Scout STEM Day
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion
Saint Vincent College
Merit Badges offered:
• Engineering
• Nuclear Science
• Digital Technology
STEM NOVA awards offered:
• Shoot! (Science)
Both the merit badges and the NOVA award will require the completion of prerequisite requirements
prior to the day of the event. Information on these prerequisites can be found in this packet.
Schedule:
8:30 m
8:45 am
4:30 pm
Registration
Program begins
Program ends
Registration - $20 per Scout, $10 for accompanying adult(s)
One adult is required for every 8 Scouts participating from the same unit.
All registrations include lunch and materials.
NOTE – This event is not recommended for boys who crossed over into Scouting in February/March
2016.
Registration deadline is Friday, March 11.
Space is limited for this event.
Questions about the event can be directed to Matt Fisher, Saint Vincent College, at
matt.fisher@stvincent.edu or 724-805-2356
The table below lists the prerequisite requirement(s) that each Scout must complete before the day of
the event for each class to be able to earn the merit badge or NOVA Award. Merit badge requirements
can be found in the current edition the Boy Scouts Requirements book or online at
http://www.scouting.org/meritbadges.aspx . NOVA award requirements are found at the end of this
packet.
Class
Pre-requisites
Nuclear Science merit badge
3b, 6c, 8
Engineering merit badge
1,2,5
Digital Technology merit badge
1 (completion of CyberChip card, see
note below)
Important note: This merit badge will be an all day
activity and will require a follow-up meeting with the
counselors. Details regarding the follow-up meeting will
be provided on the day of the event
Shoot NOVA Award
Bring images/illustrations and text of
troop or patrol activities on a USB
drive for use in requirement 6cgh
1, 2 (see note below), 4B
Digital Technology – Requirement #1 for the merit badge asks the Scout to complete the requirements
to earn the appropriate Cyber Chip. The requirements for the Cyber Chip can be found at
http://www.netsmartz.org/scouting; please note that Scouts in different grades will complete different
requirements.
NOVA Awards
Requirement #1 of the NOVA Award asks a Scout to watch three hours of video programs or to read
material found in appropriate magazines. Some examples of video programs include—but are not
limited to—shows found on PBS ("NOVA"), Discovery Channel, Science Channel, National Geographic
Channel, TED Talks (online videos), and the History Channel. A Scout may choose to watch a live
performance or movie at a planetarium or science museum instead of watching a media production. A
Scout may watch online productions with the counselor’s approval and under supervision of a parent.
For the reading, examples of magazines include—but are not limited to—Odyssey, Popular Mechanics,
Popular Science, Science Illustrated, Discover, Air & Space, Popular Astronomy, Astronomy, Science
News, Sky & Telescope, Natural History, Robot, Servo, Nuts and Volts, and Scientific American.
Requirement #2 of the NOVA award asks a Scout to earn one of the following merit badges: Archery,
Astronomy, Athletics, Aviation, Rifle Shooting, Robotics, Shotgun Shooting, Space Exploration, or
Weather. Scouts who bring documentation showing previous completion of one of these merit badges
will be signed off as completing this requirement. Scouts who have not earned one of these merit
badges can still be signed off for completing a number of the other requirements for the NOVA award.
Directions to Saint Vincent College and Parking
Directions to Saint Vincent College can be obtained from the College’s website,
http://www.stvincent.edu/directions/. A map of the campus is included in this packet. All participants
should park in Parking Lot A (next to the Fred Rogers Center) and walk to the Science Pavilion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this event NOT recommended for boys who just crossed over into Scouting in February/March
2016?
Participation in the program assumes familiarity with the process of earning a merit badge and the
importance of completing pre-requisite requirements. In our experience, boys that have just crossed
over into Scouting haven’t been involved in the program long enough to have that familiarity.
Why is there a requirement for one adult for every 8 boys coming from one troop?
