Course Description
Introduction to Horticulture, plant parts and functions, taxonomy and naming, plant propagation to include seeding, cuttings, grafting, and tissue culture (cloning), greenhouse management and crops, light and temperature interaction, hydroponics. Pesticides, herbicides, plant diseases and pests, biological pest control, vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits, lawn establishment and management. Landscaping – planning, architecture, management, value, careers in the horticulture field. Students will gain hands on experience through work in the greenhouse. Students will also become involved in the National FFA Organization and SAE. Students will be responsible for a bedding plant sale in the spring. This is a full year course.
Texts used for this course are: Introductory Horticulture, Reilly and Shry, published by ITP and Principals of Landscape Design, Ingalls, published by ITP.
Instructional Philosophy:
Agricultural Education enables students to learn facts, analyze problems, and have an opportunity to gain self-confidence. This confidence is a gradually developing process. Each student is given the opportunity to achieve individual accomplishments while working in small groups and on individual projects. The self-confidence that students acquire helps them in all phases of their lives. With confidence in themselves, they are able to make wiser decisions that have been reasoned out.
The relevant skills taught in Agricultural Education are of vital importance to students of both sexes and of all academic and economic levels. Every student is involved in some phase of agriculture, regardless of his or her paid occupation. Students are given the opportunity to acquire facts and develop competencies and apply these facts through their own Supervised Agricultural Experience and to develop themselves into competent community leaders through their involvement in the National FFA Organization.
Course Goals
| A. | IDENTIFYING HORTICULTURE PLANTS | ||
| 1. | Label plant parts and functions | ||
| 2. | Identify potted foliage & flowering plants | ||
| 3. | Identify landscaping plants | ||
| 4. | Identify vegetables & fruits | ||
| 5. | Identify floriculture crops | ||
| B. | PREPARING SOILS AND PLANTING MEDIA | ||
| 1. | Identify soil mix materials and characteristics | ||
| 2. | Mix soil media | ||
| 3. | Sterilize soils/soilless materials | ||
| 4. | Mix fertilizer into soil media | ||
| 5. | Prepare outdoor seedbed | ||
| C. | PROPAGATING PLANTS, SEEDS, AND CUTTINGS | ||
| 1. | Apply rooting hormones | ||
| 2. | Maintain dormant plants | ||
| 3. | Propagate plants by planting seeds in flats | ||
| 4. | Transplant seedlings | ||
| 5. | Propagate plants by taking cuttings | ||
| 6. | Propagate plants by division of plant | ||
| 7. | Plant bulbs | ||
| 8. | Propagate plants in a soilless media | ||
| 9. | Plan planting schedules | ||
| D. | PRODUCING VEGETABLE/FRUIT CROPS | ||
| 1. | Draw a plan for planting a garden | ||
| 2. | Prepare seedbed for garden seeds | ||
| 3. | Analyze seeding practices (depth, temp, spacing) | ||
| 4. | Maintain and operate gardening equipment | ||
| 5. | Identify methods of weed control in the garden | ||
| 6. | Determine maturity in fruits and vegetables | ||
| 7. | Identify methods of fruit/vegetable harvest | ||
| 8. | Prepare fruit/vegetable produce for marketing | ||
| 9. | Identify markets for fruit/vegetable produce | ||
| E. | CONTROLLING THE PLANT ENVIRONMENT | ||
| 1. | Control growth rate of plants (temp, light, chemical reaction) | ||
| 2. | Make fertilizer recommendations | ||
| 3. | Apply soil mulches | ||
| 4. | Identify primary plant nutrients | ||
| 5. | Test soil pH | ||
| 6. | Test soil mix for fertility | ||
| 7. | Identify common plant diseases | ||
| 8. | Identify common horticulture insects | ||
| 9. | Describe the use of growth stimulants | ||
| 10. | Describe methods of pest control | ||
| 11. | Mix chemicals for proper application | ||
| 12. | Interpret chemical labels | ||
| 13. | Follow chemical safety rules | ||
| 14. | Force potted plants to bloom | ||
| 15. | Force bulbs | ||
| 16. | Identify common horticulture weeds | ||
| 17. | Identify water needs of plant families | ||
| 18. | Identify garden care chemicals | ||
| 19. | Identify lawn care chemicals | ||
| F. | DESIGNING AND MAINTAINING LANDSCAPES | ||
| 1. | Select landscape plants for given plan | ||
| 2. | Select landscape fences & furniture | ||
| 3. | Calculate cost of a landscape plan | ||
| 4. | Plant trees and shrubs | ||
| 5. | Plant ground covers | ||
| 6. | Trim and prune hedges/shrubs | ||
| 7. | Prune ornamental trees | ||
| 8. | Identify principles of landscaping (simplicity, balance, focal, rhythm, scale) | ||
| 9. | Read a landscape plan | ||
| 10. | Design a landscape plan | ||
| 11. | Seed lawns | ||
| 12. | Describe methods of laying sod | ||
| 13. | Maintain lawn/turf | ||
| 14. | Maintain and operate lawn equipment | ||
| G. | RELATED COMPETENCIES | ||
| 1. | Identify careers that require competencies in horticulture and related areas | ||
