Curriculum
Because Agricultural Education is based on an industry that is always changing, and due to the drastic variance in agriculture across Nebraska, finding curriculum that is right for your students and program can be a difficult task.
Nebraska has developed Course and Program of Study Standards to use as a resource as you develop your local curriculum. Additionally, there is curriculum developed by Nebraska teachers, National FFA, and other states ready for your use. Technical resources also exist from UNL, Extension and other sources that can help you bring the most current and relevant information into your classroom.
Use the links on the left to help your search!
Nebraska agricultural teachers, faculty from higher education, and industry representatives have helped to determine appropriate standards for students enrolled in agricultural education courses. Taking a backwards-approach to development, standards were written with capstone courses that are based on entry level college courses in Nebraska. From there, an intermediate level course was written, and finally the introductory level course. This creates a three-level Program of Study for a student to experience specific career pathways within the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career field.
The courses are outlined in the graphic below with the introductory level on the left, intermediate level in the middle, and capstone level courses on the right. Click to download a printable version of the AFNR Programs of Study and Course Standards Outline at the bottom of this page. To view specific standards for each course, click the Visit the Course Standards Portal button.
Visit the Course Standards Portal
Looking for more resources as you build your curriculum?
While not specifically endorsed by the Nebraska Department of Education since Nebraska offers our own set of course-based standards, the National Council for Agricultural Education has developed a comprehensive set of Career Pathway-based standards for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. They were revised in 2015 and provide a good source of information, resources and ideas for teachers in addition to Nebraska’s standards.
Introducing students to the career opportunities within Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) is a critical component of the
mission of Agricultural Education and FFA. The Nebraska FFA Foundation has developed a Nebraska FFA & AFNR Career Student Handbook to support agricultural teachers as they work with their classes and school and community leaders.
The free handbooks were distributed to District Chairpersons at NCE conference in June are sponsored by the Nebraska FFA Foundation’s True Blue supporters.
Supplementary lesson plans, activities and a PDF version of the handbook are available below!
Handbook Download
2018 Nebraska FFA & AFNR Career Handbook
Lesson Materials (2018-2019 Handbook)
Lesson 1 – What is Agricultural Education?
Lesson 2 – What happens in the classroom?
Lesson 3 – Careers in Agriculture
Lesson 4 – Supervised Agricultural Experience
Lesson 5 – FFA History PowerPoint
Lesson 6 – Competitive Events, Degrees, and Awards
Lesson 7 – Program of Activity
Supplementary Guides
The Introduction to Environmental and Agricultural Science Course is separated into eight units based on the Career Pathways (red-bulleted items on right) in the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Field (formally called Environmental and Agricultural Systems).
The curriculum was developed by a group of Nebraska Agricultural Educators in 2007 as a special project of the Nebraska FFA Foundation and the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
Click to download the Lesson Guide which has a brief description of each lesson and required tools, equipment and supplies. The second link is a compressed archive of all lessons, PowerPoint slides and worksheets for the entire curriculum.
Environmental and Agricultural Science Lesson Planning Guide
Please help us grow this site. Please include a brief description of the resource when sending a link.
Biotechnology Lesson Plans from UNL
Colorado Agricultural Education Curriculum
Established with the aid of a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant, this project was created to offer insight into what sustainability within agriculture actually looks like. Spread across eastern Nebraska, ten different farming operations are featured across the twenty different videos. Each farmer was interviewed by a high school student from a nearby school about what their operation does, how and why they choose to manage it in a certain way, and what makes it sustainable as well as what would make it more sustainable.
Agriculture in the Classroom
The Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) National Resource Directory offers 194 lessons plans for students aged Pre-K through 12th grade. How much do you know about agriculture? How much do your students know? See where your knowledge and students’ knowledge stands with these quizzes from AITC. Nebraska’s Ag In the Classroom website.
Nebraska Career Tour Videos
Check out the videos of Nebraska’s industries to provide your students with experiences that are outside of the classroom while staying right in your own school. The flyer with links is located in the documents section below.
Technical resources from the University of Nebraska, UNL Extension, and other sources can help to bring the most relevant and current information into your classroom. Check out the links below for great content!
Greenhouse Management “E-Gro” University
A group of floriculture extension specialist have created a series of 41 greenhouse production lectures as part of a Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation grant. The lectures are free and make an excellent resource for high school agricultural teachers.
The lectures include the following topics: Greenhouse Management, Growth Management, Nutrient Management, Insects and Mites,and Diseases.
H3: High Wage, High Demand, High Skill Occupations in Nebraska
The Nebraska Departments of Labor, Economic Development and Education collaborated to provide educators, economic developers, students and their parents, community leaders and career seekers information on the states’ high skill, high wage and high demand occupations that can be sorted by region or statewide or grouped by Career or Industry Cluster.