Scouting places the utmost importance on the safety of participating boys. Saint Vincent College is not in
a position to provide enough staff to allow for the possibility of an unexpected situation, and there is the
additional complication that the staff is not familiar with participating Scouts and is not in a position to
take legal responsibility if necessary. Having one adult present for every eight boys from a single troop
ensures that someone familiar with the youth participants and who knows how to contact other parents
is on site during the day.
Adults are free to observe the Scouts as they participate in activities. The Science Center also has a
public wireless network that anyone can access.
Can I register after the deadline or on the day of the event?
Saint Vincent College requires us to give the final participant count for lunches the Monday before the
event, so we would not be able to provide lunch for anyone who registers after that. Given that many of
the hands-on activities require specific equipment, the instructors need to know before the day of the
event how many Scouts they will be working with.
2015 SCOUT STEM DAY
March 19, 2016
Registration Form
Please return this form and payment by Friday March 11 to:
Westmoreland Fayette Council Scout Office, 2 Garden Center Drive Greensburg Pa. 15601
Troop _____________
Each Scout should choose ONE activity (Digital Technology, Nuclear Science/Shoot, Engineering/Shoot) for the day
Scout
Email
Digital Technology
Nuclear Science/
Shoot NOVA Award
Engineering/Shoot
NOVA Award
Please list adults attending; one adult is required for every 8 Scouts - ____________________________________________________
Cost:
_____ boys X $20 per Scout = __________
_____ adults x $10 per adult = __________
Total due = __________ (check payable to BSA)
Shoot!
This module is designed to help you explore how science affects your life each day.
1. Choose A or B or C and complete ALL the requirements.
A. Watch about three hours total of science-related shows or documentaries that
involve projectiles, aviation, weather, astronomy, or space technology. Then do
the following:
1. Make a list of at least five questions or ideas from the show(s) you
watched.
2. Discuss two of the questions or ideas with your counselor.
Some examples include—but are not limited to—shows found on PBS
("NOVA"), Discovery Channel, Science Channel, National Geographic Channel,
TED Talks (online videos), and the History Channel. You may choose to watch a
live performance or movie at a planetarium or science museum instead of
watching a media production. You may watch online productions with your
counselor’s approval and under your parent’s supervision.
B. Read (about three hours total) about projectiles, aviation, space, weather,
astronomy, or aviation or space technology. Then do the following:
1. Make a list of at least two questions or ideas from each article.
2. Discuss two of the questions or ideas with your counselor.
Examples of magazines include—but are not limited to—Odyssey, Popular
Mechanics, Popular Science, Science Illustrated, Discover, Air & Space, Popular
Astronomy, Astronomy, Science News, Sky & Telescope, Natural History, Robot,
Servo, Nuts and Volts, and Scientific American.
C. Do a combination of reading and watching (about three hours total). Then do the
following:
1. Make a list of at least two questions or ideas from each article or show.
2. Discuss two of the questions or ideas with your counselor.
2. Complete ONE merit badge from the following list. (Choose one that you have not
already used toward another Nova award.) After completion, discuss with your counselor
how the merit badge you earned uses science.
Archery
Robotics
Astronomy
Shotgun Shooting
Athletics
Space Exploration
Aviation
Weather
Rifle Shooting
3. Choose A or B and complete ALL the requirements.
A. Simulations. Find and use a projectile simulation applet on the Internet (with your
parent’s or guardian’s permission). Then design and complete a hands-on
experiment to demonstrate projectile motion.
1. Keep a record of the angle, time, and distance.
2. Graph the results of your experiment. (Note: Using a high-speed camera or
video camera may make the graphing easier, as will doing many
repetitions using variable heights from which the projectile can be
launched.)
Helpful Links
Be sure you have your parent’s or guardian’s permission before using the
Internet. Some of these websites require the use of Java runtime
environments. If your computer does not support this program, you may
not be able to visit those sites.
