Course outline/proposed curriculum
SNC 3M Agricultural Science – University/College Preparation – Draft#1
This course, offered at Opeongo High School, enables students to increase their understanding of science and its technological applications as it applies to Ontario agriculture. Students will explore a range of topics, including the safe use of agricultural chemicals; the science of livestock nutrition; waste management; space applications of agricultural research; and technology in agricultural production. Emphasis will be placed on the role of science and technology in agricultural production in relation to social and environmental issues. The overall expectations of the SNC 3M course will be met using agriculture-specific expectations.
Everyday Chemicals and Safe Practice
Overall Expectations/Agricultural Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
· Demonstrate an understanding of the properties, benefits, and hazards of everyday chemicals, and of the safe use of these products in the home, the workplace and industry
· Ontario farmers must take the Grower Pesticide Safety Course and pass an exam in order to become certified to purchase and use pesticides. They learn about integrated pest management, stewardship measures to prevent pest resistance, how to avoid health risks and protect the environment, proper storage, maintenance of application equipment, and the importance of record keeping. (www.pesticidesafety.ca) Students will complete this course and exam.
· Investigate, through laboratory experiments and computer simulations, the chemical and physical properties of representative types of everyday chemicals, using appropriate equipment safely and accurately.
· Using Opeongo High School’s agricultural equipment and test plots, students will test the efficacy of various pesticides and develop safe handling skills.
· Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the use of common types of chemicals in everyday life, and analyse the environmental/economic impact of their use.
· Students will review Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) information to make informed decisions on pesticide use.(www.pmra.arla.gc.ca) Students will also understand the concepts involved in Integrated Pest Management as a crop protection model.
Agriculture-Specific Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
· Complete the Ontario Grower Pesticide Safety Course;
· Explain how chemical and physical characteristics of pesticides result in different label recommendations;
· Explain the properties and current uses of pesticides;
· Describe the effects of pesticides on the well-being of ecosystems and humans;
· Explain the hazards and safe handling of pesticides;
· Mix, store, transport pesticides in accordance with accepted safety practices;
· Design and conduct experiments to test pesticide efficacy;
· Identify, using data collected through student experiments types of pesticide reactions;
· Predict the benefits and dangers associated with the use of pesticides, drawing on information from a variety of sources, including experimental results, label information, Crop Advisors and internet resources;
· Explain the different chemical waste management strategies used in rural, urban and industrial situations (triple rinsing, container recycling)
· Analyse the costs and benefits to society of pesticide use,
· Assess the environmental impact of pesticides, noting that agricultural pesticide use has decreased by over 52% since 1983.
Body Input and Body Function/ Livestock Nutrition
Overall Expectations/Agricultural Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
· Demonstrate an understanding of food components and their effects on body functions;
· Demonstrate an understanding of feed components and their effects on livestock growth (feed conversion) and reproduction;
· Make inferences regarding the impact of eating patterns on body function, based on an analysis of data gathered through laboratory investigations and from print and electronic sources;
· Evaluate feed quality and its affects on livestock growth, milk, meat and egg production and reproductive ability, based on an analysis of data gathered through feed trials (University of Guelph, industry sources) and from print and electronic sources;
· Explain how personal and societal factors affect eating behaviours, and evaluate the social and economic impact of the use of non-nutrient food additives.
