Engineer shows how people design and build the things we use every day. You'll learn about three kinds of engineering, pick one, and then build your own project. Thinking like an engineer means planning, testing, and improving.
Why it's worth it
Engineers designed the bridge you crossed, the lights in your room, and the bike you ride. In this adventure you'll learn what civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers do, read real plans like they do, and build your own project using the same steps: plan, build, test, and improve. That way of solving problems works on almost anything.
Start this week
- Walk around your home and name one thing a civil, an electrical, and a mechanical engineer helped make.
- Ask your adult if they know an engineer who could talk with your patrol, with adults present.
- Sketch three project ideas, like a straw bridge, a simple circuit, or a rubber-band car.
Stay safe
- Use cutting tools, hot glue, and batteries with an adult supervising, and never experiment with wall outlets.
Requirements · 5
Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).
- Requirement 1
Learn what civil, electrical, and mechanical engineers focus on, the sciences they use, and what they make
Tip: Learn that civil engineers build bridges and roads, electrical engineers work with circuits, and mechanical engineers design machines.
For example: Civil engineers design roads, bridges, dams, and water systems. Electrical engineers design circuits, power grids, and electronics. Mechanical engineers design machines with moving parts, from bikes to car engines.
- Requirement 2
Choose one of those engineering fields to use for the rest of the requirements
Tip: Pick the field that sounds most fun to you.
- Requirement 3
Examine blueprints or specifications used by the kind of engineer you chose
Tip: Look at real plans, like house blueprints or a circuit diagram. Ask an engineer to explain them.
For example: A civil engineer reads blueprints that show a building from above with measurements. An electrical engineer reads circuit diagrams with symbols for batteries and switches. Find one and figure out three symbols.
- Requirement 4
Pick a project you'd like to build
Tip: Think of something you'd like to build, like a bridge, a simple circuit, or a small machine.
- Requirement 5
Build your project using the engineering process
Tip: Plan, build, test, and improve your project. Write down what you changed and why.
For example: Building a bridge from craft sticks: define the problem (span 12 inches and hold weight), sketch two designs, build one, test with pennies or books, then improve the weakest part and test again. Write down each change.
Places to visit
Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.
A science museum or university engineering open house
Hands-on exhibits and student projects show what engineers build and test.
How: Have your adult check for engineering week events, often in February, or ask the museum about patrol programs.
A water treatment plant or public works department
Civil engineers can show how clean water reaches your faucet.
How: Have your den leader call the city's public works office and ask if they offer tours for youth groups.
Talk about it together
- Which kind of engineering sounds most like you, and why?
- What went wrong when you first tested your project, and how did you fix it?
- What would you build if you had any materials you wanted?
- Where do you see engineering in your everyday life now?
Helpful reads
- Cub Scouts: a guide for families, How Cub Scout ranks and adventures work from kindergarten through fifth grade, what an adult partner does, and how to keep it fun at meetings and at home., Families · Leaders · 4 min read
- From Arrow of Light to a troop, What changes when you join a Scouts BSA troop, how to visit and choose one, good questions to ask, and how to make your first year a great one., Youth · Families · 4 min read
For leaders & parents
- Invite a local engineer to show real plans and talk about their work.
- Provide simple materials like craft sticks, batteries, or cardboard for building.
People & places that can help
- A local engineer — Can share real projects and plans.
- Science museum — Hands-on engineering exhibits.
- Public library — Kids' books on engineering projects.
- DiscoverE (opens in a new tab) — Engineering activities and stories about what engineers do.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (opens in a new tab) — How civil engineers design bridges, roads, and water systems.
Pairs well with
Counts toward
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Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.