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MERIT BADGE
REQUIREMENT CHANGES
Effective: April 1, 1999
(REVISIONS TO MERIT BADGE REQUIREMENTS
EXCEPT COMPLETE CHANGES)
When there is a conflict between two published lists of
requirements, such as the Requirements Book and a Merit Badge Pamphlet,
even when the pamphlet has a later issue date, the Requirements Book
should be considered to be the controlling document, until a newer edition
of the Requirements Book is issued.
There was one MAJOR exception to
the preceding statement in 1999. Subsequent to the publication of
the 1999 Requirements book, the requirements for Personal Fitness Merit
Badge were revised, with an effective date of April 1, 1999, like the
changes in the book. The revisions were distributed on BSA Publication
18-083, released in late March. Scouts could use EITHER the old or new
requirements for this Merit Badge until April 1, 2000.
The changed requirements could be used
immediately. Scouts who have already started a merit badge may
continue to use the old requirements until their 18th birthday.
Scouts starting a Merit Badge after April 1, 1999, must use the
new requirements.
This page includes the changes to
Merit Badges identified on the inside front cover of the 1999 Boy Scout
Requirements Book , except those where the requirements were completely
replaced. In addition, we have listed those other Merit Badges where
there are known issues which should be brought to the attention of Merit
Badge Counselors, Advancement Committee members, Unit Leaders, and Scouts.
If you find any discrepancies between
what is printed in the Requirements Book and the Merit Badge Pages on this
site, please let me know, and I will attempt to determine what the proper
requirements are.
You can contact me by e-mail by
clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
Bird
Study
Graphic Arts
Journalism
Skating
Snow Sports (REPLACED
Skiing)
There has been confusion over the number
assigned to the Snow Sports merit badge, ever since the badge was
introduced.
We had originally reported that Snow Sports
Merit Badge was going to be considered as a NEW Merit Badge and would be
listed as No. 135, and that Scouts COULD earn both this badge and the
former Skiing Merit Badge, based on information we received from BSA.
We were then informed that Snow Sports was
simply a renaming of the former Skiing MB, and would be listed as No. 104.
The Troop/Team Advancement Chart (Z34506A) identifies Snow Sports merit
badge as #104. Under those circumstances, Scouts that earned Skiing Merit
Badge before it was renamed would NOT
be eligible to earn the Snow Sports Merit Badge.
However, we have now been informed that in
BSA's official record system, SCOUTNET 2000, it is entered into the
individual Scout's records as number 135, and Scouts that earned Skiing
Merit Badge before it was replaced ARE
eligible to earn the Snow Sports Merit Badge. Until we are informed
otherwise, we will use number 135 for the badge.
The following changes were NOT identified, but did appear in the 1999
Requirements Book.
In Requirement 5, the phrase "or Animal Science" was added, so it now
reads:
- Tell about three career opportunities in livestock production
or animal science.
In Requirement 6, the options were rearranged into the following order:
- Beef cattle
- Dairying
- Horse
- Sheep
- Hog
- Poultry
Although not listed as being changed on the inside
front cover, the following footnote to requirements 4 and 6, which was
removed in 1998, was added:
*NOTE: A bugle, trumpet, or cornet may
be used to meet these requirements.
 Communications:
Requirement 1 was revised as follows:
- Develop a plan to teach a skill. Have your merit
badge counselor approve the plan. Make teaching aids. Carry out your
plan. With
your
the counselor, check to see if the
learner has learned
you have successfully carried out the plan.
Minor changes to the wording were made to
requirements 2, 5, and 6b.
Old requirement 7 was deleted, and
Requirements 8 & 9 were renumbered 7 & 8
There have been NO changes to the
requirements. However, this Merit Badge has been added to the list of
Merit Badges required for advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout, and may
be used as an alternate to either Hiking MB or Swimming MB.
A minor change to the wording was made to
requirement 2b ("parts" replaced with "components").
Requirements 4 & 5 were omitted from
the 1996-1997 and 1998 Requirements Books, and have been restored.
They read as follows:
- Do the following for the project you built in
requirement 3:
- Show how to read the schematic diagram of the
project.
- Show how the project works. To the best of your
ability, tell how it operates.
- Do the following:
- Show how to solve a simple problem involving
current, voltage, and resistance using Ohm's law.
- Tell about the need for and the use of test
equipment in electronics. Name three types of test equipment.
Tell how they operate.
- Tell about three jobs in electronics. Tell what
training is needed for each job.
The phrase ", and record your findings" was removed
from the first sentence in requirement 3.