CropWatch is a central resource for University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension information on crop production and pest management. It is written by extension educators and specialists and produced by IANR Media in the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
A collaborative effort between the Nebraska Department of Labor and the Nebraska Department of Education that organizes career-based resources on the web.
Nebraska’s official employment site with resources for job-seekers and employers.
SARE – Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education
Funded by the USDA, the national Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program supports and promotes sustainable farming and ranching. We offer competitive grants and educational opportunities for producers, scientists, educators, institutions, organizations and others exploring sustainable agriculture. Contact Gary Lesoing, Nebraska SARE Coordinator with questions at gary.lesoing@unl.edu or 402-274-4755.
PBS LearningMedia is your destination for easy, instant access to tens of thousands of classroom-ready, digital resources including videos and inter-actives perfect for the Interactive Whiteboard, plus audio and photos, and even in-depth lesson plans.
Timely & easy-to-understand research-based food information for use in your daily life
Whether you’re involved in urban agriculture as a CONSUMER or COMMERCIALLY, read on, learn more … and discover the resources the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension has for you!
Print and use free PDF documents that cover the career paths of over 50 agricultural professionals with your students.
Nebraska Cattlemen Videos to Nebraska Students
The Nebraska Cattlemen have created YouTube videos for students in Nebraska Agricultural Education students about relevant topics in the beef industry.
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- Lean Finely Textured Beef
- Nebraska Cattlemen Committee Update Introduction
- Nebraska Cattlemen Taxation Committee Update
- Nebraska Cattlemen Natural Resources & Environmental Committee Update
- Nebraska Cattlemen Marketing & Commerce Committee Update
- Nebraska Cattlemen Education Committee Update
- Nebraska Cattlemen Brand & Property Rights Committee Update
- Nebraska Cattlemen Animal Health & Nutrition Committee Update
SDSU Meat Evaluation Materials
This website is designed to inform you about animal evaluation. The site is also a place to not only learn how to effectively identify differences in composition but also to practice your skills on animals and check actual carcass data.
HOSTA – National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program
This site hosts a series of documents that can be used in an agricultural safety program.
Dairy Science Education Modules
Midwest Dairy is pleased to announce the launch of two new education modules for high school and first- and second-year college students studying nutrition science, dairy science, food regulation and/or food safety.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) grant, titled Shiga-toxigenicEscherichia coli (STEC) in the Beef Chain: Assessing and Mitigating the Risk by Translational Science, Education and Outreach, seeks to significantly advance evidence- and action-based beef food safety knowledge to protect public health. This project is targeting the eight most important STEC serotypes that cause human illness in the U.S.
The grant has 5 objectives; Objective 5 concerns Risk Management and Education and focuses on training the current and future workforce and consumers to control STEC. To train the current and future workforce, the team is developing curriculum for secondary education programs at the high school level to gain access to the students who are in these classrooms.
The multi-year curriculum is comprised of four courses, including a Capstone course, and has been developed for middle and high school students. The curriculum has an inquiry-based approach with integrated instructional aids for teachers and their students. Each course consists of four units which each have daily lessons plans.
Course 1: Food Production, Nutrition, and Health
This is a project-based foundational course to introduce students to the size and scope of food production, nutrition, and health, and the underlying principles. Students will define the food science industry, describe historical milestones, and analyze how the production, processing, distribution, and marketing of food and food products influence consumer behavior and health. Students will apply knowledge about food products, nutrients, and the chemical and physical properties of food to solve human nutrition and health problems. Upon completion of this course, students are prepared to enroll in either Food Science or Nutrition Science courses within this program of study in preparation for careers in those areas.
Units:
1. Food For Thought
2. Beef – It’s What’s for Dinner
3. How The Cookie Crumbles
4. Space Food
Course 2: Food Science
This is a project-based course focusing on preparing students for further education and careers in the Food Science industry. Students will investigate the production, processing, distribution, and marketing of food to consumers. Students will apply the science associated with food and food products to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, and distribution of safe and nutritious food. Students will explain the impacts of food on human health and nutrition.
Units:
1. Tracking the Source
2. When Food is the Enemy
3. Managing Microbes
4. Kitchen Science to Shelf
Course 3: Nutrition Science
This is a project-based course focusing on preparing students for further education and careers in the Nutrition Science industry. Students will understand the relationship between the body, nutrients, and health. Students will apply these understandings and the socioeconomic, cultural, and community influences on diet to develop dietary plans for a variety of lifestyles and human health concerns.
Units:
1. Don’t Lose Your Balance
2. Quackery or Not
3. Busy Family
4. Next Best Restaurant