BSA provides Bear den meeting ideas for den leaders on the Scouting.org website. These Cub Scout Bear den meeting plans are step by step guides to carrying out a den meeting. In addition to the basic den meeting plans, there are supplemental plans which can be used if you have additional meetings left. Today’s plan covers part of Bear Elective 12 – Nature Crafts .

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Bear Den Meeting Supplemental Plan G to follow along with this article.

Bear Den Meeting Plans: Nature Crafts

Preparation and Before the Meeting

You will need to gather the materials beforehand.  Try to obtain some light-sensitive paper if you can. It will produce much better results than the dark construction paper. Don’t forget to bring a shallow pan and some water to fix the prints.

You will be gathering leaves on a hike, so this meeting is well suited to a park with a short trail suitable for Bears.

Gathering

Check out my gathering activities page for ideas.

Opening

Have a flag ceremony. Say the Scout Law.

Business

Keep business short and sweet.

Activities

The den will be working on Bear Achievement 12a :

Make solar prints of three kinds of leaves

Before the hike would be a good time to review hiking safety rules with your Cub Scouts.  Remind them that they will be looking for leaves along the trail.

At the end of the hike, make your solar prints as directed in the downloadable meeting plan.

Closing

Close with the Scout Oath and a closing flag ceremony.

After the meeting

The Bears should help clean up the area and put away the supplies you brought.

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BSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders. There are 16 basic Tiger den meeting plans and then some additional supplemental Tiger den meeting ideas. In this den meeting plan, the Tiger Cub Scouts will be making a bird feeder for Tiger Elective 32 – Feed the Birds

You can download the complete meeting plan from the BSA website: Printable copy of BSA Tiger Den Meeting Supplemental Plan L – Feed the Birds

Tiger Den Meeting Ideas - Feed the Birds

Preparation and Before the Meeting

To prepare for this meeting, gather up your materials for the bird feeders. Since you will be using peanut butter, ask the adult partners about any allergies.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for some ideas.

Opening and Business

Keep opening and business on track with Tiger Cubs. They have very short attention spans.

Activities

You will be making pinecone bird feeders and the garland feeders. Both are described in your Tiger handbook. It is nice to give them the option to make both if time permits.

The note at the top of the plan about peanut butter allergies is important. In one of my son’s dens, one of the Cub Scouts had a sibling who had a severe peanut butter allergy, so we always substituted for the peanut butter so he could take his projects home with him without fear of triggering his brother’s allergy.

Closing

Keep it simple. Say the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

There might be some mess after this meeting, so the Tiger Cubs should all help clean up. It is important to teach them early on that this is one of their responsibilities at every Scout meeting.

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Boy Scouts who want to learn more about reptiles will enjoy the Reptile and Amphibian Study merit badge. They will learn how to classify reptiles and find out about their habitats and how they live.

Boys always have been interested in snakes, turtles, lizards, and alligators, as well as frogs and salamanders. Developing knowledge about these captivating creatures leads to an appreciation for all native wildlife; understanding the life cycle of a reptile or amphibian and keeping one as a pet can be a good introduction to natural history; and knowing about venomous species can help Scouts to be prepared to help in case of an emergency.

Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Requirements

1. Describe the identifying characteristics of six species of reptiles and four species of amphibians found in the United States. For any four of these, make sketches from your own observations or take photographs. Show markings, color patterns, or other characteristics that are important in the identification of each of the four species. Discuss the habits and habitats of all 10 species.
2. Discuss with your merit badge counselor the approximate number of species and general geographic distribution of reptiles and amphibians in the United States. Prepare a list of the most common species found in your local area or state.
3. Describe the main differences between
1. Amphibians and reptiles
2. Alligators and crocodiles
3. Toads and frogs
4. Salamanders and lizards
5. Snakes and lizards
4. Explain how reptiles and amphibians are an important component of the natural environment. List four species that are officially protected by the federal government or by the state you live in, and tell why each is protected. List three species of reptiles and three species of amphibians found in your local area that are not protected. Discuss the food habits of all 10 species.
5. Describe how reptiles and amphibians reproduce.
6. From observation, describe how snakes move forward. Describe the functions of the muscles, ribs, and belly plates.
7. Describe in detail six venomous snakes and the one venomous lizard found in the United States. Describe their habits and geographic range. Tell what you should do in case of a bite by a venomous species.
8. Do ONE of the following:
1. Maintain one or more reptiles or amphibians for at least a month. Record food accepted, eating methods, changes in coloration, shedding of skins, and general habits; or keep the eggs of a reptile from the time of laying until hatching; or keep the eggs of an amphibian from the time of laying until their transformation into tadpoles (frogs) or larvae (salamanders).
2. Choose a reptile or amphibian that you can observe at a local zoo, aquarium, nature center, or other such exhibit (such as your classroom or school). Study the specimen weekly for a period of three months. At each visit, sketch the specimen in its captive habitat and note any changes in its coloration, shedding of skins, and general habits and behavior. Find out, either from information you locate on your own or by talking to the caretaker, what this species eats and what are its native habitat and home range,preferred climate, average life expectancy, and natural predators. Also identify any human-caused threats to its population and any laws that protect the species and its habitat. After the observation period, share what you have learned with your counselor.
9. Do TWO of the following:
1. Identify at night three kinds of toads or frogs by their voices. Imitate the song of each for your counselor. Stalk each with a flashlight and discover how each sings and from where.
2. Identify by sight eight species of reptiles or amphibians.
3. Using visual aids, give a brief talk to a small group on three different reptiles and amphibians.
10. Tell five superstitions or false beliefs about reptiles and amphibians and give a correct explanation for each. Give seven examples of unusual behavior or other true facts about reptiles and amphibians.

NOTE

•  Scouts must not use venomous reptiles in fulfilling requirement 8a. Species listed by federal or state law as endangered, protected, or threatened must not be used as live specimens in completing requirement 8a unless official permission has been given. In most cases, all specimens should be returned to the wild at the location of capture after the requirement has 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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To earn the Venturing Ranger award, a young man or woman must complete eight core requirements and four electives. One of the electives to meet the Ranger award requirements is Plants and Wildlife.

To complete the Venturing Ranger Award requirements for Plants and Wildlife, a Venturer must learn about how plants and wildlife coexist and depend upon each other and must carry out a project. Then he or she must teach others about plants and wildlife.

Venturing Ranger Award Requirements - Plants and Wildlife

1. Write a paper or make a presentation on a plant or wildlife species. Include its value as seen from various perspectives, some of the problems various species face, and how we might be able to help.
2. 1. Select an area approved by your Advisor that contains several species of wildlife or plants. Observe this area thoroughly in various conditions and seasons of the year. Study the history of this area, paying particular attention to how it has changed over time, ownership, land use patterns, and landform and climatic changes.
   2. Make a presentation on interaction between species; the reaction of various species to changes in conditions or outside influences; the degree to which this area provided food, shelter, materials, and protection for each species; population trends; your predictions on the future of these species; suggested actions to protect or enhance the population; and the investigation methods you used.
3. 1. Study a specific plant or wildlife species approved by your Advisor that can be found in several different areas. Observe this species thoroughly in various areas and seasons of the year. Study the history of this species, paying particular attention to how it has adapted over time.
   2. Make a presentation on this species; any reactions to changes in conditions or outside influences; this species’ needs for food, soil, shelter, materials, protection, assistance with propagation, etc.; population trends; your prediction for the future of this species; suggested actions to protect or enhance the population; and the investigation methods you used.
4. Under the guidance of a resource professional, plan, lead, and carry out a project approved by your Advisor designed to benefit plants or wildlife. Involve others so that you can increase their awareness of the condition of plants and wildlife in your area.
5. Do 5(a) or (b).
   1. Make a tabletop display or presentation on your project for your crew, another crew, a Cub or Boy Scout group, or another group.
   2. Submit an article about your project to a local newspaper, radio station, your school newspaper, or TV station.

