Junior and Senior level Ag Bus.
Colorado Agriscience Curriculum
Section:
Advanced Agribusiness
Unit:
Agriculture Issues
Lesson Title:
Researching an Agriculture Issue
Colorado Ag
Education
Standards and
Competencies
Colorado Model
Content
Standard(s):
Student Learning
Objectives:
AGB11/12.02 - The student will be able to
communicate a knowledge of current agricultural
issues.
Review current periodicals on a daily basis.
Collect and organize information on the Internet, satellite
information services, library databases, scientific journals,
magazines, newspaper and/or other current media.
English Standard 1: Students read and understand a variety of materials.
English Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences.
English Standard 5: Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant
information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.
1. The student will analyze information before researching.
2. The student will recite the seven areas to find information on Agriculture Issues.
3. The student will demonstrate ability to analyze sources.
4. The student will cite their sources correctly.
Time:
50 minutes to teach how to research.
50 minutes to perform individual student research.
Resource(s):
Focusing on Agricultural Issues. By the National Council for Agriculture Education.
Copyright 2005.
School to work. By Patrick Sebranek, Verne Meyer, Dave Kemper, and John Van Rys.
Copyright 1996.
http://www.northern.wvnet.edu/~tcraig/wc.html
Instructions, Tools,
Equipment, and
Supplies:
Italicized words are instructions to the teacher. Normal style text is suggested script.
Equipment: Computer and Projection Unit for PowerPoint.
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
1
Supplies (optional):

PowerPoint presentation.

Lesson plan.

Copies.

White paper and markers or crayons.

Slides 11, 12, & 13 in the PowerPoint cut up and put in envelops for Citing Puzzle or
print off page 13 at the end of the curriculum and cut it up to use as the puzzle.

