Lesson 6: Careers With Plants – Sales, Service, and Support
This is Lesson 6 of 8 in an FFA/Syngenta plant science career series, exploring the roles of sales, service and support within the plant science industry. Through a warm-up quiz, rotating exploration stations (Sales Representative, Agronomic Service Representative, Customer Service Specialist), and reflection activities, students learn how these careers contribute to agriculture and identify the skills needed for success. The resource includes a lesson plan, the “Sales, Service and Support Showdown” student worksheet, and an answer key.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
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- Understand the roles of sales, service and support within the plant science industry.
- Identify skills needed for careers in sales, service and support and how these contribute to the agricultural value chain.
- Time required
- 60 minutes (*Time requirements may vary based upon student understanding and class schedule.)
- Grade level
- Grades 9 and 10
- Materials
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- A copy of the "Sales, Service and Support Showdown" worksheet for each student.
- A copy of the "Career Role Posters" printed out and hung up around the room.
- Vocabulary
- Agronomist; Plant Systems; Sales Representative; Supply Chain
- Cross-Curricular Connections
- English/Language Arts: Research careers and the role they play; Write a podcast script to explain a career.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills
- Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Initiative and Self-direction; Leadership and Responsibility
- SAE and FFA Connections
- Agronomy CDE; Floriculture CDE; Nursery/Landscape CDE; SAE Idea Cards
Downloads & Links
Lesson plan
Lesson 6- Careers with Plants_ Sales, Service, and Support (DOCX)
Lesson 6- Careers with Plants_ Sales, Service, and Support (PDF)
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.