Course Title

Introduction to Horticulture

Course Description

Introduction to Horticulture is a one-credit course that is offered as the first course in the pathway in schools with a horticultural emphasis. It is for students who wish to develop knowledge and skills related to ornamental horticulture, including floristry, landscaping, turf, and greenhouse production. Content includes species and importance of horticultural plants, plant safety, plants as living organisms, sexual and asexual reproduction, plant growth, and cultural practices, including the use of greenhouses and other growing structures. Disease and pest management, plant nutrition, and growth regulation are included. FFA and supervised experience are included as appropriate.

Contact

Kurt Murray
(405) 743-5489
kmurr@okcareertech.org

Knowledge and Skills

Unit IHO1: Importance and use of horticultural plants and products (10 hours)

Benchmark IHO1-1: Students will discuss the importance of horticulture plants.

Benchmark IHO1-2: Students will list and describe major areas of the horticulture industry.

Benchmark IHO1-3: Students will relate plant domestication to horticulture.

Benchmark IHO1-4: Students will identify the roles of technology, including biotechnology, in horticulture.

Benchmark IHO1-5: Students will explain hydroponics and describe how it is practiced in horticulture production.

Unit IHO2: Career entry and advancement in horticulture industries (4 hours)

Benchmark IHO2-1: Students will identify occupations in horticulture industries and the competencies needed for occupational entry.

Benchmark IHO2-2: Students will name and describe important interpersonal skills for success in horticulture careers.

Unit IHO3: Horticulture safety (3 hours)

Benchmark IHO3-1: Students will assess safety situations in horticulture work and choose appropriate safety practices.

Benchmark IHO3-2: Students will properly select, use, and maintain personal protective equipment when working in horticulture.

Unit IHO4: Sustainable horticulture production (10 hours)

Benchmark IHO4-1: Students will explain the meaning and importance of sustainable horticulture production.

Benchmark IHO4-2: Students will discuss the meaning and use of resource conservation in horticulture production.

Benchmark IH04-3: Students will compare and contrast organic methods of production with traditional methods.

Benchmark IHO4-4: Students will identify common annual, biennial, and perennial horticultural plants in the local area.

Unit IHO5: Plant biology (20 hours)

Benchmark IHO5-1: Students will explain plant life cycles and classify important plants by life cycle.

Benchmark IHO5-2: Students will identify and explain the functions of the major vegetative parts of plants.

Benchmark IHO5-3: Students will distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction of plants.

Benchmark IHO5-4: Students will identify and explain the functions of major reproductive parts of plants.

Benchmark IHO5-5: Students will explain the importance of seed in plant reproduction.

Benchmark IHO5-6: Students will name and explain important methods of asexual plant propagation.

Benchmark IHO5-7: Students will discuss the importance of plant genetics and breeding.

Unit IHO6: Plant growth (20 hours)

Benchmark IHO6-1: Students will discuss the cellular structure of plants.

Benchmark IHO6-2: Students will discuss processes in plant growth.

Benchmark IHO6-3: Students will identify the role of hormones in plant growth and development.

Benchmark IHO6-4: Students will explain the meaning and importance of photosynthesis and respiration.

Benchmark IHO6-5: Students will name the nutrients needed for plant growth and development and describe the functions of major nutrients.

Unit IHO7: Soil science and media (17 hours)

Benchmark IHO7-1: Students will discuss the meaning and importance of soil.

Benchmark IHO7-2: Students will identify the constituents of soil and relationship to soil texture.

Benchmark IHO7-3: Students will describe how soil is formed.

Benchmark IHO7-4: Students will explain soil fertility and relationship to plant productivity.

Benchmark IHO7-5: Students will explain soil pH and identify ways of modifying pH.

Benchmark IHO7-6: Students will discuss nutrient diagnostic procedures and make a soil sample.

Benchmark IHO7-7: Students will relate the meaning and importance of land and its classification.

Benchmark IHO7-8: Students will explain the qualities of good media and prepare media to use with particular crops.

Unit IHO8: Plant propagation (9 hours)

Benchmark IHO8-1: Students will explain the sexual propagation of plants and identify conditions essential for seed germination.

Benchmark IHO8-2: Students will demonstrate the sexual propagation of selected horticultural plants.

Benchmark IHO8-3: Students will demonstrate the use of bulbs, corms, and tubers in the propagation of selected plants.

Benchmark IHO8-4: Students will explain the meaning and use of asexual propagation with selected crops.

Unit IHO9: Plant cultural practices (20 hours)

Benchmark IHO9-1: Students will identify cultural conditions essential for plant productivity.

Benchmark IHO9-2: Students will explain the meaning and use of fertilizers and soil amendments.

Benchmark IHO9-3: Students will explain the meaning and use of integrated pest management.

Benchmark IHO9-4: Students will explain the meaning and use of irrigation in horticultural crop production.

Benchmark IHO9-5: Students will identify the requirements for chemical applicator certification in horticulture.

Benchmark IHO9-6: Students will demonstrate skills in culturing a horticultural crop.

Unit IHO10: Agricultural education (7 hours)

Benchmark IHO10-1: Students will manage an appropriate supervised experience in horticulture.

Benchmark IHO10-2: Students will identify opportunities for participation and advancement in the FFA related to horticulture.

Note: Areas of horticultural food crop safety are included in the Introduction to Food Science course.

Horticulture:  Field Technician - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Florist Assistant - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Landscape Maintenance Technician - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Nursery Technician - CTTC

http://www.okcareertech.org/testing/Skills%20Standards/Agriculture_Career_Cluster.htm

Career Cluster Resources for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Accountability Measures, Assessments, or Evaluation Procedures

Horticulture:  Field Technician - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Florist Assistant - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Landscape Maintenance Technician - CTTC

or

Horticulture:  Nursery Technician

http://www.okcareertech.org/testing/Skills%20Standards/Agriculture_Career_Cluster.htm

Industry Alignments

Greenhouse Grower’s Association

Oklahoma Turfgrass Resource Foundation

State Florist Association

Curriculum Resources

www.okplantid.org      This is a website produced by Oklahoma State University for plant identification.

On-line lesson plan library, CAERT, Inc.
www.mycaert.com

Introduction to Horticulture—CIMC

Soil, Plant and Crop Science—CIMC

Greenhouse Management and Operations—CIMC

Supplemental VHS and DVDs - CIMC

www.okcimc.com

Introduction to Horticulture, Schroeder, et al, 4^th Edition 2004; Prentice Hall Interstate

This Course Found In These Career Majors