The Badge Archive

Activity Description: Scouts take apart an old book to learn how it was made and identify its parts.

• Fulfills Step 2 of GSUSA Cadette Book Artist badge requirements.

Info Needed: Books are made of different sections like covers, pages, and a spine that holds everything together.

---

Items Needed:

• One old book per scout or small scout group (hardcover preferred)
• Scissors or letter opener (utility knife optional with supervision)
• “Parts of a Book” reference card or visual
• Small tray or bag for saved materials

Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 10–15 min):

1. Introduce the activity (1 min)
   • Explain that scouts will take apart a book to see how it was made.
2. Identify the binding (2 min)
   • Scouts look at the spine and decide if the book is glued or stitched.
3. Disassemble the book (4–10 min)
   • Carefully open the book and separate pages or sections.
   • As scouts work, help them name parts like:
     • Cover boards
     • Spine
     • Endpapers
     • Signatures
     • Book block
4. Save and reuse materials (2 min)
   • Scouts set aside any parts they want to reuse, like covers or decorative pages.
5. Reflect on the process (1 min)
   • Scouts think about what surprised them and which parts they might use again.

List of Book Parts

• Spine – the edge that holds the book together
• Endpapers – the inside pages attached to the covers
• Signatures – folded groups of pages sewn or glued together
• Book block – all the pages as one unit
• Title page – the page with the book’s name and author
• Table of contents – a list of what’s inside and where to find it
• Pages – the sheets with writing, pictures, or blank space