Agricultural Science
Preparation for Practical Assessment
Night 2
Agenda for the Night
• Completion of practical paperwork prior to
monitor’s visit
– Forms A, B and P2
• Genetics
– Folders
– Experiments
• Web Resources
• Experiments
• Calendar
Sample Form A
Note:
Changes will be made to
marking scheme for 2014
Note: changes may be made for 2014
Sample Form B
Note: change may be made for 2014
Sample Form P2
Marking the Form
Fill out well in
advance
Use pencil at first
Make sure it is signed
and dated
Arrange form A in
numerical order
(exam numbers)
Use treasury tag to
keep them all
together
Check that form A is
completed for all
students
Add up to make sure
marks tally
Don’t tell students as
these marks are only
guidelines – monitors
marks stand
Make sure all forms
are signed by
principal
Documentation
• Check with the exam secretary that all
documentation has arrived well before the
monitors visit
• Ensure that students have signed P2 form on
or before the 27th March
• All documentation left by the monitor should
be stored appropriately in the school or given
to the exam secretary/principal
The Monitor
• The monitor will pick a number of students
who will represent the class.
• 4:1
• To insure the marks allocated are warranted!
Room Set Up for Monitors Visit
Have all projects
laid out in
numerical order
A school lab is
needed for the
day
Make sure that
the room is easily
accessible
Selected
experiments from
each topic to be
on display
Things to Display
Laminate pictures of
animal breeds
Selection of 15-20
fresh plants from
natural habitats that
are familiar to
students and native to
the area
Experiments, plants
and other resources
should be laid out in
the lab
General Comments
• All students must be available to meet the monitor
prior to the exam and must remain in school until
monitor leaves
• Practical is assessed at a common level
• Reward effort
• Make monitor aware of any difficulties that a student
has
• Monitor’s visit will take place from the 28th April to the
9th May
• Check any clashes with other subjects (metalwork,
woodwork, art and LCVP)
• Meet the monitor and discuss exam away from
students
For External Candidates
Repeat students can
use their original
projects even if
stamped
Students will be
expected to have
added to last year’s
work
Common Weaknesses
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Only one crop
Students not familiar with their own work.
Overuse of downloaded material from the internet.
Experiments written up but not known
Project work that does not fit the guidelines e.g.
Farming equipment, REPS, Farm Safety etc
• Farm Plans with little detail
• The use of class notes as course work
Some guidelines
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Students own work
Handwritten or typed
Presented in a folder
Photographs
Newspaper clippings
Weed collections
Farm Diary
Feed Samples, Fertiliser Samples, Mart
Receipts, etc
Examiners Report
• The students should report on their own
experiences of practical agriculture to the
fullest possible extent- Extract from Chief
Examiners report 2010.
Done Deal!!
Genetics
Resources for Experiments
• Cheaper to import items directly from the
states.
• Seeds and other items can be bought from the
following websites
• Enasco
• Fastplants (with link to amazon)
Genetics Resources
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Nuffield Genetics Resources
PowerPoint on Genetics and Breeding
Greatest Discoveries- video clips on Genetics
Definitions
Sample topic plan genetics from AS biology
Posters ( more on PDST website)
CLONING
Adult cell cloning
The nucleus is removed from an unfertilized egg cell
This is replaced with the nucleus of an adult cell (e.g. skin cell)
An electric shock is used to start the cell dividing to form embryo
cells
These embryo cells contain the same genetic information as the
adult skin cell
When the embryo has developed into a ball of cells, it is inserted
into the womb of an adult female to continue its development
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Advantages:
This could be used to clone animals with desired characteristics,
e.g. farm animals
It could possibly be used to save rare breeds from extinction
Disadvantages
If this is used in farming, it produces lots of genetically identical
individuals;
If there is a change in the environment, they may all struggle to
survive
Experiments
Inventory of My
Traits
Roan Coats in
Short Horn Cattle
General Ag Science Educational
Media
4 on demand Animal Farm
NGFL Beef link
UTV player – A Rare Breed –
A Farming Year
You Tube Farm Vids
General Ag Science Educational
Media
Farmer’s Journal
Teagasc media
Dairy Farming
Genetics Videos
PDST Website – Series of Genetics Videos
http://www.pdst.ie/node/3298
Post Primary
Ag Science
PDST Workshop Resources
Genetics Videos
Calendar
February
4th
DATE
TIME
EVENT
Teagasc National Sheep Conference
Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone
18th
National Potato Conference and Trade Show
Red Cow Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin
March
DATE
TIME
11th
11am – 1pm
EVENT
Agriaware ‘Farm Walk and Talk’ –– see www.agriaware.ie
for further details
Clonakilty Agricultural College Open Day
13th
7pm
IASTA Leinster Branch Meeting
19th
10.30am – 2pm
Gurteen Agricultural College Open Day
20th
20th – 21st
10am – 3pm
Ballyhaise Agricultural College Open Day
UCD Agricultural Science Transition Year Programme see
www.ucd.ie/agfood for further details or email:
agandfoodprogrammes@ucd.ie
IASTA Table Quiz for Leaving Cert. Students
See www.iasta.ie for further details
LC completion date for Agricultural Science Practical
Coursework
Pallaskenry Agricultural College Open Day
3rd
26th
27th
27th
10am – 2pm
Various Venues
Teagasc, Clonakilty Agricultural College,
Clonakilty, Co Cork.
Phone: 023
8832500 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Wesley College, Ballinteer
Ballingarry, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Phone: 067) 21282
UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4.
Springhill Court Hotel, Waterford Road,
Kilkenny.
All schools
Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick
Phone: 061-393100
Calendar
April
DATE
4th
TIME
10am – 1pm
5th
Teagasc, Kildalton College,
Piltown, Co Kilkenny
Phone: 051 644400 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Talbot Hotel, Carlow Town,
IASTA Annual Conference
See www.iasta.ie for further details
Monitoring of LC Agricultural Science
28th – 9th
DATE
– 25th
EVENT
Kildalton Agricultural College Open Day
All Schools
May
TIME
17th
EVENT
Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling
Championships
Gorey, Co Wexford
June
DATE
TIME
3rd
4th
19th
20th
9.30 – 12.00
EVENT
Proposed IASTA Practical Farming Day at Airfield Farm and
Gardens,
See www.iasta.ie for further details
UCD Agricultural Science 5th Year Summer School
See www.ucd.ie/agfood for further details or email:
agandfoodprogrammes@ucd.ie
Agricultural Science Leaving Certificate Examination
IASTA Examination Review
Airfield Farm and Gardens, Dundrum, Dublin,
UCD. Belfield, Dublin 4.
All Schools
Athlone
Any other dates?
• Please fill out sheet and we will update
calendar on web
• All resources available on
http://www.pdst.ie/node/3299
• Any Questions?
Evaluations
Please complete evaluations