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Communication Merit Badge Helps and Documents

Scouts learn about oral, written, visual, and digital methods of sharing information while working on the Communication merit badge. They share stories and information, participate in an interview, attend a public meeting, and plan a Court of Honor or campfire program. They also explore careers in the field of communication.

The Communication merit badge is required for the rank of Eagle Scout.

Help with Answers for Communication Merit Badge Requirements

Find specific helps for some of the Communication merit badge requirements listed below. Some of these resources will just give the answers. Others will provide engaging ways for older Scouts to introduce these concepts to new Scouts.

Requirement 1: Communication Methods

Do ONE of the following:

  1. For one day, keep a log in which you describe your communication activities. Keep track of the time and different ways you spend communicating, such as talking person-to-person, listening to teachers, listening to the radio or podcasts, watching television, using social media, reading books and other print media, and using any electronic communication device. Discuss with your counselor what your log reveals about the importance of communication in your life. Think of ways to improve your communication skills.
  2. For three days, keep a journal of your listening experiences. Identify one example of each of the following, and discuss with your counselor when you have listened to:
    1. Obtain information
    2. Be persuaded
    3. Appreciate or enjoy something
    4. Understand someone’s feelings
  3. In a small-group setting, meet with other Scouts or with friends. Have them share personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way. Take note of how each Scout participates in the group discussion and how effectively each Scout communicates their story. Report what you have learned to your counselor about the differences you observed in effective communication.
  4. List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, email, text messages, social media, and so on). For each type of communication, discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 1 Helps and Answers

Some Ways We Communicate

  • talking
    • face to face
    • video
    • phone
  • written
    • note or letter
    • email
    • text
    • social media
  • nonverbal
    • facial expression
    • body language
    • emoji
    • photo or drawing

My Story Mystery Game

The My Story Mystery Game is a great way to get to know some “history” about a group of individuals. It provides a method to introduce storytelling styles.

Picture Telephone Game

Picture Telephone game is a visual version of the classic telephone game. This is a way to talk about non-verbal communication and the pitfalls of not understanding what is being communicated.

Requirement 2: Presentation

Do ONE of the following:

  1. Think of a creative way to describe yourself using, for example, a collage, short story or autobiography, drawing or series of photographs, or a song or skit. Using the aid you created, make a presentation to your counselor about yourself.
  2. Choose a concept, product, or service in which you have great confidence. Build a sales plan based on its good points. Try to persuade the counselor to agree with, use, or buy your concept, product or service. After your sales talk, discuss with your counselor how persuasive you were.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 2 Helps and Answers

How to Persuade

Some of the points in this article particularly apply to these requirements:

  • Make your words powerful.
  • Dress up, but don’t talk down.
  • Focus on the future.
  • Choose the right medium for your pitch.
  • Speak their language.
  • Avoid verbal fillers.
  • Talk about what you used to believe.
  • Repeat what they say.
  • Build up to emotions.

Requirement 3: Five Minute Speech

Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a group.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 3 Helps and Answers

Tips for Public Speaking

  • Know your audience
  • Include a story or humor
  • Be organized
  • It is OK to be nervous
  • Be yourself
  • Practice, practice, practice
  • Have an outline
  • Try not to just read
  • Use hand gestures sparingly
  • Start with an attention grabber
  • A few props are OK, but not too many

Requirement 4: Interview

Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her position, talent, career, or life experiences. Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear this person speak. Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 4 Helps and Answers

Tips for the Interview

  • Start with easy questions
  • Use open ended questions which don’t allow single word answers
  • Record the interview so you don’t miss anything
  • Practice active listening by repeating important points back
  • Don’t shy away from emotions

Tips for the Introduction

  • Greet the audience
  • Introduce the “guest” by name
  • Tell something special or unusual about the guest which connects them with the audience

Toastmasters International

Toastmasters is an organization dedicated to helping individuals improve their public speaking skills.

