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Scouts BSA · Rank

Printable worksheet (PDF)

Scout rank is your first step on the trail. It's about learning what Scouting stands for, getting to know your patrol, and picking up a few skills you'll use on every campout. Most new Scouts finish it in their first few weeks.

Why it's worth it

Scout rank is where you find out what you've joined. You'll learn the promises Scouts make, meet the patrol you'll camp, cook, and laugh with, and tie the first knots you'll use on every trip. You'll also have an honest talk at home about staying safe. By the end you're not a visitor anymore: you're part of a team that's counting on you, and you know exactly how to climb from here.

Start this week

  1. Tape the Scout Oath and Law to your mirror or bedroom door and read them out loud each morning this week.
  2. Ask your patrol leader for your patrol's name and yell, and practice the yell so you're ready at the next meeting.
  3. Keep a 3-foot piece of rope in your backpack and tie the square knot, two half-hitches, and taut-line hitch whenever you're waiting for something.
  4. Pick an evening with a parent or guardian to go through the Parent's Guide in your handbook together and watch the safety videos.
  5. Ask your Scoutmaster when you could have your Scoutmaster conference, so it's on the calendar.

Stay safe

  • Fuse rope ends only with an adult nearby. Melted rope stays hot and sticky and can burn your fingers.
  • Use a pocketknife only after you've learned the safety rules, and keep it closed whenever you're not cutting.

Requirements · 7

Every official requirement and part, numbered to match Scouting America, in plain language. Sign off against the official wording (opens in a new tab) (updated 2025).

Note: Do these as a troop member; if you already did them in the Webelos Scouting Adventure, just show your Scoutmaster or another chosen leader after joining.

  1. Requirement 1

    Scout ideals

    1. Requirement 1a

      Say the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan from memory, and explain what they mean in your own words

      Tip: Say the Oath, Law, motto, and slogan a little each day, at breakfast or in the car. Then pick a few points and tell a parent what they mean to you.

      For example: Explaining can be short and personal. For Trustworthy: "People can believe what I say. If I break my brother's headphones, I tell him instead of hiding them." For the slogan, "Do a Good Turn Daily" might mean holding a door or helping a neighbor carry groceries.

    2. Requirement 1b

      Explain what Scout spirit is and describe ways you have shown it by living the Oath, Law, motto, and slogan

      Tip: Think of a time you were helpful or kind without being asked. That's Scout spirit, and it's a great example to share.

      For example: Scout spirit is living the Oath and Law when no one is grading you. One example: you noticed a new student sitting alone at lunch, sat with them, and introduced them to your friends.

    3. Requirement 1c

      Show the Scout sign, salute, and handshake, and tell when to use each

      Tip: Practice the sign, salute, and handshake with a family member. Watch for when older Scouts use each one at meetings.

    4. Requirement 1d

      Describe the First Class badge, tell what each part stands for, and explain why the badge is significant

      Tip: Look closely at the First Class badge in your handbook or on an older Scout's uniform, and point out each part as you explain it.

    5. Requirement 1e

      Say the Outdoor Code from memory, list the seven Leave No Trace principles, and explain how the two differ

      Tip: Learn the Outdoor Code and the seven Leave No Trace principles side by side. Notice which ideas overlap and which are different.

      For example: One way to explain the difference: the Outdoor Code is a promise about who you'll be outdoors (clean, careful with fire, considerate, and conservation-minded), while Leave No Trace is seven how-to principles, like planning ahead and disposing of waste properly.

    6. Requirement 1f

      Say the Pledge of Allegiance from memory and explain its meaning in your own words

      Tip: Say the Pledge slowly and think about the big words, like allegiance and liberty. Ask a parent what the Pledge means to them.

      For example: Put a few words in your own language: "allegiance" means loyalty, a "republic" is a country where people elect their leaders, and "liberty and justice for all" is the goal of freedom and fair treatment for every person.

  2. Requirement 2

    Troop and advancement (after a troop meeting)

    Tips for this section: Pay attention at your next troop meeting to who runs things. Ask an older Scout how they moved up the ranks and how they earned their first merit badge.

