field, identify 15 species of wild plants.
      2. Collect and label seeds of six plants OR the leaves of 12 plants.
   8. Soils and Rocks
      1. Collect and identify soils found in different layers of a soil profile.
      2. Collect and identify five different types of rocks from your area.

   NOTE: In most cases all specimens should be returned to the wild at the location of original capture after the requirements have been met. Check with your merit badge counselor for those instances where the return of these specimens would not be appropriate.

   Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, some plants and animals are or may be protected by federal law. The same ones and/or others may be protected by state law. Be sure that you do not collect protected species.

   Your state may require that you purchase and carry a license to collect certain species. Check with the wildlife and fish and game officials in your state regarding species regulations before you begin to collect.

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Nuclear Science Merit Badge:

(This merit badge replaces the Atomic Energy merit badge)

1. Do the following:
   (a) Tell what radiation is.
   (b) Describe the hazards of radiation to humans, the environment, and wildlife. Explain the difference between radiation exposure and contamination. In your explanation, discuss the nature and magnitude of radiation risks to humans from nuclear power, medical radiation, and background radiation including radon. Explain the ALARA principle and measures required by law to minimize these risks.
   (c) Describe the radiation hazard symbol and explain where it should be used. Tell why and how people must use radiation or radioactive materials carefully. 
2. Do the following:
   (a) Tell the meaning of the following: atom, nucleus, proton, neutron, electron, quark, isotope; alpha particle, beta particle, gamma ray, X-ray; ionization, radioactivity, and radioisotope.
   (b) Choose an element from the periodic table. Construct 3-D models for the atoms of three isotopes of this element, showing neutrons, protons, and electrons. Use the three models to explain the difference between atomic number and mass number and the difference between the quark structure of a neutron and a proton. 
3. Do ONE of the following; then discuss modern particle physics with your counselor:
   (a) Visit an accelerator (research lab) or university where people study the properties of the nucleus or nucleons.
   (b) Name three particle accelerators and describe several experiments that each accelerator performs. 
4. Do TWO of the following; then discuss with your counselor the different kinds of radiation and how they can be used:
   (a) Build an electroscope. Show how it works. Place a radiation source inside and explain the effect it causes.
   (b) Make a cloud chamber. Show how it can be used to see the tracks caused by radiation. Explain what is happening.
   (c) Obtain a sample of irradiated and non-irradiated foods. Prepare the two foods and compare their taste and texture. Store the leftovers in separate containers and under the same conditions. For a period of 14 days, observe their 149 rate of decomposition or spoilage, and describe the differences you see on days 5, 10, and 14.
   (d) Visit a place where radioisotopes are being used. Using a drawing, explain how and why they are used. 
5. Do ONE of the following; then discuss with your counselor the principles of radiation safety:
   (a) Using a radiation survey meter and a radioactive source, show how the counts per minute change as the source gets closer to or farther from the radiation detector. Place three different materials between the source and the detector, then explain any differences in the measurements per minute. Explain how time, distance, and shielding can reduce an individual’s radiation dose.
   (b) Describe how radon is detected in homes. Discuss the steps taken for the long-term and short-term test methods, tell how to interpret the results, and explain when each type of test should be used. Explain the health concern related to radon gas and tell what steps can be taken to reduce radon in buildings.
   (c) Visit a place where X-rays are used. Draw a floor plan of this room. Show where the unit, the unit operator, and the patient would be when the X-ray unit is operated. Explain the precautions taken and the importance of those precautions.
6. Do ONE of the following; then discuss with your counselor how nuclear energy is used to produce electricity:
   (a) Make a drawing showing how nuclear fission happens, labeling all details. Draw another picture showing how a chain reaction could be started and how it could be stopped. Explain what is meant by a “critical mass.”
   (b) Build a model of a nuclear reactor. Show the fuel, control rods, shielding, moderator, and cooling material. Explain how a reactor could be used to change nuclear energy into electrical energy or make things radioactive.
   (c) Find out how many nuclear power plants exist in the United States. Locate the one nearest your home. Find out what percentage of electricity in the United States is generated by nuclear power plants, by coal, and by gas. 
7. Give an example of each of the following in relation to how energy from an atom can be used: nuclear medicine, environmental applications, industrial applications, space exploration, and radiation therapy. For each example, explain the application and its significance to nuclear science. 
8. Find out about three career opportunities in nuclear science that interest you. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession and discuss this with your counselor. Tell why this profession interests you.

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Oceanography Merit Badge:

1. Name four branches of oceanography. Describe at least five reasons why it is important for people to learn about the oceans.
2. Define salinity, temperature, and density, and describe how these important properties of seawater are measured by the physical oceanographer. Discuss the circulation and currents of the ocean. Describe the effects of the oceans on weather and climate.
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.
4. Draw a cross-section of underwater topography. Show what is meant by: (a) Continental shelf, (b) Continental slope; and (c)Abyssal plain.

