Construct an explanation of the interdependence of organisms within ecosystems.
Analyze and critique changes in ecosystems and their populations caused by agricultural processes.
Incorporate safety procedures in handling, operating, and maintaining equipment; utilizing materials and protective equipment; maintaining a safe work area; and handling hazardous materials and forces.
Demonstrate effective workplace and employability skills, including communication, awareness of diversity, positive work ethic, problem-solving, time management, and teamwork.
Explore the range of careers available in the field, investigate their educational requirements, and demonstrate job-seeking skills including resume-writing and interviewing.
Demonstrate digital literacy by using digital and electronic tools appropriately, safely, and ethically.
Participate in a Career Technical Student Organization (CTSO) to increase knowledge and skills and to enhance leadership and teamwork.
Participate in Supervised Agricultural Experiences and/or work-based, experiential, and service learning.
Gather and analyze authoritative information about employment trends in agricultural engineering and present findings in written or graphic form.
Create an evidence-based explanation of ways engineering applications of physics are used to solve issues associated with production agriculture.
Example: agriculture technology, agriculture facilities, agriculture equipment, engines, circuits, voltage, levers, pulleys, wheel and axles, inclined planes, belts driven systems, precision agriculture
Apply the scientific method in deriving engineering solutions for current agriculture issues.
Design a biosystems engineering plan to convert biological materials, including agriculture waste, to useful products.
Using components of physics, design and assemble a model of a mechanism to aid in harvesting or processing agricultural products.
Examples: simple machines, crop harvesters, agriculture conveyor systems, animal and plant processors
Construct an explanation describing the interactions of the major biological principles used within agriculture, biosystems, and engineering.
Examples: genetic engineering, GMO, disease diagnosis, nanotechnology, biofuels, biofertilizers, kinetics, biocatalysts, biomechanics, mass and heat transfer
Investigate, analyze, and design an engineering solution to common biological issues affecting production agriculture.
Design a project plan for an agricultural engineering project, outlining a strategy for working within a given set of parameters, constraints, and resources.
Examples: budget, timeline, safety considerations, strategies to minimize adverse environmental impacts
Identify various Geographic Information System and Global Positioning System applications and explain their uses in precision agriculture.
Examples: precision agriculture management zones, crop water and drought areas, crop imaging, land correlation to crop yields, yield map cleaning and management, drainage analysis and tile mapping, crop data analysis, soil darkness mapping, suitability modeling, and slope angle and accuracy
Use data from geographic information systems to make recommendations for use, management, development, and equipment for a rural plot and an urban plot of land, providing graphic and textual evidence to support each recommendation.
Analyze, map, and disseminate data from geographic information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) portraying a drainage map of a specified region.
Cite specific evidence from findings of mapping systems.
Propose changes to drainage and irrigation systems based on data obtained from geographic information systems and global positioning systems.
Justify recommendations against accepted soil erosion control practices based on data obtained from geographic information systems and global positioning systems.
Describe the relationships between concepts of hydrostatics, kinematics, and dynamics of fluid flows as they are applied in agricultural industry irrigation systems.
Research agricultural buildings and facilities that meet industry benchmarks for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Collect observations on the costs and benefits of energy efficient and environmentally sustainable structures and make recommendations to conserve energy and decrease operational cost, developing claim(s) with specific evidence from research.
Create a detailed construction plan for an agricultural facility suitable for a designated site, using natural systems and renewable energy where possible.
Examples: plans for conserving energy, material resources, and environmental impact
Analyze the physical properties of selected agricultural crops and food products to determine how these properties impact the effectiveness of equipment for harvesting, storage, processing, and transportation.
Examples: density, shape, moisture content, water potential, friction and flow of particulate solids, terminal velocity, thermal properties, and viscoelastic behavior of solids
Develop a fact sheet detailing the equipment required for appropriate harvesting, storage, processing, and transportation for a variety of crops and products, providing written justification for the choices made.
Develop safety, storage, and disposal plans for agricultural chemicals.
Examples: pesticides, fertilizers, veterinary medicines
Outline specific procedures pertaining to responsible selection, storage, mixing, transport, application, and waste disposal of agricultural chemicals, in compliance with applicable regulatory standards.
Analyze the chemical and physical properties of selected agricultural fertilizers and chemicals and relate them to specific crops.
Determine the most efficient and effective method of application for selected agricultural fertilizers and chemicals.
Demonstrate in a presentation or live setting the ability to calibrate equipment for liquid, solid, and gaseous applications of agricultural fertilizers and chemicals.
Participate in a team-driven agricultural engineering project approved by the instructor, including research, planning, analysis, construction, testing, and evaluation phases to measure success and adherence to legal constraints.
Prepare periodic oral and written reports to exhibit progress on an agricultural engineering project.
