This program is approximately four hours long.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-6 for the American Heritage Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 1: Read and rewrite the selected section of the Declaration of Independence in your own words.
• Requirement 2: Complete two of the four options related to people, organizations, veterans or community perspectives in American history.
• Requirement 3a: Select a current news topic and explain how it relates to events or values from America's past.
• Requirement 3c: Research your family's history and how historical events or circumstances affected your family.
• Requirement 5: Complete one option involving historic films, a biography or music from different periods of American history.
• Requirement 6: Research career opportunities related to American heritage and choose one to explore further.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately three to four hours long. Scouts work at an individual pace and may finish at different times.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-7 for the Art Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 6: Visit a museum, art exhibit, art gallery, artists' cooperative or artist's workshop. Learn about the art displayed or created there and be prepared to discuss what you learned.
• Requirement 7: Research three career opportunities in art. Choose one and learn about the education, training and experience required. Be prepared to discuss whether the career interests you.

Scouts may bring a favorite brush or pen to use during class, but supplies are provided.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor observation and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 9: Complete one option to attract birds by building and placing a bird feeder, building and placing a birdbath, or creating a backyard bird sanctuary with trees, shrubs or other cover. Be prepared to explain what birds you hope to attract and why.
• Requirement 11: Identify three career opportunities related to bird study. Choose one career and research the education, training and experience required. Be prepared to discuss whether the career interests you.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately three to five hours long.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-8 for the Chemistry Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 1a: Obtain safety data sheets for sucrose, isopropyl alcohol and a waterproofing spray.
• Requirement 3: Complete a Chemistry in the Kitchen experiment involving a Maillard, or browning, reaction. Be prepared to explain what happens to the molecules during the cooking process.
• Requirement 8: Complete one of the career or workplace exploration options and be prepared to discuss what you learned.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately four hours long.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-8 for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 3: Attend an approved government meeting or court session and be prepared to discuss an issue where different opinions were expressed.
• Requirement 4: Choose an issue important to your community, identify the responsible branch of local government and interview someone from that branch.
• Requirement 5: With parent and counselor approval, watch a movie that shows how an individual or group can have a positive effect on a community.
• Requirement 7: Research charitable organizations in your community and complete at least eight hours of volunteer service with one organization.
• Requirement 8: Develop a presentation about the history, cultures, people, features and challenges of your community. Be prepared to present it during class.

Additional Work After Class

Some requirements, including volunteer service, must be completed outside of class. Scouts who have not completed all required work before the program may receive a partial completion and finish remaining requirements afterward with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately four hours long.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-9 for the Communication Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 3: Write and deliver a five-minute speech at a group meeting
• Requirement 4: Interview someone you know and respect, then prepare an introduction of that person as though they were a guest speaker.
• Requirement 5: Attend an approved public meeting where different viewpoints are presented. Take notes and prepare an objective report.
• Requirement 6: Develop and carry out a plan to teach a skill or share information with someone.
• Requirement 7: Complete one communication project, such as writing to an editor, creating a web page or blog, or producing a newsletter, brochure or other printed material.
• Requirement 8: Plan an approved troop or crew program and serve as master of ceremonies.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor observation and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-11 for the Environmental Science Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 2: Observe an approved ecosystem over a two-day period. Record living, nonliving and formerly living components, interactions within the ecosystem and the effects of human activities.
• Requirement 7: Complete one option related to pollution prevention, resource conservation, resource recovery or household hazardous waste.
• Requirement 11: Research three environmental science careers. Choose one and learn about the training, education, certification requirements, experience, costs and employment prospects associated with the field.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately five hours long. Scouts should bring lunch or several snacks and plenty of water. Please do not bring red-colored drinks.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-14 for the First Aid Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirement before attending:

• Requirement 5a-b: Prepare a first-aid kit for your home and be ready to discuss its contents. With an adult leader, inspect your troop's first-aid kit, evaluate it for completeness and report your findings.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-8 for the Fish and Wildlife Management Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 5: Complete one wildlife habitat improvement or observation project, such as building and monitoring nest boxes or feeders, improving wildlife habitat, or constructing a wildlife blind and documenting wildlife observations.
• Requirement 7: Complete one fish or aquatic wildlife investigation option.
• Requirement 8: Research three careers in fisheries or wildlife management and learn about the education and training required for each.

Additional Work After Class

Some options for requirements 5 and 7 require long-term observations or projects and cannot be completed during a single class. Scouts who have not completed these requirements before class may receive a partial completion and finish the remaining work afterward with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-8 for the Forestry Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirement before attending:

• Requirement 8: Visit one or more local foresters and write a brief report about the person or people you meet, or write about the forestry profession, including education, qualifications, career opportunities and job duties.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program is approximately three hours long.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-4 for the Indian Lore Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following before attending:

• Requirement 2d: Visit a museum to see American Indian artifacts. Identify at least 10 artifacts by tribe or nation, shape, size and use, and be prepared to discuss what you learned.
• Requirement 4: Complete one of the available options related to American Indian languages, stories, games, leaders, place names, government or other cultural traditions.

Scouts should come prepared to give a presentation of approximately five minutes or less for requirement 4.

