Lesson 4: Careers With Plants: Production
This is Lesson 4 of 8 in an FFA/Syngenta “Careers with Plants” series, focused on plant production careers. Students take on roles such as agronomist, greenhouse manager, and seed producer to solve a real-world “Mission GrowOps” agricultural challenge, adapt to a surprise industry disruption, create a recruitment pitch video, and write a reflective advice letter. The resource includes a full lesson plan, student activity sheets, rubric, and answer key.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Explore different careers in plant production, including agronomy, greenhouse management and seed production.
- Apply real-world problem-solving to plant production challenges.
- Work collaboratively to analyze industry trends and skills needed for plant production careers.
- Time required
- 60 minutes
- Grade level
- Grades 9 and 10
- Materials
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- A copy of the "Mission GrowOPs" worksheet for each student
- A copy of the "Mission Briefing Cards" cut out ahead of time and put into individual envelopes, one card and envelope per group
- A copy of the "Disruption Event Cards" cut out ahead of time, one card per group
- Vocabulary
- Agronomist; Disruption; Mission; Sustainability
- Cross-Curricular Connections
- English/Language Arts: Research careers and write a letter. Technology: Create a video promoting a career.
- Resources/References
- Website: AgExplorer (2023), AgExplorer.FFA.org; Website: Syngenta, https://www.syngenta.com/
Downloads & Links
Lesson plan
Worksheet
Aligned Standards
AFNR Career Ready Practices
- CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
- CRP.07Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies.
- CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
- CRP.10Plan education and career path aligned to personal goals. Career-ready individuals take personal ownership of their own educational and career goals, and they regularly act on a plan to attain these goals.
AFNR Cluster Skills
- CS.05Describe career opportunities and means to achieve those opportunities in each of the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources career pathways.
Common Career Technical Core
- AG5Describe career opportunities and means to achieve those opportunities in each of the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Pathways.
Common Core – Speaking and Listening
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.2Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
FFA Precept
- FFA-CS-M.CommunicationEffectively interact with others in personal and professional settings.
- FFA.PG-I.Professional GrowthAssume responsibility for attaining and improving upon the skills needed for career success.
- FFA.PG-J.Mental GrowthEmbrace cognitive and intellectual development relative to reasoning, thinking and coping.
- FFA.PL-A.ActionAssume responsibility and take the necessary steps to achieve the desired results, no matter what the goal or task at hand.
- FFA.PL-C.VisionVisualize the future and how to get there.
- FFA.PL-E.AwarenessUnderstand personal vision, mission and goals.
- FFA.PL-F.Continuous ImprovementAccept responsibility for learning and personal growth.
FFA Precepts
- FFA.CS-N.Decision MakingAnalyze a situation and execute an appropriate course of action.