Agriculture Mechanics - 1 credit, 10 thru 12

Prerequisite: Agriculture Exploration

HHS Agricultural Education Instructor: Mr. Larison

This one year course serves as an introduction to agricultural mechanization and current trends in technology. Instructional areas consist of lab safety, hydraulics, power, equipment operation and maintenance, material selection, ag structures, farmstead planning, welding, introduction to electricity, and systems analysis. Careers in this area include equipment maintenance, agricultural mechanic, and production agriculture.

Course Competency Profile: http://www.holton.k12.ks.us/staff/jlarison/profiles/agmechprofile.pdf

Program Overview All classes in the Agricultural Education Department are divided into three main components, as approved by the Kansas State Department of Education. These include classroom and laboratory instruction, the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Program, and the National FFA Organization. Students who enroll in these classes at the high school level are expected to participate in each of the three areas. The Agricultural Education Department focuses on building career development skills in all students in the many areas of the field of agriculture.

Description of the FFA The FFA is a National Organization made up of nearly 500,000 members from all fifty states. The FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Members are expected to participate in a wide variety of activities, which may range from across the state and across the nation.

Ag Ed Department Website

Information about the Ag Ed Department as well as specific information on class schedules, assignment due dates, photos, and a block by block schedule can be accessed on the following website:

http://www.holton.k12.ks.us/staff/jlarison/

Ag Ed Policies and Grading Procedures

To review the Ag Ed Department policies and grading procedures visit the following website:

http://www.holton.k12.ks.us/staff/jlarison/policies.htm

Class Resources

Cooper, Elmer L. Agricultural Mechanics: Fundamentals and Application, 3^rd ed.

New York: Delmar, 1997.

Herren, Ray V. and Roy L. Donahue. The Agriculture Dictionary. New York: Delmar, 1991.

Plus Ag Ed Department Internet subscriptions to:

www.agednet.com www.quia.com www.infovet.com

HHS Ag Ed Wireless Windows XP Pro Pentium 4 Laptop Computer Lab

· Microsoft Office XP Professional, Quicken 2001, plus much more

HHS Ag Mechanics Laboratory/Shop

You are expected to bring all necessary equipment & materials to class each day (Space will be provided to leave these items in the Agriculture classroom). This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Planner, Writing Utensil, Paper, Notebook, and clothing for the days activities.