    1. Requirement 2a

      Describe how the troop is led by its Scouts

      For example: At your next meeting, notice who does what: the senior patrol leader runs the agenda, patrol leaders take their patrols aside, and a scribe takes attendance. Then describe it: "Scouts planned and ran the meeting, and the adults mostly helped."

    2. Requirement 2b

      Describe the four steps of advancement in Scouting

      For example: Walk through the four steps with one skill: you learn the taut-line hitch from a troop guide, you're tested when you tie it for a leader, your progress is reviewed, and you're recognized when your rank is presented.

    3. Requirement 2c

      Describe the Scouts BSA ranks and how each one is earned

    4. Requirement 2d

      Explain what merit badges are and how you earn them

  3. Requirement 3

    Patrols

    Tips for this section: Help your patrol pick or improve a yell and flag. Learning your patrol's name and symbols is a fun way to feel part of the team.

    1. Requirement 3a

      Explain the patrol method and describe the kinds of patrols your troop uses

      For example: Explain it like a team: a patrol is a small group of Scouts who camp, cook, and plan together and elect their own leader. Your troop might have a new-Scout patrol, mixed-age patrols, or a patrol of older Scouts.

    2. Requirement 3b

      Get to know your patrol's name, emblem, flag, and yell, and explain how they build patrol spirit

  4. Requirement 4

    Knots and rope care

    1. Requirement 4a

      Tie the square knot, two half-hitches, and taut-line hitch, and explain how each is used

      Tip: Use a short rope at home and practice each knot until you can tie it without looking. For each one, think of a camp job it would do.

      For example: Give each knot a job: the square knot ties the ends of a bandage, two half-hitches tie a clothesline around a post, and the taut-line hitch makes a loop you can slide to tighten a tent guyline.

    2. Requirement 4b

      Care for rope by whipping and fusing the ends of several types of rope

      Tip: Ask an older Scout to show you how to whip and fuse rope ends. Fuse only with an adult nearby, since it uses a flame and melted rope gets hot.

  5. Requirement 5

    Explain what you need to know to use a pocketknife safely and responsibly

    Tip: Learn the safety circle and how to open, close, and pass a knife before you use one. Earning the Totin' Chip is a great next step.

    For example: Explain the safety circle: before you open a knife, hold your arm out with the closed knife and turn slowly to check that no one is within reach. Then cover cutting away from your body, closing the blade before you walk, and passing it closed or handle-first.

  6. Requirement 6

    Youth protection with your family

    Tips for this section: Set aside a quiet evening with a parent for the Parent's Guide exercises and videos. It's a good, honest conversation about staying safe.

    1. Requirement 6a

      With a parent or guardian, do the exercises in the Parent's Guide pamphlet on protecting children from abuse

    2. Requirement 6b

      With a parent or guardian's permission, watch the Personal Safety Awareness videos (your Scoutmaster may waive the videos with your family if you have no internet access)

  7. Requirement 7

    Have a Scoutmaster conference after joining the troop, while working on Scout rank

    Tip: The Scoutmaster conference is a friendly chat, not a test. Come ready to share what you've enjoyed so far and what you're looking forward to.

Ask yourself

  • What made you want to join Scouting, and what are you hoping to do this year?
  • Which point of the Scout Law already sounds like you, and which one will take more work?
  • Who in your patrol could you get to know better, and how could you start?
  • Which knot gave you the most trouble, and what finally made it click?
  • What do you want to be able to do by the time you reach First Class?

Good questions to ask your Scoutmaster at your conference

  • What do Scouts who really enjoy this troop usually have in common?
  • What's coming up on the troop calendar that a new Scout shouldn't miss?
  • Who can teach me and sign off my Tenderfoot skills?
  • What does a great patrol member do that I might not think of?

Helpful reads

For leaders & parents

  • Pair each new Scout with an older Scout or troop guide who can teach skills and sign them off as they're learned.
  • Run a quick knot-tying game at a meeting so new Scouts get lots of practice without it feeling like homework.

People & places that can help

Pairs well with

Tips, examples, and questions are ideas from experienced leaders, not extra requirements. Your unit leader or counselor decides when a requirement is complete.