Monday, March 11, 2013

Incorporating Scouting into Schooling



Welcome to the first day of 5 Days of Teaching Creatively.  Here in the state of Missouri we need to log at least 1000 school hours each year, 600 of which must be in core subjects like math, science, and language arts.  That still leaves plenty of hours to be filled.  While I devote some of that time to Bible study (which I consider "essential" if not officially "core"), I allow Schnickelfritz to choose other areas he'd like to explore using 4-H projects and Royal Ranger merits as his guide.  I usually make some sort of bound notebook for written responses and pictures of his activities.  We can show the Outpost Commander to prove he's earned the skill merit and then I keep it for our homeschool records. Then it's just up to me to figure out how to log the hours.  Even in the sports merits (which would qualify as P.E.), I may be able to log some hours of Language Arts since there's usually an essay to be completed.


The great news for parents/ teachers is all the planning is done for you through the requirements of the merit. Fritz's Outpost commander makes copies of these for me as well as the weekly lesson plans for teaching the merits during meetings (which also incude answer keys).  I'm focusing on Royal Rangers here since that's what I'm familiar with, but I'm sure most of the merits are also available in Boy Scout handbooks (which are often carried by libraries).  Tell me your son (or daughter) can't find something of interest in the list below.

AcademicsFingerprinting*Plumbing
Air Rifle
Fire Craft*Pottery
Amateur RadioFire SafetyPresidents
American Cultures  Firearm SafetyPrimitive Shelters
American HistoryFirst Aid Skills*Primitive Snares
Animal Husbandry  First Aid-CPR*Public Health
ArcheryFishingPublic Speaking*
Architecture  Fly FishingPuppeteer
ArtFootballRailroading
AstronomyForeign LanguageRappelling  
Atomic Energy  ForestryReading
Auto MechanicsGardeningReptile Study
AviationGeology  Rock Climbing
BachelorGolfRocketry*
BackpackingGraphic Arts  Roller Skating
BaseballHealthy Body  New!Rope Craft*
Basic Sign LanguageHide TanningRowing
BasketballHighlandsSafety*
BasketryHikingSailing
BB GunHobbySalesmanship
Bird Study*Home Missions – ConstructionScholarship
Black PowderHome RepairScuba Diving  
Black Powder ShootingHome SafetySculpture
Boating  HorsemanshipSenior Citizens
Budget & Finance  Hunter Education/SafetyShotgun Safety
BuglingIce SkatingShotgun Shooting
Camp SafetyIndian LoreSign Language
Camping Inline SkatingSkateboarding
CanoeingInsect Study*Skiing
CarpentryInternational Service*Skin Diving  
ChemistryJournalism  Small Bore Safety
ChessKayakingSmall Bore Shooting
Church HistoryKnife and HawkSnowboarding
Cinematography  Landscape Architecture Soccer
Citizenship  Lashing*Soil & Water Conservation  
Coin CollectingLaw  Solar Science  
CollectionsLaw EnforcementSpace Exploration*
CommunicationsLeather CraftSpeed The Light
CompassLifesaving  Sports
ComputersMammals Stamp Collecting
Cooking*MarksmanshipSurveying  
Crime PreventionMasonrySwimming
Cycling*MedicineTennis
DartsMetalwork  Tool Craft*
Dentistry Model Rocketry  Track
Disability AwarenessModels & Designs*Traffic Safety
Dog CareMotor Boating Truck Transportation
DraftingMountain BikingVeterinary Medicine  
Dutch Oven CookingMusicWater Safety Instructor
Economics  Nature Study*Water Skiing
ElectricityOceanography  Weather*
Electronics OrienteeringWhitewater Rafting 
Emergency Preparedness*PageantryWilderness Survival
EnergyPaintball  NEW!Wildlife
Engineering PaintingWinter Camping
Family HistoryPetsWood Carving
Family Life*PhotographyWoodworking
Farm & Ranch Management  Pioneer LoreWorld Missions
Farm Mechanics  PioneeringWorld Missions - Construction
Fine Arts FestivalPlant ScienceWresting



So far Schnickelfritz has completed Presidents (that was his first choice), Chess, Railroading, Astronomy and Space Exploration.  We'll be beginning Sign Language soon.  He's also looking forward to Orienteering and Dutch Oven Cooking over the summer.

Of course that's just the way we incorporate Delight-directed learning into our home school.  Check out some of the other blogs below for more ideas.  And don't forget to check out the 5 Days of Teaching Creatively Giveaway.




1 comment:

Jubilee Reviews said...

I was in girl scouts for year and years, even joined in college and then was a brownie leader. Loved it, and definitely creative!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...