Biological Plant Science: Grades 10, 11, 12

Biological Science in Our Lives

Safety in the Biological Plant Sciences

Conducting Experiments and Research

Summarizing and Reporting Research

Plant Genetics and Heritability

Plant Growth Processes

Plant Reproduction

Hydroponics Systems

Plant Tissue Culture

Biological Engineering

Plants and Chemicals

Define terms

Discuss areas of science that are a part of the biological plant sciences

Identify ways in which the biological plant sciences affect our everyday lives

List career opportunities in the plant biological sciences

Discuss FFA and supervised experience opportunities for students interested in the plant biological sciences

Define terms

Discuss the meaning and importance of safety and safe work in the biological plant sciences

Identify hazards in the biological plant sciences

Describe the importance of personal safety in the biological plant sciences

Define terms

Discuss procedures in conducting experimental research

Explain how the research process is applied to lab and field experiments

Discuss the collection of data

Define terms

Explain the difference between findings, conclusions, and recommendations

Discuss the components and preparation of a research report

Define terms

Discuss the role and importance of genetics and heritability in the biological plant sciences

Illustrate the importance of the various plant breeding schemes

Explain how genetic principles are used to improve agricultural production

Define terms

Discuss processes and requirements for plant growth

Discuss plant anatomy and physiology

Define terminology

Discuss the meaning and use of sexual and asexual plant reproduction

Describe plant parts and processes involved in sexual reproduction

Discuss the meaning and importance of seed viability

Discuss the common methods of asexual plant propagation

Define terms

Discuss the meaning and use of hydroponics

Identify the various types of hydroponics systems

Explain the need/importance of using hydroponics

Define terms

Explain the meaning and techniques used in tissue culture

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of tissue culture

Discuss the sterile technique

Describe processes used in tissue culturing

Define terms

Discuss the meaning and process of genetic engineering

Identify and investigate issues associated with genetic engineering

Define terms

Explain the use and meaning of integrated pest management (IPM)

Discuss the role and importance of chemical products in the biological plant sciences

Explain various modes of action for pesticides

List and identify common plant hormones and growth regulators

List and differentiate areas of the biological plant sciences to include biology and botany as well as those in agriculture (agronomy, horticulture, forestry, soil, entomology, and others)

Review college offerings (catalog or online) in areas of the biological plant sciences to determine the nature of the subjects and educational opportunities

Collect magazine and newspaper articles related to the topic

Prepare a poster or bulletin board that depicts the biological plant sciences in our lives

Plan an experiment that involves the plant biological sciences

Research a career in the plant biological sciences to determine educational requirements, working conditions, and salary

Prepare a written report on a career in the plant biological sciences

Provide an oral report on a career in the plant biological sciences

Create a current, business-style resume

Use the Official FFA Manual, National FFA Organization Web site, and other resources to identify opportunities

Plan and/or expand supervised experience to include areas of the biological plant sciences

Shadow a plant scientist in his or her work for a day

Keep appropriate records of all activities

Relate examples of safety hazards in the biological plant sciences

Identify plant allergies and the precautions to follow to minimize risk

Identify hazardous situations in the biological plant sciences and implement appropriate safety measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of the hazards

Identify laboratory risks and take actions to minimize the hazards

Identify and properly use appropriate PPE, including protective clothing and safety footware

Calculate the cost of PPE for an individual involved in the biological plant sciences

Work together with others to promote safety in the biological plant sciences

Take a test that documents an understanding of safety in the biological plant sciences

Practice writing and interpreting hypotheses in areas of the biological plant sciences

Plan an experiment in the biological plant sciences that specifies objectives for the research

Plan an experiment in the biological plant sciences identifying experimental and control groups

Identify and practice using appropriate personal protective safety equipment for laboratory experiments

Conduct an experiment using a microscope, test tube, beaker, balance/digital scales, and petri dish

Review a report of experimental research and locate these steps in that research

Conduct a simple experiment following approved methods

Observe safety practices in the conduct of experiments

Identify appropriate experiments with plants

Identify appropriate measurements for the experiment

Collect and record data in a log book or appropriate computer program

Compile, tabulate, and analyze data to draw meaning from the experiment

Review a report of experimental research and identify the findings, conclusions, and recommendations