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Today’s youth will have to know a lot about the world when they grow up. We live more in a global community than we used to . Cub Scouts can learn about different regions of the world by earning the Geography pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program.

Geography Pin Requirements

Earn the Geography belt loop, and complete five of the following requirements:

1. Make a 3-D model of an imaginary place. Include five different landforms, such as mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, plateaus, and plains.
2. List 10 cities around the world. Calculate the time it is in each city when it is noon in your town.
3. Find the company’s location on the wrapper or label of 10 products used in your home, such as food, clothing, toys, and appliances. Use a world map or atlas to find each location.
4. On a map, trace the routes of some famous explorers. Show the map to your den or family.
5. On a United States or world map, mark where your family members and ancestors were born.
6. Keep a map record of the travels of your favorite professional sports team for one month.
7. Choose one:
1. Read a book in which geography plays an important part;
2. On a web site with satellite views of earth, identify at least five locations, including your home address or a nearby building. Be sure you have your parent’s or adult partner’s permission first..
8. Take part in a geography bee or fair in your pack, school, or community.
9. Choose a country and make a travel poster for it.
10. Play a geography-based board game or computer game. Tell an adult some facts you learned about a place that was part of the game.
11. Draw or make a map of your state. Include rivers, mountain ranges, state parks, and cities. Include a key or legend of map symbols.

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The Boy Scout Planning Guide suggests a Forestry Troop Program Feature for April 2013.  This program feature offers the opportunity to introduce natural resource management and conservation in a troop setting. A PLC can use this program feature to plan a month of activities with a focus on forestry.

The plans for the Forestry troop program feature can be found in  Volume 2 of Troop Program Features from BSA:

Every Scout should know the importance of all natural resources and of the interdependence of forest, range, soil, water, and wildlife.

Forestry Programs

Younger scouts can work on their early rank requirements, including hiking, nature, and cooking requirements.  Older scouts can earn the Nature Merit Badge, Camping Merit Badge,  or Forestry Merit Badge.  Some other related merit badges include  Mammal Study Merit Badge, Geology Merit Badge, Fish and Wildlife Management Merit Badge, and Insect Study Merit Badge.

The featured activity for this month is a Leave No Trace campout. On this campout, Boy Scouts learn about Leave No Trace and practice low-impact camping. Experienced Scouts teach newer Scouts about camping methods which do not have a negative effect on the environment and leave the area the same or better than they found it.

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The Bird Study merit badge is a good elective for the Boy Scouts in your troop who enjoy watching birds.

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.

Bird Study Merit Badge Requirements

1. Explain the need for bird study and why birds are useful indicators of the quality of the environment.
2. Show that you are familiar with the terms used to describe birds by sketching or tracing a perched bird and then labeling 15 different parts of the bird. Sketch or trace an extended wing and label six types of wing feathers.
3. Demonstrate that you know how to properly use and care for binoculars.
1. Explain what the specification numbers on the binoculars mean.
2. Show how to adjust the eyepiece and how to focus for proper viewing.
3. Show how to properly care for and clean the lenses.
4. Demonstrate that you know how to use a bird field guide. Show your counselor that you are able to understand a range map by locating in the book and pointing out the wintering range, the breeding range, and/or the year-round range of one species of each of the following types of birds:
1. seabird
2. plover
3. falcon or hawk
4. warbler or vireo
5. heron or egret
6. sparrow
7. nonnative bird (introduced to North America from a foreign country since 1800)
5. Observe and be able to identify at least 20 species of wild birds. Prepare a field notebook, making a separate entry for each species, and record the following information from your field observations and other references:
1. Note the date and time.
2. Note the location and habitat.
3. Describe the bird’s main feeding habitat and list two types of food that the bird is likely to eat.
4. Note whether the bird is a migrant or a summer, winter, or year-round resident of your area.
6. Explain the function of a bird’s song. Be able to identify five of the 20 species in your field notebook by song or call alone. For each of these five species, enter a description of the song or call, and note the behavior of the bird making the sound. Note why you think the bird was making the call or song that you heard.
7. Do ONE of the following:
1. Go on a field trip with a local club or with others who are knowledgeable about birds in your area.
1. Keep a list or fill out a checklist of all the birds your group observed during the field trip.
2. Tell your counselor which birds your group saw and why some species were common and some were present in small numbers.
3. Tell your counselor what makes the area you visited good for finding birds.
2. By using a public library or contacting the National Audubon Society, find the name and location of the Christmas Bird Count nearest your home and obtain the results of a recent count.
1. Explain what kinds of information are collected during the annual event.
2. Tell your counselor which species are most common, and explain why these birds are abundant.
3. Tell your counselor which species are uncommon, and explain why these were present in small numbers. If the number of birds of these species is decreasing, explain why, and what, if anything, could be done to reverse their decline.
8. Do ONE of the following. For the option you choose, describe what birds you hope to attract, and why.
1. Build a bird feeder and put it in an appropriate place in your yard or another location.
2. Build a birdbath and put it in an appropriate place.
3. Build a backyard sanctuary for birds by planting trees and shrubs for food and cover.

