Basic Agriscience
1. Explains the three basic human needs and sources of food, clothing and shelter.
2. Identifies major categories of food and fiber products.
3. Defines agriculture and agricultural industry.
4. Traces major changes and accomplishments in the history of agriculture.
5. Identifies the major branches of the agriculture industry.
6. Describes major factors in world consumer preferences.
7. Compares and contrasts US and world agriculture practices.
8. Discusses the skills needed for agricultural work and explains how they have changed.
9. Explains the role of agriscience and technology in society.
10. Relates important areas of agriscience and technology to four areas of scientific study.
11. Describes how the scientific method is used in agricultural research.
12. Explains the steps of the scientific method.
13. Describes the role of technology in agriculture and identifies major technological advances.
14. Predicts future needs from agriculture and the relationship of agriscience in meeting those needs.
15. Identifies current and future issues associated with agriscience and technology.
16. Defines environmental and natural resources.
17. Explains ecosystems and the interrelationship of natural resources.
18. Discusses agriculture’s role in stewardship of the environment.
19. Distinguishes between renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
20. Identifies examples, sources, and supply of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
21. Distinguishes between agricultural and non-agricultural sources of pollution.
22. Identifies human activities that are beneficial, non-beneficial, or harmful to the environment.
23. Identifies and explains the role of government agencies in conserving the environment.
24. Composes a personal and class plan to promote a safe environment at school and home.
25. Identifies career areas involved in environmental stewardship.
26. Describes methods of waste disposal, including recycling, bioremediation, etc.
27. Analyses the difficulties and economic feasibility of recycling different waste products.
28. Identifies ways to decrease land fills through conservation and recycling programs.
29. Prepares and presents position papers on the importance of proper waste disposal.
30. Identifies sources of pollution in agriculture and ways to prevent agriculture pollution.
31. Compares favorable and unfavorable conditions for applying agricultural chemicals.
32. Discusses the importance of reading and adhering to pesticide label directions.
33. Describes importance of weights and measures in agriscience.
34. Explains the importance of standard measurements in agriculture.
35. Provides weights and measurements used in agriculture.
36. Converts English to metric and metric to English standard measure.
37. Explains important characteristics of organisms.
38. Describes the role of protoplasm.
39. Distinguishes between living and non-living things.
40. Explains energy and its role in living organisms.
41. Explains life span and its stages.
42. Describes how organisms respond to their environment.
43. Evaluates the life processes in organisms.
44. Names the major parts of a cell and explains the function of each cell structure.
45. Explains cell specialization and the structures formed.
46. Describes growth and cell divisions.
47. Explains heredity and genetics in agriscience.
48. Describes ways organisms can be improved
49. Explains taxonomy.
50. Describes a classification system for living things.
51. Names and distinguishes the five kingdoms.
52. Explains the scientific method of classification and nomenclature.
53. Matches scientific names with the common names of agriculture species.
54. Describes how classification systems are useful in agriscience and technology.
55. Distinguishes plants from animals and explains how they are alike.
56. Describes how plants are adapted to climate.
57. Explains different plant life cycles and gives examples.
58. Identifies the major parts of the plant.
59. Describes the functions of vegetative plant parts.
60. Distinguishes between plant root systems and how they absorb water and nutrients.
61. Explains the kinds of tropism and why they are important.
62. Explains ways plants reproduce.
63. Describes the role of seed in reproduction, sexually and asexually.
64. Explains the role of flowers in reproducing plants.
65. Describes how seed are formed, processed, stored, scarified, stratified and planted.
66. Describes germination and the conditions under which it occurs.
67. Explains the application of vegetative propagation.
68. Discusses use of improved seeds and cultivars and the importance of improved seed.
69. Describes how plants grow.
70. Explains important factors in plant growth.
71. Explains the role of plant hormone.
72. Explains photosynthesis and its importance.
73. Explains respiration and transpiration and their importance.
74. Identifies essential plant nutrients for plant growth and reproduction.
75. Explains the use of organic and commercial fertilizers in plant production.
76. Explains five major kinds of agricultural pests.
77. Explains three conditions needed for pest problems to exist and thrive.
78. Describes how pests are prevented and methods used to control them after infestation.
79. Explains integrated pest management (IPM) in pest control.
80. Describes how pests affect plants and cause losses.
81. Identifies important factors to consider for correct chemical storage.
82. Applies correct procedures used to properly dispose of chemicals and their containers.
83. Demonstrates safe practices in pest control.
84. Diagrams the major external parts of swine, cattle and equine.
85. Explains the major organ systems and functions of animals: skeletal, muscular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, digestive, reproductive, and mammary systems.
