Agriculture Technology Class
Roland-StoryHigh School
Course Syllabus and Outline
This class is based upon the following Units of Instruction:
- Soils and their evaluation. 4 weeks
- Crop production. 4 weeks
- Precision Agriculture. 4.5 weeks
- Principles of Ecology. 5 weeks
Unit 1: Soils and their evaluation. (4 weeks)
Objectives of the unit:
- Identify landscape position.
- Determine slope.
- Describe the profile of soil.
- Determine soil texture.
- Evaluate soils for drainage.
- Classify land based on capability and productivity.
- Estimate surface residue.
- Explain cropping practices that will overcome soil limitations.
- Evaluate soils for their suitability for non-agricultural uses.
Day #1Introduction to class – syllabus – reading and study guide 1
Day #2Review – field trip to work on landscape positions
Day #3Review – lab on determining slopes (using land levels)
Day #4Review – reading and study guide on soil features – using
textural triangle.
Day #5Review – Lab on making soil ribbons – lab on evaluating for
internal drainage
Day #6Review – evaluate soil pit – QUIZ #1
Day #7Review – determining soil parent materials lab
Day #8Review – lab on erosion classes of land and on presence of calcium
Day #9Review – Judge a soil pit lab
Day #10Review – Reading and study guide on Land capability – CRS (corn
Suitability Rating) – using a soil survey book
Day #11Review – practice lab on testing soils for nutrient levels
Day #12Review –Soil testing lab – QUIZ #2
Day #13Review – Reading and study guide on Evaluation of land use –
Practice lab on estimating residue cover
Day #14Review – Estimating surface residue cover lab – Lab on managing
Surface and sub-surface drainage problems.
Day #15Review – Reading and study guide on non-agricultural uses of land –
Shrink-swell lab (part #1).
Day #16Review – finish shrink-swell lab – soil compaction lab
Day #17Review – Percolation lab for septic systems
Day #18Review – Judging soil pit (for full scorecard)
Day #19Review – presentation assignment (begin)
Day #20Finish with presentation assignment – QUIZ #3
Unit 2: Crop Production. (4 weeks)
Crop production is a complex business, requiring many skills (such as biology, agronomy, mechanics, and marketing) and covering a variety of operations throughout the year. In this module, the practice of crop production will be described by discussing eight components in the crop production cycle. For each component, the operations and when they need to be carried out, the machinery or equipment farmers use, potential environmental concerns related to that component, and best management practices recommended to minimize environmental problems will be described.
Objectives of the unit:
- Identify major crops grown in the United States.
- Explain the various crop production systems.
- Discuss the steps in crop production.
- Identify common weeds and insects to field crops.
- Explain agricultural pesticide usage.
Day #21Introduction to unit on crop production –reading pages 3 to 16 and study
guide on corn production -- notes/discussion – lab activity
Day #22Review – Notes – Reading and study guide on IPM (pages 17 to 26) –
Notes/discussion – lab activity
Day #23Review – Activity on crop scouting for insects and diseases
Day #24Review – reading and study guide on corn diseases (pages 27 to 44)
Notes/discussion – lab activity
Day #25Review – notes – reading and study guide on corn insects (pages 45 to
60) – notes/discussion
Day #26Review – notes – reading and study guide on corn disorders (pages 61 to
82) – notes/discussion – lab activity
Day #27Review of corn production – QUIZ #1
Day #28Intro to soybean production – reading and study guide (pages 1 to 6)
discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #29Review – notes – reading and study guide on IPM (pages 7 to 18) –
discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #30Review – notes – reading and study guide on soybean diseases (pages 19
to 35) – discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #31Review – notes – reading and study guide on SB insects (pages 36 to 50)
discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #32Review – notes – reading and study guide on SB disorders (pages 51 to
66) – discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #33Review – QUIZ #2
Day #34Introduction to crop weeds – reading and study guide (pages 1 to 10)
discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #35Review – notes – reading and study guide grass weeds (pages 11 to 36) –
discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #36Review – notes – reading and study guide broadleaf weeds (pages 37 to 96) –discussion/notes – lab activity
Day #37Review – QUIZ #3
Day #38Project work (field crop summary project)
Day #39Project work (field crop summary project)
Day #40Complete project work (field crop summary project)
Unit 3: Precision Agriculture (4 weeks)
Objectives of this unit include:
- To provide the student with the basic understanding precision agriculture.
- To explain the relationship between precision farming and agronomy.
- To explore career opportunities that exist within this segment of agriculture.
- To recognize the meaning of precision farming.
