Recipient Organization
APOPKA HIGH SCHOOL
555 W MARTIN ST
APOPKA,FL 32712
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project contains elements that are appropriate for all levels of students. Students who are college bound will benefit from the advanced math and chemistry while those students who may struggle academically will benefit from the hands-on approach to learning basic biology and algebra. There are many opportunities for kinesthetic learners to excel while performing tissue culture work in the laminar air flow hood, visual learners will benefit from seeing the results of cell division in a petri dish and auditory learners will have the opportunity to discuss probable causes of insect population fluctuations in collaborative groups. Teachers from other disciplines at Apopka High will have the opportunity to participate in the demonstration showcase and will be encouraged to create inter-curricular lessons in science, business and math.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Objective 1: By June 30, 2011, increase the content knowledge and pedagogical skills of agriscience teachers in all OCPS high schools related to plant tissue culture, pathology and entomology through implementation of a five-day, 30-hour Agriscience Summer Institute for teachers and ongoing professional development during the school year as measured by pre- and post-tests and classroom observation checklists. (SPECA Educational Need Areas: Increasing Faculty Teaching Competencies) Objective 2: By June 30, 2011, develop engaging curriculum in plant tissue culture, pathology and entomology that meets the student performance standards for the high school Agriscience Foundations course aligned to the Florida Sunshine State Standards for mathematics and science. This will be measured by surveys of high school agriscience teachers and their students, student grades in agriscience courses, and a review of the student performance standards for Agriscience Foundations applied against the new curriculum by the OCPS Agriscience Coordinator. (SPECA Educational Need Areas: Enhancing Agricultural Education Through Curriculum Improvements and Expanding Career Opportunities) Objective 3: By June 30, 2011, establish a real-world demonstration research site at Apopka High School for agriscience students to study plant tissue culture, pathology and entomology as documented by the site itself, the Agriscience Summer Institute demonstrations, comparative visits to the UF MREC in Apopka, and participant teacher feedback. (SPECA Educational Need Areas: Increasing Faculty Teaching Competencies and Enhancing Agricultural Education Through Curriculum Improvements)
Project Methods
The Agriscience Project leadership team will develop curriculum, aligned with the Student Performance Standards for the Agriscience Foundation course. Tissue culture methods will focus on techniques and procedures being used at the UF Research and Education Center. Students will have the opportunity to view plant cloning from the point of excising meristem from mother stock plants, callus development in the Petri dish, multiplication, division, and rooting of the micro propagated plants and finally growing the plants in the school greenhouse. Students will view demonstrations that demonstrate the power of cell division, DNA technology and agricultural ecology. Cell culture activities will demonstrate techniques for producing thousands of copies of income producing plants in a class room. Gene splicing activities will show how plants can be improved to resist disease and students will have the opportunity to insert fluorescing genes in plants and observe the effects. Entomology activities will move beyond basic insect identification and control to a thorough understanding of Integrated Pest Management as a method for reducing impacts to the environment. Biological control and predatory insects are a primary area of research at the UF Research and Education Center and will be used to demonstrate alternatives to chemical control of insects. Dissecting microscopes will be used to observe aphids and mites being consumed by predatory insects and students will learn how to bank plant for raising predators. Pathology activities will focus on the importance of identifying organisms as fungal, bacterial, or viral. Students will use dissecting microscopes, compound microscopes and plating techniques to isolate and identify pathogens. Appropriate actions will be discussed based on understanding of the disease triangle. Project Evaluation OBJECTIVE 1: Agriscience Teacher Professional Development: Formative: The OCPS Agriscience Coordinator will observe agriscience teachers through using a classroom observation checklist. Summative: Pre- and Post Tests OBJECTIVE 2: Agriscience Curriculum Development: Formative: This will be measured by surveys of agriscience teachers and students and student focus groups led by UF researchers. The OCPS Agriscience Coordinator will review and endorse the curriculum alignment. Summative: Student grades in agriscience courses. OBJECTIVE 3: Agriscience Demonstration Classroom and Laboratory: Formative Evaluation: Targets will be set for each grading period relevant to all objectives and will be reported to the advisory committee by the co-project directors. Both quantitative and qualitative information will be reported as described in the measurable objectives. Summative Evaluation: Programmatic and fiscal annual reports will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture as required by the program guidelines and prepared by the co-directors. The final report, at the end of the two-year grant period, will summarize all project activities, participation, product, outcomes and lessons learned. Plans for continuation of the project beyond the grant period will be further addressed.