Print off Student Notes found on page 11 – 13 at end of curriculum.
Good and Bad sources. Instructor may want to go to Web site and print out these sites
and make copies in advance for the students.
http://www.csiro.au/communication/rabbits/qa1.htm
http://www.improb.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html
http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/jackalope.html
Interest Approach:
Have the Ag Issues questions sheet on each table with the different Ag Issues
and the questions to answer on each table. Note: These issues should be reviewed
and update by the instructor to keep the issues current. Use PowerPoint Slides 2 and
3 to help explain information.
Good Day Ag Business students! Today we are going to enter the world of
Agriculture Issues. On your table there are several questions to answer about
specific issue. Please take the next five minutes to discuss these questions at your
table.
What are your opinions on the issue? Is this an important issue in your life? What
sides are a part of this issue? What history is a part of this issue? Who is
involved in this issue? What are the pros and cons of this issue?
Wait 5 minutes.
Do I have a volunteer to share their issue and what they discussed? Thank you
__________! Continue to discuss until all the groups have participated.
Nice work! Today we are going to find out how to research some of these issues.
Objective 1:
The student will analyze information before researching.
To thoroughly understand the issue you must search diligently for information. You
must not be satisfied with materials furnished by another student or any other single
source. Investigate every form of information available to you. Information is essential
to effective discussion of an agriculture issue. Today we will learn where to find
information and some methods for recording and organizing information.
To search diligently, you must have a general idea of the kinds of facts you are seeking.
Before you spend too much time searching through the Internet, magazines and books
looking for material, examine how much you already know. Make your search purposeful. It
is unlikely that a person can have too much information about a problem. Be generous
in your search, even to the extent of collecting more material than you ultimately may use.
Before we go research what should you do? Take one minute to think about what you should
do before you go research. Now we will pair up and share. Find someone who has the
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
2
same color shirt as you. You will have one minute to generate a list of ideas about what you
should do before you start researching. Go!
Good work ladies and gentleman. Now let’s collectively gather all of your fabulous ideas. I
need a volunteer. Thank you ___________! Will you please record our ideas on the board?
Great Job!!
Using PowerPoint Slide 4 discuss the items they should think about before researching at the
library.
Now let’s capture the following on your notes pages. Allow time for students to capture notes
on the board.
1. Recall your personal experiences. In many instances you may have
personally been involved in situations which are relevant. Your contributions will
be much more lively and convincing if you report such experiences.
2. Visit the concern. If possible, supplement your reading of printed materials
through personal observation. Place yourself in a position from which you can
observe. Spend sufficient time on the scene to see what is there. Report
accurately what you observed. Put into words precisely what you observed, so
listeners who did not see will understand exactly what you witnessed. Be sure
to report fairly what you saw without regard to whether you like what you
observed. After you have reported the situation fairly, you are free to draw
conclusions from these facts which will introduce your own opinion concerning
what should be done.
3. Talk with someone who knows. Your teachers, relatives, family, friends and
neighbors may be able to suggest some ideas or sources of valuable
information. Interviewing those who are well informed will give you many ideas
for further research and will contribute to your grasp of the subject. Be sure to
choose persons competent in their fields and do not depend solely upon one
person.
4. Listen and read. Mass media is readily available in the form of radio,
television, films, video programs, current newspapers, magazines, listserves,
Internet forums and chat rooms. Listen to the discussion programs on radio
and television. Read widely in magazines and newspapers as they are
delivered to your home. It is very important to check reliable of current news
and more importantly, information found on the Internet.
5. Use the library. Before going to the library you should know exactly what you
are looking for. There may be times when you just want to browse. However,
for the most part, your time will be best spent looking for precise information.
The library can provide you with an excellent storehouse of unlimited facts and
sources of information. Be sure to meet with the librarian if you need
assistance.
Now that we have some ideas of what we need to do before we start researching, let’s
practice. Please create a web of all of the things you know about the Agriculture Issue
you selected. You will have five minutes to brain dump all of the ideas you have into
your web.
Using slide 5 show the brain dump example web. This is an example of what your brain
dump web should look like. Begin!
Objective 2:
The student will know the seven areas to find information for Agriculture Issues.
Now that we know what we should have in mind before we start researching. Let’s discuss
where you might look for information. Flip your web over and draw as many pictures of
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
3
where you might find information for you Ag Issues research. You have three minutes to
complete this task. Begin. Wait three minutes. We are going to go around the room and
share one of your ideas that no one else has shared. Very good! You guys came up with
almost all of the places to find information for Ag Issues research. Let’s take a closer look.
Use the PowerPoint slide 6 for students to capture the following information in their
notebooks. Have your students read the additional information that is in their notes aloud.
a. Books. Many libraries now provide computer services that can help you locate
books and other sources of information efficiently and timely.
