Table of Contents
What is Agricultural Sciences?
Grading Policies
Latework
Make-up Work
Tardiness
Students With Special Needs
Department Faculty
Why Would a Student Take a Course in Agricultural Sciences?
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What is Agricultural Sciences?
Agricultural Sciences is one of 16 academic departments at Waterford Union High School. Agricultural Sciences is the application of life sciences, economics, business, and leadership in our everyday lives. It covers some of the most current topics today including medicine, renewable energy, climate change, and genetics & biotechnology. Courses in Agricultural Sciences are able to go deep into the issues that matter most in order to show how all subjects - including math, English, and science - matter to each individual student. Students in Agricultural Sciences are also able to go deeper into their education through out-of-class opportunities in research, service, and the National FFA Organization. They gain from a wider exposure to core subjects and are trained to become better students, more knowledgable citizens, and
stronger leaders.
----
Grading Policies
Because of the subjective nature of the hands-on atmosphere, grading is broken into three styles.
When there clearly is a right or wrong answer, points are awarded on a pass/fail basis. For example, on a multiple choice exam, there can only be one right answer.
More often than not, however, an answer can be partially right or wrong. This is especially true for short-answer questions and essays. In this case, grades are assigned on a 5 point basis.
5 points - PERFECT! Could not have been done any better.
4 points - Great, but just shy of perfect.
3 points - Proficient, but adequate room for improvement.
2 points - Student has not met minimum requirements.
1 point - Student made an attempt, but accomplished little.
Small, routine assignments such as notesheets are graded on a +/✓/- basis. A "+" is given for assignments that do not have any blank answers and are clearly done according to expectations. A "✓" is given to assignments that may be almost, but not completely done according to expectations (e.g. if one question was missed, a ✓ may be given rather than have the student re-do the assignment). A "-" is rarely given; if a student has not done enough on their assignment to merit a + or a ✓, the assignment will be returned to them so that it can be finished according to expectations. A "-" may be given to an assignment that was repeatedly turned in late, to an assignment that must be entered into the
gradebook before an impending deadline (such as the end of the semester), or to a student who has turned in repeated incomplete assignments.
A +/✓/- may also be used for larger assignments or projects. For this type of circumstance, a + = exceed expectations. ✓ = met expectations.
- = redo the assignment.
----
Latework
By student request, points are now taken off for late work (previously, no points were taken off for late work). Typically, an assignment will be dropped one letter grade if it is not received when the assignment is graded. Late work will always be accepted so long as it can be (i.e. if the semester has not ended). ***All missing or late assignments should be turned in regardless of if they are late or on time.***
All assignments, missing or late, should be turned in to the Hand-In Drawer in the classroom unless collected personally by the instructor. Assignments turned in to any other location may go missing or lost. To avoid having to re-do an assignment, be sure that it is always turned in to the proper location. (Exception: if you need to turn in an assignment after the room has been closed down, it is ok to slip it under the door if it is already locked).
----
Make-up Work
If a student is absent from class, they are expected to make up all missed work and quizzes or tests. A student may be given an alternate test if they are absent in order to reduce the likelihood of academic misconduct. If a student has an excused absence for a day, they will receive an extension of one day+1 on the deadline for projects. E.g. if a student missed a Tuesday, they would receive Wednesday and Thursday to complete the assignment and their due date would become Thursday instead of Tuesday (excused absences only).
----
Tardiness
Because of the amount of material presented in each class, and because of a mostly no-homework policy, every minute of classroom time is vital. Tardiness not only reduces time available for instruction but also interrupts the momentum of learning and instruction. Because of this, department policies on tardiness are the same as the school policies and are strictly enforced.
1st Tardy - Verbal Warning; date and time of tardy is recorded in writing.
2nd Tardy - 15 minute detention
3rd Tardy - 30 minute detention and a phone call home.
Students with a valid pass are not considered tardy. A student is tardy if they are late without a valid pass but arrive within 10 minutes of the start of class. Students arriving unexcused after 10 minutes past the class start time are considered truant as part of the school policy.
----
Students With Special Needs
I will always make accommodations for students with special needs. This could be as simple as a seat in front of the class to test modification. I tend to believe that what can help a student with special needs can help the class as a whole and will always seek opportunities to make my classroom successful for all students of any ability regardless of the hurdles they face each day. If a change or accomodation is needed, please see me in person, email, or call me to make arrangements. If you think I have missed a part of a student's IEP or have misinterpreted it, please contact me to discuss.
