Materials Needed for Weather Merit Badge Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan for Teaching Weather Merit Badge to Small Groups
Laptop with Leon the Lighting game opened in a web browser.
Blue MB cards - one for each Scout (obtain from the Advancement Chair of their Troop)
Weather Merit Badge Booklet - for reference. Purchase at a local Scout Shop
Thunder Experiment: Brown paper lunch sacks - enough for each Scout and 1 extra for demonstration
Weather Worksheet - Be sure to use the version that has been modified for this class - we eliminated either-or choices for requirements 8 & 9 and highlighted which achievements can be found on posters to help guide Scouts through the class.
Weather Experiments (note: you can use more advanced experiments for older Scouts, easily found online)
Worksheet: “How Weather Affects Different Industries”
Industry Paper Signs - “Farmer”, “Sailor”, “Builder”, “Aviator” - fix with string to make a necklace
 Posters - these are Word files, which can be laminated before hanging.
Dangerous Weather & Safety Rules (first portion of requirement #2)
Posters - Warm Front & Cold Front (photocopied from the Merit Badge Booklet)
Note: These posters are teaching aids, meant to guide the instructor’s discussion with Scouts for requirement 3 at the top of page 2 on the Weather Worksheet.
Worksheet: “Weather Map”
Crushing Can Experiment”
- Empty soda can(s) - enough for each Scout plus one for the initial demonstration
- Electric burner - portable camping cook burner
- Long tongs to grab the hot can off the burner and flip it into the cold water
- Large clear bowl - use for this experiment and two other activities (see below)
- Water - to put in bowl and to put a tsp into each can
Cloud/Water Cycle Chart - this is a NOAA chart, available in hard copy and online
Lightning Experiment - Wintergreen Certs mints - one or two for each Scout
Handout: “Weather Safety: to Guide Scouts’ Talk with Family and Troop or Pack”
Slips of paper each with a type of severe weather printed on it, folded, placed in bowl (use same bowl from crushing can experiment). Have enough for each partnered pair of Scouts to pull one from the bowl.
NOAA Weather Radio - for demonstration (Activity 10)
Slips of paper each with a weather career printed on it, folded, placed in bowl (use same bowl from crushing can experiment). Have enough careers for each Scout to pull one from the bowl.
Optional - If you want to expand the course time beyond 5 hours
Supplemental Information to help teach technical material |
www.nws.noaa.gov 
