Agriscience Foundations involves the scientific study of agriculture and its local and global impact. Students will dive into agricultural history, learn about scientific and research concepts that drive the field, animal and plant systems, as well as the effects of agriculture on the environment. This course also teaches about career opportunities available in the field and how students can promote themselves to land a dream job. Specialized lab activities provide students the hands-on practice needed to master the content.
Prerequisites: None
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
- Define agriscience
- Identify career choices within agriscience
- Identify challenges facing the modern agricultural industry
- Identify common causes of agriculture accidents and prevention methods
- Evaluate alternative methods of containing and cleaning up oil spills
- Categorize types and uses of laboratory equipment used by botanists and horticulturalists
- Identify the central ideas of cell theory
- Compare prokaryotic and eurkaryotic cell structures
- Define DNA and universal genetic code
- Explain processes of cellular reproduction and causes of genetic variation
- Simulate techniques for cross-breeding plant species
- Observe and explain biological and environmental factors in promoting plant growth
- Classify plants based on shared characteristics
- Identify animal classifications common among livestock
- Explain the importance of animal by-products in the agricultural industry
- Identify important components of safety within food processing, handling and preservation
- Define methods to promote animal welfare within fields of animal husbandry
- Diagram and record observations of a food-related animal byproduct
- Identify components of an ecosystem
- Evaluate human impacts upon ecosystems
- Measure the pH of soil samples
- Identify climate and geologic impacts on agriculture
- Explain methods and technologies that improve food processing and reduce environmental concerns
- Evaluate methods of controlling an invasive species
- Identify evidence of historical change and emerging trends within agriculture, biotechnology and productivity
- Apply the scientific method in conducting an agriscience investigation
- Identify traits and skills employed by managers and leaders within agriscience careers
- Explain the role the FFA has played in educating agriscientists
- Evaluate career interests and opportunities in the agricultural, food system, and environmental science industries
- Identify career planning strategies
Course Outline:
Module 1: Introduction to Agriscience
Module 2: Cellular Systems
Module 3: Animal and Plant Systems
Module 4: Environmental Systems
Module 5: Technology and Innovation
Module 6: Leadership and Careers
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: Students are responsible for obtaining the following lab materials necessary for the following projects and assignments.
01.02 Safety lab
- 1 aluminum tin (pie size or larger) or rectangle metal cake pan
- Soil to fill up about one quarter of the pan (this will be your land)
- Water
- 50 mL cooking oil (such as vegetable oil or olive oil)
- Clean-up materials—sample materials include spoons, craft sticks, plastic wrap, cotton balls or squares, paper, pieces of sponge, coffee filters, and liquid soap or detergent
02.06 Cellular systems project
- Two matching containers (clear glass or plastic bottles or cups such as soda bottles or mason jars)
- Gravel or small rocks
- Soil (potting soil or topsoil) and sand (if you choose the substrate variable)
- One bag of nine-bean soup mix from a grocery store
- Water and measuring cup
- Plastic wrap and aluminum foil (if you choose the light variable)
- Rubber bands
- Ruler
03.06 Animal and plant systems project
- Sharp scissors
Colored pencils
Newspaper, tray, or other protective covering for work area
Gloves (optional)
A cut of raw meat, with bone in and skin on if possible, from the animal you chose in Part 1. This may be purchased from a grocery store. Examples you may choose: Raw chicken wing (with upper wing, lower wing, and wingtip joined together); Chicken or turkey leg with skin on; Chicken or turkey thigh with bone in, skin on; Pork spareribs; Pork shanks with bone in
04.02 Environmental Resources lab
- Distilled water
- Metric ruler
- Small zipper storage bag
- Soil from the yard, garden, or other local source
- Jar with tightly fitting lid (tall and skinny would be best)
- Small digging tool
- pH strips (available at hardware and pool supply stores) or vinegar and baking soda
05.05 Agriscience Data project
- Choice of materials varies depending on choice of student project
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Lightweight devices such as Apple iPads, Google Chromebooks, and tablets have limited support for Java or Flash which still appear in a small percentage of our catalog. While FLVS does not offer technical support for these devices, FLVS is working to remove Flash from their remaining course content. Students will need extra work-around steps or alternate browsers to engage with some portions of those courses. FLVS recommends students have a Windows or Mac based computer available to complete coursework in the event that your selected mobile device does not meet the needs of the course. Fully supported Operating Systems for FLVS courses include Windows (10 or higher) and MacOS (11 or higher). Supported Browsers include the most recent versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari on devices that support Java and HTML5. Browsers need to be up to date, and some FLVS courses may require installation or enabling of the following Plug-ins: JavaScript enabled, Cookies enabled, Java installed. https://www.flvs.net/student-parent-resources/more/system-requirements
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Additional Information: Students are expected to complete either the standard final exam at the conclusion of the course or have the option of instead providing proof that they have completed the optional Agricultural Associate Certification Exam administered by Agriculture Education Services & Technology (AEST), a division of the Farm Bureau. Proof of completion of the certification exam will permit the instructor to exempt the student from the standard final exam in the course gradebook. NOTE: Michigan Virtual does not provide or administer the certification exam sessions.