· Demonstrate proper dosing, keeping risks to animals and humans to a minimum, improving animal health, and ensuring proper storage of livestock pharmaceuticals by completion of provincial safety program. (www.ontariolivestockmed.com)
Agriculture Specific Expectations
By the end of this course, students will:
· Complete the Livestock Medicine course;
· Define and give examples of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins and mineral supplements;
· Identify the basic sources of the principal feed nutrients and their functions in ration formulation;
· Identify the factors that contribute to energy use – growth, lactation
· Describe the role of antibiotic and hormonal supplements as it affects livestock production;
· Determine through investigations, the nutrient or energy content in selected feed samples (e.g., hay, grains, silage);
· Assess various rations with respect to their cost versus nutrition;
· Assess strategies for monitoring and maintaining herd health;
· Analyse feed conversion of various cattle breeds (bull test station)
· Analyse cost to consumer if antibiotics and hormones were banned in Canada (E.U. model);
Waste Management
Overall Expectations/Agricultural Expectations
By the end of the course, students will:
· Demonstrate an understanding of the nature and types of waste and of their management in industry and the community;
· Demonstrate an understanding of the Ontario Nutrient Management Act;
· Conduct investigations/research and make inferences regarding the effectiveness of various waste management practices;
· Complete an Environmental Farm Plan for a local property;
· Describe and analyse the interaction of science, society, and government in the development of various waste management strategies and assess the impact of various wastes on the environment;
· Describe and analyse the interaction of science, society, the agricultural community and government in the development of nutrient management and clean water legislation;
Agriculture Specific Expectations
By the end of the course, students will:
· Define and when appropriate give examples of such terms as the following: solid/liquid/gaseous waste, toxic waste, heavy metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons, acid precipitation, greenhouse effect;
· Explain the principles related to the management of solid and liquid manures and associated odour pollution concerns;
· Explain how science and technology are used in the development of new nutrient management strategies (composting, methane digesters)
· Investigate through observation and experimentation the relationship between the type of waste produced and waste management strategies (lagoons, manure injection, waterway controls)
· Communicate effectively the results of research on the Environmental Farm Plan;
· Evaluate the advantages of waste management systems;
· Illustrate through research the effects of waste on the environment (Walkerton, )
· Analyse the impact of economic and political considerations on the development of waste management legislation;
· Evaluate the short- and long-term impact of nutrient management on the environment and make recommendations for change (e.g., methane fuel production)
Technologies in Everyday Life
Overall Expectations/ Agricultural Expectations
By the end of the course, students will:
· Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of science underlying applications of technology in everyday life;
· Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of science underlying the use of agricultural technology;
· Analyse, organise and present information on everyday technologies, using the appropriate laboratory research and reporting skills
· Analyse, organise, present and use information on agricultural technologies;
· Identify and analyse issues involving societal impact and change related to modern everyday technologies
· Identify and analyse issues involving societal impact and change related to modern agricultural practice;
Agriculture Specific Expectations
By the end of the course, students will:
· Describe the historical development of agricultural implements and related technologies;
· Explain fundamental scientific principles (genetic selection, ) related to an example of an agricultural process (plan/livestock breeding, );
· Evaluate the design and function of an agricultural implement or technology using various identified criteria ( );
· Analyse a biological process through laboratory/greenhouse investigations, and explain how it can be applied in an agricultural context (grow a crop plant under various conditions)
· Use GPS technology for agriculture-related applications
· Describe the changes in lifestyle created by the development of agricultural machinery and the shift from farm to non-farm economy in Ontario;
· Describe the spin-off effect of agricultural production to the national economy;
· Describe the importance of contributions of Canadian scientists (Saunders) to the development of improved agricultural practice
· Assess the costs and benefits to society of Canada’s “Cheap Food” policy;
Science and Space
Overall Expectations/Agricultural Expectations
By the end of the course, students will:
· Demonstrate an understanding of the space environment and the effects of microgravity (or the elimination of gravity-driven phenomena)
· Demonstrate ….
· Demonstrate safe use of scientific equipment to explore qualitatively the differences in space of various processes and the behaviour of various materials;
· Demonstrate ….
· Explore the human and technological benefits and the limitations of developing technologies for use in space, or of using existing technologies in space;
· Explore the University of Guelph Mars Tomato project
Agriculture-Specific Expectations
· Test tomato varieties in greenhouse experiments;
· Develop understanding of GPS technology as it applies to satellites;
Overview of the Course
This course must be flexible in its scheduling of classroom activities, as the Grower Pesticide Safety course, Livestock Medicines course, and GPS training are key components of its overall expectations. For the Agriculture programs initial year, these courses will be taught by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food instructors; in subsequent years, they will be taught by Opeongo staff.
