PCS Merit Badge System
Students progress through our unique, non-competitive Merit Badge System in the fields of their interest or choice. The Merit Badge System is visually represented by a pyramid made up of rows of colored triangles. Each triangle represents a badge within any given discipline of STEAM. The levels are colored, with the base – or introductory level – for each badge being yellow. The second level in each badge is orange, followed by purple, blue, and so forth, with black representing complete mastery of a badge area.
Each badge consists of activities specific to that badge, regardless of color level or discipline. Activities include projects, challenges, and personal projects reflecting all you have learned. In order to “color-up,” or fill in an orange badge on the pyramid, you must have two supporting yellow base badges to hold up the orange.
PCS Merit Badge Areas
Bring your designs to life by making your way though the 3D Printing badges! After learning the basics of computer-aided design (CAD) with SketchUp, you will be able to print plastic replicas of what you created in the virtual environment. Learn more about 3d Printing!
Do you like to make things move or fly though the air? If so, the exciting badge area of Dynamics will be a blast! Dynamics is the branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of bodies under the action of forces. Experience movement through building with fischertechnik. Learn more about Dynamics!
Coming Soon! Learn more about Electronics!
Get in gear with Gear Trains and Power Transfer! This badge area is part of the Mechanical Engineering Series, which also includes the Simple Machines badge area. Throughout this badge area, you will explore different types of gears and mechanisms that transfer power by building with fischertechnik manipulatives. Learn more about Gear Trains!
Mix your programming logic with graphics to control the Logo Turtle. Create your programming script and watch him go! Learn more about LOGO!
Coming soon! Learn more about MAD!
Explore the fascinating world of robotics using Fischertechnik manipulatives, The Brain robotic controller, and The Cortex programming environment. Work your way towards becoming a master in robotic programming. Learn more about Programming!
In this badge area, you will learn the ins and outs of the Scratch platform where you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations. Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. Learn more about Scratch!
What do inclined planes, wedges, wheel and axle, pulleys, levers, and screws all have in common? They are the basic mechanical devices that help us do work! Experiment using Fiscertechnik manipulatives to figure out how they apply forces to make work easier for us! Learn more about Simple Machines!
Design away in this virtual environment! Build just about anything you can image while completing SketchUp badges. As you progress, go down the path of Form Follows Function and/or Real-World Modeling. Learn more about SketchUp!
Strength of structures is important. Whether you are building a skyscraper or bridge, we must follow the Physics Golden Rule to resist gravity and other environmental conditions like wind and rain! Statics is all about balancing those forces! Learn more about Statics!
Have you ever wondered how your video games come to be? Find out through working your way through the Unity 3D Game Development badges! Jump right into creating your very own 3D game that you can play! Learn more about Unity!
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