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BSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders. There are 16 basic Tiger den meeting plans and then some additional supplemental Tiger den meeting ideas. This den meeting plan covers Tiger Elective 6 – Song Time and Tiger Elective 30 – Plant a Seed

You can download the complete meeting plan from the BSA website: Printable copy of BSA Tiger Den Meeting Supplemental Plan H – Plant a Seed and Song Time

Tiger Den Meeting Ideas: Plant a Seed! and Song Time

Preparation and Before the Meeting

To prepare for this meeting, you need to gather your gardening materials and seeds. See the instructions for Elective 30 in the Tiger handbook.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for ideas for gathering activities. Or play a  game during gathering time.

Opening

Start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Business

Hand out any recognitions. Keep the rest of the business to a minimum.

Activities

Do Elective 30: Plant a Seed

Plant a seed, pit, or greens from something you have eaten.

and Elective 6: Song Time

Along with your adult partner, teach a song to your family or to your den and sing it together.

You can find lots of song suggestions which Tigers will enjoy on my songs page.

If you have time, play an active game. See my games page for lots of great games for Tigers and their adult partners.

Closing

Keep it simple. Say the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

Have everyone help clean up before they leave. And arrange for some of the parents to help you with preparations for the next meeting.

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Boy Scouts learn about marine science and the delicate balance of life in our oceans while earning the Oceanography merit badge.

The oceans cover more than 70 percent of our planet and are the dominant feature of Earth. Wherever you live, the oceans influence the weather, the soil, the air, and the geography of your community. To study the oceans is to study Earth itself.

Oceanography Merit Badge Requirements

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:
   1.  Continental shelf
   2.  Continental slope
   3.  Abyssal plain
   4. Name and put on your drawing the following: seamount, guyot, rift valley, canyon, trench, and oceanic ridge. Compare the depts in the ocean with the heights of mountains on land.
5. List the main salts, gases, and nutrients in seawater. 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, lowtide 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. Oceanographic research ship
      2. Oceanographic institute
      3. 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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BSA provides Wolf den meeting ideas for Cub Scout den leader. Today’s plan is a supplemental den meeting plan which gives Wolves the opportunity to do some activities related to nature.  This plan covers parts of Wolf Elective 13 – Birds and Wolf Elective 15 – Grow Something

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Supplemental Wolf Den Meeting Plan A to follow along with this article.

Wolf Den Meeting Ideas: BSA Supplemental Den Meeting Plan A – Grow Something and Bird Nests

Preparation and Before the Meeting

Most of the preparation for this meeting will involve getting permission to do some gardening.  Check with your chartered organization, local schools and churches, and your local parks department.

You will also need to gather the materials listed in the plan beforehand.

Gathering

See my gathering activities page for some ideas.

Opening

Do a simple opening flag ceremony. If a flag pole is available, you could do a flag raising ceremony.

Business

Keep business to a minimum.

Activities

Do Wolf Elective 15b

Plant and raise a flower bed.

or Wolf Elective 15a

Plant and raise a box garden.