The second sentence of requirement 4 was changed to
read:
Maintain the ecosystem for at least seven days
after completing construction of the ecosystem.
A minor wording change was made to requirement 7
("project" in place of "plan")
There have been NO changes to the
requirements. However, this Merit Badge has been added to the list of
Merit Badges required for advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout, and may
be used as an alternate to either Cycling MB or Swimming MB.
There have been NO changes to the
requirements. However, requirement 4 is numbered differently in the
Requirements Book and the Merit Badge Pamphlet. The Requirements are
the same, however. When working on this badge as a Scout or counseling
Scouts for this badge, be alert to this discrepancy.
This Merit Badge has been moved on the list of
Merit Badges required for advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout,
Formerly, this badge could be used as an
alternate to either Sports MB or Swimming MB, but now it MUST be earned
(unless an alternative is permitted due to a handicap).
In addition, the requirements
were changed, subsequent to the publication of the 1999 Requirements Book.
Scouts may use either the OLD or NEW requirements until April 1, 2000.
The opening paragraph of requirement 1a was changed
as follows:
- a. Before you try to meet any other requirements,
have your
physician
health-care provider give you a
physical examination, using
thorough health examination. He or she is to use
the Scout medical examination form. Describe the examination. Tell what
questions you were asked about your health. Tell
what health or medical recommendations
were your doctor
made. Report
and report what you have done in
response to the recommendations.
about them. Explain the following:
and a new item 5 was added to that requirement,
which reads:
- The youth risk factors that affect
cardiovascular fitness in adulthood.
Requirement 2e was changed as follows:
- e. What it means to be socially healthy. Discuss
your activity in the eight areas of healthy social fitness.
several healthy social traits.
Requirement 3 was deleted, and requirements 4-10
renumbered to 3-9.
Requirements 3b and 3d (old 4b and 4d) had minor
wording changes.
Requirements 6, 7, and 8 were completely rewritten
and now read as follows:
- Before doing requirements 7 and 8,
complete the aerobic fitness, flexibility, muscular strength, and body
composition tests as described in the Personal Fitness merit badge
pamphlet. Record your results and identify those areas where you feel
you need to improve.
Aerobic Fitness Test
Record your performance on one of the
following tests:
- Run/walk as far as you can in nine
minutes
- Run/walk one mile as fast as you can
Flexibility Test
Using a sit-and-reach box
constructed according to specifications in this merit badge pamphlet,
make four repetitions and record the fourth reach. This last reach must
be held for 15 seconds to qualify.
Muscular Strength Test
You must use the sit-up
test and EITHER the pull-up or push-up test.
-
Sit-ups. Record the
number of sit-ups done correctly in 60 seconds. The sit-ups must be
done in the form explained and illustrated in this merit badge
pamphlet.
-
Pull-ups. Record the
total number of pull-ups completed consistent with the procedures
presented in this merit badge pamphlet.
-
Push-ups. Record the
total number of push-ups completed consistent with the procedures
presented in this merit badge pamphlet.
Body Composition Test
Have your parent, counselor, or other
adult take and record the following measurements:
- Circumference of the right upper
arm, midway between the shoulder and the elbow, with the arm hanging
naturally and not flexed.
- Shoulders, with arms hanging by
placing the tape two inches below the top of the shoulder and around
the arms, chest, and back during breath expiration.
- Chest, by placing the tape under the
arms and around the chest and back at the nipple line during breath
expiration.
- Abdomen circumference at navel level
(relaxed).
- Right thigh, midway between the hip
and the knee.
If possible, have the same person take
the measurements whenever they are recorded.
- Outline a comprehensive 12-week
physical fitness program using the results of your fitness tests. Be
sure your program incorporates the endurance, intensity, and warm-up
guidelines discussed in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet.
Before beginning your exercises, have the program approved by your
counselor and parents.
- Complete the physical fitness program
you outlined in requirement 7. Keep a log of your fitness program
activity (how long you exercised; how far you ran, swam, or biked; how
many exercise repetitions you completed; your exercise heart rate;
etc.). Repeat the aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility
tests every two weeks and record your results. After the 12th week,
repeat all four tests, record your results, and show improvement in each
one. Compare and analyze your preprogram and postprogram body
composition measurements. Discuss the meaning and benefit of your
experience.
Requirement 1 was changed as follows:
-
Show that you know first aid for
injuries or illnesses that could occur while rowing, including
hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, sunburn,
contusions, lacerations, and blisters.
insect stings, tick bites, blisters,
and hyperventilation.
