Programming

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Resources include the Programming merit badge worksheet , links, and cross-references to related badges and awards.  ◀Prev  -  Next ▶ 

Programming merit badge
	Status:	Elective
	Created:	2013
	Discontinued:	no
	BSA Advancement ID:	153
	Requirements revision:	2013
	Latest pamphlet revision:	2013

Programming merit badge debuted on July 15th, 2013, at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree which was held at The Summit Bechtel Reserve, West Virginia, USA from July 15th - 24th, 2013.

Programming merit badge requirements

Safety. Do the following: a. Show your counselor your current, up-to-date Cyber Chip. b. Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries or illnesses that could occur during programming activities, including repetitive stress injuries and eyestrain. History. Do the following: a. Give a brief history of programming, including at least three milestones related to the advancement or development of programming. b. Describe the evolution of programming methods and how they have improved over time. General knowledge. Do the following: a. Create a list of 10 popular programming languages in use today and describe which industry or industries they are primarily used in and why. b. Describe three different programmed devices you rely on every day. Intellectual property. Do the following: a. Explain how software patents and copyrights protect a programmer. b. Describe the difference between licensing and owning software. c. Describe the differences between freeware, open source, and commercial software, and why it is important to respect the terms of use of each. Projects. Do the following: a. With your counselor’s approval, choose a sample program. Then, as a minimum, modify the code or add a function or subprogram to it. Debug and demonstrate the modified program to your counselor. b. With your counselor’s approval, choose a second programming language and development environment, different from those used for requirement 5a and in a different industry from 5a. Then write, debug, and demonstrate a functioning program to your counselor, using that language and environment. c. With your counselor’s approval, choose a third programming language and development environment, different from those used for requirements 5a and 5b and in a different industry from 5a or 5b. Then write, debug, and demonstrate a functioning program to your counselor, using that language and environment. d. Explain how the programs you wrote for requirements 5a, 5b, and 5c process inputs, how they make decisions based on those inputs, and how they provide outputs based on the decision making. Careers. Find out about three career opportunities in programming. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required. Discuss this with your counselor and explain why this career might be of interest to you. The text of these requirements is locked and can only be edited by an administrator. Please note any errors found in the above requirements on this article's Talk Page.

Notes

A FREE workbook for Programming is available here! with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Programming requirements.

meritbadge.org has PDF and DOC versions of Boy Scout merit badge workbooks, Webelos workbooks, and Cub Scout workbooks.

1. Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." Pamphlets (books) are at local Scout Shops and online at ScoutStuff.org.
2. "Get a signed Merit Badge application from your Scoutmaster." An online, printable Word doc file version is available.

Requirement resources

Many of the requirements can be satisfied using proprietary but free of charge shareware or Freeware as well as Open Source and Free Software programs.
1. How to Keep Children Safe Online From McAfee Protection
2. A Timeline of the History of the Computer - A History of the IEEE Computer Society - Computer History - Computer History Museum - The Virtual Museum of Computing - Historic Computer Images - CHAC History Pages - The History of Computers
4a. Computer hardware
4b. File Formats - Wotsit.org
4d. Sample Computer chip based devices: Palm OS Devices
5b. A Complete List of Programming Languages
5e. How Internet Infrastructure Works

Lesson Videos: Internet Explorer

6. OpenOffice.org is a free (LGPLv3) office suite that includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and database programs. It can open and save to Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint files.

Google Docs contains basic spreadsheet, word processor and presentation software. It imports Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint formatted files. Requires only a web browser and a (free) Google account.

6a. See the sample duty roster table in the Camping Worksheet Req. 4b.
6b. See the sample food list & cost table in the Cooking Worksheet Req. 3c & 5b.

Microsoft Excel - Many great tutorials on using Excel.

Lesson Video: Create a Budget in an Excel Spreadsheet

6b. Mail Merge Lesson Video: Mail Merge Word and Excel

Microsoft Word - Great Microsoft Word tutorials.

Mail Merge in MS Word - Great mail merge tutorial.

6e. Court of Honor samples and links to a number of other sites.

Here are Campfire songs, skits, and cheers.

Lesson Videos: How to Use Google

6f. The Citizenship in the Community #8 public presentation...of your community
could be given as a Communications #3 five-minute speech
using the techniques from Photography #4b to produce a picture story
and Art #1 to tell a story with...pictures
which could be developed into the Computers #6e short presentation.

Microsoft PowerPoint - Great Microsoft PowerPoint tutorials.

Lesson Videos: PowerPoint Presentation Basics - PowerPoint Presentation - More PowerPoint

• Cub Scout: Communicating Belt Loop & Pin - Webelos: Communicator - Merit Badges: Public Speaking - Communication
• Speeches & Presentations: How to Choose a topic - How to Write a Speech - How to Give a Speech - Ideas from eHow
• Lesson Videos: ExpertVillage: Giving a Speech - Public Speaking Tips - Public Speaking - Eye Contact - Hand Gestures - Props

6g. Paint.net is a free image editing and photo manipulation program for Windows PCs. It supports layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of powerful tools.

Irfanview is freeware (no cost for noncommercial use) to download and use.

Picasa is free of charge photo organization and editing tool from Google that can help you make web pages, slide shows and share your photos. A similar application for the Macintosh is iPhoto.

For those looking for more advanced photo editing software (or those using Linux) there's The G.I.M.P.. It is a good choice for those who can't use or afford Adobe Photoshop.

Microsoft Outlook great email tutorials.

Lesson Videos: Outlook Email

7b. Sketchup is a "3D modeling software tool that’s easy to learn, simple to use, and lets you place your models in Google Earth".

7d. NVU - free html editor with WYSIWYG capability for building web pages. Also, Linux users can use Quanta Plus (which is also open source, and similar to NVU.)

HTML Programming - great tutorials.

Notepad++ - A more stable free HTML editor also with WYSIWYG and a spacebar HTML tag entry

8.

8a. See US Constitution, Article 1, Section 8.8: to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts

8b. Exclusive rights in copyrighted works

8c. Digital Rights Management

9. Computer Science Career Guide

Related awards

6e. The Citizenship in the Community #8 public presentation...of your community
could be given as a Communications #3 five-minute speech
using the techniques from Photography #4b to produce a picture story
and Art #1 to tell a story with...pictures
which could be developed into the Computers #6e short presentation.
7d. Computers #7d "Design a webpage…" is very similar to Communications #7b "Create a Web page…".
Science-related awards

• Boy Scout Merit Badges: Animal Science - Archaeology - Astronomy - Architecture - Chemistry - Composite Materials - Computers - Electricity - Electronics - Energy - Environmental Science - Geology - Nuclear Science - Radio - Space Exploration - Weather
• Webelos Activity Badge: Engineer - Geologist - Scientist
• Cub Scout Belt Loops & Pins: Astronomy - Geography - Geology - Science - Weather

Hobby-related awards

• Boy Scout Merit Badges: Art - Chess - Coin Collecting - Collections - Computers - Dog Care - Fishing - Gardening - Genealogy - Golf - Horsemanship - Pets - Photography - Radio - Railroading - Reading - Stamp Collecting
  
• Venturing: Arts and Hobbies Bronze Award; Ranger Award electives: Cave Exploration - Cycling - Equestrian - Fishing
• Webelos Activity Badges: Artist - Traveler
• Cub Scout Belt Loops & Pins: Art - Chess - Collecting - Computers

See also

Boy Scout portal Varsity Scout portal Venturing portal

General Merit Badge information

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many boys have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)

External links