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Merit Badge
Requirements
1) Discuss with your counselor the tips
for online safety.
2) Explain how the invention of the
computer has affected society, science, and technology. In your
explanation, give a short history of the computer.
3) Do the following:
A) Explain four
different uses of computers.
B) Describe three ways
you and your family could use a personal computer other than for
games and recreation.
4) Explain to your counselor the
following:
A) The major parts of a
computer system
B) How the types of
files used to store text, sound, pictures, and video are stored in a
computer’s memory
5) Do the following:
A) Explain what a
program is and how it is developed
B) Give three examples
of programming languages, and describe their uses
C) Name four software
packages you or your family could use, and explain how you would use
them.
D) Discuss ways
you can help protect a computer from viruses and how to keep secure
information that has been saved on a computer
E) Describe how
computers are linked to form the Internet and the World Wide Web
6) Do THREE of the following:
A) Use a
database manager to create a troop roster that includes the name,
rank, patrol, and telephone number of each Scout. Show your
counselor that you can sort the register by each of the following
categories: rank, patrol, and alphabetically by name.
B) Use a
spreadsheet program to develop a food budget for a patrol weekend
campout.
C) Use a word
processor to write a letter to the parents of your troop’s Scouts
invitation them to a court of honor. Use the program’s mail feature
to make a personalized copy of the letter for each family.
D) Use a
computer graphics program to design and draw a campsite plan for
your troop, OR design a flyer for an upcoming troop event.
E) Using a
software package of your choice, develop a short presentation about
a topic that has been approved by your counselor. For your
presentation create at least 10 slides.
F) Using an
Internet search engine, find ideas about how to conduct a troop
court of honor or campfire program. Print out a copy of the ideas
from at least three different Web sites. Share what you found with
your counselor, and explain how you used the search engine to find
this information.
G) Using a
digital camera, take a picture of a troop activity. Transfer the
picture file to a computer and use photographic software to make it
small enough to send easily as an e-mail attachment. Then, using a
computer connected to the Internet (with your parents permission),
send an e-mail to someone you know. In your message, include the
photograph as an attachment. Verify that the person received your
e-mail and was able to view the attachment.
H) Describe two
computer chip-based devices, and explain how they are “smarter”
because of the chip and its program.
7) Do ONE of the following:
A) Visit a
business or an industrial plant that uses computers. Observe what
tasks the computers accomplish, and be prepared to discuss what you
have learned.
B) Using a
software package of your choice for computer aided design (CAD),
create an engineering-style drawing of a simple object. Include the
top, bottom, and at least one side view and the dimensions.
C) Use a
general purpose programming language to write a simple program
application of your choice, subject to approval by your counselor
D) Design a Web
page for your troop, patrol, school, or place of worship. You need
not post the page to a Web site. However, if you decide to do so,
you will first need to get your parent’s permission and your
counselor’s approval, as well as permission from the host site.
8) For each of the following categories,
discuss several related terms: input and output devices, storage
media, memory, processors and coprocessors, modems or network cards,
networks, World Wide Web and Internet, electronic mail, Wi-Fi.
9) Explain the following to your
counselor:
A) Why it is not
permissible to accept a free copy of a copyrighted computer game or
program from a friend.
B) The restrictions and
limitations of downloading music from the Internet.
C) Why copyright laws
exist.
10) Pick two career opportunities in the
computer field that interests you. Find out what education,
training, and experience those positions require. Report what you
learn to your counselor. |