Requirements
1. In your own words, define inventing. Then do the following:
a. Explain to your merit badge counselor the role of inventors
and their inventions in the economic development
of the United States.
b. List three inventions and state how they have
helped humankind.
2. Do ONE of the following:
a. Identify and interview with a buddy (and with your
parent’s permission and merit badge counselor’s
approval) an individual in your community who has
invented a useful item. Report what you learned to
your counselor.
b. Read about three inventors. Select the one you find most
interesting and tell your counselor what you learned.
3. Do EACH of the following:
a. Define the term intellectual property. Explain which
government agencies oversee the protection of intellectual
property, the types of intellectual property that can
be protected, how such property is protected, and why
protection is necessary.
b. Explain the components of a patent and the different
types of patents available.
c. Examine your Scouting gear and find a patent number
on a camping item you have used. With your parent’s
permission, use the Internet to find out more about that
patent. Compare the finished item with the claims and
drawings in the patent. Report what you learned to
your counselor.
d. Explain to your counselor the term patent infringement.
4. Discuss with your counselor the types of inventions that
are appropriate to share with others, and explain why. Tell
your counselor about one unpatented invention and its
impact on society.
5. Choose a commercially available product that you have used on an overnight
camping trip with your troop. Make recommendations for improving the
product, and make a sketch that shows your recommendations. Discuss your
recommendations with your counselor.
6. Think of an item you would like to invent that would solve a problem for your
family, troop, chartered organization, community, or a special-interest group. Then
do EACH of the following, while keeping a notebook to record your progress.
a. Talk to potential users of your invention and determine their needs. Then,
based on what you have learned, write a statement describing the invention
and how it would help solve a problem. This statement should include
a detailed sketch of the invention.
b. Create a model of the invention using clay, cardboard, or any other readily
available material. List the materials necessary to build a prototype of
the invention.
c. Share the idea and the model with your counselor and potential users of
your invention. Record their feedback in your notebook.
7. Build a working prototype of the item you invented for requirement 6*. Test and
evaluate the invention. Among the aspects to consider in your evaluation are cost,
usefulness, marketability, appearance, and function. Describe how your original
vision and expectations for your invention are similar or dissimilar to the
prototype you built. Have your counselor evaluate and critique your prototype.
*Before you begin building the prototype, you must have your counselor’s
approval, based on the design and building plans you have already shared.
8. Do ONE of the following:
a. Participate with a club or team (robotics team, science club, or engineering
club) that builds a useful item. Share your experience with your counselor.
b. Visit a museum or exhibit dedicated to an inventor or invention, and create a
presentation of your visit to share with a group such as your troop or patrol.
9. Discuss with your counselor the diverse skills, education, training, and experience
it takes to be an inventor. Discuss how you can prepare yourself to be creative
and inventive to solve problems at home, in school, and in your community.
Discuss three career fields that might utilize the skills of an inventor.
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Resources:
Scouting.org Merit Badges - Requirements
boyscouttrail.com Merit Badges