   Name and put on your drawing the following: seamount, guyot, rift valley, canyon, trench, and oceanic ridge. Compare the depths in the oceans with the heights of mountains on land.

5. List the main salts, gases, and nutrients in sea water. Describe some important properties of water. Tell how the animals and plants of the ocean affect the chemical composition of seawater. Explain how differences in evaporation and precipitation affect the salt content of the oceans.
6. Describe some of the biologically important properties of seawater. Define benthos, nekton, and plankton. Name some of the plants and animals that make up each of these groups. Describe the place and importance of phytoplankton in the oceanic food chain.
7. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Make a plankton net*. Tow the net by a dock, wade with it, hold it in a current, or tow it from a rowboat. Do this for about 20 minutes. Save the sample. Examine it under a microscope or high-power glass. Identify the three most common types of plankton in the sample.
   2. Make a series of models (clay or plaster and wood) of a volcanic island. Show the growth of an atoll from a fringing reef through a barrier reef. Describe the Darwinian theory of coral reef formation.
   3. Measure the water temperature at the surface, midwater, and bottom of a body of water four times daily for five consecutive days. You may measure depth with a rock tied to a line. Make a Secchi disk to measure turbidity (how much suspended sedimentation is in the water). Measure the air temperature. Note the cloud cover and roughness of the water. Show your findings (air and water temperature, turbidity) on a graph. Tell how the water temperature changes with air temperature.
   4. Make a model showing the inshore sediment movement by littoral currents, tidal movement, and wave action. Include such formations as high and low waterlines, low-tide terrace, berm, and coastal cliffs. Show how offshore bars are built up and torn down.
   5. Make a wave generator. Show reflection and refraction of waves. Show how groins, jetties, and breakwaters affect these patterns.
   6. Track and monitor satellite images available on the Internet for a specific location for three weeks. Describe what you have learned to your counselor.
8. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Write a 500-word report on a book about oceanography approved by your counselor.
   2. Visit one of the following: (1) an oceanographic research ship or (2) an oceanographic institute. Write a 500-word report about your visit.
   3. Explain to your troop in a five minute prepared speech "Why Oceanography Is Important" or describe "Career Opportunities in Oceanography." (Before making your speech, show your speech outline to your counselor for approval.)
9. Describe four methods that marine scientists use to investigate the ocean, underlying geology, and organisms living in the water.

* May be done in lakes or streams.


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Orienteering Merit Badge:

1. Show that you know first aid for the types of injuries that could occur while orienteering, including cuts, scratches, blisters, snakebite, insect stings, tick bites, heat and cold reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia), and dehydration. Explain to your counselor why you should be able to identify poisonous plants and poisonous animals that are found in your area.
2. Explain what orienteering is.
3. Do the following:
   1. Explain how a compass works. Describe the features of an orienteering compass.
   2. In the field, show how to take a compass bearing and follow it.
4. Do the following:
   1. Explain how a topographic map shows terrain features. Point out and name five terrain features on a map and in the field.
   2. Point out and name 10 symbols on a topographic map.
   3. Explain the meaning of declination. Tell why you must consider declination when using map and compass together.
   4. Show a topographic map with magnetic north-south lines.
   5. Show how to measure distances on a map using an orienteering compass.
   6. Show how to orient a map using a compass.
5. Set up a 100-meter pace course. Determine your walking and running pace for 100 meters. Tell why it is important to pace-count.
6. Do the following:
   1. Identify 20 international control description symbols. Tell the meaning of each symbol.
   2. Show a control description sheet and explain the information provided.
   3. Explain the following terms and tell when you would use them: attack point, collecting feature, aiming off, contouring, reading ahead, handrail, relocation, rough versus fine orienteering.
7. Do the following:
   1. Take part in three orienteering events. One of these must be a cross-country course.*
   2. After each event, write a report with (1) a copy of the master map and control description sheet , (2) a copy of the route you took on the course, (3) a discussion of how you could improve your time between control points, and (4) a list of your major weaknesses on this course . Describe what you could do to improve.
8. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Set up a cross-country course that is at least 2,000 meters long with at least five control markers. Prepare the master map and control description sheet.
   2. Set up a score orienteering course with at least 12 control points and a time limit of at least 60 minutes. Set point values for each control. Prepare the master map and control description sheet.
9. Act as an official during an orienteering event. This may be during the running of the course you set up for requirement 8.
10. Teach orienteering techniques to your patrol, troop or crew.

* Note to the Counselor: While orienteering is primarily an individual sport, BSA Youth Protection procedures call for using the buddy system. Requirement 7a can be completed by pairs or groups of Scouts.


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