08/20/08

Biological Science Applications in Agriculture

2006-07 - Mrs. Mohr

The Biological Science Applications in Agriculture (BSAA) class is designed to expand upon what was learned in Biology I/ILS II by exploring the agricultural industry and to prepare students for life-long learning.  Students are required to pass a safety exam before participating in any laboratory activities.

Science Department Objectives:

Students will be able to:

I.  Understand the processes of scientific inquiry and technological design to investigate questions, conduct experiments, and solve problems.

          A.  Know and apply the concepts, principles, and processes of scientific

inquiry.  (11A)

II.  Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life, physical and earth/space sciences.

          A.  Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt

and change.  (12A)

          B.  Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with

each other and with their environment.  (12B)

III.  Understand the relationships among science, technology and society in historical and contemporary contexts.

          A.  Know and apply the accepted practices of science.  (13A)

          B.  Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science,

technology and society.  (13B)

Course Content Outline:

Unit A - Plant Science

Problem Area 1. Conducting Scientific Investigations in Agriculture

Lesson A1–1 Exploring Research Methods in Agriculture

Lesson A1–2 Designing and Conducting Agricultural Research

Lesson A1–3 Using Scientific Measurement

Lesson A1–5 Safety in the Laboratory

Problem Area 2. Cellular Biology and Agriculture

Lesson A2–1 Processes Within Plant Cells

Lesson A2–2 Biotechnology

Problem Area 3. Agriculture and the Environment

Lesson A3–1 Sustainable Agricultural Practices

Lesson A3–4 Fuels from Crops

Problem Area 4. Managing Inputs for Plant Growth

Lesson A4–3 Plant Tissue Testing and Soil Testing

Problem Area 5. Initiating Plant Growth

Lesson A5–1 Conducting the Warm Germination Test and TZ Test for Seed

Viability

Lesson A5–2 The Role of the Embryo in Germination

Lesson A5–3 Environmental Factors Affecting Seed Germination

Lesson A5–5 Osmotic Turgescence: The Forces of Plant Growth

Problem Area 6. Managing Plant Growth

Lesson A6–1 Energy Transformation in Plants: Photosynthesis

Lesson A6–2 Separating Plant Pigments by Chromatography

Lesson A6–3 Transpiration in Plants

Lesson A6–4 Homeostatic Responses of Seedling Plants: The Tropisms

Lesson A6–5 Hydroponics

Lesson A6–6 Plant Responses to Herbicide Applications

Lesson A6–7 Regulating Plant Growth

Problem Area 7. Reproduction in Plants

Lesson A7–1 Examining Parts of a Flower

Lesson A7–2 Influence of Temperature on Pollen Germination

Lesson A7–3 Tissue Culture

Unit B - Animal Science

Problem Area 1. Animal Genetics and Biotechnology

Lesson B1–1 Animal Genetics and Probability

Lesson B1–2 DNA Extraction

Lesson B1–3 Biotechnology

Problem Area 2. Growth and Development of Animals

Lesson B2–1 Chick Embryology

Lesson B2–2 Hatching and Brooding Chicks

Lesson B2–3 Nutrition of Chicks

Lesson B2–4 Peck Order of Chicks

Lesson B2–5 Starch Digestion by Enzyme Action

Lesson B2–6 Protein Digestion by Enzyme Action

Lesson B2–7 Absorption of Nutrients

Lesson B2–8 Animal Health

Lesson B2–9 Growth Hormones in Animals

Lesson B2–10 Effect of Antibiotics on Bacteria

Lesson B2–11 Testing for Mastitis

Problem Area 3. Animal Reproduction

Lesson B3–1 Artificial Insemination

Lesson B3–2 Sperm Motility

Problem Area 4. Aquaculture

Lesson B4–1 Effect of Temperature on Cold-Blooded Animals

Lesson B4–2 Factors Affecting Dissolved Oxygen in Water

Lesson B4–3 Microbial Cycling of Nitrogen

Unit C - Food Science

Problem Area 1. Handling and Storing Plant Products

Lesson C1–3 Controlling Molds with Food Preservatives

Lesson C1–4 Testing for Food Additives

Lesson C1–5 pH and Fermentation

Problem Area 2. Processing Animal Products

Lesson C2–1 The Science of Curing Meats

Lesson C2–2 Curing Ingredients in Meat Products

Lesson C2–3 Water Binding in Meat

Lesson C2–4 Salt as a Food Preservative

Lesson C2–5 Pasteurized Milk as an Ecological System for Bacteria

Lesson C2–6 Souring Milk

Lesson C2–7 Yogurt Production

Problem Area 3. Agricultural Processing Systems

Lesson C3–1 Viscosity: Fluid Food Rheology

Lesson C3–2 Solid Food Rheology: Tomatoes

Lesson C3–3 Rapid Chilling of Meat Products

Lesson C3–8 Making Cheese

Lesson C3–9 Making Ice Cream

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of Biology I/ILS II

Grading System:

Grades will be based on assignments, homework, daily work, lab reports, projects, quizzes, tests, and daily grade or participation points.

The grading scale is as follows:

                   94 – 100                 A

                   86 – 93                   B

                   77 – 85                   C

                   70 – 76                   D

                   Below 70                 F

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the specified date unless otherwise noted.  All assignments will receive a fifty percent reduction in the grade when it is late.  If the assignment is two or more days late, 75% of the possible points will be deducted.  Tests and quizzes must be made up within three days to receive credit (after three days, they become a zero).   Tests must be made up during non-classroom time. 

Make-up Work:  For each school day that is missed, a student will be allowed one additional day for each absence upon returning to make up missed work.  If students miss an experiment, they will be given an alternate assignment to complete.  Students are not allowed to make up any work for unexcused absences except in disciplinary circumstances, such as suspensions – assignments that are due the day that the student is unexcused absent will receive 0 points.

Students are required to have a 3-ring binder to put their notes, handouts, homework, and tests in.  The notebook will be collected periodically (announced and unannounced) for 50 points.  The binder must be organized and labeled either chronologically according to units and chapters OR by sections such as notes, assignments, homework, tests and quizzes, and other.

Participation Grade:  Students receive 5 points each day for attending class when they are on time; bring their homework, book, notebook, a pen or pencil; pay attention, stay on task; and for behaving in an acceptable manner.  Any violation of the rules and procedures will result in a zero for the day.

Extra credit will be available periodically and must be completed during the allotted time.  Extra credit can only be used to raise the student’s grade by one letter grade.

Contacting Mrs. Mohr:  Mrs. Mohr is available to students on most days from 8:00 – 8:20 am and 3:15 – 4:15 pm.  She can also be reached at 309-379-5911 or chrisembry.mohr@olympia.org.