 Engineering
This Merit Badge requires 1 session to complete.
The Pathways to Eagle preparation work items for the Engineering merit badge are: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9
- Items in RED - MUST be completed before the session starts to make it possible to complete the merit badge at Pathways to Eagle. Bring proof of completion (item, written work, note, photo, etc.)
- Items in GREEN - Can be completed before the session starts or done during merit badge session.
- Items in BLACK - MUST be ready to demonstrate your knowledge of these requirements during the merit badge session.
Scouts are strongly encouraged to use a Merit Badge worksheet to show that they have done the preparation work for the merit badge.
Download the workbook for the
Engineering Merit Badge
in Adobe PDF format from the U.S. Scouting Service Project website.
Scouts MUST be able to discuss any items completed as preparation works or as written work.
Note: Some requirements contain items that fall into more that one category and are listed as the higher category.
1. |
Select a manufactured item in your home (such as a
toy or an appliance) and, under adult supervision
and with the approval of your counselor,
investigate how and why it works as it does. Find
out what sort of engineering activities were
needed to create it. Discuss with your counselor
what you learned and how you got the information. |
2. |
Select an engineering achievement that has had a
major impact on society. Using resources such as
the Internet (with your parent's permission),
books, and magazines, find out about the engineers
who made this engineering feat possible, the
special obstacles they had to overcome, and how
this achievement has influenced the world today.
Tell your counselor what you learned. |
3. |
Explain the work of six types of engineers. Pick two
of the six and explain how their work is related. |
4. |
Visit with an engineer (who may be your counselor or
parent) and do the following: |
| a. |
Discuss the work this engineer does and the tools
the engineer uses. |
| b. |
Discuss with the engineer a current project and the
engineer’s particular role in it. |
| c. |
Find out how the engineer’s work is done and how
results are achieved. |
| d. |
Ask to see the reports that the engineer writes
concerning the project. |
| e. |
Discuss with your counselor what you learned about
engineering from this visit. |
5. |
Do ONE of the following: |
| a. |
Use the systems engineering approach to make step-
by-step plans for your next campout. List
alternative ideas for such items as program
schedule, campsites, transportation, and costs. Tell
why you made the choices you did and what
improvements were made. |
| b. |
Make an original design for a piece of patrol
equipment. Use the systems engineering approach to
help you decide how it should work and look. Draw
plans for it. Show the plans to your counselor,
explain why you designed it the way you did, and
explain how you would make it. |
6. |
Do TWO of the following: |
| a. |
Transforming motion. Using common materials or a
construction set, make a simple model that will
demonstrate motion. Explain how the model uses
basic mechanical elements like levers and
inclined planes to demonstrate motion. Describe
an example where this mechanism is used in a
real product. |
| b. |
Using electricity. Make a list of 10 electrical
appliances in your home. Find out approximately how
much electricity each uses in one month. Learn how
to find out the amount and cost of electricity used
in your home during periods of light and heavy use.
List five ways to conserve electricity. |
| c. |
Understanding electronics. Using an electronic
device such as a mobile telephone or portable
digital media player, find out how sound travels
from one location to another. Explain how the device
was designed for ease of use, function, and
durability. |
| d. |
Using materials. Do experiments to show the
differences in strength and heat conductivity in
wood, metal, and plastic. Discuss with your
counselor what you have learned. |
| e. |
Converting energy. Do an experiment to show how
mechanical, heat, chemical, solar, and/or electrical
energy may be converted from one or more types of
energy to another. Explain your results. Describe to
your counselor what energy is and how energy is
converted and used in your surroundings. |
| f. |
Moving people. Find out the different ways people
in your community get to work. Make a study of
traffic flow (number of vehicles and relative
speed) in both heavy and light traffic periods.
Discuss with your counselor what might be improved
to make it easier for people in your community to
get where they need to go. |
| g. |
Building an engineering project. Enter a project
in a science or engineering fair or similar
competition. (This requirement may be met by
participation on an engineering competition
project team.) Discuss with your counselor what
your project demonstrates, the kinds of
questions visitors to the fair asked, and how
well were you able to answer their questions. |
7. |
Explain what it means to be a registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.). Name the types of
engineering work for which registration is most
important. |
8. |
Study the Engineer's Code of Ethics. Explain how it
is like the Scout Oath and Scout Law. |
9. |
Find out about three career opportunities in
engineering. Pick one and research the education,
training, and experience required for this
profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and
explain why this profession might interest you. |
|
The requirements listed on this web site are believed to be correct.
The official requirements can be found in the current edition of
"Boy Scout Requirements Book 2025"
Download the workbook for the
Engineering Merit Badge
in Adobe PDF format from, The U.S. Scouting Service Project website.
|