Your Wolves will enjoy watching the plants grow and they will need to care for them to get them established, so remember to plan to return later and care for the plants.

Do Wolf Elective 13b

Put out nesting material (short pieces of yarn and string) for birds and tell which birds might use it.

When you go back to care for the plants, see if your nesting material is gone!

Closing

Do a simple closing like the Boy Scout Law. Or if you did a flag raising at the beginning of the meeting, lower it.

After the Meeting

Clean everything up. Gardening can be messy, so if they got any dirt or plant debris on sidewalks, etc. they should sweep up. Let the Cub Scouts do this. They are old enough to do simple chores and it is a good practice for them to help with some of the meeting responsibilities.

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Boy Scouts learn about the connection between living things when they earn the Nature merit badge.

There is a very close connection between the soil, the plants, and all animal life, including people. Understanding this connection, and the impact we have upon it, is important to preserving the wilderness, as well as to our own well-being as members of the web of nature.

Nature Merit Badge Requirements

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.

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 venomous 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 the 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.

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Boy Scouts who enjoy the design and beauty of outdoor spaces can pursue their interests by earning the Landscape Architecture merit badge.

Landscape architects design and plan the various outdoor spaces in modern communities – neighborhood parks, soccer fields, school grounds, places of worship, office parks, shopping malls, cemeteries, and lakes – creating outdoor places that people will care about and want to visit.

Landscape Architecture Merit Badge Requirements

1. 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.
2. After completing requirement 1, discuss the following with your merit badge counselor:
1. Tell whether the design had separate spaces, a clear path system, and sun and shade variety.
2. Discuss how the designated seating, eating, or parking areas suited the overall design.
3. Explain how the design reflected consideration for the comfort, shelter, and security of the users.
4. Discuss how the choice of trees, shrubs, and ground covers used in the project contributed to its appeal and function.
3. 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 group such as your troop or class at school. Be prepared to tell how you might use each in the design of a landscape.
4. 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 equals 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 two copies of this plan to save the original, then do 4b and 4c using the 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.
5. Find out about three career opportunities in landscape architecture. 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.

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Plant a garden based on a pizza theme so you can make pizzas with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and your other favorite ingredients.

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 Tornadoes are destructive storms are caused by a vortex. You can use the classic “tornado in a bottle” demonstration to explain how a vortex forms.

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The Insect Study merit badge makes a good elective for Boy Scouts who enjoy watching butterflies and observing tiny creatures on the ground.

In earning the Insect Study merit badge, Scouts will glance into the strange and fascinating world of the insect. There, they will meet tiny creatures with tremendous strength and speed, see insects that undergo startling changes in habits and form as they grow, and learn how insects see, hear, taste, smell, and feel the world around them.

Insect Study Merit Badge Requirements

1.  Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders.
2.  Point out and name the main parts of an insect.
3.  Describe the characteristics that distinguish the principal families and orders of insects.
4.  Do the following:
1. Observe 20 different live species of insects in their habitat. In your observations, include at least four orders of insects.
2. Make a scrapbook of the 20 insects you observed in 4a. Include photographs, sketches, illustrations, and articles. Label each insect with its common and scientific names, where possible. Share your scrapbook with your counselor.
5. Do the following:
1. From your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans.
2. Describe some general methods of insect control.
6. Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different.
7. Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage (e.g., raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar).*
8. Observe an ant colony or a beehive. Tell what you saw.
9. Tell things that make social insects different from solitary insects.
10. Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals.
11. Find out about three career opportunities in insect study. 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.

* Some insects are endangered species and are protected by federal or state law. Every species is found only in its own special type of habitat. Be sure to check natural resources authorities in advance to be sure that you will not be collecting any species that is known to be protected or endangered, or in any habitat where collecting is prohibited. In most cases, all specimens should be returned to the location of capture after the requirement has been met. Check with your merit badge counselor for those instances where the return of these specimens would not be appropriate.

