This course aims to increase understanding and knowledge of our food and fiber system, giving a starting point for students to explore pathways and occupations related to the agriculture industry, and gain hands-on experience learning basic agricultural practices. This curriculum, designed for eighth-graders, is intended to be student-led and inquiry-based.  Written by Emma Sunderman; Ice Cream in a Bag Lesson Plan by Caleb tenBensel; other activities developed and curated by Nebraska AFNR educators

These lecture slides and worksheet provide a thorough overview of basic accounting principles and terms with agricultural application.

Through a poster-creation project, learners will identify careers in agriculture and choose one to explain details including responsibilities, salary, employers, etc. This represents a portion of the Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) series in Nebraska middle and high school agricultural education.

This activity guides students through creating a full business plan through a seven-week competition to become the winner of a fictional Ag Econ Apprentice job. Adapted from activity by Megan Dohrman.

Students practice professional sales techniques, develop speaking skills with customers, then create an imaginary business to pitch products or services. This is an interactive activity where students will experience practical application of the skills. Written by Brian Miller, Falls City Schools, Nebraska

Students will write a daily response to an agriculture news story and make connections to thier community and predict the impact of the event on the agriculture industry.  Reading current agriculture news will help students be more informed consumers while also helping them to connect content learned in agriculture class to real-world events and applications. Written by Taryn Dameron.

Students engage in hands-on, true-to-life research experiences on air quality topics chosen for personal interest through a unit composed of one lesson and five associated activities. Using a project-based learning approach suitable for secondary science classrooms and low-cost air quality monitors, students gain the background and skills needed to conduct their own air quality research projects. The curriculum provides: 1) an introduction to air quality science, 2) data collection practice, 3) data analysis practice, 4) help planning and conducting a research project and 5) guidance in interpreting data and presenting research in professional poster format. The comprehensive curriculum requires no pre-requisite knowledge of air quality science or engineering. This curriculum takes advantage of low-cost, next-generation, open-source air quality monitors called Pods. These monitors were developed in a mechanical engineering lab at the University of Colorado Boulder and are used for academic research as well as education and outreach. The monitors are made available for use with this curriculum through AQ-IQ Kits that may be rented from the university by teachers. Alternatively, nearly the entire unit, including the student-directed projects, could also be completed without an air quality monitor. For example, students can design research projects that utilize existing air quality data instead of collecting their own, which is highly feasible since much data is publically available. In addition, other low-cost monitors could be used instead of the Pods. Also, the curriculum is intentionally flexible, so that the lesson and its activities can be used individually. See the Other section for details about the Pods and ideas for alternative equipment, usage without air quality monitors, and adjustments to individually teach the lesson and activities.

This lesson offers learners the opportunity to understand the importance of nutrition in the livestock industry and the differences between species in terms of anatomy, physiology, and nutrient requirements and/or deficiencies. This represents a portion of the Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) series in Nebraska middle and high school agricultural education.  

This lesson presents an overview of the role of genetics, breeding, and reproduction in animal agriculture. Learners will become familiar with fundamentals of genetics, complete a Punnett square, understand phenotypes and genotypes, identify parts of reproductive systems, and discuss breeding systems used in the animal industry. This represents a portion of the Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) series in Nebraska middle and high school agricultural education.

This is a lesson that can be used to teach beginning Introduction to Agriculture students about the types of drugs we administer to animals. Students then get to complete a hands-on lab activity where they learn about and demonstrate four types of injections.

This presentation shows images of animal organs to aid in identification. Accessed in 2022 from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Cover photo by Creab Mcselvin via Unsplash.

In this lesson, students will discover how to administer three different types of injections (Subcutaneous, Intramuscular, and Intravenous) though a hand-on activity. Students will use actual syringes and needles to administer medication to their animal (hamburger buns in a sandwich bag). Along with the injection lab students will learn the difference between medications and vaccinations, and why they are both important!

The uses of animals in biotechnology are expansive, and many times overlooked.  This lesson will have students exploring the wide range of uses of animals in biotechnology and formulating an opinion about the uses of animals in biotechnology.

 Animal Welfare vs Animal Rights Debate Grade Level: 9th-12thSubject: Animal ScienceDuration: 5 daysDOK Level:  4SAMR Level: Substitution Indiana Standard: AS-7.4 Explain the implications of animal welfare and animal rightsObjective: Given a debated livestock issue related to animal welfare, students will be able to understand both sides of the issue, and effectively persuade others in making a decision about the issue.Procedure: Have the students compare and contrast the terms “animal welfare” and “animal rights”.Have a class discussion on the impact of the differencesGroup the class into partnersHave them research and make a list of five animal right issues related to the agricultural industryHave a class discussion on the topics researched. As a class narrow down the list.Have each pair pull a topic and side out of a hat.Explain the Debate Project expectations and grading rubric.Allow class time for research.Have the students submit a list of statements and supporting facts after day 2.Have the students submit a rough draft of their opening and closing statements after day 3. Debates will be done on day 5Product or Assessment: Students will be graded on their submitted facts and rough draft. The rubric will be used to grade the debate on the given day.Credits: Renee Wangler, Agriscience Instructor - Newaygo County Career-Tech Center 

Using the context of apples, students will apply their knowledge of heredity and genetics to distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction as they explain how new varieties of apples are developed and then propagated to meet consumer demand for a tasty, uniform, consistent product. Photo by Sokmean Nou on Unsplash

This lesson will serve as an overview of the motivation, values, and principles necessary to enhance character and leadership development. This represents a portion of the Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) series in Nebraska middle and high school agricultural education.

Bioremediation is a useful biotechnology application that can help maintain and preserve our natural resources from harmful substances.  However, bioremediation can be complicated and present numerous challenges, as well.  Many times, we are unaware of environmental contamination present in our local areas.  Through this lesson, students will explore the basics of bioremediation and then participate in a local case study.

Biosecurity is an essential part of maintaining a herd's health as well as the profitability of the operation. This site provides easy to use and comprehensive resources for assessing the current biosecurity protections in an operation, an example of a biosecurity plan, a template for creating a biosecurity plan, and information on communicating to stakeholders about a crisis.

How can you tell if harmful bacteria are in your food or water that might make you sick? What you eat or drink can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins—pathogens that can be harmful or even fatal. Students learn which contaminants have the greatest health risks and how they enter the food supply. While food supply contaminants can be identified from cultures grown in labs, bioengineers are creating technologies to make the detection of contaminated food quicker, easier and more effective.

What does a technology look like that will change the world? Biotechnology has the power to alter all of our lives. The ability to manipulate genes in ways that benefit people is a powerful technology.  In this lesson we will explore various benefits and applications of biotechnology.  You will analyze different perspectives in the race to create biotechnology.  From there you will decide how you feel about “playing with genes” and how that will impact your life.StandardsBio.B.3.2.4  Students will apply scientific thinking, processes, tools, and technologies in the study of genetics.