Agricultural Engineering

CourseSyllabus

Instructor: Miss Kubista Phone: 480-224-2328

E mail:

Course Description and Objectives

Prerequisite: PALS, ABS or co-enrolled in any Ag course

This course will cover some of the mechanical skills needed in the agricultural industry. Units taught include safety, tool identification and maintenance, arc welding, mig welding, working with the plasma cam, electricity, woodworking, working drawings, surveying, and concrete. Students will be required to maintain an SAE. Students will participate in the FFA; where they will develop leadership and skills for career success.Please remember that this course gives you an elective credit towards graduation, NOT A LAB CREDIT.

Materials

Please bring the following materials with you to class everyday:

  • 3-ring Binder
  • Writing Utensils - pencil or pen (black or blue ink only)
  • Loose Leaf Paper
  • Long jean pants, closed toed shoes

Grading

This course consists of three components: Agriculture Instruction/Curriculum, Supervised Agriculture Experience, and the FFA.

  1. Agriculture Instruction/Curriculum: Grades are not given, they are earned. Grades will be determined by the degree to which objectives are met, success achieved, timeliness, neatness, and original work. A large portion of the grade is based on in class projects, as it is a shop class; therefore it is essential to show up to class on a regular basis. Proper preparation, punctuality and participation will greatly affect the in class points, and thus the final grade. Daily Points will be worth 10 points, and will be based on the amount of work and effort a student put in for the day. Parents can access their child’s grades and assignments by going to the school’s website and clicking on Parent Connect. Students’ information is only accessible by using an individualized password assigned by the school. Parents may contact office personnel/counselor for their child’s password.
  1. Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) Project: Students will be expected to design a SAE plan in the 1st quarter and implement it by the 2nd quarter. Students will keep an electronic record of this project and are expected to take photos of their project throughout the school year. It will be the responsibility of the student to keep accurate records throughout the school year and submit these records periodically to the instructor. All first year students will be required to meet the same requirements as second- fourth year members.
  1. FFA Leadership Grade: A major aspect to this course is the development of leadership skills, speaking abilities, teamwork and other various skills that will play a major role in every individual’s career choice. Students are required to participate in the local FFA activities and have the opportunity to participate in the district, state and national FFA activities. This will count for 20% of each semester’s grade. Please refer to the attached sheet for dates of the required events.

Course Expectations

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Class Expectations

  1. Be prepared with all required supplies
  2. Be courteous and respectful to the teacher, fellow students and visitors to the room
  3. No inappropriate or vulgar language
  4. Maintain proper safety while in the shop and classroom

Attendance Expectations:

  1. Students will arrive on time:
  2. Students will receive 10 points at the beginning of class, the student will lose the points if they are tardy
  3. These points cannot be made up
  4. Students will be in class:
  5. At five absences students will receive a phone call home
  6. At seven the student will receive a referral
  7. Above seven the student risks being removed from the class
  8. Students will receive up to 10 points daily for participation, if a student has an EXCUSED absence, they can make up the points after school. If a student has an UNEXCUSED absence, the points cannot be made up.

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Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior

(All decisions will be at the discretion of the instructor)

  1. 1st time – Warning
  2. 2nd time – Loss of class participation for a day and phone call home
  3. 3rd time – Alternative assignment given for remainder of unit
  4. 4th time – Alternative assignments given for the remainder of semester

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General Procedures

Daily Routine:

Students will:

  1. Come into the classroom in a quiet orderly fashion
  2. Begin on their bellwork, and have it completed within the first 5 minutes
  3. Retrieve daily work instructions from Miss Kubista
  4. Work quietly on assignment during the class period
  5. Quietly finish ticket out assignment
  6. Straighten rows/columns or groups
  7. Wait to be released by Miss Kubista

Late work:

Assignments turned in late, but not due to excused absence will result in a lower grade-usually half points. If late work becomes a chronic problem, I may revoke this procedure and not accept late work.

Make-up work:

It is the student’s responsibility to pick up any missed assignments. Since many of the days will be conducted in the shop, students who are caught ditching will not have the opportunity to make up the participation points (these are 10 points per day). If the student has an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to set up AFTER SCHOOL time (with Miss Kubista) to come in and work on any projects that were done during a shop day. Shop days will not be able to be made up at home, or if Miss Kubista is not on campus.

