Agriscience, Eighth Grade
Fall Semester 2016
First Nine Weeks
In the Eighth grade the students will have five major areas of study:
1. FFA (National Organization for Agriculture Students)
2. Forestry
3. Measuring
4. Wood shop safety and wood project construction
5. Welding safety and welding exercises
PACING GUIDE FOR FIRST NINE WEEKS
1. The first week of school the students will learn public speaking skills and the importance of strong youth organizations in making learning exciting and fun.
2. Weeks two through five will be spent in forestry. Students will learn to identify 30 different species of trees, measure the board feet in a standing tree, and determine the market value of standing trees. This unit will require students to learn skills in dendrology, ecology, forest management, marketing, and math.
3. Students will brush up on their measuring skills during the sixth week of class. The rest of the semester in Agriscience will require efficient measuring skills to the nearest 1/64th of an inch.
4. Weeks seven and eight will focus on woodworking and shop safety.
5. Students will begin one of their wood projects the ninth week of class.
MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS:
1. Each student must learn and recite the first paragraph of the FFA creed by the first Friday of school.
2. During the third week of class, each student must bring in a forestry project which includes the following: a. two or more leaves from at least 10 different trees we have studied. B. Either the fruit or bark from the same trees. C. At least two sentences written on paper explaining how each of the trees is identified.
3. On September 27, 2016, the class will travel to the State Fair of Virginia (handout to follow). Each student will be required to write a report on information learned while at the fair.
4. Students will take a measuring test the sixth week of class and must earn at least an 80% before going to the next unit.
5. Each student will take a three-page essay test on shop safety and must meet established guidelines before working in shop. This test will be at the end of the eighth week of class and will take two days to complete.