AGRICULTURE EDUCATION
NOTE: Agriculture education courses will be taught at an off-campus site by a CHS teacher and shared with Kuemper high school students. Students will need to allow an additional period for travel to most of these classes. Students will pay a $15.00 course fee, which includes FFA dues. Each additional course taken in the same semester will have a $5.00 fee per course
Introduction to Contemporary Agriculture
(Grades 9, 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Block Format
This is an introductory course designed for any student wishing to gain a general background in the world’s largest industry—agriculture. Students will gain insight into the skills and career opportunities in the various areas of agriculture. Emphasis will include learning experiences in animal science, wildlife management, and agribusiness. Students will learn through hands-on experience, field trips, and interviews, as well as various classroom and laboratory exercises. Students will also learn leadership skills through an introduction to the FFA and supervised agriculture experience program.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Agriculture Education II (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Prerequisite: Introduction to Contemporary Agriculture
Block Format
The focus of this course will be to develop knowledge and skills in agriculture as an applied science. The units of emphasis will include agronomic crops and soil sciences. Scientific principles learned in other classes now have an application. This is a hands-on course that will increase the student’s knowledge of the agriculture industry while applying those sometimes difficult concepts. Students will learn through hands-on experience, field trips, and interviews, as well as various classroom and laboratory exercises. Students will also learn leadership skills through a continuation of the FFA and supervised agriculture experience programs.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Agriculture Business Management (Grades 11, 12)
Year Course - 2 Credits
Option for dual enrollment at DMACC
Students interested in gaining knowledge and skills in the area of farm or business management will benefit most from this advanced semester course. Learning opportunities will concentrate on the areas of credit, money management, marketing, tax and business planning, and business evaluation. Students will apply these business principles to the operation of a farm or an agribusiness through a simulated ag activity.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Agriculture Power Mechanics (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
The focus of this advanced course will be on skill development in the area of power mechanics. Student learning will concentrate on the fundamentals of power with laboratory experience making up the majority of the course.
Students will overhaul a small gas engine and do basic preventive maintenance on other agriculture machinery. This course is designed for juniors and seniors.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Agriculture Sales and Marketing (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 1 Credit
Ag Sales & Marketing is a course designed for upper level students interested in the many career opportunities in the largest occupational area of the agriculture industry. This course concentrates on developing skills and knowledge in agricultural sales techniques, advertising, personnel management, interviewing, computer networking, and cooperatives. Students will acquire competencies to be applied to real life situations in agriculture sales and marketing occupations.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Ag Metals and Welding (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Misc. Material Fee - $15.00
Block Format
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Maximum Class Size - 16
The focus of this course will be on skills development in the area of basic metallurgy. In-depth hands-on work will assist the students in becoming more aware of the various welding processes, machines, materials, terminology, and safety. The students will do reading, written work, math, print reading, tests, and weld job sheets. The student will also be required to complete a minimum of one major welding project. Units of instruction will include fundamentals of welding (FW), oxyacetylene welding (OAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), and gas metal arc welding (GMAW). (Besides the material fee, the student will be responsible for the project materials and expenses.)
Advanced Animal Science (Grades 11, 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Option for dual enrollment at DMACC
The focus of this course is to develop management skills. In-depth coverage of livestock and small animal management, marketing, decision making and problem solving will give students a working knowledge of production agriculture to increase profitability and efficiency. Emphasis will be placed on the impact on production agriculture of federal and state regulations and policy as well as the relationships between international and domestic agriculture production, trade, and development. Students will be involved with hands-on activities involving an aquaculture lab.
Students taking this course will have the opportunity to earn credit at various surrounding community college institutions.
Wildlife & Fisheries Management (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 1 Credit
This course provides broad and diverse study of wildlife habitats, characteristics, natural resources, water quality and forest management and preservation. This upper level semester course emphasizes the development of knowledge and skills through hands-on activities in hunter safety, wildlife and fisheries management, tree identification, and the use and managing of public lands for wildlife and forestry. An ongoing class project involves the staff at Swan Lake and the use of their property, as well as the Ag Ed Department aquaculture lab and the Ag Ed land lab.
Fall Horticulture (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Block Format
This course is offered each fall to any student interested in gaining knowledge and skills in the many areas of horticulture. Instruction will be provided in basic plant science including plant propagation and production, greenhouse management, turf management, hydroponics, bonsai, and a fall container grown plant crop (poinsettias). Students will also implement a horticultural business plan for the sale and marketing of crops produced in the greenhouse. Students will apply knowledge and skills in real life situations at the Agriculture Education Department’s greenhouse facilities and other work sites by testing theory through practice in varied settings in the Carroll Area.
This course may be taken in conjunction with Spring Horticulture or as a stand-alone course. Students taking this course may have the opportunity to earn credit at area community colleges through articulation agreements. Contact the instructor for details.
Spring Horticulture (Grades 10, 11, 12)
Semester Course – 2 Credits
Block Format
This course is offered each spring to any student interested in gaining knowledge and skills in the many areas of horticulture. Instruction will be provided in basic plant science including plant propagation and production, greenhouse management, floral design, landscape design and implementation, bedding plant production, golf course turf, and a spring container grown plant crop (mums or lilies). Students will also implement a horticultural business plan for the sale and marketing of crops produced in the greenhouse. Students will apply knowledge and skills in real life situations at the Agriculture Education Department’s greenhouse facilities and other work sites by testing theory through practice in varied settings in the Carroll Area.
This course may be taken in conjunction with Fall Horticulture or as a stand-alone course. Students taking this course may have the opportunity to earn credit at area community colleges through articulation agreements. Contact the instructor for details.
Agriscience/Natural Resources Internship (Grade 12)
Semester Course - 2 Credits
Student internships are situations where juniors or seniors work for an employer for a specified period of time to learn about a particular industry or occupation to develop specific skills in this career interest area. Students’ workplace activities may include special projects, a sample of tasks from different jobs, or tasks from a single occupation. These may or may not include financial compensation. Through this first-hand experience, the student will be able to develop definite career planning for their senior year schedule or their graduation plans. The student will be on the workplace for at least two periods, either the first two or the last two periods of the school day. This is a semester course for which the student will receive two credits.