The IVE League

. Education that Works . . . World Wide

A SPECIAL NOTE TO MEMBERS OF BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

This is a personal packet of questions and projects which may be completed as part of the requirements for the Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge; one of the three Citizenship merit badges required for Eagle. If you wish to use this document as part of meeting these requirements, you will want to complete the questions in writing and return them to your counselor at a second meeting.
This merit badge instruction plan has been set up so you can work with other members of your family, with a teacher from your school, or with members of your patrol or troop if you are Scout. All of the information to complete MOST of the answers can be found in the Citizenship in the Community merit badge book, published by Boy Scouts of America. Also, some of your fellow scouts may have already earned this badge or have completed a government class at school. We suggest that you gather into small groups and work together on the requirements for the badge. Each individual scout, however, is to complete the answers to the questions on the following pages in his own words.
Once this packet is completed, you will turn it in, discuss it with your counselor, and have your badge requirements signed off. You may also want to keep the completed packet as part of your Eagle portfolio.

Regardless of where we live, we are all part of a global society. We are all part of a very large community called "passengers on Spaceship Earth One". Beyond this, however, Most of us live in social structures, or communities, which are regulated by organizations called governments.

TAKING PART IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Communities are: - - -

places where people actively share common interests; This may be liking to do the same things like sports, or going to the same church, or just living close together. .For most of us in the United States, this just means living in the same village, town, or city.

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What Do You Know About Your community? - - -

. . . the town in which you live. Talk a little bit about its history, its cultures and ethnic groups, the major places where people work, and what you think it will be like to live there in the future. Type or write your answer here.

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Knowing your way around: - - -

On a local map of your community (which you can probably get from a place like a chamber of commerce or from one of the agencies of your local government), identify and mark the fire station and hospital which is nearest to where you live. Find and mark your school. Show the major highways and main streets. Find and mark some places of historical interest to your community. Complete the answer to this question on a separate sheet of paper.

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Who governs your town? - - -

Draw a chart of the organization of your community government, name the key members of its local government and tell of which political party they are a member. Complete the answer to this question on a separate sheet of paper.

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How does local government work? - - -

Visit a governing board of one of the organizations which regulates your community; something like a park board, a school board, or a community planning council. Or you might like to attend a session of a municipal or county court. Briefly describe what went on at that meeting. Type or write your answer here.

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Who pays for government? - - -

What does local government cost, where does the money come from and how is it spent?
After visiting that government meeting, obtain a copy of that body's published budget.
List the major sources of income and expenses of that body or government agency. Type or write your answer here.

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What does government do?

List some of the services provided by agencies of your local government in return for the taxes we pay. Type or write your answer here.

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Government Represents You! - - -

Select a city, county, or school problem-or some other issue which you feel is important to your community. Write a letter to a local political leader which expresses your opinions on this problem or issue. Type or write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

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What Can You Do To Help? - - -

Talk with a parent or teacher about how volunteering to serve your community is an important part of making it a better place to live. Then list five volunteer-based organizations in which people work together for the good of your community. Tell a little bit about what each one does. Type or write your answer here.

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Community Emergency Services: - - -

Tell how get help in your community in case of an accident or emergency. List the most important emergency telephone numbers. (911, in most places in the United States, is the first number to call in an emergency, but there are other numbers as well.) Type or write your answer here.

Police or Sheriff

Emergency Medical Services

Fire

Local Animal Control Agency

Personal Health Care Provider

Others

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Citizenship: Being Part of the Solution: - - -

By now, you have seen many ways in which citizens of all agencies make our communities work for all of us. List five ways in which you can demonstrate good citizenship in your community, religious organization, school, you youth activity. Type or write your answer here.

This IVE Learning Lab Questionnaire is intended for youth in the 11-15 age range. Its design and content are based on the "Citizenship in the Community" merit badge program developed by Boy Scouts of America. If you are a member of Scouting, and would like to print out a copy of this form and complete the following questions. After you have done this, discuss the completed form with your merit badge counselor when you meet with him or her to have your requirements signed off.
What is your name?

What is your mailing address?

In what city and state do you live?

What is your Postal ZIP Code?

What is your telephone number?

Copyright 1997 - GHF, Inc.; The IVE League. All rights reserved.
The IVE League is an exempt education programs development activity of the Genesis Historical Foundation, a federally-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Its primary support comes from financial contributions of individuals and companies interested in seeing American public education provide both career and academic preparation as equal parts of its core curriculum. All contributions to The Foundation are tax deductible.

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GHF, Inc.; The IVE League
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United States of America

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