86. Describes the feeds and nutrient needs of animals.
87. Describes the feedstuffs that provide animal nutrition.
88. Explains the characteristics of good animal feed.
89. Describes how animals are fed and prescribes feed programs.
90. Lists and explains the importance of breed and bloodlines and pedigree in animal production.
91. Describes different breeding systems.
92. Classifies animals based on sexual condition.
93. Describes different production systems.
94. Distinguishes between methods of insemination.
95. Describes management practices in breeding animals.
96. Explains health and the signs of good and ill health.
97. Describes environmental influences on animal health.
98. Lists and explains the losses caused by poor animal health.
99. Explains how good health is maintained.
100. Describes kinds of diseases, gives examples of each and describes the ways animals respond to disease.
101. Explains general methods of disease control.
102. Defines biotechnology and explains its application in agriculture.
103. Identifies issues associated with biotechnology.
104. Distinguishes between two major areas of biotechnology.
105. Lists and explains examples of organismic biotechnology.
106. Describes the role of genetics, cells, and genomes in molecular biotechnology.
107. Identifies and describes types of cell division.
108. Describes the process of genetic engineering and the use of recombinant DNA.
109. Identifies areas of agriscience being developed through genetic engineering.
110. Describes major features and resources of the earth.
111. Explains changes that occur in the earth.
112. Explains succession and its relationship to the earth.
113. Describes the materials that make soil and how it is formed.
114. Describes the ideal soil.
115. Describes a soil ecosystem and identifies parts.
116. Explains the ways that soil can be described.
117. Uses the soil triangle to determine soil texture class.
- Describes the soil profile to determine factors that limit a soil’s capability for producing plants.
119. Determines horizon levels in a soil pit.
120. Explains the kinds of groundwater and how it is lost from the soil.
121. Describes internal and surface soil drainage.
122. Identifies acids and bases using pH scales.
123. Describes importance of soil pH on plants and prescribes ways to adjust pH.
124. Matches soil pH to plants to be grown.
125. Explains the relationship between soil and land.
126. Lists and describes the eight land capability classes.
127. Determines land class on a given site.
128. Describes the important soil management practices.
129. Explains the concept, properties, and types of matter.
130. Distinguishes between elements, atoms, and molecules.
131. Describes how new compounds are formed.
132. Explains the importance of carbon.
133. Explains the four basic types of reactions used in agriscience.
134. Distinguishes between solutions and suspensions.
135. Explains acids, bases, and salts.
136. Describes common chemical processes in agriscience.
137. Explains areas of physics used in agriscience.
138. Explains work and power.
139. Names and explains simple machines.
140. Describes mechanical advantage.
141. Explains the use of thermal energy, electrical energy, and compression in agriscience.
142. Describes the importance of agricultural marketing technology.
143. Explains ways that agricultural products are marketed.
144. Lists and explains the major functions in agricultural marketing.
145. Describes the role of marketing infrastructure.
146. Explains the role of communication in agricultural marketing.
147. Explain supply and demand in agriculture.
148. Explains the meaning and importance of processing.
149. Lists and describes methods of food preservation.
150. Describes methods used in processing fiber products and wood products.
151. Describes safety and regulations that apply to processing.
152. Traces the development of agricultural machinery.
153. Explores the relationship of simple tools applied to agricultural operations and identifies the physical properties of each.
154. Identifies energy sources for agricultural operations.
155. Demonstrates the safe use of selected hand and power tools.
156. Explains the role of the Agriculture Education program and the FFA in personal development.
157. Demonstrates knowledge learned through a Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAEP).
158. Develops leadership and personal development skills through participation in the FFA.
159. Explores career opportunities in agriscience through the FFA and Agriculture Education Program.
160. Explores the professional agricultural organizations associated with the course content.