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The 2017-2018 school year is the first year that 6th Grade Exploring AgriScience has been offered at Washington Middle School. We are very excited to give 6th grade students the opportunity to learn about agriculture! Below, you will find the units, objects, and standards for the 6th Grade Exploring AgriScience classes.

AgriScience 6A                        

Unit 1: What is Agriculture

Lesson 1: Historical Impacts and Agricultural Trends
Objectives:
  • Describe how agriculture supports daily life.
  • Describe how agricultural products are traded around the globe.
  • Explain that agriculture is a science.

Lesson 2: Agricultural Commodities
Objectives:
  • Define commodity, import, and export.
  • Discuss U.S. agricultural imports and exports.
  • Explain that agriculture is a science.
  • Describe various forms of transportation used for world trade.

​Lesson 3: Innovative People in Agriculture
Objectives:
  • Describe agriculture’s role in developing civilizations.
  • Identify some of the inventions that changed the agriculture industry.
  • Identify some of the equipment currently used in production agriculture.

Standard Covered in Unit
  • CS.01.01.01.a. Examine historical and current data to identify issues impacting AFNR systems.
  • *4C1.a.5.m:  Explain how a recently developed product or service fulfills a human need or desire.
  • *EHS1.c.4.m:  Give examples of education, economic and governmental institutions’ and individuals’ influence on social, economic and ecological systems.
  • ABS7.d.2.m: Determine the meaning and importance of risk and uncertainty with AFNR enterprises.
  • ABS6.a.3.m: Investigate the meaning and methods of marketing in AFNR as related to agricultural commodities, products and services and to agricultural goods in domestic and international markets.
  • ABS6.a.4.m: Describe functions in agricultural marketing.
  • PS3.e.3.m: Identify harvesting methods and harvesting equipment.

Unit 2: Horticulture Industry

Lesson 1: What is horticulture?
Objectives:
  • Define horticulture.
  • Examine the origin of the horticulture industry.
  • Differentiate the three major segments of the horticulture industry.
  • Analyze activities included in the ornamental horticulture industry.
  • Identify one career in the horticulture industry.

Lesson 2: Landscaping
Objectives:
  • Calculate fixed plant costs in relation to a landscape design.
  • Design a basic landscape using shrubs, flowers, and trees.
  • Demonstrate the ability to follow guidelines.

Standards Covered in Unit
  • PS1.a.4.m: Explain systems used to classify plants and compare and contrast the hierarchical agricultural plants.
  • PS1.a.6.m: Identify agriculturally important plants by common names.
  • PS4.a.4.m: Discuss the applications of art in agriculture/horticulture.

Unit 3: FFA

Lesson 1: "What is FFA?"
Objectives:
  • Investigate the events that led to the development of the current National FFA Organization.
  • Interpret the mission statement and motto of the National FFA Organization.
  • Examine the meanings of the official FFA colors and the meaning of the FFA emblem.
  • Recognize the components of male and female Official Dress.
  • Relate or demonstrate the proper use of the official FFA jacket, and determine the appropriate display of degree, office, and award pins on the jacket.
  • Summarize each class of FFA membership.
  • Recognize the expectations within the FFA Code of Ethics.​

​Lesson 2: "What can I do in FFA?"
Objectives:
  • Identify FFA leadership conferences and conventions.
  • Explain how FFA members can be involved with community development and improvement.

Lesson 3: Let's Explore!
Objectives:
  • Identify and describe the FFA Career Development Events.
  • Identify and describe the FFA Leadership Development Events.
  • Differentiate between the roles of the FFA officers, and recognize the emblem associated with each officer.
  • Analyze the requirements to attain each level of active membership within FFA.

Standards Covered in Unit
  • *CD1.c:  Interact effectively with others in similar and diverse teams.
  • *CD2.a:  Apply academic experiences to the world of work, inter-relationships and the community.
  • *CD2.a.3.h:  Evaluate how performance and connections within the learning community enhance future opportunities.
  • *CD2.a.4.h:  Determine those opportunities that best support attainment of a specific career goal.


