Family Life Merit Badge Does Require Time with Your Family

This month our troop is working on the Family Life merit badge. One of the most difficult requirements for this merit badge is the tracking of chores. A scout must track his chore progress for a period of three months. A tracking sheet was provided at scouts last week but it is also available online at www.meritbadge.org.

Homework from week one:
1. Discuss with a parent or guardian why you are important to your family.
2. Plan a family project that benefits your family. Be able to discuss with your counselor how your family participated and the results of the project.
3. Begin tracking your chores for the 90 days required.

Computers Merit Badge

Computers Merit Badge was started this month. Thanks Dave Petersen for helping us out this month on this merit badge. The computer information was cool and the Afghanistan video was even cooler.

Homework for this merit badge will include:

1. Do THREE of the following:

   a. Using a spreadsheet program, develop a food budget for a patrol weekend campout.

   b. Using a word processor, write a letter to the parents of your troop's Scouts inviting them to a court of honor.

   c. Using a computer graphics program, design and draw a campsite plan for your troop.

   d. Using a computer graphics program, create a flier for an upcoming troop event, incorporating both text and some type of visual such as a photograph or illustration.

   e. Using an Internet search engine (with your parent's permission), find ideas about how to conduct a troop court of honor or campfire program. Print out a copy of the ideas from at least three different Web sites. Share what you found with your counselor, and explain how you used the search engine to find this information.

   f. Using a presentation software program of your choice, develop a report about a topic that has been approved by your counselor. For your presentation, create at least 10 slides.

   g. Using a digital camera, take a picture of a troop activity. Transfer the picture file to a computer and use photographic software to make it small enough to send easily as an e-mail attachment. Then, using a computer connected to the Internet (with your parent's permission), send an e-mail to someone you know. In your message, include the photograph as an attachment. Verify that the person received your e-mail and was able to view the attachment.

   h. Using a database manager, create a troop roster that includes the name, rank, patrol, and telephone number of each Scout. Show your counselor that you can sort the register by each of the following categories: rank, patrol, and alphabetically by name.

Electricity Merit Badge

Troop 1305 started the Electricity Merit Badge tonight. 

A few items we learned about tonight included: 
Volts - Force behind electricity
Amps - Amount
Watt - Volts x Amps = Watts
ohm - Resistance or the amount of opposition to voltage
Rectifier - changes AC voltage to DC voltage
Rheostat - changes voltage output (raises or lowers)
Conductor - anything that allows the flow of electricity

Homework:

• Home electricity checklist
• Electricity project using batteries: create a circuit using a switch and some sort of light or buzzer (no A/C voltage - batteries only for power)

Thanks Mark for helping us with this fun merit badge.

Summer Camp at Bear Lake

Bear Lake 2013 - Great turn out and lots of fun.

The 2013 Summer Scout Camp was held this year at the Bear Lake Aquatics Base, July 8th-13th. The scouts had a great time and completed nearly 85 merit badges. Merit badges included Swimming, Lifesaving, Environmental Science and more. You can check out all our photos online on our Facebook page under our photos. You won't want to miss them.

Astronomy Merit Badge

Our troop just finished the Astronomy Merit Badge. We appreciate Steve Beck helping us with this fun merit badge about the stars, constellations, the solar system, and our galaxy. We have included some great apps that may be helpful in your viewing of the stars and night sky. These are great apps available for your iPhone or iPod touch. Check them out.

Skyview:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skyview-free-explore-universe/id413936865?mt=8

Planets:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/planets/id305793334?mt=8

Pocket Universe:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket-universe-classic/id567184849?mt=8

Star Map:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/starmap-lite/id505155967?mt=8

Sputnik:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sputnik!/id393001070?mt=8

Solar System Scope:

http://www.solarsystemscope.com/

(note…with the web version of this app you must set your location by clicking the gears…it defaults to UK, which means everything is about 8 hours off)

Black Friday Deal on Scout Products

The Boy Scout Supplies website is offering 20% off today only. This great deal is rarely seen for the entire site. This includes all apparel, uniforms, and outdoor gear. If you scout is in need of a new shirt, a handbook, or just looking for a few possible stocking stuffers for Christmas then you may want to check this great deal out. 

A lot of people don't realize that the BSA offers jeans on their website as well. BSA has some great looking blue jeans on their website that look great, are comfortable, and super affordable. They are regularly just under $8 a pair but with 20% off they are even better. Check this deal out while you are on the site. Sign up for their newsletter and be the first to know about all the deals.

www.ScoutStuff.org 

New Leadership ... What does it mean?

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to help young people make ethical and moral choices in their lives by installing in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Scouting is about creating new leaders, leaders of tomorrow. Troop 1305 provides scouts the opportunity to be leaders. This week we provided new opportunities for leadership with new assignments in scout positions. As the new Deacon's Quorum President, Kaden has been made the new Senior Patrol Leader. He is excited to take on this new role and will have new responsibilities ahead of him. As scout leaders, we hope each scout takes his responsibilities serious and with great respect. 

Below is a list of each new position assign this week. Each scout will be give his specific responsibilities for the troop.  Each has his important role that if followed through with makes the troop run smooth. 

Kaden - Senior Patrol Leader

Conner - Assistant Senior Patrol Leader

Zane - Chaplain Aide

Luc - Scribe

Aaron - Historian

Hunter - Librarian

Jackson - Leave No Trace Instructor

Jacob - Webmaster

Gavin - Quartermaster

Justin - Firemarshall

Braden - E.D.G.E. Instructor

Max - E.D.G.E. Instructor

Lord Baden-Powell the founder of scouting once said “Scouting is a game for boys under the leadership of boys under the direction of a man.” Scouting will allow all our young men to become leaders if we let them.