All worksheets / Public Speaking
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Public Speaking
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Public Speaking builds poise and confidence in front of an audience through practice, feedback, and repetition. You will prepare and deliver talks with visual aids, practice impromptu speaking on short notice, and learn parliamentary procedure. Every talk must be delivered to a real group, so coordinate speaking opportunities with your troop or club.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Speech Research & Outline Preparation
- Formal & Persuasive Speaking Techniques
- Impromptu Speaking & Master of Ceremonies
- Body Language, Voice Modulation & Delivery
3Printable Pages
5Requirements
2003Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Public Speaking Requirements
Every requirement for the Public Speaking merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Introduce Yourself to an Audience
Give a three- to five-minute introduction of yourself to an audience such as your troop, class at school, or some other group.
2A Prepared Talk with Body Language
Prepare a three- to five-minute talk on a topic of your choice that incorporates body language and visual aids.
3An Impromptu Talk
Give an impromptu talk of at least two minutes, either as part of a group discussion or before your counselor. Use a subject selected by your counselor that is interesting to you but that is not known to you in advance and for which you do not have time to prepare.
4Research and Deliver a Talk
Select a topic of interest to your audience. Collect and organize information about the topic and prepare an outline. Write an eight- to 10-minute speech, practice it, then deliver it in a conversational way.
5Parliamentary Procedure
Show you know parliamentary procedure by leading a discussion or meeting according to accepted rules of order; or by answering questions on the rules of order.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Public Speaking requirements in 2003. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/public-speaking/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
Nearby badges
Programming is about solving problems through structured code, algorithms, and logical flow. You will study intellectual property, security vulnerabilities, and software architecture. Requirement 5 asks you to write and debug working programs in three distinct programming languages, showing how each approach handles data and user input.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Algorithm Design, Logic & Flowcharts
- Programming in Three Diverse Languages
- Debugging, Code Testing & Optimization
- Intellectual Property, Open Source & Careers
Public Health focuses on protecting entire populations from disease, contamination, and epidemics. You will investigate water treatment, immunization, sanitation, and disease vectors like mosquitoes and rodents. Requirement 7 requires taking action by planning and executing a public health awareness project in your unit, school, or community.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Infectious Diseases & Immunization Science
- Community Water Treatment & Food Sanitation
- Epidemiology, Outbreaks & Contact Tracing
- Public Health Agencies & Global Health
Pulp and Paper follows the journey from timber harvest and recycled fiber to finished paper products. You will explore mechanical and chemical pulping, environmental controls, and paper coatings. Requirement 7 gets your hands messy making your own handmade sheet of paper from raw pulp using a screen mold and deckle.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Wood Chemistry & Pulping Technologies
- Handmade Papermaking from Recycled Fibers
- Paper Testing: Tensile, Tear & Absorbency
- Sustainable Forestry, Recycling & Paper Mills
Radio covers the physics of electromagnetic waves and how signals carry voice, data, and emergency traffic worldwide. You will learn FCC licensing rules, schematic symbols, and radio safety. Requirement 8 lets you dive into amateur radio (HAM), commercial broadcasting, shortwave listening, or direction finding, including making a radio contact.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Radio Frequency Spectrum & Wave Physics
- Transceivers, Antennas & Grounding
- FCC Regulations & Operating Etiquette
- Amateur Radio On-Air Communications