Advancements

Advancement Plan

Recognition is important to young boys. The Cub Scouting advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on advancement projects.

Tiger Cub. The Tiger Cub program is for first-grade (or age 7) boys and their adult partners. There are five Tiger Cub achievement areas. The Tiger Cub, working with his adult partner, completes 15 requirements within these areas to earn the Tiger Cub badge. These requirements consist of an exciting series of indoor and outdoor activities just right for a boy in the first grade.

Bobcat. The Bobcat rank is for all boys who join Cub Scouting.

Wolf. The Wolf program is for boys who have completed first grade (or are age 8). To earn the Wolf badge, a boy must pass 12 achievements involving simple physical and mental skills.

Bear. The Bear rank is for boys who have completed second grade (or are age 9). There are 24 Bear achievements in four categories. The Cub Scout must complete 12 of these to earn the Bear badge. These requirements are somewhat more difficult and challenging than those for Wolf rank.

Webelos. This program is for boys who have completed third grade (or are age 10). A boy may begin working on the Webelos badge as soon as he joins a Webelos den. This is the first step in his transition from the Webelos den to the Boy Scout troop. As he completes the requirements found in the Webelos Handbook, he will work on activity badges, attend meetings led by adults, and become familiar with the Boy Scout requirements—all leading to the Arrow of Light Award.

Advancement Requirements

Tiger
(1st Grade)

The Tiger Cub program is for boys in the 1st grade.

Tiger Den’s are made up of 6-8 boys in first grade AND their adult partners. The boys and their adult partners work on a variety Tiger Cub Achievements throughout the year. Families usually take turns planning and running the activities for their den meetings for that month.

They will earn their Tiger badge when they have completed the following achievements: Making My Family Special, Where I Live, Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe, How I Tell It, and Let's Go Outdoors. Each achievement has three components, A family activity, A den activity and a field trip called a GO SEE IT.

But just to help the boys keep track of their progression toward their Tiger badge, we use the Tiger Belt Totem. They will receive this when they learn the Tiger Cub motto (Search, Discover, Share), Cub Scout Sign, and the Cub Scout Salute. Then as they progress toward their Tiger Badge they will earn 1 white bead for completing the "family" activity, 1 orange bead for completing the "Den" activity, and 1 black bead for completing the "Go See It" activity for each of the five achievements mentioned above.

Bobcat
(Everyone)

The first rank that EVERY boy earns when entering the Cub Scouting Program after the Tiger Cub program is the Bobcat rank. Tiger Cubs earn the Tiger Cub rank THEN the Bobcat rank. Boys joining after the Tiger Cub year start with the Bobcat.

To earn the Bobcat rank the new Cub Scout must do the following:

Learn and say the CUB SCOUT PROMISE and complete the Honesty Character Connection.
1. Know: Discuss these questions with your family. What is a promise? What does it mean to "keep your word?" What does honesty mean? What does it mean to "do your best?"
2. Commit: Discuss these questions with your family. Why is a promise important? Why is it important for people to trust you when you give your word? When might it be difficult to keep your word? List examples.
3. Practice: Discuss with family members why it is important to be trustworthy and honest and how can you do your best to be honest when you are doing the activities in Cub Scouting.
"I .....(name).... promise to do my best
To do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people, and
To obey the Law of the Pack. "
Say the LAW OF THE PACK. Tell what it means.

"The Cub Scout follows Akela.
The Cub Scout helps the pack go.
The pack helps the Cub Scout Grow.
The Cub Scout gives goodwill."
Tell what WEBELOS means

"WE'll BE LOyal Scouts "
Show the CUB SCOUT SIGN. Tell what it means.
[Webelos: Make the CUB SCOUT SIGN. Tell what it means.]
Show the CUB SCOUT HANDSHAKE. Tell what it means.
Say the CUB SCOUT MOTTO. A motto is a guiding principle.