Requirement 6 was changed as follows:
- Do ONE of
In a fixed seat rowboat, do
the following:
- In a fixed-seat rowboat, come
Come alongside
a dock and help a passenger into the boat. Pull away from
the dock, change positions with your passenger, and scull in good form
over the stern for 10 yards, including at least one 180-degree turn.
Resume your rowing position, return alongside the pier, and help your
passenger out of the boat.
Row 50 feet, stop, pivot, and come back to the dock. Help the
passenger from the boat.
- In a sliding-seat rowboat, come
alongside a pier and, with your buddy assisting you, get out onto the
pier. Help your buddy into the boat. Reverse roles with your buddy and
repeat the procedure.
Show sculling in good form over the stern for 10 yards. Turn
under way, and return to starting point.
There have been NO changes to the
requirements. However, this Merit Badge has been removed from the list of
Merit Badges required for advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout.
The CPR requirement (2b) was changed to
read like all the other aquatics merit badges, which were changed last
year. It now reads:
-
Demonstrate proper technique for
performing CPR using a training device approved by your
counselor. on an adult
mannequin for at least three minutes.
There have been NO changes to the
requirements. However, this Merit Badge has been removed from the list of
Merit Badges required for advancement to the rank of Eagle Scout.
Requirement 1 was changed as follows:
-
See or read three full-length plays.
These can be from the stage, movies,
or television, or video.
Write a review of each. Comment on the story, acting, and staging.
Requirement 3 was changed as follows:
-
Direct a play. Cast, rehearse, and
stage it. The play must be at least 10
or more minutes
long.
-
Show skill in stage makeup. Make up
yourself or a friend as an old man
or woman, and Indian, a clown, an
extraterrestrial, or a monster as directed.
- Design the lighting for a play; or,
under guidance, handle the lighting for a play
under guidance.
The first sentence of requirement 4 was
changed as follows:
-
Pantomime Mime or pantomime
any ONE of the following picked by
chosen by you and your counselor.
Requirements 5 & 6 were changed as
follows:
- Explain the following: proscenium arch,
central or arena staging, spotlight, floodlight, flies,
center stage, stage right, stage left,
highlight, lowlight, scene paint,
stage brace, cleat, stage crew, stage
brace, batten foyer.
- Do two short entertainment features that you
could
give
present either alone or with others for a troop
meeting or campfire.
NOTE: Our review of the changes
in 1998 omitted a number of changes to this Merit badge. The
following is a list of ALL changes to this Merit Badge in both 1998 and
1999.
Requirement 1 was changed (in
1999) as follows:
- Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could
occur while waterskiing, including hypothermia, heat exhaustion,
heatstroke,dehydration, sunburn, contusions, lacerations,
insect stings, tick bites,
blisters, and hyperventilation.
As previously reported (in 1998),
In requirement 2(b), the phrase "on an
adult mannequin for at least three minutes" was
replaced with "using a training device approved by your
counselor."
Requirement 3 was changed (in 1998)
as follows:
- Before doing the following requirements, successfully complete the
BSA swimmer test. Jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth.
Level off, and swim 75 yards
or 75 meters in a strong manner using
one or more of the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen,
or crawl; then swim 25 yards or 25
meters using an easy, resting backstroke. The 100
yards or 100 meters
must be completed in one swim without stops,
swum continuously
and must include at least one sharp turn. After
completing the swim, rest by floating
as motionless as possible.
Requirement 5 was changed (in 1999)
as follows:
- Show the following water-skier signals to safety observer in boat:
in-gear, start,
skier safe, faster, slower,
speed required, speed OK,
turns, stop, back
to dock, cut motor, skier in water.
Help others to ski by acting as the safety observer in the boat.
Requirements 6-8 were changed (in 1998)
as follows:
- In deep water, show
Show you can adjust binders to fit,
put on skis, and recover skis that have come off during a fall.
Put on skis in knee-deep water.
- Make a
shallow-water
deepwater start on two skis without help.
- Show you can fall properly i
n
avoiding to avoid an
obstacle. Drop
Also, show that you can drop handle and coast to
a stop without loss of balance.
Requirement 9 was deleted (in 1998)
and requirements 10-13 were renumbered 9-12, then (in 1999)
renumbered requirement 10 (formerly requirement 11) was deleted and
renumbered requirements 11 and 12 (formerly requirements 12
and 13) were renumbered 10 and 11.
This analysis was
prepared as a service to Scouts and Scouters by:
Paul S. Wolf
Advancement Committee
Winding Rivers District
Greater Cleveland Council
Boy Scouts of America
Copies may be freely
distributed, so long as the source is acknowledged. |
Animal
Science:
