AGRISCIENCE FOR TEACHERS

AGED 4370/6370 Spring 2013

This syllabus is a general plan for the course. Deviations to the class may be necessary.

INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Frank B. Flanders
132 Four Towers Building
Athens, GA 30602
(O) 706-542-8646; (C) 706-255-7040
flanders@uga.edu
PREQUISITES: None
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
AGED 4370 serves as an opportunity for students to:
1. Manage an agriscience laboratory
2. Build skills in safety, measurement, and concepts of science and math
3. Direct others in carrying out agriscience activities
4. Organize and present science based activities within the context of agriculture
5. Develop a class curriculum infused with math and science laboratory activities
REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS:
This course does not utilize a textbook. Students will be expected to occasionally provide
materials for lab activities. The class is heavily activity based. Safety glasses and other
protective devices are not required except as noted by the instructor. However, students
are encouraged to wear eye protection and protective clothing as they deem necessary.
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance is expected and will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting.
Legitimate emergencies which prevent your attendance to class will be dealt with on an
individual basis and will follow UGA policy.
Participation in classroom discussions, and in the sharing of ideas and points of view is
an important part of this course. Each student is expected to actively participate in class
and especially in small group activities.
Academic Honesty: The University of Georgia seeks to promote and ensure academic
honesty and personal integrity among students and other members of the University
Community. All members of the academic community are responsible for knowing the
policy and procedures on academic honesty. http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/culture_honesty.htm
Provisions for students with disabilities: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is
a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for
persons with disabilities. Among other things this legislation requires that all students with
disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable
accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe that you have a disability requiring an
accommodation, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities. http://drc.uga.edu/

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS:
Assignment

Assignment Description
AGRISCIENCE FOR TEACHERS, AGED 4370/6370

Due Date
Agriscience Fair Project

Agriscience Fair Judging

Agriscience Activity
Presentation

Agriscience Proficiency
Judging
Agriscience Videos
Special Activity
Special Reading
Assignments
Agriscience Activity
Reports
Graduate Students

Each student or team of two students will

design, complete, and present an experiment
suitable for entry into the FFA Agriscience Fair.
Projects should be by the book as much as
possible. Agriscience fair projects will be
judged using the National FFA Agriscience Fair
score card.
Students will be required to judge agriscience
or science fair projects at a region, local, or
state event.
Each student will develop and present an
agriscience activity. The activity must follow
the GPS and emphasize the science of
agriculture. The student should follow the
format if one is provided, and explain how this
activity may be used in a middle school or high
school classroom.
Class members will judge agriscience
proficiency applications for the North Region
office.
Each student will review one agriscience video
each week and a total of 15 for the semester.
Specific videos will be assigned.
A special activity such as an owl prowl may be
conducted. This activity may occur during
extended hours.
Reading assignments will be made and
discussed briefly in class or as needed.
Materials covered will be covered on quizzes
and exams.
For each class period students will complete a
reflection/activity report.
Graduate students registered for AgEd 6370
will be required to complete certain related
graduate level assignments.

April 18/25

Dates TBA
Feb. 28

Late Feb
Weekly
TBA
TBA

Form will
be provided
TBA

GRADES:
All assignments are due on the day announced by the instructor. Late assignments will
lose 10% for each day an assignment is late. The final grade will be based on satisfactory
completion of all assignments, attendance, participation, and grades on the following:
Items to be Graded
Quizzes
Mid-Term
Final
Agriscience Project
Agriscience Presentation
Total

Percent of
Final Grade
15
35
35
10
5
100%

AGRISCIENCE FOR TEACHERS, AGED 4370/6370

SCHEDULE:
Class Meeting
Dates

Notes

January 10
January 17

Tentative: Guest Speaker

January 24
January 31

Quiz 1

February 7

Guest Speaker

February 14
February 21

State Show

February 28

Mid-Term
Students Present
Agriscience Activities
Guest Speaker

March 7
March 14

Spring Break

March 21

Agriscience Fair Judging

at Madison Co.
Agriscience Fair Judging,
Franklin Co. HS 8am till
noon; class 3:30
6:15pm
Quiz 2
Guest Speaker on water
chemistry
Agriscience fair project
presentations
Agriscience fair project
presentations
State Convention no
class
FINAL EXAM, 3:306:30

March 28

April 4
April 11
April 18
April 25
May 7

AGRISCIENCE FOR TEACHERS, AGED 4370/6370

Links:
Agriculture Research Service magazine
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/

Experimental Research Controls and Variables

http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/controls333.html

National FFA Agriscience Fair Guide

https://www.ffa.org/documents/agsci_handbook.pdf

Science in Your Shopping Cart

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/shopcart/shopcart.pdf

Agriscience Fair Project Ideas

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/fair/ideasframe.htm

The Science Behind Our Food

http://apps.caes.uga.edu/sbof/main/index.cfm?page=resources

Its not Rocket Science. Its Better

http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/ed_resources/DaleGruis.pdf

Georgia FFA Awards Bulletin

http://www.gaaged.org/Browseable_Folders/CareerDevelopmentEvents/CDEAwardsBulletin/

Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)

https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/pages/BrowseStandards/ctae.aspx

AGRISCIENCE FOR TEACHERS, AGED 4370/6370