Daily Participation, Notebook Checks, & Labs:

We will learn and do something every day in class. Your participation in each activity is crucial to your learning experience. These daily grades can help improve your overall grade tremendously because there are so many of them. Labs will occur often to reflect student understanding of concepts. We will be utilizing an electronic notebook this semester for all guided notes. The notebook will be reviewed periodically for participation points.

Work Ethic & Sub Work:

Assignments given when I am out will be the only assignments you will NOT be able to make up, unless that student has been excused from school. If the student did not complete it while I was out, the should not receive the chance to do it when I am at school. Please follow directions completely and do your work as expected. If discretions are to occur, please email me and inform the substitute of your troubles.

The development of work ethics characteristics is designed to evaluate and encourage good work habits that ensure job retention and career advancement. Employability skills refer to the basic academic, interpersonal, reasoning, problem solving skills, and work ethics that, when transferred to the occupational settings, facilitate job acquisition, retention, and advancement. This semester, your work ethic will be considered for EVERY grade. Points may be deducted from any daily grade at the discretion of the teacher based on the following items:

1. ATTENDANCE 6. PRODUCTIVITY

2. CHARACTER 7. ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

3. TEAMWORK 8. COMMUNICATION

4. APPEARANCE 9. COOPERATION

5. ATTITUDE 10. RESPECT

Projects, Exams & Presentations:

Many of the assignments completed in this course will be project based. These projects are meant to help students learn how to communicate with peers, develop research skills, practice critical thinking, and learn how to self-evaluate their own learning. These assignments are meant as supplements to class instruction which allow me to determine comprehension while giving the students a chance to express their own creativity.

Exams will occur periodically and students will be provided study guides and bonus questions to provide you opportunities for extra credit. If you are not satisfied with your grade, you may retake a different version of the test, make corrections, or complete an assignment, which is up to the discretion of the instructor.

Each student will be required to design and participate in a Supervised Agricultural Experience Program, as part of the three-circle model described above. All Basic Agricultural Science students will be developing an agriscience project as their SAE Program. The program will be unique to each student's interest and career aspirations. There will be three SAE checks throughout the semester, once a month, which will be used to evaluate your progress in your program. Checks are graded for completion, not based on the total number of hours progressed. Students will be completing their SAE record keeping through the online system, AET. Students will be provided login information during the first week of school which they should keep up with throughout the semester. Students will be provided a detailed rubric of what their program is expected to include, some of these expectations are:

• Minimum of 20 hours completed and documents of a hands-on activity related to agriculture

• Minimum of 6 pictures of the student actively working with their SAE program

• Minimum of 12 journal entries logged into AET which includes details of what the student completed during each time they worked on their activity

• SAE Presentations to provide information about your project at the end of the semester

The instructor will be available anytime for questions, concerns, or help with their program. Pictures should be uploaded to google classroom by the required due date.

The SAE will be due on the 2nd to last FRIDAY of each semester. The presentations will occur the last TUESDAY of each semester.

This course’s final exam will be composed of a portion of the SAE project and presentation grades. These items cannot be exempted, but will occur prior to exam day to allow for a similar “exemption” policy.

Leadership Points: The final component of the three circle model is FFA. Each student enrolled in an agricultural education class becomes an FFA member through affiliation. However, each student is highly encouraged to become an active member of the National FFA Organization. Georgia is the 3rd largest Organization in the country and provides ample amounts of opportunities for students to grow as leaders, serve their communities and explore options for careers. The FFA allows students who are interested in science, livestock, leadership, plants, natural resources, wildlife, mechanics, forestry, and public speaking the opportunity to take their skills to the next level. The FFA provides students opportunities at the local, state, and national level. The FFA provides many positive opportunities to its members worldwide, and is the largest student-led organization in the country.

Students will be required to earn 500 leadership points throughout the semester. To build upon the development of leadership, students will be required to learn FFA knowledge, compete in FFA events, and participate in other leadership opportunities each of which hold various point values, provided at the discretion of the instructor. Students will need to record and keep track of their activities. Other opportunities may be available for students to participate in - see instructor for more information.