Tips on Writing a Merit Badge Lesson Plan

How to write a lesson plan

·         Look at all the requirements

o   Figure out different ways to order the requirements

o   Games

·         Research

o   Know the stuff because if you know it and are interested then the scouts will be too and they will ask questions

o   Facts are cool

o   READ THE MERIT BADGE BOOK

o   If a requirement is impossible to do at camp let me know so I can look at it and declare it a partial for the summer or help make it possible.

·         Write down a rough outline with some of the facts and answers in the lesson plan

·         Plan on a 4 hr total… plan extra though. Please take up the whole time. Do extra requirements if necessary. Just keep it relevant to the merit badge. Make sure you are passing off all that they need to pass the merit badge. Also follow the requirements. If they have to write an essay there is no way around it. How you approach it is what you can change.

·         Your lesson plan will change.  Talk to the other people in our area about their ideas and methods.

The importance of activities

·         How many of you have taken a boring class or merit badge?

o   What made it boring?

·         Don’t make the scouts do anything that you wouldn’t do or think was interesting. Find fun ways to do things.

·         Games

o   No matter how much you love jeopardy it gets old if everyone in every class does it.

o   For activities that need supplies consider  the cost and effect on our area