----
Department Faculty
Mr. Craig Kohn - Mr. Kohn is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison with degrees in Education and Agricultural Sciences. He is
certified to teach three subjects: biology, agricultural science, and environmental science. Within the school, Mr. Kohn serves as the head FFA Advisor, teaches the ACT Science Preparatory Class, runs the Summer Scholars Research Program, and coaches the Wally Wolverine Mascot Program. Mr. Kohn is the superintendent for the Environmental Sciences Career Development Event for the Wisconsin FFA and serves on numerous committees for the FFA. Mr. Kohn has also conducted multiple research projects at UW-Madison in medicine, ecology, and renewable energy.
Mr. Kohn has been awarded the 2013 National Outstanding Young Educator Award from the NAAE, the 2012 Kohl Fellowship Award (recognizing the top 100 teachers in the state for all subjects and grades) and the Wisconsin Agriscience Teacher of the Year award in 2011. In 2010, he received Waterford's FISH Teaching Award. In 2009 Mr. Kohn was awarded the National Science Teachers Association's Toyota Tapestry Award at the NSTA National Convention.
Mr. Kohn is originally from Bonduel in northeast Wisconsin near Green Bay. He grew up on a dairy farm and was a member of the Bonduel FFA
Chapter, in which he served as president and competed at the state level in dairy judging, public speaking, and for his dairy SAE. Mr. Kohn currently lives in Whitewater, WI and enjoys running, kayaking, reading, football & hockey games, and hunting when he is not teaching.
Why Would a Student Take a Course in Agricultural Sciences?
All courses in Agricultural Sciences are electives – none are required to graduate. However, every year hundreds of students apply
to take an agricultural course for several reasons, including…
These courses can help raise your grades – it is an explicit and intentional goal that students who take an agricultural course improve their overall GPA. Study strategies, note-taking, and test preparation are all intentionally taught along with the curriculum content.
Agricultural courses can prepare you for college – all courses in Agricultural Sciences are taught in a college-like atmosphere. University-style lectures and discussion are the primary mode for instruction. Textbooks are rarely used, if they are even used at all. The material is entirely college-level – in fact, medical school textbooks, ecology field notes, and industry protocols are all examples of source materials for the curriculum. These classes are also taught by an instructor who is also a researcher at the University of Wisconsin and the 2011 Wisconsin Agriscience Teacher of the Year, meaning that every class is taught using the best methods possible.
These courses can improve your GPA – the average grade for an agricultural course is roughly an 85%, meaning most students get an A or a B. If you do your homework and pay attention, it is pretty feasible to get a good grade, and homework is rarely, if ever given! This means that you have more time for other homework when you take an ag course.
They are hands-on – on a weekly basis, classroom lecture is immediately followed by a hands-on, inquiry based lab the very next day. These labs reinforce concepts covered in class and allow students to experience what they are learning firsthand. From a fully-operational greenhouse to department animals to a university-affiliated research laboratory, agricultural students have exclusive access to the best facilities available to a high school student.
Agricultural Science = Field Trips – agricultural courses are based on the latest breakthroughs in science and business, and to ensure that we are up-to-date, we regularly and annually visit the places where these breakthroughs occur. From the world’s largest genetics company in DeForest to the world’s largest commodities exchange in Chicago to the home of stem cells and genomics in Madison, agricultural students get to experience the “real world” first hand on these field trips.
Students Have a Say – students in Agricultural Sciences directly impact how each course is taught. They help grade their partners
through peer reviews each week. They assess the instructor’s ability to teach through course surveys each semester. They help determine the rules and policies for each course at the beginning of each class. In this department, the students’ ideas and opinions matter.
They can help you get a job – all courses in Agricultural Sciences are part of Career and Technical Education (CTE), meaning that they
are required to help students become better prepared for the day when they will have to apply for both college and for a job. Because of this, students in agricultural courses receive specific instruction on how to write a resume and cover letter, interview for a job, and apply for college This means that you will be much better prepared for the day when you actually have to get into college or get a job.
All Courses are Inclusive – courses in Agricultural Sciences are meant to be accessible to all students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Accommodations to the curriculum are made regularly to ensure that all students have the opportunity to benefit from this program. Students
receive comparably more assistance for all assignments and extra help is always available on request. If assistance is needed, it is provided.