b. Magazines and Newspapers. Most libraries contain special indexes to help
you find articles which have appeared in magazines and newspapers. The most
valuable general index to magazine articles is the Readers' Guide to Periodical
Literature. The New York Times Index may be helpful in locating reports of past
events as well as opinions in columns and editorials. Most libraries will also
provide indexes on special subjects. Two examples of these indexes are the
Education Index and the Agricultural Index.
c.
Pamphlets. Many companies and groups which have a special interest realize
the need to prepare information to support their points of view. These
pamphlets, published by special interest groups or companies, are often
provided free of charge. It is necessary to remember when using such
publications that the material contained there usually reflects the views of the
group which had them printed. Two indexes that may help you locate such
publications are the H.W. Wilson Vertical File Service and the Public Affairs
Information Service.
d. Encyclopedias. Such sources which contain valuable information about
problems in general and may serve as a beginning point in library research.
Some encyclopedias that you may want to look at are: The Encyclopedia
Americana, The Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book Encyclopedia, Collier’s
Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.
e. Biographies. You should always be familiar with the persons who wrote the
materials you will be quoting as evidence. Information on persons cited as
authorities in your discussion may be located in Who's Who in America and the
Dictionary of American Biography. There are also specialized biographies for
men and women in education, business, and other fields, and for geographical
areas, such as Who’s Who in the Midwest, etc.
f.
Statistical information. Yearbooks and almanacs are places to find current
data of a technical nature. Information may be obtained from the World
Almanac, Agricultural Experiment Stations and State Agricultural Statistics
Services located at Land Grant Universities, Statistical Abstract of the United
States, County and City Data Book, and similar sources.
g. Government publications. Both your state and national government print
materials for the purpose of providing information to its citizens. Congressional
Record Proceedings and Debates of the Congress Session along with
publications from governmental departments such as the Department of
Commerce and the Department of Agriculture are excellent sources of
information.
h. Valid Internet Sources. Internet sources with a publisher, copyright, title, date,
author, and have an org, gov, or edu.
Objective 3:
The student will demonstrate the ability to analyze their sources.
Now that we have looked at where to find information? How do you know if that information is
accurate and quality information? Let’s take a look at three sources and based on your gut
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
4
instances decide which is of high quality and which is not.
Instruct the students to go to each of the following websites listed below and print them off or
print off prior to class..
http://www.csiro.au/communication/rabbits/qa1.htm
http://www.improb.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html
http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~hollidac/jackalope.html
Take the next 30 seconds to look over the three sources and evaluate them
Allow time for students to discuss the sites.
Evaluating Sources of Information (see slide 8 in PowerPoint presentation). Have students
take notes on the following 13 evaluating points.
1. Does this source have a reputation for accuracy?
2. Does this newspaper print the facts about events exactly as they occurred?
3. Are the facts printed in this Web site, magazine or pamphlet verified by reports from
other sources?
4. Have the authors of this book checked their facts with care?
5. Is this source biased?
6. Does the source distort the facts to fit his preconceived ideas?
7. Does this magazine present only one side of a controversy?
8. Does this newspaper “color” the news by printing those items favorable to a
particular set of interests or political party?
9. Have the people I interviewed shown a bias because of the company for which they
work or the causes in which they believe?
10. Is this information complete?
11. Am I given all the facts?
12. Are some facts being withheld?
13. Have I checked every possible source of information?
Based on the information you just wrote down use those questions to reevaluate the sources
you worked with earlier. When I say “Find the Good One” you will have five minutes to
answer these questions about each source, then we will share your answers. Be prepared to
defend which source you choose as high quality. Are there any questions! Good Luck! “Find
the Good One”!
Discuss which source they choose as high quality and why?
Excellent discussion!
Objective 4:
The student will know how to cite their sources.
Cut apart slides 11, 12, and 13 so that each table would have the type of source and the
pieces that make up how you cite a source. For example one table would have books as
their source. Then author – title – City, State where published: - Publishing Company, Copyright date. Would all be cut apart. Then they would try to figure out how to put it
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
5
together.
We now know how to start looking for information, where to find information, and how to
determine if the information we find is of quality. We now need to make sure that we give
credit where credit is due. You must always cite your sources. At each table you have an
envelop, please take the next 2 minutes to organize the pieces in your envelop so that you
can correctly cite various sources. Are there any questions? Begin.
Allow students to share their citing sources puzzles. Hopefully some of them get the way to
cite their sources correctly.
Nice job! Way to figure it out. You are going to be working on your own Agriculture Issues
research so we need to make sure that you understand how to cite all types of sources. Why
should you cite sources? Wait for student responses. Lead students to a discussion of
plagiarism. Is plagiarism steeling? So in order to prevent plagiarism you must cite your
sources. Please capture the following in your notes.
How do you cite sources?
Books
Author.
Title. City, State where published: Publishing Company, Copyright
Date.
Angel,
David. The Internet Business Companion: Growing Your Business in