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BSA provides Wolf den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders on the Scouting.org website. Today, I am going to go through the tenth Wolf Cub Scout den meeting plan. This plan covers  Wolf Elective 13 – Birds and Wolf Achievement 10 – Family Fun.

If you don’t already have the BSA den meeting plans, download BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 10 to follow along with this article.

This plan has a lot going on in it. I think you are probably just supposed to review most of the requirements for Achievement 10 rather than do them in the meeting . These requirements are meant to be done at home with the family. You can do the Character Connection for Cooperation together though.

BSA Wolf Den Meeting Plan 10: Birds and Family Fun

Preparation and Before the Meeting

Most of the preparation involves gathering your materials. Making the bird feeders and birdhouses will be fun for the Wolves, but you might want to try to get a few extra parents to come to help with this. Or if you have a Boy Scout troop you work with, see if a couple of the older Boy Scouts would want to help you as a service project.

Gathering Activity

Look at  my gathering activities page for some ideas for a gathering activity for the Wolves.

Opening

If you need help with the flag ceremony check out a simple indoor flag ceremony or raising and lowering the US flag.

Business

Don’t spend too much time on this.

Activities

I would probably change the order on these activities and do the Character Connection for Cooperation first. Then review what else they need to do for Achievement 10 still.

Next I would move on to the more active things. Go for the walk and look for birds. I like the idea of giving it a fun name like “Bird Safari”. Make it into a challenge. How many birds can they find?

Go back inside and make the bird feeders and birdhouses. If you need some ideas for kits, see the links on the upper right side of this page under “Building for the Birds”. You can probably find something similar to these at a local hobby store. Using a kit will make this part go more smoothly with kids this age.

Closing

Do your closing ceremony. I like to do the Cub Scout Promise or the Law of the Pack.

After the Meeting

There might be some mess left from the activity, so ask everyone to stay until it is cleaned up. And enlist some adult help for your next meeting.

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The Fly Fishing merit badge will teach Boy Scouts how to tie their own flies and then go after the big catch.

Fly-fishing is a specialized form of fishing that combines skill and artistry. Because it is so rich with tradition, it is a passion for millions of people. The beauty of the water, the solitude, and the skills that the sport requires have made fly-fishing very important in the lives of many notable people.

Fly Fishing Merit Badge Requirements

1. Do the following:
   1. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in fly-fishing activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards. Name and explain five safety practices you should always follow while fly-fishing.
   2. Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while fly-fishing, including cuts and scratches, puncture wounds, insect bites, hypothermia, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and sunburn.
   3. Explain how to remove a hook that has lodged in your arm.
2. Demonstrate how to match a fly rod, line, and leader to achieve a balanced system. Discuss several types of fly lines, and explain how and when each would be used. Review with your counselor how to care for this equipment.
3. Demonstrate how to tie proper knots to prepare a fly rod for fishing:
1. Tie a backing to a fly reel spool using the arbor knot.
2. Attach backing to fly line using the nail knot.
3. Attach a leader to fly line using the needle knot, nail knot, or a loop-to-loop connection.
4. Add a tippet to a leader using a loop-to-loop connection or blood knot.
5. Tie a fly onto the terminal end of the leader using the improved clinch knot.
4. Explain how and when each of the following types of flies is used: dry flies, wet flies, nymphs, streamers, bass bugs, poppers, and saltwater flies. Tell what each one imitates. Tie at least two types of the flies mentioned in this requirement.
5. Demonstrate the ability to cast a fly 30 feet consistently and accurately using both overhead and roll cast techniques.
6. Go to a suitable fishing location and observe what fish may be eating both above and beneath the water’s surface. Explain the importance of matching the hatch.
7. Do the following:
1. Explain the importance of practicing Leave No Trace techniques. Discuss the positive effects of Leave No Trace on fly-fishing resources.
2. Discuss the meaning and importance of catch and release. Describe how to properly release a fish safely to the water.
8. Obtain and review a copy of the regulations affecting game fishing where you live or where you plan to fish. Explain why they were adopted and what is accomplished by following them.
9. Discuss what good outdoor sportsmanlike behavior is and how it relates to anglers. Tell how the Outdoor Code of the Boy Scouts of America relates to a fishing enthusiast, including the aspects of littering, trespassing, courteous behavior, and obeying fishing regulations.
10. Catch at least one fish and identify it. If local fishing and health regulations allow, clean and cook a fish you have caught. Otherwise, acquire a fish and cook it.