Grading Scale:
  • 100 – 90 - A
  • 89 - 80 - B
  • 79 – 70 - C
  • 69 – 60 - D
  • 59 – 50 - F

Semester Final Grades:

The final semester grade will be found by the following equation:

40% 1st Qrt + 40% 2nd Qrt + 20% Final Assignment = 1st semester final grade

And

40% 3rd Qrt + 40% 4th Qrt + 20% Final Assignment = 2nd semester final grade

** Please note that the final assignment is a combination of Leadership Points earned during the semester and an appropriate construction project for the semester**

Conference Period

Students will not leave conference period classroom without a pass signed by a teacher or a properly designated color club pass. Conference period is not an appropriate time to make up participation points, ever, no exceptions.

Advanced Student Work

Students, who have taken the course before and passed, will be considered advanced students. These students will be utilized throughout the year to help demonstrate skills and be partnered with 1st year students. Advanced students will also be required to develop a short presentation with the help of Miss Kubista. This will count as part of their 1st semester grade.

After school Shop hours:

Students may set up a time with Miss Kubista to work in the shop: if Miss Kubista is absent, there will be no after school shop hours.

Shop Projects/ fees:

There is an initial fee for the class, and students will be able to take home TWO required projects created during the year. However, throughout the year students will be building additional projects that they may want to keep. If the students would like to take projects home (above the two that have been paid for out of the class fee), then they will pay for the materials used before the project is made. Please be aware that it is not a requirement to purchase any additional project, but the option is available. The money that is generated from the sell of projects go right back into the class for future projects. Please be aware, that if the initial fee is not paid by the end of first quarter, the student will receive an incomplete grade until the fee is paid.

Safety

Because of the nature of this class, NO PERSON MAY OPERATE ANY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN THE AGRICULTURE MECHANICS LAB WITHOUT FIRST RECEIVING SAFTEY TRAINING, PASSING A SAFETY TEST AND RECEIVING PERMISSION FROM THE INSTRCUTOR. Safety training is a requirement each school year regardless of past experience. If the student fails to pass safety exams with an 80% or higher they will not be able to use that specific equipment. Students will have two attempts to pass the exams.

Please remember that use of shop equipment, computers and other technology is a privilege, not a right. Students must obtain permission from instructor before using such equipment. Students may lose the privilege to use the shop at any point due to disruptive or inappropriate behavior. Parents will receive a call home, and if the behavior continues the student will be given an alternative assignment until the completion of the unit. If it is a constant problem, the student will have an alternative assignment until the end of the semester.

Use of tool privileges or shop privileges may be taken away at any time if they are being abused.

Diversity Statement

All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As members of the Basha High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from participating in acts of harassment that are designed to demean another student’s race, gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation.

Syllabus Disclaimer

Miss Kubista views the course syllabus as an educational contract between the teacher, students and parents. Every effort will be made to avoid changing the course schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make syllabus changes necessary: this includes but is not limited to SAE dates, FFA dates and classroom due dates. The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus as deemed necessary. Students will be notified in a timely manner of any syllabus changes.
Agricultural Engineering

Course Statement Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I have read over the course statement for Agricultural Engineering. I understand the student’s role and responsibilities associated with the course in the areas of Agriculture Instruction/Curriculum, Supervised Agriculture Experience, and the FFA Leadership Grade. I understand that if I have any questions or concerns regarding the course grade, content, or requirements, I can contact the instructor. I understand that use of the shop and its equipment is a privilege; if my student abuses the shop, the equipment or disrupts the class this privilege may be taken away and an alternative assignment will be given.

Student Name: ______Period: ______

Student Signature: ______Date: ______

Parent/ Guardian Name:______

Parent/ Guardian Signature: ______Date: ______

Internet Permission for

Agricultural Engineering

This class will use the internet at school for research purposes. Please sign below to give your student permission to use the internet in accordance with the Basha High School Internet Use Policy. Please note:This form is for my reference only and does not replace the Internet Access Permission Form found on page _____ of the student planner which must be turned in to your student’s first period teacher.

______Yes, my son/daughter has my permission to use the Internet during Ag. Engineering class.

______No, my son/daughter does not have permission to use the Internet during Ag. Engineering class.

______

Parent/ Guardian Signature Date

Parent/ Guardian Contact Information and Preferences

Parent/ Guardian Name: ______

Daytime Phone: ______Home Phone: ______

Email Address: ______

Parent/ Guardian Name: ______

Daytime Phone: ______Home Phone: ______

Email Address: ______

Please contact me about my son/daughter’s grades and behavior by ____ Phone ____ Email.

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