Grade 15 - Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
Agribusiness Systems (Credit: 0.50)Agribusiness Systems is a semester-length high school elective that introduces the business, management, marketing, and financial skills needed to successfully produce food, fiber, and fuel for domestic and global markets. Nearly 16 percent of total U.S. employment and 14 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product can be attributed to agribusiness systems, which means agriculture, food, and natural resources play a pivotal role in the economic success of our nation. Students will learn about the components of the agribusiness system and how they interact to deliver food to our tables. They will also learn about the key elements of a successful agribusiness enterprise: economics, financial management, marketing and sales, and government policies and regulations.
Animal Systems (Credit: 0.50)The role of animals in civilization has an ancient history, and they are no less prominent in today’s society. For example, pigs were domesticated in China as long as 10,000 years ago and are still vital to our lifestyle today. But we know that pigs are also intelligent beings. What are their preferences for habitat and treatment, and what are their social and reproductive habits?
Animals today are used for clothing, food, transportation, agriculture, herding, companionship, guide assistance, and crime fighting, and research continues to reveal new uses. As our scientific understanding of animal systems grows, so do our best practices, ethical considerations, and research applications. How mankind treats animals impact their well-being and productivity.
The course provides students with a wealth of information on livestock-management practices, animal husbandry, physiological systems, the latest scientific trends, and innovations in food production.
Changes in practices, regulations, and legislation for animal welfare continue as new research provides solutions to medical, ethical, and practical concerns. The course reviews current topics, such as advancements in technology and research, and defines areas of discussion while maintaining focus on best-management practices. How the research translates to management practices is a vital area of study and discussion.
Environmental Service Systems (Credit: 0.50)This semester-length, high school elective introduces students to career opportunities and educational pathways in a wide array of environmental fields. Students examine environmental legislation and regulations, government agencies and organizations, monitoring and testing methods and requirements. They discover the relationship between environmental regulations and careers, and study the issues, history, and current status of air and water quality, soil and atmospheric conditions. In an environmentally challenged world, ESS professionals are critically important. Job outlooks and salary scales reflect this need for educated, dedicated researchers, scientists, engineers, and others in the environmental service systems field.
Food Products and Processing Systems (Credit: 0.50)Agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) are central to human survival and civilization. Mankind’s development, use, and stewardship of natural resources to create food products have a long and ever-changing timeline. This course explores the history and evolution of food products, along with the processing methods that have arisen to feed an ever-growing world population.
Students study specifics in a wide spectrum of food product topics, from early methods of preservation to technological advancements in packaging, regulations in labeling, and marketing trends. The course prepares students for a variety of possible educational and career pathways in the food industry. Students learn industry terminology in each area of the overall system, from “farm to fork†to vertical integration to smart packaging.
Food product systems include global and local marketing of whole and processed foods. The course investigates the economic, environmental, and nutritional benefits of the food students are eating in a series of hands-on projects that supplement the studies and assessments. Health concerns and best practices in quality assurance, inspections, and labeling are reviewed. Students learn how dietary guidelines are made and how they change with the latest research. Students track their own food intake and dietary ratios and research ingredients, processing procedures, and safe handling practices to increase their consumer awareness of food products.
Advertising, marketing, product testing, and distribution of food products comprise a huge sector of food product systems and careers. The course prepares students for further research and work experience in these lucrative fields.
Introduction to Argriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (Credit: 0.50)This semester-length high school elective introduces students to the basic scientific principles of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students will be recognizing and researching plant systems, animal systems, government policy, “green†technologies, agribusiness principles, and sustainability systems.
In this course, students will apply understanding of ecosystems and systems thinking to the management of natural resources to maximize the health and productivity of the environment, agriculture, and communities. Students will also analyze community practice or policy development related to sustainability in agriculture, food, and natural resources.
Communicating the impact of “green†and sustainability principles on agriculture, food, and natural resource systems will also be taught through the course, and students will learn to recognize the social, health, environmental, and economic costs and benefits of renewable energy production (e.g., solar, wind, and biofuels) in comparison to non-renewable energies (e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas).
Analyzing energy usage, renewable energy options, and renewable materials options to promote sustainable practices across AFNR will also be part of the course, and students will learn to use "green" technologies and sustainability practices to maintain safe and healthful working environments that sustain the natural environment and promote well-being in the AFNR workplaces.
Students will also demonstrate an understanding of "green" and sustainability trends that are influencing processes and markets in AFNR.
Finally, students will apply adaptive ecosystem management to a common pool resource (e.g., an irrigation system or fishing grounds) problem in a manner that addresses ecological (data, models, concepts, understanding, and scientific responsibilities), socioeconomic (values, interests, information, assets, private sector responsibilities), and institutional (law, policies, authority, assets, public sector responsibilities) contexts.
Natural Resources Systems (Credit: 0.50)People depend on natural resources. Regions, cultures, nations, and societies are shaped by how people use land, water, plants, and wildlife. The large and small ecosystems that make up the environment are complex. Each component of our ecosystem depends on another.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of the planet’s natural resource systems. Students will explore and develop a basic understanding of how the systems relate to one another other. Students will consider the role people play in managing, using, protecting, and conserving natural resources. In addition, the course will provide information about many different careers that are available to students who are interested in natural resources and natural resource management.
Plant Systems (Credit: 0.50)Plant Systems is a semester-length high school elective that introduces students to the basics of plant biology, soil science, agriculture, and horticulture, along with the environmental management practices involved in each, including integrated pest management, biotechnology, growth techniques, and crop management. Students will learn the basic parts of a plant, how plants are scientifically classified, and how they interact with water, air, nutrients, and light to undergo the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Plant reproduction, including pollination, germination, and dispersal of seeds, is also presented.
Power, Structural and Technical Systems (Credit: 0.50)Power, Structural, and Technical Systems provides students with an understanding of the field of agriculture power and will introduce them to concepts associated with producing the food and fiber required to meet today’s and tomorrow’s needs. This understanding gives students the opportunity to explore agriculture machinery, as well as structures and technological concepts.
Students will understand the historical changes in agriculture and how agriculture has changed to meet the needs of the future world population. Students will be introduced to machinery, structures, biotechnology, and ethical and professional standards applicable to agriculture power.
Students will understand the technological innovations that have contributed to changing the face of agriculture. Computers and other technological tools have given farmers the ability to utilize precision agriculture. Students will gain an understanding of the professional career opportunities and responsibilities of growers across the country. Additionally, students can learn about some of the resources available to professionals in the agriculture industry.
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