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BSA provides Webelos den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders on the Scouting.org website. The ninth Webelos den meeting plan focuses on the Geologist Activity Badge. Webelos learn about the history of earth and rocks while working on the Geologist activity badge.

If you don’t already have the BSA Webelos den meeting plans, download BSA Webelos Den Meeting Plan 9 to follow along with this article.

This meeting is a field trip to a landscaping contractor, stone quarry, concrete plant, geological site, geological laboratory, rock show, or rock shop. If you have a local university with a geology department, see if they have an exhibit.  A nature center is also a possibility. We have many caves in Missouri, so we did a cave tour with our dens. This meeting starts the work for the requirements for the Geologist activity badge. These will be completed in meeting plan 10.

BSA Webelos Den Meeting 9 – Geologist

Preparation and Before the Meeting

This meeting is a field trip, so much of your preparation will involve getting ready to go away from your regular meeting place. You might need to make some arrangements with the location  you are visiting. You will also need to organize drivers and permission slips.

Gathering

Check my gathering activities page for some ideas. Puzzles work well when you are taking a field trip.

Opening

It might not be possible to do a flag ceremony if you are away from your regular meeting plan. Try saying the Boy Scout Law.

Business

Keep announcements short and sweet.

Activities

You are supposed to cover Geologist 1, 2, and 8 at this meeting:

1. Collect five geologic specimens that have important uses.
2. Rocks and minerals are used in metals, glass, jewelry, road-building products, and fertilizer. Give examples of minerals used in these products.
8. Take a field trip to a geological site, geological laboratory, or rock show. Discuss what you learned at your next Webelos den meeting.

By going on the field trip, you are covering 8. If the place you are visiting cannot provide your Cub Scouts with geologic specimens for requirement 1, bring your own to hand out. If you don’t have time to scrounge some up, purchase an inexpensive rock collection and use those. Requirement 2 just requires a discussion. Hopefully the location you are visiting can provide somebody to speak to the Webelos. If not, just cover it yourself. There is enough information in the Geologist section of the Webelos handbook to help you out.

Closing

Once again, a flag ceremony might not be possible. You can say the Boy Scout Oath to help the Webelos work on their Boy Scout knowledge for the Webelos badge and the Arrow of Light badge.

After the Meeting

This is a good time to remind the other parents about what you need them to help with at the next meeting.

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Boy Scouts who are interested in conservation and tree identification will enjoy earning the Forestry merit badge.

In working through the Forestry merit badge requirements, Scouts will explore the remarkable complexity of a forest and identify many species of trees and plants and the roles they play in a forest’s life cycle.They will also discover some of the resources forests provide to humans and come to understand that people have a very large part to play in sustaining the health of forests.

