I put together my first blog post dedicated to a merit badge. I'm looking forward to this merit badge clinic this week. But I realized that I want to have a specific place to upload merit badge stuff. So I made a separate blog at http://scoutmeritbadges.blogspot.com/ Any more merit badge work I do, I will post there, so this Harmony Post stays mainly my family's blog. :) If you're interested, I made a Facebook page for merit badge counselors and scouts at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Merit-Badge-Counselors/271164182925762 so I can more easily connect to other merit badge counselors. :)
How to earn Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge:
1. Get a blue card signed by your Scout leader. Then choose a merit badge
counselor off the list he has--make sure you write down the counselor's phone
number.
2. Call the merit badge counselor, meet with him/her (never alone, always
bring a buddy) and they will help you achieve it. Bring a copy of the merit
badge worksheet (click here for a copy you can print or this
one which is a complete worksheet including charts and maps<
3. Read the merit badge booklet--that will have all the key information you
will need to know in order to fill out your worksheets. But I am adding some
visual resources below that can supplement the booklet (nothing can replace it
or add to the requirements).
Do At Home:
1. Read newspaper/watch news on tv for 5 days straight
2. Write a letter to an elected official
3. Tour a state capitol or US capitol building and a federal building (unless you choose the National
landmark or monument route). Finding National Historic Landmarks in your state: Go to www.wikipedia.org and search within wikipedia for "list of national monuments in __(your state here)__."
I'm in Oregon, so this is the link to Oregon's National Monuments:
Below are some links that can help you achieve the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge:
Citizenship: rights, duties, and obligations of a responsible and active American citizen.
This video discusses the difference between democracy and republic, pg. 8 of merit badge booklet
This video talks about the Magna Carta and English Parliament. You can follow along in your merit badge booklet pages 11-12.
This video talks about the five main parts of the Declaration of Independence. You can follow along in your merit badge booklet p.13.
School House Rock on Declaration Of Independence, kind of silly, but you'll always remember 1776 and Life Liberty and Happiness 2:57
Celebrities actually reading the entire Declaration of Independence.
Preamble to the Constitution (be ready to talk about the six functions of government listed in the PreAmble)
For fun, and to hear the entire Preamble again, here is a video of Don Knotts as Barney Fife
The Constitution:
This video is a stickman explaining the background and parts of the Constitution. Follow along in your merit badge booklet, pages 13-15.
4000 of the 4500 words in the constitution focus on the balance of power between the three branches of government, so that is what this video focuses on.
Here's another approach, a RAP about the 3 branches of government.
Bill of Rights--this is a Catchy way to talk about the Bill of Rights. I'm going to print out the lyrics and hand it out so that the words sink in too.
Amendments to the Constitution
This video is a clip from the modern version of Born Yesterday with Melanie Griffith and John Goodman. I'm going to play it, and then ask which amendments they skipped (she doesn't do them all), but it's cleverly done, to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas. 5:18
Additional Resources:
This is a supplemental video. I actually only liked the part where Actress Reese Witherspoon analyzes the Declaration, at 5:15, at least to use in the Citizenship in the Nation.
This video is an impassioned video about the signers of Declaration of Independence's personal sacrifice:
I hope these links were helpful. I'd love to hear from you and what resources have helped you teach merit badges in an interesting way!