Note the treatment of data, including tables and graphs

Explain why a report must stay within the findings of an experiment and not go beyond what was observed

Identify the major parts of a research report

Prepare a research paper on the experiment from Unit 3 following appropriate style

Demonstrate the correct use of tables, graphs, and other approaches to illustrate findings

Construct a bibliography/reference page, table of contents, and title page for a research report

Produce a professionally-appearing report using computer word processing

Bind the report to have a professional document

Identify traits in plants that grow in the local area that reflect dominant and recessive traits

Investigate how dominant and recessive genes affect the characteristics of plants

Conduct research to determine how cross pollination and selective breeding influence color, size, and fruit and flower quality

Investigate positive and negative aspects of various plant breeding schemes

Identify local ornamental and agronomic crops that are planted with seeds of improved varieties

Investigate the use of asexual reproduction to have desired qualities that may not result through genetics

Explain the process of nitrogen fixation in legumes

Examine the roots of legume plants that grow in the local area for the presence of nodules

Investigate the role of plant systems in life processes and requirements

Investigate the purposes and methods of seed inoculation

Inoculate a sample of seed

Compare nodule formation on roots of inoculated legumes with roots of plants from non-inoculated seeds

Explore the meaning and importance of plant tropisms

Identify the external parts of plants and give the major functions of each

Explore the internal structure of a plant by dissecting cross-sections of leaves, stems, and roots; identify the structures that are observed

Indicate the major physiological processes of plants and how these processes support plant growth and productivity

Investigate the roles of translocation, photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration in plant productivity

List advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction

List advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction

Identify examples in the local community, school greenhouse, or other location of the use of sexual and asexual plant reproduction

Label the parts of a flower on a line drawing

Dissect a flower to determine major parts

Distinguish between complete and incomplete flowers

Explain pollination and relate its role in sexual reproduction

Calculate germination percentages of seed samples using the rag doll or other method

Store and otherwise handle seed to maintain viability

Determine proper seeding depth and rate for efficient germination and economical plant production

Identify plant species most readily asexually propagated

Explain how cuttings are used in propagation and demonstrate the procedure for taking and placing cuttings

Demonstrate the steps involved in budding

Demonstrate the steps involved in grafting

Demonstrate other methods of asexual plant propagation including air layering and dividing

Explain how plants are produced using hydroponics

List advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics

Create a plan for a hydroponics growing area

Identify plants most often produced using hydroponics

Write a paper comparing and contrasting ebb and flow, nutrient film technique/NGT, media-based system, and aeroponic types of hydroponics systems

Make an oral presentation on the uses of hydroponics products

Tend plants being produced in a hydroponics system in the school greenhouse or local community

List plant species most commonly propagated using tissue culture

Use tissue culture to propagate a plant

Assess the role of asepsis in tissue culture

Prepare a poster that lists advantages and disadvantages of tissue culture

Establish a work environment that promotes asepsis

List the steps in tissue culture on a poster

Demonstrate the process of tissue culture using a plant species that is commonly propagated using tissue culture

Care for tissue cultures to assure liveability and productivity

Calculate the number of explants potentially produced for a given period of time

Determine the number of explants needed to reach a desired production level

Explain the basic method of gene transfer

Observe gene transfer used in science applications, including the particle gun and bacterial insertion

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering

Debate the advantage or disadvantage of most consequence

Make a survey of students to determine their opinions about genetic engineering

Debate the issues associated with genetic engineering

Research and prepare an oral report on integrated pest management

Identify pest management alternatives using IPM

Investigate the role of IPM in reducing the release of chemical substances into the environment

List chemical products used in plant production, including insecticide, herbicide, fungicide, and growth regulator including defoliant

Explain the reasons chemical products are used in plant production

Identify a pest, and select the appropriate pest management approach

Observe the effect of different herbicides on plants

Compare the effects of different growth regulators on plants