"Do Your Best"
Give the CUB SCOUT SALUTE. Tell what it means.
With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the booklet,
How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse.
[Tiger Cub: With your adult partner, complete the "Bobcat Requirements" section in front of the Contents pages of this handbook.]
[Webelos: With your parent or guardian, complete the Bobcat Requirements section of "How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide"). (The guide is a pull-out section that came in the front of this book.)]

The above items are the basic information that ALL Cub Scouts must learn, which is why EVERY boy who enters into Cub Scouting MUST earn the Bobcat Badge.

Wolf
(2nd Grade)

A Cub Scout who is in the 2nd grade works in a Den of 6 to 8 boys to complete the following 12 achievements to earn his Wolf Badge.

Feats of Skill

Your Flag

Keep Your Body Healthy

Know Your Home and Community

Tools for Fixing and Building

Start a Collection

Your Living World

Cooking and Eating

Be Safe at Home and on the Street

Family Fun

Duty to God

Making Choices

After earning all 12, a Wolf works on electives in the back of the book.
He earns an Arrow Point for every 10 electives completed
(Gold for the first 10, and Silver for every 10 thereafter).

Bear
(3rd Grade)

A Cub Scout who is in the 3rd grade works in a Den of 6 to 8 boys to complete 12 of the following 24 achievements to earn his Bear Badge.

One of the following two:

Ways We Worship

Emblems of Faith

Three of the following five:

What Makes America Special

Tall Tales

Sharing Your World with Wildlife

Take Care of Your Planet

Law Enforcement is a Big Job

Four of the following six:

The Past is Exciting and Important

What's Cooking

Family Fun

Be Ready

Family Outdoor Adventures

Saving Well, Spending Well

Four of the following ten:

Ride Right

Games, Games, Games

Building Muscles

Information, Please

Jot It Down

Shavings and Chips

Sawdust and Nails

Build a Model

Tying it All Up

Sports, Sports, Sports

Be a Leader

After earning all 12, a Bear works on electives in the back of the book.
He earns an Arrow Point for every 10 electives completed
(Gold for the first 10, and Silver for every 10 thereafter).

Webelos
(4th 5th
Grades)

Webelos Scouts

Webelos stands for We Be Loyal Scouts

A Scout who is in the 4th grade is in a 1st Year Webelos Patrol of 6 to 8 boys; while a Scout who is in the 5th grade is in a 2nd Year Webelos Patrol.

As Webelos, the scouts works on 20 activity badges, which are broken down into skill groups.

To earn the Webelos badge the scout must earn the Fitness activity badge from the Physical Skills group, the Citizen activity badge from the Community Skills group and one other from the remaining skill groups. Then the Webelos scout continues to earn the other various Activity Pins as a Webelos.

Webelos Activity Pins

The Physical Group of Activity Pins

Aquanaut	Athele	Fitness	Sportsman

Citizen	Communicator	Family	Readyman

The Community Skills Group of Activity Pins

Artist	Scholar	Showman	Traveler

The Outdoor Skills Group of Activity Pins

Forester	Geologist	Naturalist	Outdoorsman

The Technology Skills Group of Activity Pins

Craftsman	Engineer	Handyman	Scientist

Arrow of Light
(5th Grades)

Arrow of Light Award

As a 2nd Year Webelos the scout continues to work on the Webelos activity badges and starts his transition into Boy Scouts and works on achieving the highest award in Cub Scouting - the Arrow of Light.

The requirements for the Arrow of Light are:

Be active in your Webelos Patrol for at least 6 months since completing the 4th grade.
Show your knowledge of the requirements to become a Boy Scout by doing the following:
1. Repeat from memory and explain the Boy Scout Oath and Law. Tell how you practice them in your everyday life.
2. Give and explain the Boy Scout motto, slogan, sign, salute and handclasp.
3. Understand the significance of the First Class Scout badge.
4. Tie the joining knot (square knot).
With your Webelos Patrol, visit a Boy Scout Troop meeting and campout.
Participate in a Webelos overnight campout.
Complete a Boy Scout application.