Additional Work After Class

Prework should be completed before the program whenever possible. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and submit remaining work within one month of the program.

This program includes outdoor observation and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-13 for the Insect Study Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 9: Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage.
• Requirement 10: Complete one of the following:
  • Observe an ant colony in a formicarium and explain its chambers.
  • Study a hive of bees and learn about its queen, brood, queen cells and honey production.
• Requirement 13: Research three career opportunities related to insect study. Choose one and learn about the education, training and experience required.

Additional Work After Class

Some requirements involve observations or projects that take place over time. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-5 for the Mammal Study Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete one of the options under requirement 3 before attending:

• Spend three hours in two different natural habitats or at different elevations, for a total of six hours, and record the mammals identified by sight or sign.
• Spend three hours on five different days in an area of at least 25 acres, for a total of 15 hours, and record the mammals identified by sight or sign.
• Research and write a simple life history of a nongame mammal native to your area.

When completing observations in a park or natural area, follow all site rules and obtain permission for any collecting, observing or research activities. At Huntley Meadows Park, scouts must remain on maintained trails.

Additional Work After Class

Some requirements involve extended field observation or projects that cannot be completed during a single class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-6 for the Nature Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete one of the following sections of requirement 4 before attending:

• Birds: Make and set out a birdhouse, feeding station or birdbath. Record what birds use it during a one-month period.
• Reptiles and Amphibians: Recognize venomous snakes in your area, identify three species of reptiles or amphibians and recognize one species by voice, eggs, den, burrow or other signs.
• Insects and Spiders: Identify 10 species of insects or spiders and complete one insect development or colony observation project.
• Mollusks and Crustaceans: Identify five species and collect, mount and label six shells.

Scouts who choose the Birds section should complete only part 2 as prework. Bird identification in the field will be completed during class.

Additional Work After Class

Some options require observations over time and may need to be completed outside of class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes scientific investigation, discussion and active participation.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-9 for the Oceanography Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 7: Complete one oceanography investigation or project from the available options, such as making a plankton net, measuring water conditions, creating a model, monitoring satellite images, visiting an oceanographic facility or reading an approved book about oceanography.
• Requirement 8: Prepare a five-minute speech explaining why oceanography is important or describing career opportunities in oceanography. Share your speech outline with your counselor for approval before presenting it.

Additional Work After Class

Some options under requirement 7 require observations over several days or weeks, a site visit, a written report or another project completed outside of class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers the general Plant Science Merit Badge requirements and the selected specialty option.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirement before attending:

• Requirement 7: Research careers in agronomy, horticulture and botany. Write a paragraph about one career that interests you.
• Requirement 8, Field Botany E: Obtain a list of rare plants in your state. Learn what is being done to protect rare plants and natural areas, and write a paragraph about one rare plant in your state.

Additional Work After Class

The Plant Science Merit Badge includes three specialty options: Agronomy, Horticulture and Field Botany. Many option requirements involve growing plants, maintaining gardens, conducting field studies or completing other long-term projects outside of class.

Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor observation and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-10 for the Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 8: Complete one of the following:
  • Maintain one or more reptiles or amphibians for at least one month and keep records of their care and behavior.
  • Observe a reptile or amphibian at a zoo, aquarium, nature center or similar location weekly for three months and record your observations.
• Requirement 9: Complete two of the following:
  • Identify three kinds of toads or frogs at night by their voices.
  • Identify eight species of reptiles or amphibians by sight.
  • Give a brief talk to a small group about three different reptiles and amphibians

Additional Work After Class

Requirements 8 and 9 may require extended observations or activities outside of class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge

This program includes outdoor exploration and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-7 for the Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

The current prework document includes requirements 1-7, covering:

• Soil formation, types and nutrients
• Soil erosion and erosion-control practices
• Watersheds, river basins and aquifers
• The hydrologic cycle and water movement
• Water pollution and wastewater treatment
• Conservation practices and projects

Requirement 7 requires scouts to complete two conservation activities or projects from the available options.

Additional Work After Class

Some options under requirement 7 involve visits, planting projects, reports or other work that must be completed outside of class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes discussion, activities and active participation.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-9 for the Sustainability Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirement before attending:

• Requirement 9: Research career opportunities in sustainability. Choose one career and learn about the education, training and experience required. Be prepared to discuss what you learned and whether the career interests you.

Additional Work After Class

Some badge requirements may involve projects or observations outside of class. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.

This program includes outdoor observation and active participation. Scouts should dress for the weather.

Requirements Covered

The program covers requirements 1-11 for the Weather Merit Badge.

Required Before Class

Complete the following requirements before attending:

• Requirement 9: Complete one of the following:
  • Build a weather instrument and keep a daily weather log for one week, comparing forecasts with actual weather conditions.
  • Visit or speak with a weather professional and learn about dangerous weather, forecasting and how severe weather warnings reach your community.
• Requirement 10: Give a talk of at least five minutes to a group explaining outdoor safety rules for lightning, flash floods and tornadoes.
• Requirement 11: Research a weather-related career, including the training, education and responsibilities required.

Additional Work After Class

No additional work is required if all prework and in-class requirements are completed. Scouts who do not complete all requirements may receive a partial completion and finish remaining work with a merit badge counselor.