Forestry Merit Badge Requirements

1. Prepare a field notebook, make a collection, and identify 15 species of trees, wild shrubs, or vines in a local forested area. Write a description in which you identify and discuss the following:
1. The characteristics of leaf, twig, cone, or fruiting bodies
2. The habitat in which these trees, shrubs, or vines are found
3. The important ways each tree, shrub, or vine is used by humans or wildlife and whether the species is native or was introduced to the area. If it is not native, explain whether it is considered invasive or potentially invasive.
2. Do ONE of the following:
1. Collect and identify wood samples of 10 species of trees. List several ways the wood of each species can be used.
2. Find and examine three stumps, logs, or core samples that show variations in the growth rate of their ring patterns. In the field notebook you prepared for requirement 1, describe the location or origin of each example (including elevation, aspect, slope, and the position on the slope), and discuss possible reasons for the variations in growth rate. Photograph or sketch each example.
3. Find and examine two types of animal, insect, or damage on trees. In the field notebook you prepared for requirement 1, identify the damage, explain how the damage was caused, and describe the effects of the damage on the trees. Photograph or sketch each example.
3. Do the following:
1. Describe the contributions forests make to:
1. Our economy in the form of products
2. Our social well-being, including recreation
3. Soil protection and increased fertility
4. Clean water
5. Clean air (carbon cycling, sequestration)
6. Wildlife habitat
7. Fisheries habitat
8. Threatened and endangered species of plants and animals
2. Tell which watershed or other source your community relies on for its water supply.
4. Describe what forest management means, including the following:
1. Multiple-use management
2. Sustainable forest management
3. Even-aged and uneven-aged management and the silvicultural systems associated with each
4. Intermediate cuttings
5. The role of prescribed burning and related forest-management practices
5. With your parent’s and counselor’s approval, do ONE of the following:
1. Visit a managed public or private forest area with the manager or a forester who is familiar with it. Write a brief report describing the type of forest, the management objectives, and the forestry techniques used to achieve the objectives.
2. With a knowledgeable individual, visit a logging operation or wood-using manufacturing plant. Write a brief report describing the following:
1. The species and size of trees being harvested or used and the location of the harvest area or manufacturer
2. The origin of the forest or stands of trees being utilized (e.g., planted or natural)
3. The forest’s successional stage. What is its future?
4. Where the trees are coming from (land ownership) or where they are going (type of mill or processing plant)
5. The products that are made from the trees
6. How the products are made and used
7. How waste materials from the logging operation or manufacturing plant are disposed of or utilize.
3. Take part in a forest-fire prevention campaign in cooperation with your local fire warden, state wildfire agency, forester, or counselor. Write a brief report describing the campaign, how it will help prevent wildfires, and your part in it.
6. 6. Do the following:
1. Describe the consequences to forests that result from FIVE of the following elements: wildfire, absence of fire, insects, tree diseases, air pollution, overgrazing, deer or other wildlife overpopulation, improper harvest, and urbanization.
2. Explain what can be done to reduce the consequences you discussed in 6a.
3. Describe what you should do if you discover a forest fire and how a professional firefighting crew might control it. Name your state or local wildfire control agency.
7. Visit one or more local foresters and write a brief report about the person (or persons). Or, write about a forester’s occupation including the education, qualifications, career opportunities, and duties related to forestry.

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The Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide suggests a Wildlife Management  feature for March 2012. BSA provides the troop program feature guides as a resource for Boy Scout troops. A PLC can use these guides to plan a series of meetings and outings around a single theme. My post Troop Program Features for Meetings and Outings has  more information about these guides.

The Wildlife Management troop program feature can be found in  Volume 3 of Troop Program Features from BSA. The introduction to this program feature gives a good overview of some of the opportunities for troops using this theme:

A major concern in this country is vanishing wildlife and wildlife habitat. Some of this loss comes from a lack of knowledge about the creatures of nature.

This program feature will help Scouts in the troop to appreciate wildlife and how it lives, and to develop a sense of what Scouts can do to help protect and preserve the animals around them.

If you live in the city, this program feature will give you an opportunity to go to a rural location to observe nature, or to visit a zoo. If you live in a rural area, this feature may reactivate your awareness of wildlife around you and what you can do to protect it.

Younger Scouts can focus on some of the conservation related early rank requirements:

• Tenderfoot Requirement 11 – Identify local poisonous plants; tell how to treat for exposure to them.
• Second Class Requirement 2 – Discuss the principles of “Leave No Trace”
• Second Class Requirement 6 – Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.
• First Class Requirement 6 – Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of native plants found in your community.
• The Outdoor Code

Some of the wildlife and conservation related merit badges can be incorporated into this theme for more experienced Scouts:

• Nature Merit Badge
• Camping Merit Badge
• Cooking Merit Badge
• Mammal Study Merit Badge
• Fish and Wildlife Management Merit Badge
• Insect Study Merit Badge
• Wilderness Survival Merit Badge

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