the Electronic Age. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.
Magazines
Author. “Title of the Article.” Name of Magazine Day Month. Year: pages.
Tully, Shawn.
“The Universal Teenager.” Fortune 4 Apr. 1994: 14-16.
Newspapers
Author.
“Title of the Article.” Name of Newspaper Day Month Year, edition.:
number.
Bleakley,
Fred R. “Companies’ Profits Grew 48% Despite Economy.” Wall
Street Journal 1 May 1995, midwest ed.:1.
Pamphlets
 Author.
Title. City, State where published: Publishing Company, Copyright
Date.
Grayson, George W.
The North American Free Trade Agreement. New
York: Foreign Policy Association, Inc., 1993.
Encyclopedias
Author. Title. Number Volume. City where published: Publishing Company,
Copyright Date.
Barnouw, Eric, ed. International Encyclopedia of Communications. 9 vols.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Government publications
Name of Government. Name of the Agency. Title of the Publication. Where
it was published: Publishing Company, Copyright date.
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
6
United States. Federal Trade Commission. Shopping by Mail or Phone.
Washington: GPO, 1994.
Valid Internet Sources
Name of author. “Title of work.” Title of full website. date of access Full URL,
in angle brackets
Stein, Mark. “Poborsky Leaves Manchester United.” Official Manchester
United Home Page. 26 June 1998 <http://www.sky.co.uk/sports/manu>.
Review/Summary:
Utilizing the choral response method, ask the student the following questions: All of
the students should respond in unison with the same answer. It may take a few
times for all of them to all respond together. See slide 14 on the PowerPoint for
help.
What do you need to do before you start researching?
What are the seven areas to find information?
What questions should you ask about information you find before you use that
information?
How do you cite sources?
Application-Extended
Classroom Activity:
Now that you know how to begin researching, where to look for information, how to
determine if the information you are finding is quality information, and how to cite
your information it is time for you to put this information into practice. You need to utilize
your time wisely and work through the researching process for your agriculture issue.
You will only have today to complete the researching process. Are there any question?
Get started working!
Application--FFA
Activity:
Encourage students to participate in the Ag Issues CDE.
Evaluation:
Evaluation Answer
Key:
Print off page 14 – Answers are below.
1. Recall your personal experiences.
a. Visit the concern.
b. Talk with someone who knows.
c. Listen and read.
d. Use the library.
2. List five places to find information for an Agriculture Issue
a. Books
b. Magazines and Newspapers
c. Pamphlets
d. Encyclopedias
e. Biographies
f. Statistical information
g. Government publications
h. Valid Internet Sources
3. List four things you should have when evaluating a source.
a. Evaluating Sources of Information
b. Does this source have a reputation for accuracy?
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
7
c.
Does this newspaper print the facts about events exactly as they occurred?
d. Are the facts printed in this Web site, magazine or pamphlet verified by
reports from other sources?
e. Have the authors of this book checked their facts with care?
f.
Is this source biased?
g. Does the source distort the facts to fit his preconceived ideas?
h. Does this magazine present only one side of a controversy?
i.
Does this newspaper “color” the news by printing those items favorable to a
particular set of interests or political party?
j.
Have the people I interviewed shown a bias because of the company for
which they work or the causes in which they believe?
k.
Is this information complete?
l.
Am I given all the facts?
m. Are some facts being withheld?
n. Have I checked every possible source of information?
4. How do you cite an internet journal?
a. Name of author. “Title of work.” Title of full website. date of access Full URL,
in angle brackets
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
8
Questions to Answer about the various Ag Issues in the Interest Approach
1. What are your opinions on the issue?
2. Is this an important issue in your life?
3. What sides are part of this issue?
4. What history is a part of this issue?
5. Who is involved in this issue?
6. What are the pros and cons of this issue?
Questions to Answer about the various Ag Issues in the Interest Approach
1. What are your opinions on the issue?
2. Is this an important issue in your life?
3. What sides are part of this issue?
4. What history is a part of this issue?
5. Who is involved in this issue?
6. What are the pros and cons of this issue?
Questions to Answer about the various Ag Issues in the Interest Approach
1. What are your opinions on the issue?
2. Is this an important issue in your life?
3. What sides are part of this issue?
4. What history is a part of this issue?
5. Who is involved in this issue?
6. What are the pros and cons of this issue?
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
9
Agriculture Issues for Interest Approach
1. Should a person become a vegetarian?
2. Is our surface water being contaminated by the use of
pesticides?
3. Should organic farming be used as an alternative to help maximize
profits?
4. Are there reasonable alternatives to animal testing?
5. Why would I want to associate with the agriculture industry that
always seems to be under fire by the public?
6. Do check offs and producer funded programs have a significant
impact on increasing food costs in the United States?
7. Is the impact of public opinion affecting agricultural policy?
8. Will more funding for agricultural biotechnology research keep
U.S. agriculture competitive on a global perspective?
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
10
Student Notes
Name:_________________________________
Area: Ag Business
Job: Researching An Agriculture Issue
How do you get started researching an Agriculture Issue?
1. _________________________________ In many instances you may have personally been
involved in situations which are relevant. Your contributions will be much more lively and
convincing if you report such experiences.
2. __________________________________ If possible, supplement your reading of printed
materials through personal observation. Place yourself in a position from which you can observe.
Spend sufficient time on the scene to see what is there. Report accurately what you observed.
