AG332:
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
This course meets in person three times per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:10–10:10 AM. Class sessions will include a mix of lectures, discussions, group activities, videos, and presentations.
Students are expected to actively participate, come prepared having completed assigned readings, and engage with both instructor-led and peer-led components of the course. While most course content will be delivered during scheduled sessions, supplemental materials and assignments will be posted to Blackboard, where students should check regularly for updates.
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course...
- Understand the role of soils in the cultivation and production of grain, forage and fiber crops.
- Understand the "timeline" of an animal species lifecycle from birth to maturity.
- Understand livestock anatomy and physiology.
- Understand marketing skills essential to agricultural business.
- Develop finance and management plans in production agricultures.
- Develop production management skills essential to agricultural business.
There is no required textbook for this course. All readings, peer-reviewed articles, and supplemental materials will be provided by the instructor and posted on Blackboard. Students are expected to check Blackboard regularly for updates, reading assignments, and class resources.
- Explain core principles of agroecology and compare them to industrial and conventional agricultural systems, including their ecological, economic, and social dimensions.
- Evaluate the historical development of agriculture and identify key transitions that shaped modern food systems, including the Green Revolution and industrial intensification.
- Analyze sustainability in agriculture through the lens of the "Three Pillars" (environmental, economic, and social) and apply these principles to real-world farming scenarios.
- Interpret the role of biodiversity, soil health, pest management, and climate change in shaping agroecosystem resilience and productivity.
- Critically assess regenerative agriculture, integrated crop–livestock systems, and other emerging models in terms of ecological function, productivity, and equity.
- Examine how agricultural policy, power structures, and global inequalities influence food access, environmental outcomes, and farmer livelihoods.
Tentative Schedule
| Week | Date | Topic | Assignment | Materials |
| 1 | 18-Aug | Introduction to agroecology | Syllabus Agroecology - the next evolution in food systems | |
| 20-Aug | Introduction to agroecology | Read “The 10 Elements of Agroecology” | Intro Lecture: Agroecology What is agroecology? Knowledge test: Intro-Level Agroecology Kahoot | |
| 22-Aug | Introduction to agroecology | BB Assignment #1 | The 10 Elements of Agroecology Break out groups | |
| 2 | 25-Aug | History of Agriculture | Intro Lecture: History of Agriculture Mankind: The Story of All of Us: Birth of Farming Unveiling the Agricultural Revolution | |
| 27-Aug | History of Agriculture | Lecture: History of Agriculture | ||
| 29-Aug | History of Agriculture | BB Assignment #2 | Group Activity: Ag Across Eras | |
| 3 | 1-Sep | Labor Day Holiday | ||
| 3-Sep | Industrial vs. Agroecological Ag | Read Wezel et al., (2014) | Lecture: How industrial ag evolved Comparative Analysis Activity | |
| 5-Sep | Industrial vs. Agroecological Ag | BB Assignment #3 | ||
| 4 | 8-Sep | Sustainability & Agriculture | Read “The 3 Pillars of Sustainability” | Intro Lecture: Sustainable Agriculture The Story of Stuff |
| 10-Sep | Sustainability & Agriculture | Read Béné et al. (2022) | Lecture: The 3 Pillars of Sustainability In-class activity: “Pillar Mapping” | |
| 12-Sep | Sustainability & Agriculture | BB Assignment #4 | Béné et al. (2022) Reading Guide Activity | |
| 5 | 15-Sep | Farming Practices & Soil Health | Intro Lecture: Soil as a Living System "Dirt" A Documentary About Saving Our Soil | |
| 17-Sep | Farming Practices & Soil Health | Read Ch. 1 “Healthy Soils” SARE | Lecture: Agroecological Practices for Soil Management Kahoot Knowledge Check | |
| 19-Sep | Farming Practices & Soil Health | BB Assignment #5 | Reading discussion Breakout Groups: Soil Profile Cards Soil Demo | |
| 6 | 22-Sep | Biodiversity in Cropping Systems | Intro Lecture: Biodiversity Companion Planting VS. Interplanting Science-Based Companion Planting Combinations | |
| 24-Sep | Biodiversity in Cropping Systems | Read Altieri 1999 | Lecture: Biodiversity and Cropping Systems Assign Crop of Interest | |
| 26-Sep | Biodiversity in Cropping Systems | BB Assignment #6 | Reading Discussion Research Crop of Interest | |
| 7 | 29-Sep | Mega-Farms vs. Smallholder Systems | Intro Lecture: Scale in Agriculture GLOBAL vs LOCAL food systems How big agriculture is taking over our diets | |
| 1-Oct | Mega-Farms vs. Smallholder Systems | Lecture: Mega-Farms vs. Smallholder Systems | ||
| 3-Oct | Mega-Farms vs. Smallholder Systems | BB Assignment #7 | ||
| 8 | 6-Oct | Crop of Interest Presentations | ||
| 8-Oct | Crop of Interest Presentation Midterm Review | Kahoot Midterm Review | ||
| 10-Oct | Midterm Exam | Midterm Exam | ||
| 9 | 13-Oct | Fall Break | ||
