Course Title

Introduction to Plant and Soil Science

Course Description

A one-credit course, Introduction to Plant and Soil Science is the first course in the pathway in schools with an agronomic crop emphasis. It is for students who wish to develop knowledge and skills in plant and soil science and may be a prerequisite to other courses in the Plant and Soil Science pathway. Content includes species and importance of plant crops, plants as living organisms, sexual and asexual reproduction, plant growth, and cultural practices in plant crop production, including disease and pest management. Content on soil science includes the meaning, composition, and importance of soil as well as fertility, sustainability, and moisture management. FFA and supervised experience will be included as appropriate.

Contact

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

Knowledge and Skills

Unit PLS1: Importance and use of plants and plant products (8 hours)

Benchmark PLS1-1: Students will discuss the importance of plants in meeting human needs.

Benchmark PLS1-2: Students will list and describe major kinds of plants in the local community, state, nation, and globally.

Benchmark PLS1-3: Students will explain plant domestication and identify important local domesticated plants.

Benchmark PLS1-4: Students will identify the roles of technology, including biotechnology, in plant science.

Benchmark PLS1-5: Students will compare and contrast organic production of crops.

Benchmark PLS1-6: Students will explain the practices in food crop production that promote food safety.

Unit PLS2: Career entry and advancement in plant- and soils-related industries (7 hours)

Benchmark PLS2-1: Students will identify occupations in plant- and soils-related industries and the competencies needed for occupational entry.

Benchmark PLS2-2: Students will name and describe important interpersonal skills for success in plant- and soil-related careers.

Unit PLS3: Plant and soil safety (3 hours)

Benchmark PLS3-1: Students will assess safety situations with plants and soils and choose appropriate safety practices.

Benchmark PLS3-2: Students will properly select, use, and maintain personal protective equipment when working with plants and soil.

Unit PLS4: Sustainable plant production (7 hours)

Benchmark PLS4-1: Students will explain the meaning and importance of sustainable plant production.

Benchmark PLS4-2: Students will discuss the meaning and use of resource conservation in plant production.

Benchmark PLS4-3: Students will identify and explain the use of technology in sustainable plant production.

Unit PLS5: Plant biology (23 hours)

Benchmark PLS5-1: Students will explain plant life cycles and classify important plants by life cycle.

Benchmark PLS5-2: Students will identify and explain the functions of the major vegetative parts of plants.

Benchmark PLS5-3: Students will distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction of plants.

Benchmark PLS5-4: Students will identify and explain the functions of major reproductive parts of plants.

Benchmark PLS5-5: Students will explain the importance of seed in plant reproduction.

Benchmark PLS5-6: Students will name and explain important methods of asexual plant propagation.

Benchmark PLS5-7: Students will discuss the importance of plant genetics and breeding.

Unit PLS6: Plant growth (23 hours)

Benchmark PLS6-1: Students will discuss the cellular structure of plants.

Benchmark PLS6-2: Students will discuss processes in plant growth.

Benchmark PLS6-3: Students will identify the role of hormones in plant growth and development.

Benchmark PLS6-4: Students will explain the meaning and importance of photosynthesis.

Benchmark PLS6-5: Students will name the nutrients needed for plant growth and development and describe the functions of major nutrients.

Unit PLS7: Soil science (20 hours)

Benchmark PLS7-1: Students will discuss the meaning and importance of soil.

Benchmark PLS7-2: Students will identify the constituents of soil and relationship of constituents to soil texture.

Benchmark PLS7-3: Students will describe how soil is formed and relate the role of soil horizons.

Benchmark PLS7-4: Students will explain soil fertility and its relationship to plant productivity.

Benchmark PLS7-5: Students will explain soil pH and identify ways of modifying pH.

Benchmark PLS7-6: Students will discuss nutrient diagnostic procedures and make a soil sample.

Benchmark PLS7-7: Students will relate the meaning and importance of land and its classification.

Benchmark PLS7-8: Students will explain the meaning and types of soil erosion and discuss methods of reducing soil erosion.

Unit PLS8: Plant cultural practices (20 hours)

Benchmark PLS8-1: Students will identify cultural conditions essential for plant productivity and food safety.

Benchmark PLS8-2: Students will distinguish between traditional and minimum tillage practices.

Benchmark PLS8-3: Students will explain the meaning and use of fertilizers and soil amendments.

Benchmark PLS 8-4: Students will explain the meaning and use of integrated pest management.

Benchmark PLS 8-5: Students will explain the meaning and use of irrigation.

Unit PLS9: Agricultural education (9 hours)

Benchmark PLS9-1: Students will manage an appropriate supervised experience in plant and soil science.

Benchmark PLS9-2: Students will identify opportunities for participation and advancement in the FFA related to plant and soil science.

Note: Information on land surveying can be found in the Introduction to Natural Resources and Environmental Science course.

Agricultural Education I: Core – CTTC

Plant & Soil Sciences:  Agronomics Specialist - CTTC

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

Plant & Soil Sciences:  Soils Specialist - 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

Agricultural Education I: Core – CTTC

and

and

Plant & Soil Sciences:  Soils Specialist - CTTC

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

PASS Skills for Science in Oklahoma

Industry Alignments

Curriculum Resources

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

Soil, Plant and Crop Science - CIMC

Agriculture Career Development: Plant Science and Agronomy - CIMC

Supplemental VHS and DVD's - CIMC
www.okcimc.com

Animal, Plant and Soil Science CD-ROM and on-line lesson plan library.  2007. CAERT
www.caert.net

Introduction to Plant Science Revised, Parker. 2004. Delmar-Thomson Learning.
www.delmarlearning.com

This Course Found In These Career Majors