Notice: I'm pleased to provide these online badge workshops. There will be no additional badge workshops added.
Thank you to all that have contacted me with kind words of encouragement and support since 2015 for this completely free and voluntary service I created to serve my own daughter and her troop. Please contact me should you find any links no longer working & I will do my best to correct it.
Thank you to all that have contacted me with kind words of encouragement and support since 2015 for this completely free and voluntary service I created to serve my own daughter and her troop. Please contact me should you find any links no longer working & I will do my best to correct it.
Outdoor Adventure-
(= Adventurer Senior Badge) Prerequisite- Middle School Outdoor Trail Prep & Fun (Trailblazing Cadette Badge). If you have not completed the prerequisite, it is suggested. Trail and back-country camping safety, gear suggestions, meal tips and camp-site/trail fun were covered in that previous workshop. In this workshop, scouts will review general safety tips/guidelines important in a variety of high adventure activities and groups. This workshop is chock-full of resources and "getting started" tips, safety topics, and proper gear for a variety of winter, water, climbing, cycling, caving, and pack animal outdoor high adventures. Then they will share their plans for a future outdoor adventure activity. Scouts will learn the value of teamwork in high adventures. After playing some virtual teamwork games provided in the workshop, scouts will share a plan for how to encourage and teach teamwork within their own high adventure group. Scouts will learn how to repair and waterproof a tent and discover gear that is available through a virtual field trip to an outfitter store. Scouts will review Leave Not Trace principles through an artistic challenge provided and create a public service advertisement or action plan to share. Lastly, to complete the requirements, scouts will share their plan for recording their high adventure experience and share a picture of the action! Estimated time to earn badge: 2 hours plus time on own adventure activity; Extra materials needed: transportation and equipment needed for adventure activity. |
Vote! Election Know-How
(=Behind the Ballot Senior Badge) So many resources! You'll feel well prepared to vote responsibly in the next election and future ones. Create a sample ballot and investigate the candidates in YOUR area. Find YOUR polling place. Discover 3 ways to register to vote in YOUR area. There are 2 videos; one is a virtual field trip to a polling place on election day, so you know what to expect. Brainstorm and share ideas and projects to "Promote the Vote"! Investigate campaign finance rules and budget what you would want on your own campaign. Evaluate voting practices in other countries. All of the resources to do these badge requirements are in this one workshop! Estimated time to earn badge: 1-2 hours, Extra materials needed: none, unless choose to video a promotion to vote. |
Farm to Table Cooking
(= Locavore Senior Badge) We are starting to see more restaurants and food suppliers advertise the use of local farmers and ingredients.Find out the benefits and challenges of farm to table cooking in the restaurant industry through virtual interviews with farmers, local marketers, and chefs.Using a provided calendar, scouts will brainstorm entrees that can feature local grown foods for each season and then explore local food source alternatives for their own uses in cooking. Free recipe generator and menu creator website links will be provided to assist scouts in creating and sharing a recipe and menu for a 3-course meal that features local ingredients. Lastly, scouts will learn the art and food safety of canning and preserving of fresh, local foods so that they can be eaten year round. Estimated time to earn badge: 1-2 hours, Extra materials needed: None, unless you choose to follow canning instructions or cook for meal plan/recipe. |
Car Smarts
(= Car Care Senior Badge) This workshop is an excellent supplement to a driver's education course beyond learning basic driving skills. Here you will learn how to keep your car safe- and yourself in the meantime, how to handle unusual driving circumstances, and how to choose a safe and efficient car. Take a virtual field trip to an auto repair shop, where mechanics demonstrate general car maintenance including: How to change a flat tire, how to check tire pressure and wear, how to jump start a car, how to change a wiper blade, and how to check fluid levels. You will also learn the procedure to change oil in your car yourself and save money! Scouts are provided with a checklist to discover important features in their own cars and practice using them. Through multi-media, scouts will review what to do in case of emergency in their car and gain tips for how to handle common driving hazards such as fog, bright lights, brake failure, tire pops, shoulder driving, slippery roads, stuck in ice/mud/snow, road rage, texting etc. and review what tools to keep in a car in case of emergency. Scouts will be guided to explore safety technologies in cars and compare and contrast safety ratings for several makes of cars. Students will be provided a template to record their observation of a dangerous intersection for 30 minutes and share the results along with an action plan for change. Lastly, scouts will learn how to drive with respect to making the world more green, so that they are more gas and energy efficient. Estimated time to earn badge: 2-3 hours, Extra materials needed: none, optional car to practice some of the maintenance or safety tips. |