Requirement 5: Public Meeting

 Attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) approved by your counselor where several points of view are given on a single issue. Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view. Prepare an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your counselor.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 5 Helps and Answers

Using the Same Event to Fulfill Two Different Requirements

A reader asks “For Scouts BSA, can the same meeting fulfill both requirements for the communication merit badge and the citizenship in the community?

Active Listening Skills

  • Pay attention
  • Withhold judgement
  • Take notes
  • Reflect important ideas back
  • Request clarification when needed
  • Summarize
  • Share

Requirement 6: Teach a Skill

With your counselor’s approval, develop a plan to teach a skill or inform someone about something. Prepare teaching aids for your plan. Carry out your plan. With your counselor, determine whether the person has learned what you intended.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 6 Helps and Answers

BSA Edge Method

This is a four step method for teaching a skill. It is sometimes called Scouting’s Teaching EDGE.

What to Teach

Teach a skill you are confident about. Here are a few suggestions:

  • How to tie a knot
  • How to pitch a tent
  • A first aid skill
  • How to play a simple game

Tent Pitching Competition (Standard or Blindfolded)

Tent pitching competitions are an inter-patrol activity staple. The concept is simple, but I’ve outlined it in this article in case you’ve never seen one.

To make it a blindfolded tent pitching contest, just add blindfolds. If you want, let one team member keep his vision, but he can only participate by giving verbal instructions to the others. This makes a good communications exercise.

Requirement 7: Written Communication

Do ONE of the following:

  1. Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or share information on any subject you choose. Send your message by fax, email, or regular mail.
  2. Create a web page or blog of special interest to you (for instance, your troop or crew, a hobby, or a sport). Include at least three articles or entries and one photograph or illustration, and one link to some other web page or blog that would be helpful to someone who visits the web page or blog you have created. It is not necessary to post your web page or blog to the Internet, but if you decide to do so, you must first share it with your parents and counselor and get their permission.
  3. Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier, or other printed material for your troop or crew, class at school, or other group. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 7 Helps and Answers

Write to Scout Life Magazine

They are happy to help you fulfill this Communication merit badge requirement. You can send suggestions for stories, thoughts on something in a past issue, or something else. Contact them here.

Requirement 8: Master of Ceremonies

 Plan a troop or crew court of honor, campfire program, or an interfaith worship service. Have the patrol leaders’ council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 8 Helps and Answers

Skits for Campfire Programs and Other Gatherings

Every campfire program should have plenty of skits. They also make a great intermission in a meeting. Sometimes they teach a lesson, sometimes they don’t, but they are always fun.

Songs for Scouts

These songs for Scouts are a fun way to add some fun to a meeting or to get everyone involved in a campfire program.

Cheers, Run Ons, and Audience Participation

Cheers and run ons add fun to meetings and campfire programs. They are usually humorous and silly. Be prepared for groans and laughs!

Stories for Campfire Programs and Meetings

Whether in a meeting or sitting around a campfire, stories bring us together. They connect us with the past also.

Prayers

These can be used to help you plan a Scouts Own interfaith prayer service to meet this Communication merit badge requirement.

Requirement 9: Careers

Find out about three career opportunities in communication. 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.

Communication Merit Badge Requirement 9 Helps and Answers

Careers in Communications

  • Journalism
  • Public Relations
  • Marketing and Advertising
  • Writing and Publishing
  • Web Design
  • Social Media
  • Human Resources
  • Fundraising
  • Sales

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Comments

2 responses to “Communication Merit Badge Helps and Documents”

  1. Tylene Byrd Avatar
    Tylene Byrd

    Is there a printable checkoff sheet for this merit badge? They are amazing!

  2. Elizabeth Thompson Avatar
    Elizabeth Thompson

    I was also looking for the printable check-off sheets for the Eagle Required badges. I was disappointed not to find them, when they are available for so many of the other badges. They are a big help!

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