What Does a Horticulturist Do?

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Students will describe roles and skills of the horticulturists and experiment with planting.

Primary Learning Outcomes

What is a horticulturist? How do I care for a plant?

Additional Learning Outcomes

Assessed QCC Standards:

Grade: 6

Agriculture

Environmental Horticulture

Topic:
Standard: Explores employment and career opportunities in environmental horticulture.

Grade: 6

Guidance

B. Educational and Occupational Exploration

Topic: Skills to locate, understand, and use career information.
Standard: Identify various ways that occupations can be classified. Identify a number of occupational groups for exploration. Demonstrate skills in using school and community resources to learn about occupational groups. Identify sources to obtain information about occupational groups including self-employment. Identify skills that are transferable from one occupation to another. Identify sources of employment in the community.

Procedures/Activities

Step: 1 Duration: 30 min.

Ask students to brainstorm about what a horticulturist does and list jobs on the board. Discuss training and skills needed to be a horticulturist.

Step: 2 Duration: 15 min.

Review information on plants, seeds, germination, root systems, etc.

Step: 3 Duration: several weeks

Pair students and have them plant sprigs or clippings, following recommended procedures for their specific type of plant. Have students care for the plants over the next several weeks and document the growth and conditions.

Materials and Equipment

Chalkboard/chalk, Soil, Plant clippings, Water, Fertilizer, Garden tools, Price list, Pencil, Paper

Standards (Local and/or National)

Total Duration

Two class periods

Technology Connection

Assessment

Students' participation will be evaluated.

Extension

Have students keep track of the growth of their plants and chart that growth using a spreadsheet.

Remediation

Invite a local extension agent in to explain the job of a horticulturalist to the class. Have questions prepared for the guest speaker.

Accommodation

For students with exceptional needs, what changes can be made in instruction and teaching delivery to enhance student participation and learning? Each area below is a direct link to general classroom accommodations.

Non-readers     Physical Impairments     Sensory Impairments     Attention/Behavior

Each disability below is a direct link to general classroom accommodations specific for that disability.

    Autism
    Deaf - Blind
    Deaf/Hard of Hearing
    Emotional and Behavioral Disorder
    Mild Intellectual Disability
    Orthopedic Impairment
    Other Health Impairment
        Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
        Tourette Syndrome
    Significant Development Delay
    Specific Learning Disability
    Speech - Language Impairment
    Traumatic Brain Injury
    Visual Impairment

Modification

For students with significant disabilities, what changes can be made in instruction and teaching delivery to allow students to participate in classroom instruction while working on IEP objectives and off grade level QCC standards. Below are suggested modifications correlated to the procedures of this lesson plan.