The seven parts
- 1Preopening — a gathering activity as scouts arrive, easy to join.
- 2Opening — a flag ceremony and the SPL's welcome.
- 3Skills instruction — learning or practicing a skill, often by patrol.
- 4Patrol meetings — patrols break out to plan menus, assignments, and upcoming activities.
- 5Interpatrol activity — a game or challenge between patrols.
- 6Closing — a meaningful closing ceremony and announcements.
- 7After the meeting — the SPL and Scoutmaster review how it went and prep for next time.
Why it matters
- Running purposeful, engaging weekly meetings.
- Applying the patrol method every week — planning, skills, patrol time, games.
- Giving the SPL and PLC a repeatable structure to plan around.
Notes
- Standard youth protection (two-deep leadership, supervision) applies to every meeting.
- Active and inclusive — the plan keeps scouts engaged (preopening + game) so no one is idle.
- Adults advise, scouts lead — the SPL runs the meeting with the Scoutmaster's guidance.
Going deeper
- Seven parts, every week. The plan gives meetings a rhythm: arrive and play, open, learn, plan by patrol, compete, close, and review.
- The PLC plans, the SPL runs. Meetings are youth-led by design — the plan is a tool for the scouts, not a script from the adults.
- Preopening solves the "early arrivers" problem. A gathering activity keeps early scouts engaged and eases into the opening.
Official source
Troop Meetings — Troop Leader Resources, Scouting America →The seven-part structure and part names are paraphrased. Some sources phrase the parts slightly differently; confirm current names and order.