Any boy may earn Bear achievements and electives if he is in the third grade, or is nine years old. To earn the Bear badge, a boy must complete 12 of the 24 specified achievements listed below. He can select the ones he wants to do from four different groups: God, Country, Family, and Self. The Progress Towards Ranks badge is available as an incentive during the Bear program to encourage a Cub on his achievement work. Details regarding the completion of the achievements and associated electives can be found in the BSA Bear Cub Scout Book (No. 33451, 2003.)
When a boy finishs an achievement, he will need to have an adult member of his family sign and date his book. He will then take the book to the next den meeting and his den leader will record it on the Cub Scout (Den) Advancement Chart and initial his book. When he has done 12 Bear achievements, he becomes a Bear Cub Scout. A boy may count any extra achievement requirements he earns as arrow point credits.
If a Bear-aged boy is new to Cub Scouting, he must complete the Bobcat trail before beginning work on the Bear achievements.
Know. Name some people in history who have shown great faith. Discuss with an adult how faith has been important at a particular point in his or her life.
Commit. Discuss with an adult how having faith and hope will help you in your life, and also discuss some ways that you can strengthen your faith.
Practice. Practice your faith as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or religious fellowship.
Make a list of things you can do this week to practice your religion as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious community. Check them off your list as you complete them.
EMBLEMS OF FAITH(Bear Handbook - Page 30)
Complete the requirement.
Earn the religious emblem of your faith. (A list of the religious emblems available to Cub Scouts is available on the BSA website. Click here to see them.)
WHAT MAKES AMERICA SPECIAL? (Bear Handbook - Page 34)
(Do requirements (a) and (j) and any two of the other requirements.
Write or tell what makes America special to you.
With the help of your family or den leader, find out about twofamousAmericans. Tell the things they did or are doing to improve our way of life.
Find out something about the old homes near where you live. Go and see two of them.
Find out where places of historical interest are located in or near your town or city. Go and visit one of them with your family or den.
Choose a state; it can be your favorite one or your home state. Name its state bird, tree, and flower. Describe its flag. Give the date it was admitted to the Union.
Be a member of the color guard in a flag ceremony for your den or pack.
Display the U.S. flag in your home or fly it on three national holidays.
Learn how to raise and lower a U.S. flag properly for an outdoor ceremony.
Know. Tell ways some people in the past have served our country. Tell about some people who serve our country today. (Don't forget about "ordinary" people who serve our country.)
Commit. Tell something that might happen to you and your family if other people were not responsible citizens. Tell one thing you will do to be a good citizen.
Practice. Tell three things you did in one week that show you are a good citizen.
TALL TALES (Bear Handbook - Page 42)
Do all three requirements.
Tell in your own words what folklore is. List some folklore stories, folk songs, or historical legends from your own state or part of the country. Play the Folklore Match Game on page 48.
Name at least five stories about American folklore. Point out on a United States map where theyhappened.
Read two folklore stories and tell your favorite one to your den.
Choose a bird or animal that you like and find out how it lives. Make a poster showing what you have learned.
Build or make a bird feeder or birdhouse and hang it in a place where birds can visit safely.
Explain what a wildlife conservation officer does.
Visit one of the following: Zoo, Nature center,Aviary,Wildlife refuge, Game preserve.
Name one animal that has become extinct in the last 100 years. Tell why animals become extinct. Name one animal that is on the endangered species list.
Save 5 pounds of glass or aluminum, or 1 month of daily ewspapers
. Turn them in at a recycling center or use your community's recycling service.
Plant a tree in your yard, or on the grounds of the group that operates your Cub Scout pack, or in a park or other public place. Be sure to get permission first.
Call city or county officials or your trash hauling company and find out what happens to your trash after it is hauled away.
List all the ways water is used in your home. Search for dripping faucets or other ways water might be wasted. With an adult, repair or correct those problems.
Discuss with an adult in your family the kinds of energy your family uses.
Find out more about your family's use of electricity.
Take part in a den or pack neighborhood clean-up project.