- Define precision farming.
- Recognize tools of precision farming.
- To take and analyze soil samples.
- Explain methods of soil sampling.
- Generate a list of mapable information that would be beneficial to farm management.
- Explain how GPS and GIS work.
- Be able to correctly use a handheld gps unit.
- Navigate using waypoints.
Day #41Introduction to unit – read chapter 1 and answer study guide.
Day #42Review – notes – activity 1
Day #43Review – activity 2 (poster)
Day #44Review – activity 3
Day #45Review – activity 4 (calibrating a sprayer)
Day #46Review – QUIZ 1 – chapter 2 read and study guide
Day #47Review –lab #1 (set up a gps system) –begin electronic presentation assignment -- notes
Day #48Review – lab #2 (waypoints) – continue work on electronic presentation
Day #49Review – lab #3 (navigate) – continue work on electronic presentation
Day #50Review – lab #4 (create boundary map) – finish presentation assignment
Day #51Review – share presentations – QUIZ #2
Day #52Introduction to chapter 3 – reading and study guides
Day #53Review – notes – field trip to John Deere
Day #54Review – guest speaker/field trip (calibrate yield monitor)
Day #55Review – problem solving activity
Day #56Review – trifold assignment
Day #57Review – QUIZ #3 – introduction to chapter 4 – read and study guide
Day #58Review – field trip to coop (soil sampling procedures)
Day #59Review – Soils evaluation lab (soil testing lab)
Day #60 Review – notes – iMovie assignment (evaluating productivity of soils)
Day #61Review – finish iMovie assignment
Day #62Review – share videos – QUIZ #4
Unit 4: Ecology
Chapter 1: The Principles of Ecology.
Objectives of this chapter include:
- Explain the law of conservation of matter.
- Suggest ways that waste materials can be properly disposed of to reduce or eliminate damage to the environment.
- Relate pollution of the environment to the law of conservation of matter.
- Examine the positive and negative effects of waste control methods that are used by modern society.
- Define the role of energy in the science of ecology.
- Explain the first and second laws of energy.
- Describe the major events that occur in the natural cycles such as the carbon, nitrogen and water cycles.
- Explain how a food chain is organized.
- Distinguish between food chains, food webs and food pyramids.
Day #63Intro to unit – reading and chapter 1 study guide -- discussion
Day #64Review – notes --
Day #65
Day #66
Day #67
Chapter 2: Understanding relationships between Ecology and Agriculture.
Objectives of this chapter include:
- Explain how scientists organize living organisms for the study of ecology.
- Suggest ways that an unbalanced ecosystem might be brought into balance.
- Describe the impacts that modern agriculture has had on the ecosystems in North America.
- Distinguish between successions of organisms in a particular environment.
- Identify relationships between farming practices and the environments of different species of fish and wildlife.
Day #68
Day #69
Day #70
Day #71
Day #72
Day #73
Chapter 3: Biomes of North America.
Objectives of this chapter include:
- Explain how events in one ecosystem affect events in a neighboring ecosystem.
- Describe the relationship between an ecosystem and a biome.
- List the distinguishing characteristics of a freshwater biome.
- Discuss ways in which wetland habitats function to cleanse the environment.
- Name the terrestrial biomes that are found in North America and describe their similarities and differences.
- Design a map of the North American continent that illustrates the locations of the major biomes found there.
Day #74
Day #75
Day #76
Day #77
Day #78
Day #79
Chapter 4: Our Wildlife Resources.
Objectives of this chapter include:
- Describe how wild animals have contributed to the survival and comfort of humans.
- Distinguish between responsible and abusive stewardship of the land and the environment.
- Discuss controversial issues that have resulted from implementing the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
- Identify environmental factors that contribute to extinction of organisms.
- Describe how a high degree of specialization in a species makes it more vulnerable to extinction.
Day #80
Day #81
Day #82
Day #83
Day #84
Day #85
Semester Test
Grading of Class
Grading is based on quality of work done in a timely fashion.
97% and above = A+
93 to 97% = A
90 to 92% = A-
87 to 90% = B+
83 to 87% =B
80 to 83% = B-
77 to 80% = C+
73 to 77% = C
70 to 73% = C-
67 to 70% = D+
63 to 67% = D
60 to 63% = D-
< 60% = F
Unit assignments include:
- Reading and study guides
- Vocabulary exercises – crossword puzzles, flash cards, bingo
- Presentations – evaluation of presentation skills and subject matter
- Research
- Design of projects
- Educational trips
- Guest Speakers
- Quizzes and tests