Put into words precisely what you observed, so listeners who did not see will understand exactly
what you witnessed. Be sure to report fairly what you saw without regard to whether you like what
you observed. After you have reported the situation fairly, you are free to draw conclusions from
these facts which will introduce your own opinion concerning what should be done.
3. ___________________________________ Your teachers, relatives, family, friends and
neighbors may be able to suggest some ideas or sources of valuable information. Interviewing
those who are well informed will give you many ideas for further research and will contribute to
your grasp of the subject, so long as you choose persons competent in their fields and do not
depend solely upon one person.
4. _______________________________________ Mass media is readily available in the form of
radio, television, films, video programs, current newspapers, magazines, listserves, Internet
forums and chat rooms. Listen to the discussion programs on radio and television. Read widely in
magazines and newspapers as they are delivered to your home. Check reliable, current news
and information sites on the Internet.
5. ______________________________________ Before going to the library you should know
exactly what you are looking for. There may be times when you just want to browse, however, for
the most part, your time will be best spent looking for precise information. The library can provide
you with an excellent storehouse of unlimited facts and sources of information. Be sure to meet
with the librarian if you need assistance.
Where do you find information for an Agriculture Issue?
1. ______________________________ Many libraries now provide computer services that can
help you locate books and other sources of information efficiently and timely.
2. ___________________________________ Most libraries contain special indexes to help you
find articles which have appeared in magazines and newspapers. The most valuable general
index to magazine articles is the Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. The New York Times
Index may be helpful in locating reports of past events as well as opinions in columns and
editorials. Most libraries will also provide indexes on special subjects. Two examples of these
indexes are the Education Index and the Agricultural Index.
3. _____________________________________ Many companies and groups which have a
special interest realize the need to prepare information to support their points of view. these
pamphlets, published by special interest groups or companies, are often provided free of charge.
It is necessary to remember when using such publications that the material contained there
usually reflects the views of the group which had them printed. Two indexes that may help you
locate such publications are the H.W. Wilson Vertical File Service and the Public Affairs
Information Service.
4. _____________________________ Such sources which contain valuable information about
problems in general and may serve as a beginning point in library research. Some encyclopedias
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
11
that you may want to look at are: The Encyclopedia Americana, The Encyclopedia Britannica,
World Book Encyclopedia, Collier’s Encyclopedia, and The Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences.
5. _________________________________ You should always be familiar with the persons who
wrote the materials you will be quoting as evidence. Information on persons cited as authorities in
your discussion may be located in Who's Who in America and the Dictionary of American
Biography. There are also specialized biographies for men and women in education, business,
and other fields, and for geographical areas, such as Who’s Who in the Midwest, etc.
6. _____________________________________ Yearbooks and almanacs are places to find
current data of a technical nature. Information may be obtained from the World Almanac,
Agricultural Experiment Stations and State Agricultural Statistics Services located at Land Grant
Universities, Statistical Abstract of the United States, County and City Data Book, and similar
sources.
7. _________________________________________ Both your state and national government
print materials for the purpose of providing information to its citizens. Congressional Record
Proceedings and Debates of the Congress Session along with publications from governmental
departments such as the Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture are
excellent sources of information.
8. _______________________________________ Internet sources with a publisher, copyright,
title, date, author, and have an org, gov, or edu.
Evaluating Sources of Information
1.
2.
3.
4.
5. Is this source biased?
6. Does the source distort the facts to fit his preconceived ideas?
7.
8. Does this newspaper “color” the news by printing those items favorable to a particular set of interests or
political party?
9.
10. Is this information complete?
11. Am I given all the facts?
12.
13. Have I checked every possible source of information?
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
12
Citing Sources
Books

Angel,
David. The Internet Business Companion: Growing Your Business in the Electronic
Age. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995.
Magazines

Tully, Shawn.
“The Universal Teenager.” Fortune 4 Apr. 1994: 14-16.
 Newspapers

Fred R. “Companies’ Profits Grew 48% Despite Economy.” Wall Street Journal 1
May 1995, midwest ed.:1.
Bleakley,
Pamphlets

Grayson, George W. The North American Free Trade Agreement. New York: Foreign Policy
Association, Inc., 1993.
Encyclopedias

Barnouw, Eric, ed. International Encyclopedia of Communications. 9 vols. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1989.
Government publications

United States. Federal Trade Commission. Shopping by Mail or Phone. Washington: GPO,
1994.
Valid Internet Sources

Stein, Mark. “Poborsky Leaves Manchester United.” Official Manchester United Home Page.
26 June 1998 <http://www.sky.co.uk/sports/manu>.
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
13
Name:_________________________________
Evaluation of Researching An Agriculture Issue
1. How do you get started researching an Agriculture Issue?
2. List 5 places to look for research
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3. List 4 things you should have when evaluating a source.
1.
2.
3.
4.
4. How do you cite an internet journal?
Unit 7, Lesson 4: Researching an Agriculture Issue
14