| 2. | |||
| 3. | |||
| A. | DEVELOPING THE GENERAL SAE PROGRAM | ||
| SAE Record Book – Student, Teachers Guide | |||
| 1. | Define and identify goals | ||
| 2. | Plan a calendar of events | ||
| 3. | Complete and record FFA activities | ||
| 4. | Complete and record community activities | ||
| 5. | Complete improvement projects | ||
| 6. | Identify and record non-SAE earnings | ||
| 7. | Record personal expenses | ||
| 8. | Obtain and record SAE project loans | ||
| 9. | Complete a depreciation schedule | ||
| 10. | Complete a financial statement | ||
| 11. | Summarize SAE activities | ||
| B. | DEVELOPING PRODUCTION SAE PROGRAMS | ||
| 1. | Develop business agreements for production entrepreneurship projects | ||
| 2. | Prepare inventory statements | ||
| 3. | Complete an income journal | ||
| 4. | Complete animal feed records | ||
| 5. | Complete an expense journal | ||
| 6. | Record plant program information | ||
| 7. | Complete livestock breeding records | ||
| 8. | Calculate dairy production data | ||
| 9. | Record project hours of labor | ||
| 10. | Identify and record approved practices | ||
| 11. | Calculate enterprise budget & summary | ||
| 12. | Complete enterprise efficiency record | ||
| C. | DEVELOPING A DIRECTED LAB/SKILLS PROGRAM | ||
| 1. | Evaluate and select DLE enterprises | ||
| 2. | Develop DL/S training agreement | ||
| 3. | Record DL/S activities | ||
| D. | DEVELOPING AN AGRIBUSINESS PROGRAM | ||
| 1. | Complete a business plan | ||
| 2. | Project business materials cost | ||
| 3. | Project business labor cost | ||
| 4. | Project business operation cost | ||
| 5. | Project business equipment cost | ||
| 6. | Compute business profit potential | ||
| 7. | Complete a business inventory | ||
| 8. | Record business income | ||
| 9. | Record business expenses | ||
| 10. | Complete a business labor record | ||
| 11. | Calculate business profit/efficiency | ||
| E. | DEVELOPING PLACEMENT SAE PROGRAMS | ||
| 1. | Develop agribusiness placement training agreement | ||
| 2. | Develop agribusiness placement training plan | ||
| 3. | Record employment related expenses | ||
| 4. | Record employment related income | ||
| A. | FUNCTIONING AS AN ORGANIZATION MEMBER | ||
| Student FFA Handbook – FFA Supply Service | |||
| 1. | Become familiar with FFA history | ||
| 2. | Become familiar with FFA Creed | ||
| 3. | Become familiar with FFA Aims and Purposes | ||
| 4. | Become familiar with FFA Constitution and Bylaw | ||
| 5. | Qualify for Greenhand Degree | ||
| 6. | Prepare a business meeting agenda | ||
| 7. | Assist in developing chapter program of work | ||
| 8. | Demonstrate five parliamentary procedure skills | ||
| 9. | Become familiar with officers and duties | ||
| 10. | Identify FFA activities available to members (awards, travel, contests, conventions, etc.) | ||
| 11. | Develop a plan for involvement in FFA | ||
| 12. | Complete proficiency award applications | ||
| 13. | Qualify for Chapter FFA Degree | ||
| 14. | Qualify for State FFA Degree | ||
| 15. | Qualify for American FFA Degree | ||
| B. | RELATING TO OTHERS IN SOCIETY | ||
| 1. | Describe purposes for committees | ||
| 2. | Identify types of committees (ad hoc, standing) | ||
| 3. | Describe the decision making process | ||
| 4. | Demonstrate etiquette and social skills | ||
| 5. | Carry on a conversation with others | ||
| 6. | Demonstrate effective listening and answering skills | ||
| 7. | Identify types of speeches/presentations (impromptu, demonstration, extemporaneous, etc.) | ||
| 8. | Prepare and deliver speech/presentation | ||
| 9. | Lead a group discussion | ||
| C. | DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT | ||
| 1. | Complete a personality inventory | ||
| 2. | Develop goals for personal improvement | ||
| 3. | Demonstrate confidence | ||
| 4. | Exhibit perseverance | ||
| 5. | Show ability to comprehend instructions | ||
| 6. | Demonstrate initiative | ||
| 7. | Demonstrate reliability | ||
| 8. | Exhibit tact | ||
| 9. | Demonstrate loyalty | ||
| 10. | Demonstrate enthusiasm | ||
| 11. | Demonstrate cooperation | ||
| 12. | Exhibit adaptability | ||
| 13. | Exhibit proper grooming | ||
| 14. | Provide leadership | ||
| 15. | Exhibit poise | ||
| 16. | Exhibit honesty | ||
Major Course Projects:
Students will be responsible for maintaining the greenhouse as well as the following:
Bedding Plant Sale
Forcing Bulbs Lab
Cuttings Lab
Grafting Lab
Turf Management Lab
Pruning Lab
Fertilizer Lab
Growth Regulator Lab
Original Landscape Plan
Course Assessment
This course will follow the district wide grading scale which is mandated by the West Central School Board:
92-100% A
83-91% B
74-82% C
65-73% D
Below 64% F
The total points for the grading period will be used to determine the letter grade received by the student. Students will have the opportunity to earn Bonus Points through involvement in FFA activities. Bonus points are added to their daily classroom grade. Students are required to keep a notebook for each Ag Ed class in which they are enrolled. The notebooks are collected and graded each nine weeks.