Projectile Motion Applets
Website:
http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/physical/giambattista/proj/projectile.html
Fowler’s Physics Applets
Website:
http://galileoandeinstein.physics.virginia.edu/more_stuff/Applets/Projectil
eMotion/enapplet.html
Java Applets on Physics
Website: http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/projectile.htm
3. Discuss with your counselor:
a. What a projectile is
b. What projectile motion is
c. The factors affecting the path of a projectile
d. The difference between forward velocity and acceleration due to
gravity
B. Discover. Explain to your counselor the difference between escape velocity (not
the game), orbital velocity, and terminal velocity. Then answer TWO of the
following questions. (With your parent’s or guardian’s permission, you may
explore websites to find this information.)
1. Why are satellites usually launched toward the east, and what is a launch
window?
2. What is the average terminal velocity of a skydiver? (What is the fastest
you would go if you were to jump out of an airplane?)
3. How fast does a bullet, baseball, airplane, or rocket have to travel in order
to escape Earth’s gravitational field? (What is Earth’s escape velocity?)
4. Choose A or B and complete ALL the requirements.
A. Visit an observatory or a flight, aviation, or space museum.
1. During your visit, talk to a docent or person in charge about a science
topic related to the site.
2. Discuss your visit with your counselor.
B. Discover the latitude and longitude coordinates of your current position. Then do
the following:
1. Find out what time a satellite will pass over your area. (A good resource to
find the times for satellite passes is the Heavens Above website at
www.heavens-above.com .)
2. Watch the satellite using binoculars. Record the time of your viewing, the
weather conditions, how long the satellite was visible, and the path of the
satellite. Then discuss your viewing with your counselor.
5. Choose A or B or C and complete ALL the requirements.
A. Design and build a catapult that will launch a marshmallow a distance of 4 feet.
Then do the following:
1. Keep track of your experimental data for every attempt. Include the angle
of launch and the distance projected.
2. Make sure you apply the same force every time, perhaps by using a weight
to launch the marshmallow. Discuss your design, data, and experiments—
both successes and failures - with your counselor.
B. Design a pitching machine that will lob a softball into the strike zone. Answer the
following questions, then discuss your design, data, and experiments - both
successes and failures—with your counselor.
1. At what angle and velocity will your machine need to eject the softball in
order for the ball to travel through the strike zone from the pitcher’s
mound?
2. How much force will you need to apply in order to power the ball to the
plate?
3. If you were to use a power supply for your machine, what power source
would you choose and why?
C. Design and build a marble run or roller coaster that includes an empty space
where the marble has to jump from one part of the chute to the other. Do the
following, then discuss your design, data, and experiments—both successes and
failures—with your counselor.
1. Keep track of your experimental data for every attempt. Include the
vertical angle between the two parts of the chute and the horizontal
distance between the two parts of the chute.
2. Experiment with different starting heights for the marble. How do the
starting heights affect the velocity of the marble? How does the starting
height affect the jump distance?
6. Discuss with your counselor how science affects your everyday life.
Saint
Benedict
Section
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Scholastica
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Cemetery
Maintenance
Massaro
Pavilion
Gerard
Hall
Tennis Physics
Courts Building
N
PARKING
Baseball Field
Student Union
(Bookstore,
Visitors Center,
Snack Bar)
P Chemistry
PARKING
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Hall
Prep Hall
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Hall
Wimmer
Hall
ty
Sportsman's
Hall
Monument
Parish Center
& Basilica Gift
Shop
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Basilica
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Nature Reserve
Location Map
F
PARKING
oute
to R
Fraser Purchase Road
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PARKING
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for Early Learning
and Children’s Media
Business/Conference
Center
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Nature Reserve
2011
ad
Ro
G
PARKING
PARKING
E
at
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PARKING
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Ludwig
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A
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981
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Science Pavilion
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Gymnasium,
& Art Gallery)
A
riv
e
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inc
en
tD
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