Other scheduling difficulties will be faced during peak construction periods (weather-dependent during fall semester), and in the completion of WHMIS training , first aid training, backhoe certification, chainsaw certification and other agriculture-related certification courses.
All course materials will be located through the Opeongo High School web site. This will allow students to keep in contact with classroom components of the course. It may also make it feasible to offer this course as an on-line credit, with arrangements made to pick up the required certification in a student’s local area.
Lessons will be added to this site as they are developed over the summer months. Please make comments and revisions to our Agriculture Blog
Using the University of Guelph model, students are expected to develop their oral and written communications skills. This recognises a stated need of employers for employees with the necessary people skills. Project work will place emphasis on these skills. A journal will be kept by all students throughout the course, for their reflection, and for our revision.
Course Scheduling (tentative)
Week 1 – September 5-8, 2006
Course overview, expectations, WHMIS
Week 2 – September 11-15
Technologies in Everyday Life
· History of Agricultural Equipment Project: students choose one piece of machinery/technology to research its history and evaluate its design and function. This will be presented to class;
· Speaker from KCAT heavy equipment course
Week 3 – September 18-22
· Agriculture’s Role in the Canadian Economy: includes historical role, Canadian contributions, Cheap Food policy
· Summative quiz
Week 4 – September 25-29
· GPS training (two days)
· Start lettuce/cucumber/tomato experiments in greenhouse
Week 5 – October 2-6
Science and Space
· Exploring the Tomato Project – can our research add to NASA’s knowledge?
· Lab Journals of tomato research (ongoing summative)
Week 6 – October 10-13
Ontario Agri-Food Week
· Post-Thanksgiving Dinner using local foods (Dwight’s assistance). Students will research and prepare a meal; tickets sold locally
· Community Introduction to Agriculture Program: Open House in conjunciotn with dinner. Guest Speakers: Don & Joanne Russell, Ontario Young Farmers
Week 7 – October 16-20
Livestock Nutrition
· Unit Project: Choose one type of livestock and research its feed requirements throughout its lifetime (e.g., colostrum, milk replacer, creep feed, growth…)
· Sources of Feed & Nutrient components
· Designing rations Guest Speaker from feed company
Week 8 – October 23-27
· Antibiotics role in Livestock production
· Cost/Benefit analysis
· Herd health management
· Livestock Medicines Course (summative)
Week 9 – October 30-November 3 (P.A. Day)
· Work on project
· Wrap-up of key ideas;
Week 10 – November 6-10
· Field Trip to Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (Toronto) and University of Guelph tomato research facility (NASA-linked)
· Power Point projects of trip (summative)
Week 11 – November 13-17
· Field Trip to Klaesi Farms methane digester
· Environmental Farm Plans. Guest speaker: Glen Smith
Week 12 – November 20-24
· Nutrient management legislation. Panel: guest speakers from Whitewater Region, Province, OFA, NFU, CFFO etc.
· Effects of waste on environment
· Work periods
Week 13 – November 27-December1
· Complete EFP (summative)
· Greenhouse research
Week 14 – December 4-8
· Greenhouse research
· Work periods
Week 15 – December 11-15
Everyday Chemicals and Safe Practice
· Lab safety; overview of chemical structure & function of pesticides
· PMRA criteria
Week 16 – December 18- 22
· Greenhouse experiments with herbicides
Week 17 – January 8-12
· Pesticides and the environment
· Chemical waste management strategies
Week 18 – January 15-19
· Grower Pesticide Safety Course
Week 19 – January 22-25
· Culminating Task – complete reflective journals
posted by Barb @ 11:17 AM
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