First Class is the third rank a Scout can earn. He or she earns it after Second Class The requirements for First Class continue to teach the youth to the skills needed to advance in Scouts BSA.
The First Class requirements may be worked on simultaneously with the requirements for Tenderfoot and Second Class; these ranks must still be earned in sequence though.
Printable requirements for First Class Rank
Printable checkoff sheet for First Class Rank
Printable note sheet for First Class Rank
During a Scoutmaster conference for the rank of Life, a Scoutmaster is requiring a Scout to answer questions from earlier ranks and merit badges, erect a tent, fold a tarp without wrinkles, keep track of paperwork and badges, plus other things. But a Scoutmaster may not add or take away requirements for advancement.
Scout spirit is mentioned in several of the requirements for Scouts BSA ranks. But what is Scout spirit and how does a Scout go about demonstrating it? #BoyScouts #ScoutSpirit
The High Adventure troop program feature for Scouts BSA will help a PLC plan a month of activities based on a high adventure campout. The campout should enourage Scouts to get out of their comfort zones and try something new
A reader’s son has been asked to wait two months for his board of review. This does seem like a long delay for rank advancement.
A reader asks if Scout skills can only be learned at Scout events. While this is typical, if a Scout learned the skill elsewhere and can fulfill the requirement then it should be signed off.
Can a troop place requirements on how a Board of Review must be requested? For example, can a troop require that the Scout request the BOR by phone rather than in person?
This backpacking program feature offers the opportunity to learn more about hiking and low impact camping. A Scouts BSA Troop PLC can plan a whole month of activities incorporating a backpacking theme.
Larry sent in this helpful suggestion for a site with lots of pioneering projects.
Karen asked this question: “How many boys from a Patrol does there need to be to qualify as doing “anything” as a Patrol?”
This wilderness survival program feature offers the opportunity to plan a month’s worth of troop activities with a focus on outdoor skills and survival techniques.
This cooking program feature for Scouts BSA offers the opportunity to plan a month’s worth of troop activities with food and cooking theme. The featured activity for this month is a patrol feast.
Reader Shelley asked “I’m a new Troop Committee Chair and was wondering if anyone has some great questions that they ask their Scouts during their Board of Reviews?” Sometimes committee members struggle to come up with good Board of Review questions.
A reader asks “The fun is gone. I know Scouts BSA is different than Cubs, but is it supposed to be no fun? Is there a suggestion I can take to the Scoutmaster that might help him keep these boys interested?”
This aquatics program feature offers the opportunity to learn more about swimming and boating. Your PLC can plan a month of activities around this theme.
The Special Cooking Troop Program Feature offers the opportunity to explore cooking with special equipment and techniques, including Dutch oven cooking, foil packs, and camp stoves.
This program feature offers the opportunity to explore different aspects of leadership. This would be an especially relevant program theme if your troop youth leadership elections are approaching.
The forestry program feature offers the opportunity to introduce natural resource management and conservation in a Scouts BSA Troop setting.
The citizenship troop program feature offers the opportunity to introduce concepts of history, flag etiquette, and responsibilities in a troop setting.
Many outdoor activities require extensive knowledge of knots: camping, climbing, rappelling, spelunking, and more.
The Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide suggests a Safety troop program feature for August 2012. This program feature offers the opportunity to introduce kids to safety programs in a troop setting.
The Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide suggests an Emergency Preparedness troop program feature for Scouts BSA for May 2012.
This is a self contained camp stove which burns twigs, charcoal, wood pellets, etc. It has a small battery powered fan to draw air.
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.
Our council has a “Toasted Chit” training for pressurized fuel use. I believe this is a local requirement, but I thought the organization of the material might be helpful to anyone doing pressurized fuel instruction.
The focus in this program feature is citizenship and service. Younger Scouts BSA can work on flag etiquette, flag ceremonies, and their rights and duties as US Citizens. Older Scouts could work on the Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, and Citizenship in the World merit badges.
This is a very challenging game which combines lashing skills and teamwork. It would work well for an interpatrol activity at a meeting focused on pioneering skills.
The subtitle is “An unofficial practical guide to Scouts BSA for parents and new leaders.” And that describes the book perfectly. If you know somebody who is new to the Scouts BSA program, then this would be a great resource to give them an overview of the program. Note that this book only covers the […]
The hope is that after a few months, this will provide some consistency so that our youth leaders will do more planning and delegating without as much adult intervention. I think if we provide them with some help and training and they try it, they will see that the patrol method really does provide a […]
Beth asked, “I realized once again that, as proud as he is to wear the uniform at a Scout function, he still feels uncomfortable wearing it in public. I have seen this with many other boys as well. Has anyone else noticed this trend, and what can be done? These guys are the future of […]
Safe Swim Defense provides the steps which a BSA unit must take to safely participate in an activity which involves swimming.
Since I am focusing on an aquatics theme this month, I thought I’d post about water rescue methods. These are methods used to rescue someone who is in trouble in the water. You will see these methods throughout the BSA programs from Cub Scouts to Scouts BSA to Venturing.
The BSA swim test is used to determine ability level so that participants can swim in an area which is appropriate for them.
The most familiar application of skill level limits is the swim tests which are administered at summer camp. But there are other examples as well.
Summer camp is usually the highlight of the Scouting year. It can be particularly exciting for first year Scouts BSA. It can also be a little intimidating. A program designed specifically for new Scouts will help them adjust to camp life.
Here is a really simple camp gadget I saw at a camporee a few years back. It was a simple gadget for scraping the mud off of the bottom of the boots.
When you go on an orienteering course, you need to have some ways to measure things. Some of the methods used require you to have something of known length for comparison. A personal measurement log will help you with this.
Wearing a uniform identifies youth as Scouts BSA. It give them a sense of belonging to a group. The Scout uniform is associated with the ideals of Scouting.
This is a gadget which was shown to us at a recent Roundtable. It uses lashings to make a handwashing station from straight sticks and an empty gallon milk jug.
For First Class Requirement 1, Scouts must show how to find their way at day and night without a compass. This method only requires a watch.
This book was recommended a few years ago when I went to Cub Scout BALOO training. I am not a “knot person”. I can watch someone do a knot and repeat it, but an hour later it is forgotten.