Know. As you learn about how Cub Scout-age life was like for adults you know, does what you learn change what you think about them. Tell how it might help you respect or value them more.
Commit. Can you think of reasons others might be disrespectful to people or things you value? Name one new way you will show respect for a person or thing someone else values.
Practice. List some ways you can show respect for people and events in the past.
Know. Memorize the courage steps: Be brave, Be calm, Be clear, and Be careful. Tell why each courage step is important. How will memorizing the courage steps help you to be ready?
Commit. Tell why it might be difficult to follow the courage steps in an emergency situation. Think of other times you can use the courage steps. (Standing up to a bully is one example.)
Practice. Act out one of the requirements using these courage steps: Be brave, Be calm, Be clear, and Be careful.
RIDE RIGHT (Bear Handbook - Page 118)
Do requirement (a) and three other requirements.
Know the rules for bike safety. If your town requires a bicycle license, be sure to get one.
Learn to ride a bike, if you haven't by now. Show that you can follow a winding course for 60 feet doing sharp left and right turns, a U-turn, and an emergency stop.
Keep your bike in good shape. Identify the parts of a bike that should be checked often.
Change a tire on a bicycle.
Protect your bike from theft. Use a bicycle lock.
Ride a bike for 1 mile without rest. Be sure to obey all traffic rules.
Set up the equipment and play any two of these outdoor games with your family or friends. (Backyard golf, Badminton, Croquet, Sidewalk shuffleboard, Kickball, Softball, Tetherball, Horseshoes, Volleyball)
Play two organized games with your den.
Select a game that your den has never played. Explain the rules. Tell them how to play it, and then play it with them.
BUILDING MUSCLES (Bear Handbook - Page 130)
Do all three requirements.
Do physical fitness stretching exercises. Then do curl-ups, push-ups, the standing long jump, and the softball throw.
With a friend about your size, compete in at least six different two-person contests. (Many examples in book.)
Compete with your den or pack in the crab relay, gorilla relay, 30-yard dash, and kangaroo relay.
NOTE TO PARENTS: If a licensed physician certifies that the Cub Scout's physical condition for an indeterminable time doesn't permit him to do three of the requirements in this achievement, the Cubmaster andpack committee may authorize substitution of any three Arrow Point electives.
Know. Tell what made it difficult to be clear and accurate as you wrote details and kept records, and tell what could tempt you to write something that was not exactly true. Define honesty.
Commit. Tell why it is important to be honest and trustworthy with yourself and with others. Imagine you had reported something inaccurately and tell how you could set the record straight. Give reasons that honest reporting will earn the trust of others.
Practice. While doing the requirement for this achievement, be honest when you are writing about real events.
SAWDUST AND NAILS (Bear Handbook - Page 152)
Do all three requirements.
Show how to use and take care of four of these tools.
(Hammer, Hand saw, Hand drill, C-clamp, Wood plane, Pliers, Crescent wrench, Screwdriver, Bench vise, Coping saw, Drill bit)
Build your own tool box.
Use at least two tools listed in requirement (a) to fix something.
Know. Review the requirements for this achievement and list the resources you would need to complete them. Then list the materials you could substitute for items that you do not already have. Tell what it means to be resourceful.
Commit. After you complete the requirements for this achievement, list any changes that would make the results better if you did these projects again. Tell why it is important to consider all available resources for a project.
Practice. While you complete the requirements for this achievement, make notes on which materials worked well in your projects and why.
Know. Tell why, as a leader, it is important to show kindness and concern for other people. List ways leaders show they care about the thoughts and feelings of others.
Commit. Tell why a good leader must consider the ideas, abilities, and feelings of others. Tell why it might be hard for a leader to protect another person's well-being. Tell ways you can be kind and compassionate.
Practice. While you complete the requirements for this achievement, find ways to be kind and considerate of others.
When a boy has completed twelve of these twenty-four achievements through all four parts of the Bear trail, he has earned the right to wear the Bear badge.
Bears Homepage
Event Calendar