Scout Badges as Homeschool Health and Safety Curriculum

Homeschool parents with children in Boy Scouts may not realize that by completing certain boy scout badges that they also fulfill health class requirements. These badges would need to be completed while they are in high school to count as high school credits and the amount of credit you award will depend on how much time they spent earning the badge. Remember 120-180 hours equals one credit. Just record the amount of time spent earning each badge and if one takes 40 hours to complete, for example, you can award the student .25 health credits based on earning that badge. Complete 2 or 3 of these badges for 1/2 to a full health credit. While a health credit is not mandatory for the homeschooler, it looks good on the homeschool transcript and can fulfill an electives requirement (based on public school standards). Here are some of the badges you can use for health and safety and what your child will learn while earning these badges.

The First Aid Badge teaches student about dealing with cuts, scrapes, blisters, bites, stings (insects and snakes). It teaches about nosebleed, frostbite, sunburn, objects in the eye, broken bones and other emergency health issues. The student will become skilled in triage of all kinds of injuries and know how to respond in emergency situations.

While earning the Safety Badge the student will read about common injuries and crimes in the newspaper. They will write about how such and event would be life changing. The student will list safety devices that can prevent injuries or help in an emergency. They will inspect the home and teach the family about safety through an accident prevention plan.

While learning the Medicine Badge, students learn about the history of medicine including learning the biography of numerous people in history that affected the medical field. They will learn and discuss the Hippocratic Oath, discuss patient and doctor relationships, and about some of the many jobs in the medical field. The homeschooled scout will learn how health insurance works. They will interview a doctor and volunteer at a health related event like a blood drive or blood pressure screening.

Personal Fitness Badge will teach students about the importance of physical exams, and about disease prevention. They will learn warning signs of cancer, and how to prevent heart problems later in life. The badge includes having a dental exam and caring for their teeth. They will get an understanding on what it means to be mentally, physically, and socially healthy.

The Dentistry Badge takes the student more in depth with learning about mouth and tooth care. The student will learn about the job of the dentist and his equipment. He will learn about gum disease and traumatic tooth loss. He will also demonstrate proper flossing and dental care and make drawings and discuss stages of tooth decay.

The Emergency Preparedness Badge teaches the student to deal with fires in the kitchen and other areas of he house, car accidents, food borne illnesses, car accidents and being trapped in a car. They will learn how to react in case of flooding, boating accidents, and natural disaster issues as well.