What is Agricultural Sciences?
Grading Policies
Latework
Make-up Work
Tardiness
Students With Special Needs
Department Faculty
Why Would a Student Take a Course in Agricultural Sciences?
----
What is Agricultural Sciences?
Agricultural Sciences is one of 16 academic departments at Waterford Union High School. Agricultural Sciences is the application of life sciences, economics, business, and leadership in our everyday lives. It covers some of the most current topics today including medicine, renewable energy, climate change, and genetics & biotechnology. Courses in Agricultural Sciences are able to go deep into the issues that matter most in order to show how all subjects - including math, English, and science - matter to each individual student. Students in Agricultural Sciences are also able to go deeper into their education through out-of-class opportunities in research, service, and the National FFA Organization. They gain from a wider exposure to core subjects and are trained to become better students, more knowledgable citizens, and
stronger leaders.
----
Grading Policies
Because of the subjective nature of the hands-on atmosphere, grading is broken into three styles.
When there clearly is a right or wrong answer, points are awarded on a pass/fail basis. For example, on a multiple choice exam, there can only be one right answer.
More often than not, however, an answer can be partially right or wrong. This is especially true for short-answer questions and essays. In this case, grades are assigned on a 5 point basis.
5 points - PERFECT! Could not have been done any better.
4 points - Great, but just shy of perfect.
3 points - Proficient, but adequate room for improvement.
2 points - Student has not met minimum requirements.
1 point - Student made an attempt, but accomplished little.
Small, routine assignments such as notesheets are graded on a +/✓/- basis. A "+" is given for assignments that do not have any blank answers and are clearly done according to expectations. A "✓" is given to assignments that may be almost, but not completely done according to expectations (e.g. if one question was missed, a ✓ may be given rather than have the student re-do the assignment). A "-" is rarely given; if a student has not done enough on their assignment to merit a + or a ✓, the assignment will be returned to them so that it can be finished according to expectations. A "-" may be given to an assignment that was repeatedly turned in late, to an assignment that must be entered into the
gradebook before an impending deadline (such as the end of the semester), or to a student who has turned in repeated incomplete assignments.
A +/✓/- may also be used for larger assignments or projects. For this type of circumstance, a + = exceed expectations. ✓ = met expectations.
- = redo the assignment.
----
Latework
By student request, points are now taken off for late work (previously, no points were taken off for late work). Typically, an assignment will be dropped one letter grade if it is not received when the assignment is graded. Late work will always be accepted so long as it can be (i.e. if the semester has not ended). ***All missing or late assignments should be turned in regardless of if they are late or on time.***
All assignments, missing or late, should be turned in to the Hand-In Drawer in the classroom unless collected personally by the instructor. Assignments turned in to any other location may go missing or lost. To avoid having to re-do an assignment, be sure that it is always turned in to the proper location. (Exception: if you need to turn in an assignment after the room has been closed down, it is ok to slip it under the door if it is already locked).
----
Make-up Work
If a student is absent from class, they are expected to make up all missed work and quizzes or tests. A student may be given an alternate test if they are absent in order to reduce the likelihood of academic misconduct. If a student has an excused absence for a day, they will receive an extension of one day+1 on the deadline for projects. E.g. if a student missed a Tuesday, they would receive Wednesday and Thursday to complete the assignment and their due date would become Thursday instead of Tuesday (excused absences only).
----
Tardiness
Because of the amount of material presented in each class, and because of a mostly no-homework policy, every minute of classroom time is vital. Tardiness not only reduces time available for instruction but also interrupts the momentum of learning and instruction. Because of this, department policies on tardiness are the same as the school policies and are strictly enforced.
1st Tardy - Verbal Warning; date and time of tardy is recorded in writing.
2nd Tardy - 15 minute detention
3rd Tardy - 30 minute detention and a phone call home.
Students with a valid pass are not considered tardy. A student is tardy if they are late without a valid pass but arrive within 10 minutes of the start of class. Students arriving unexcused after 10 minutes past the class start time are considered truant as part of the school policy.
----
Students With Special Needs
I will always make accommodations for students with special needs. This could be as simple as a seat in front of the class to test modification. I tend to believe that what can help a student with special needs can help the class as a whole and will always seek opportunities to make my classroom successful for all students of any ability regardless of the hurdles they face each day. If a change or accomodation is needed, please see me in person, email, or call me to make arrangements. If you think I have missed a part of a student's IEP or have misinterpreted it, please contact me to discuss.