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AgriScience 6B

​Unit 1: Strange Animals

Lesson 1: Let’s find the strangest animal we can!
Objectives:
  • Identify unique body structures that allow animals to live their designated habitats.
  • Construct a presentation detailing information about one unique animal.
Standards Covered in Unit
  • AS2.b.5.m: Describe the functions of the animal body systems and system components.
  • *4C2.a.16.h:  Defend an action taken or a decision implemented.

Unit 2: Plants and Their Parts

Lesson 1: What are the plant parts and their functions?
Objectives:
  • Identify the parts of a plant.
  • Understand the function of each plant part.
  • Distinguish between types of roots; compare and contrast the two types of root systems.
  • Identify the parts of flowers and explain their functions.

Lesson 2: What part of the plants do we eat?
Objectives:
  • Identify the plant parts that are used for human consumption.

Lesson 3: What are the growth needs of plants?
Objectives:
  • Explain the process of photosynthesis.
  • Explain the environmental requirements needed for plants to grow.

​Lesson 4: Let’s set up a plant experiment!
Objectives:
  • Describe seed germination and the proper conditions for it.
  • Record data in relation to germination of a seed.
  • Conduct research on a hypothesis related to seed germination.
  • Compare and contrast seed germination depth.

Standards Covered in Unit
  • NR1.b.7.m: Explain morphological characteristics used to identify herbaceous plants.
  • NR4.b.4.m: Identify causes of diseases in plants.
  • PS1.a.5.m: Identify major groups of plants based on physiological characteristics.
  • PS1.b.4.m: Identify the components, the types and the functions of plant roots.
  • PS1.b.5.m: Identify the components and the functions of plant stems.
  • PS1.b.6.m: Discuss leaf morphology and the functions of leaves.
  • PS1.b.7.m: Identify the components of a flower, the functions of a flower and the functions of flower components.
  • PS1.b.8.m: Explain the functions and components of seeds and fruit and describe ways they may be carried through the environment.
  • PS1.c.3.m: Explain the basic process of photosynthesis and its importance to life on Earth.
  • PS1.c.4.m: Explain requirements necessary for photosynthesis to occur and identify the products and byproducts of photosynthesis.
  • PS2.b.3.m: Identify the major components of growing media and describe how growing media support plant growth.
  • PS3.b.8.m: Observe and record environmental conditions during the germination, growth and development of a crop.
  • PS3.b.9.m: Monitor the progress of plantings and determine the need to adjust environmental conditions.

Unit 3: Soil

Lesson 1: Why is soil important?
Objectives:
  • Explain the difference between soil and dirt.
  • Describe how soil is formed.
  • Describe the role of earthworms in soil.

Lesson 2: What are the soil horizons?
Objectives:
  • Identify the layers of soil.
  • Recognize different soil textures.

Lesson 3: How does soil erode?
Objectives:
  • Explain what soil erosion is and methods to prevent it.

Standards Covered in Unit
  • NR1.b.10.m: Demonstrate techniques used to identify rock, mineral and soil differences.
  • ESS2.b.7.m: Explain the process of soil formation through weathering.
  • ESS2.b.8.m: Describe the biodiversity found in soil and the contribution of biodiversity of the physical and chemical characteristics of soil.
  • ESS2.b.11.m: Identify the basic structures of microorganisms and the major groups of microorganisms.
  • ESS3.b.10.m: Define composts and composting.

Unit 4: Ag Careers

Lesson 1: What are the AFNR Pathways?
Objectives:
  • Identify the 9 career pathways within agriculture, food, and natural resources.
  • Describe the 9 career pathways within agriculture, food, and natural resources.

Lesson 2: Let’s explore an agricultural career!
Objectives:
  • Explain the major career areas in the agriculture industry.
  • Identify what it takes to be successful in an agricultural career.

Standards Covered in Unit
  • CS.05.02.01.a. Examine and categorize careers in each of the AFNR pathways.
  • CS.05.02.01.b. Assess personal skills and align them with potential career opportunities in AFNR pathways.
  • CS.05.02.02.a. Research and describe careers in each of the AFNR pathways and choose potential careers connecting to personal interests and skills.