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My Community

Cub Scouts · Adventure, Required

Printable worksheet (PDF)

My Community helps you see how decisions get made where you live. You'll learn about voting, meet someone who was elected, and see how a law gets made. Then you'll pitch in with a service project to make your community better.

Why it's worth it

Every park, library, and crosswalk near you exists because someone voted, made a rule, or decided to help. In this adventure you'll learn how a vote really works, meet a person who was elected, and trace how a law gets made. Then you'll do a service project, so you're not just learning about your community, you're making it better.

Start this week

  1. Hold a family vote with three choices for dinner or a movie and count the votes together.
  2. Ask your adult who represents your town or school district, and look up their name together.
  3. Write two questions you'd like to ask an elected official.

Requirements · 4

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab).

  1. Requirement 1

    Learn about majority and plurality voting

    Tip: Hold a den vote on a snack or game with three choices. See if the winner got a majority or just the most votes.

    For example: Say 10 Scouts vote on a snack: 4 pick pretzels, 3 pick apples, 3 pick popcorn. Pretzels won by plurality (the most votes), but not by majority, since 4 isn't more than half of 10.

  2. Requirement 2

    Talk with someone who was elected to their position; find out what kind of voting elected them and why it was used

    Tip: With an adult, invite a city council member, school board member, or mayor to a den meeting, or visit their office.

    For example: Good questions for an official: "How did your election work?" "Why does our town use that way of voting?" "What surprised you about your job?" "How can kids help our community?"

  3. Requirement 3

    Pick a federal law and make a timeline of its history that shows the role of all 3 branches of government

    Tip: Pick a law, then draw a timeline showing Congress passing it, the President signing it, and the courts' role.

    For example: For the Americans with Disabilities Act, your timeline might show: members of Congress introduce the bill, both houses pass it, the President signs it in 1990, and later the courts decide cases about what it means.

  4. Requirement 4

    Take part in a service project

    Tip: Ask your den or a local group about needs nearby, like a park cleanup or food drive.

    For example: Ideas for service: collect canned food for a pantry, clean up litter at a park, make cards for a senior center, or help plant flowers at a school.

Places to visit

Ask an adult to set it up, and go with your family, den, patrol, or crew.

  • A town hall, city council, or school board meeting

    You can watch people vote on real decisions and see how they listen to people who speak up.

    How: Have your adult check the meeting schedule online and ask the clerk's office if a den can attend or meet an official before or after.

Talk about it together

  • Do you think majority or plurality voting is fairer, and why?
  • What did the elected official say that you didn't expect?
  • If you could make one new rule for your town, what would it be?
  • How did the place you served look before and after your project?
  • Who else in your community helps make it a good place to live?

Helpful reads

For leaders & parents

  • Contact a local official early since schedules fill up; a short Q and A works well.
  • Help scouts choose a service project they can see make a difference.

People & places that can help

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.