----
Department Faculty
Mr. Craig Kohn - Mr. Kohn is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison with degrees in Education and Agricultural Sciences. He is
certified to teach three subjects: biology, agricultural science, and environmental science. Within the school, Mr. Kohn serves as the head FFA Advisor, teaches the ACT Science Preparatory Class, runs the Summer Scholars Research Program, and coaches the Wally Wolverine Mascot Program. Mr. Kohn is the superintendent for the Environmental Sciences Career Development Event for the Wisconsin FFA and serves on numerous committees for the FFA. Mr. Kohn has also conducted multiple research projects at UW-Madison in medicine, ecology, and renewable energy.
Mr. Kohn has been awarded the 2013 National Outstanding Young Educator Award from the NAAE, the 2012 Kohl Fellowship Award (recognizing the top 100 teachers in the state for all subjects and grades) and the Wisconsin Agriscience Teacher of the Year award in 2011. In 2010, he received Waterford's FISH Teaching Award. In 2009 Mr. Kohn was awarded the National Science Teachers Association's Toyota Tapestry Award at the NSTA National Convention.
Mr. Kohn is originally from Bonduel in northeast Wisconsin near Green Bay. He grew up on a dairy farm and was a member of the Bonduel FFA
Chapter, in which he served as president and competed at the state level in dairy judging, public speaking, and for his dairy SAE. Mr. Kohn currently lives in Whitewater, WI and enjoys running, kayaking, reading, football & hockey games, and hunting when he is not teaching.
Why Would a Student Take a Course in Agricultural Sciences?
All courses in Agricultural Sciences are electives – none are required to graduate. However, every year hundreds of students apply
to take an agricultural course for several reasons, including…
These courses can help raise your grades – it is an explicit and intentional goal that students who take an agricultural course improve their overall GPA. Study strategies, note-taking, and test preparation are all intentionally taught along with the curriculum content.
Agricultural courses can prepare you for college – all courses in Agricultural Sciences are taught in a college-like atmosphere. University-style lectures and discussion are the primary mode for instruction. Textbooks are rarely used, if they are even used at all. The material is entirely college-level – in fact, medical school textbooks, ecology field notes, and industry protocols are all examples of source materials for the curriculum. These classes are also taught by an instructor who is also a researcher at the University of Wisconsin and the 2011 Wisconsin Agriscience Teacher of the Year, meaning that every class is taught using the best methods possible.
These courses can improve your GPA – the average grade for an agricultural course is roughly an 85%, meaning most students get an A or a B. If you do your homework and pay attention, it is pretty feasible to get a good grade, and homework is rarely, if ever given! This means that you have more time for other homework when you take an ag course.
They are hands-on – on a weekly basis, classroom lecture is immediately followed by a hands-on, inquiry based lab the very next day. These labs reinforce concepts covered in class and allow students to experience what they are learning firsthand. From a fully-operational greenhouse to department animals to a university-affiliated research laboratory, agricultural students have exclusive access to the best facilities available to a high school student.
Agricultural Science = Field Trips – agricultural courses are based on the latest breakthroughs in science and business, and to ensure that we are up-to-date, we regularly and annually visit the places where these breakthroughs occur. From the world’s largest genetics company in DeForest to the world’s largest commodities exchange in Chicago to the home of stem cells and genomics in Madison, agricultural students get to experience the “real world” first hand on these field trips.
Students Have a Say – students in Agricultural Sciences directly impact how each course is taught. They help grade their partners
through peer reviews each week. They assess the instructor’s ability to teach through course surveys each semester. They help determine the rules and policies for each course at the beginning of each class. In this department, the students’ ideas and opinions matter.
They can help you get a job – all courses in Agricultural Sciences are part of Career and Technical Education (CTE), meaning that they
are required to help students become better prepared for the day when they will have to apply for both college and for a job. Because of this, students in agricultural courses receive specific instruction on how to write a resume and cover letter, interview for a job, and apply for college This means that you will be much better prepared for the day when you actually have to get into college or get a job.
All Courses are Inclusive – courses in Agricultural Sciences are meant to be accessible to all students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Accommodations to the curriculum are made regularly to ensure that all students have the opportunity to benefit from this program. Students
receive comparably more assistance for all assignments and extra help is always available on request. If assistance is needed, it is provided.