FFA History Introduction to Agriculture

Common Core/Next Generation Science Standards Addressed! WHST.6 ‐ Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (MS‐LS1‐6) SL Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest. (MS‐LS1‐7),(MS‐LS2‐3) WHST.6‐8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline content. (MS‐LS1‐4) WHST.6 ‐ Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (MS ‐ LS1 ‐ 5) SL Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points. (MS ‐ LS3 ‐ 1)

Career Cluster Content Standards – Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Cluster Content Standard: The student will demonstrate competence in the application of leadership, personal growth and career success skills necessary for a chosen profession while effectively contributing to society. Level I Level II Level III National CS.01. Performance Element: Premier Leadership: Acquire the skills necessary to positively influence others. CS Performance Indicator: Action: Exhibit the skills and competencies needed to achieve a desired result. CS a. Work productively with a group or independently.

Bell Work 1. Explain how, when, and why the FFA was organized 2 Explain the mission and strategies, colors, motto, parts of the emblem, and the organizational structure of the FFA. 3. Recite and explain the meaning of the FFA Creed. 4. Explain the purpose of a Program of Activities and its committee structure.

Vocabulary Active Agriculture Education/FFA Alumni Leslie Applegate Collegiate Eagle Ear of Corn FFA Motto Henry Groseclose Honorary C. H. Lane Owl Carlton Patton Plow Program of Activities Rising sun Smith-Hughes Act E. M. Tiffany

Major Historical Events in the FFA 1928 Future Farmers of America was founded National FFA Camp set up on land that formerly belonged to George Washington in in Alexandria, Virginia. (The camp later became the National FFA Center.)

Major Historical Events in the FFA 1944 National FFA Foundation was formed to use funds from business and industry to support FFA activities Public Law 740 was passed by Congress granting the FFA a federal charter.

Major Historical Events in the FFA 1958 The National Future Farmer magazine was started Consolidation with the New Farmers of America (NFA) strengthened the FFA. (NFA was an organization similar to the FFA for African American students.) 1969 Female students were allowed to become members National FFA Alumni Association was formed.

Major Historical Events in the FFA 1988 Name of the organization was changed to National FFA Organization Name of The National Future Farmer magazine was changed to New Horizons National FFA Center moved from Alexandria, VA, to Indianapolis, IN The National FFA Convention was moved to Louisville, Kentucky.

The FFA Purpose Recreation Patriotism Service Character Thrift Leadership Scholarship Improved Agriculture Cooperation Citizenship The purpose of the FFA is to develop: The FFA stresses three closely related areas: leadership, personal growth, and career success.

Kinds of FFA Membership 1. Active 2. Alumni 3. Collegiate 4. Honorary

FFA Motto Learning to Do Doing to Learn Earning to Live Living to Serve

Colors of the FFA The colors of the FFA are National Blue and Corn Gold. Blue reminds us that the FFA is a national organization. Gold reminds us that corn is a native American crop grown in every state.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The FFA emblem was designed with much thought and meaning. It is made up of five symbols.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem A cross-section of an ear of corn. The symbol of corn represents our common agricultural interests, is native to America, and is grown in every state.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The rising sun. It symbolizes progress in agriculture and the confidence that FFA members have in the future.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The plow. It is a symbol of labor and tillage of the soil.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The owl. It symbolizes wisdom and knowledge.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The eagle. This is symbolic of the national scope of the FFA.

Symbols of the FFA Emblem The words “Agricultural Education“ surround the letters “FFA.” This tells us that FFA is an important part of agriculture and agribusiness programs.

Some Guidelines For Wearing the FFA Jacket 1. It should only be worn by FFA members. 2. It should always be clean and neat. 3. It should only have the names of the state association and local chapter on the back. Individual’s name and office of honor should be on the front.

Some Guidelines For Wearing the FFA Jacket 4. It should be worn with the zipper fastened to all official FFA occasions. 5. It should not be worn with apparel bearing the insignia of other organizations. 6. It should be worn with no more than three medals beneath the individual’s name.

The FFA Creed I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

The FFA Creed I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fond-ness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

The FFA Creed I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive ag-riculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

The FFA Creed I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and paying square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

The FFA Creed I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

Where to get more information nmffa.org

The End!

Student Learning activities Sample tests are available in the Lesson Plan tab.

Matching Match the parts of the FFA emblem to what it symbolizes. A.h B.C. D. E. F. 1.Freedom and national pride. ____ 2.FFA is extracurricular to agriculture education. ___ 3.Unity ___ 4.Progress ___ 5.Wisdom ___ 6.Hard work/ labor ___ Name: _____________________________

Name: ________________________ Fill in the time line with the important events that happened in FFA history.

FFA dates time line key

Different ideas for having student memorize the creed.

One way to get students to speak, especially with the Creed, is to allow them to imitate another speaker. Some examples of people students may do are Braveheart (Mel Gibson), Jesse Jackson, Gen. George Patton. They will actually do a great job with it because they have to pay attention to not only the words but the emphasis they placed on them along with the timing of each line.

If you have a student who is just too terrified to speak in front of the class any length of time. Have them give the first paragraph of the creed facing the chalk board and not the class. The next week have them give all but one line facing the chalk board, allow them to pick which line they feel most comfortable facing the class and repeating. The idea is to add a line for every paragraph until by the last paragraph they should face the class. By the third week they should do the whole paragraph facing the class.

When teaching the Creed, allow the students to use notes in their first attempts in front of class. However, the notes have to be written in their own hieroglyphics. One requirement is that they had to be their own creation and must be symbols that do not include numbers or letters. You should find the students working hard trying to come up with the symbols to match the words, they should end up repeating the paragraphs to themselves so many times they memorize it without realizing they are. Most students should end up not even using the hieroglyphs as notes because it will slow them down while speaking.

Draw a cartoon (six frames including an introduction) that captures the essential message of each paragraph of the creed.

Have students write a rap of their own version of assigned paragraphs of the creed. Then, have them practice and present their versions of the creed. You can recorded this and make an actual movie of the creed rap. This is good because the students will able to put the creed into words, they understand and when they presented the actual creed in front of the class they knew what they were saying and talking about.