Textile & Collage Crafts
(= Textile Artist & Collage Artist Senior Badges) Earn 2 badges in one workshop! Scouts have all the research done for them to learn about the history of collage and textile arts. Free apps provide online tools to quickly and easily create a "cubomania" and color themed collage. Scouts explore examples of assemblage collage and share their own quick creation. Several videos share an interview with a loom weaving artist who shares how woven fabrics are made "sheep to shawl". This workshop also takes you on a virtual field trip to a fabric store and hears from a crochet expert about supplies needed for that art. Finally Scouts are led in 2 tutorials to create plant based dyes for a tie-dye craft and a finger weaving crochet craft using recyclable materials. Estimated time to earn badge: 2 hours-3, Extra Materials needed: For dyeing- saucepan, stove, vegetables, knife, gloves, cheesecloth or strainer, 1oz alum, water, cotton item to dye; for crochet- scissors, several plastic grocery bags, 3-D objects to make collage. |
Women's Health
(= Women's Health Senior Badge) Investigate, through a virtual field trip video with a health care professional, the routine tests performed at a gynecological medical office as well as other health advice for coping with menstruation and information about medical issues typically seen by the health care professional. (It is suggested that parents/guardians view these videos prior to minor viewing.) Through provided articles, scouts will be led in discussion about how to identify depression and brainstorm ways to help if they suspect a problem in themselves or others. A video will provide insight into risky cultural, historical and current health and beauty fads. Finally, scouts will be led to research a women's health topic in more depth and create a public service announcement to increase awareness, prevention, and/or support for the topic. 4 Stations, Time needed: 3-4 hours, Extra Materials Required: none |
Website Design
(=Website Designer Senior Badge) After reviewing internet safety and copyright laws, scouts will investigate, through a comprehensive video, the key features that make a successful website design and critique/brainstorm solutions for existing websites that lack these features. Scouts will practice creating wire-frames as part of the website design process. They will review & select a free website builder site that fits their individual, then create and share their own original website. Using a provided graphic organizer scouts will explore existing strategies and brainstorm new ways to increase site traffic to a website.This workshop provides a one-stop-shop for all of the resources, information, step-by-step guidance, and links to recommended tools to earn this badge! Suggested action projects include creating a website to promote a community event or organization, share a public service announcement and information on an issue that is important to you, or create a blog to deliver timely news about an issue that is important to you.Estimated time to earn badge: 2-3 hours, Extra materials required: optional printer/scanner or camera for sharing work. |
Investigate Our Skies
(= Sky Senior Badge) This workshop contains LOTS of pictures, videos, links, games, & resources to feel confident in your knowledge about our skies! Scouts will watch the sky and create an artistic written or visual work to share. An informational video is provided which covers all the science behind the colors in the sky, the layers & properties of the sky’s atmosphere, as well as other sky phenomenon such as solar eclipses, halos, mirages, auroras etc. (Scouts are welcome to add on the middle school Our World After Dark workshop for more information about constellations, moon phases, telescopes and a tour of an observatory.) Scouts are given multiple resources to get live/ real-time information about sky phenomena, climate, air traffic, and air quality. They will explore weird and wacky weather events and share their own. Scouts will explore the connection between people and sky and learn how planes are controlled in airspace by taking a virtual tour of an air traffic control tower with a professional in that field. Online games will allow a fun simulation of flight and air traffic control. They will further their investigation on the connection between people and sky by researching and sharing a brief public service announcement about a type of sky pollution. Estimated time to earn badge: 3 hours, Extra materials needed: camera and/or drawing or paint supplies. |
Animal Rights
(=Voice for Animals Senior Badge) Plenty of videos and virtual field-trips in this workshop allow the scout to explore the pros and cons of animals in shelters, used in science, in farming, and entertainment. Scouts will learn what its like to volunteer at an animal shelter and, with the information provided, create a "Pet Bill of Rights". Scouts are provided facts & articles about the Animal Welfare Act, slaughter-house practice and regulations, as well as historical accounts of animals used in entertainment. They will be provided choices for a plan of action to support the welfare of animals. Estimated time to earn badge: 2-3 hours; Extra materials required: none |