| 15-Oct | Integrated Pest Management (IPM) | Lecture: Pest Management & the Environment Integrated Pest Management Do we really need pesticides? | ||
| 17-Oct | Integrated Pest Management (IPM) | BB Assignment #8 | Lecture: History of Significant Agricultural Pests IPM Scenario Group Activity | |
| 10 | 20-Oct | Regenerative Agriculture | Intro Lecture: Regenerative Agriculture Kiss the Ground | |
| 22-Oct | Regenerative Agriculture | Read Rhodes, 2017 (pgs 92-108) | Lecture: Regenerative Agriculture Kiss the Ground | |
| 24-Oct | Regenerative Agriculture | BB Assignment #9 | Regenerative Ag Activity | |
| 11 | 27-Oct | Climate Change & Agriculture | Intro Lecture: How Climate Change Affects Agriculture IPCC Sixth Assessment Report: Climate Change How climate change is making food insecurity worse | |
| 29-Oct | Climate Change & Agriculture | Read Aydinalp et al., 2008 | Lecture: Adaptation & Mitigation in Agriculture Calculate Your Carbon Footprint | |
| 31-Oct | Climate Change & Agriculture | BB Assignment #10 | Climate Change Case Study Group Activity | |
| 12 | 3-Nov | Agricultural Policy & Power | Intro Lecture: Ag Policy Farm Bill 101 What is the farm bill and why does it matter? | |
| 5-Nov | Agricultural Policy & Power | Read Chartampila et al., 2022 | Lecture: Ag Policy & Power Intro to Policy Scenarios | |
| 7-Nov | Agricultural Policy & Power | BB Assignment #11 | Policy Scenarios + Student Debate | |
| 13 | 10-Nov | Food Security & Equity in Agriculture | Intro Lecture: Food Security The Shocking Truth About Food Insecurity | |
| 12-Nov | Food Security & Equity in Agriculture | Read Dagunga et al., 2023 | Lecture Food Security & Equity in Agriculture | |
| 13-Nov | Food Security & Equity in Agriculture | BB Assignment # 12 | Reading Discussion Worksheet | |
| 14 | 17-Nov | The Future of Agriculture | Intro Lecture: Emerging Ag Technologies & Trends The Futuristic Farms That Will Feed the World Can we create the "perfect" farm? | |
| 19-Nov | The Future of Agriculture | Read Shilomboleni et al., 2025 | Lecture: Sustainable Ag Futures | |
| 21-Nov | The Future of Agriculture | BB Assignment #13 | Agricultural Technologies Worksheet | |
| 15 | 24-Nov | Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems | Lecture: Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems Small Group Activity: Design Your Own ICLS | |
| 26-Nov | Thanksgiving Break | |||
| 28-Nov | Thanksgiving Break | No BB Assignment | ||
| 16 | 1-Dec | Agroecological Research Methods | Lecture: Overview of Agroecological Research Methods Design an Agroecological Research Study Group Activity | |
| 3-Dec | Review for Final Exam | Kahoot Final Exam Review | ||
| 5-Dec | Final Exam | Final Exam (8:00-10:00AM) |
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
Plant-Based Crop Research Project – 50 points
Students will research a global or local agricultural crop and present their findings in a short (~10 minute) in-class presentation supported by visuals. The assignment includes
Part 1: Crop Basics
- Crop name (common and scientific)
- Environmental requirements (soil, temperature, water, etc.)
- Typical regions of cultivation
- Scale of production (small, large, or both)
Part 2: Sustainability & Agroecology
- Ecological/sustainability challenges
- Agroecological or sustainable practices to address them
- Role in cropping systems (e.g., intercropping, rotations)
- Contributions to biodiversity
Part 3: Economic & Social Dimensions
- Who grows it (smallholders, large farms, or both)
- Market scale and distribution
- Pros/cons for small farms
- Labor, equity, or land access concerns
Students must cite a minimum of five credible sources. Presentations should clearly explain the crop’s sustainability relevance.
Blackboard Discussion Assignments – 12 × 2.5 pts (30 points)
Each week, students will respond to prompts on Blackboard:
- Responses are worth 2.5 points each
- Responses should be complete, relevant, and thoughtful
- One “free skip” is permitted during the semester
Midterm Exam – 50 points
- Open-note, completed during class
- Covers material from Weeks 1–7
- May include short answer, multiple choice, and case application
Final Exam – 50 points
- Open-note, cumulative exam
- Administered during the final exam period
- Covers the entire semester’s content
In-Class Group Activities – 12 × 5 pts (60 points)
Throughout the semester, students will complete hands-on group activities designed to apply lecture and reading content.
- Each activity is worth 5 points
- Examples include simulations, debates, system design exercises, soil demos, and role-plays
- Participation and preparation are essential
The grading scale will be as follows:
| Assignment Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Plant-Based Crop Research Project | 50 |
| Blackboard Discussion Assignments (12 × 2.5 pts)* | 30 |
| Midterm Exam | 50 |
| Final Exam | 50 |
| In-Class Group Activities (12 × 5 pts) | 60 |
| Total | 240 |
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | ≥ 95.99% |
| A− | 95.98% – 91.00% |
| B+ | 90.99% – 88.00% |
| B | 87.99% – 85.00% |
| B− | 84.99% – 82.00% |
| C+ | 81.99% – 79.00% |
| C | 78.99% – 76.00% |
| C− | 75.99% – 72.00% |
| D+ | 71.99% – 69.00% |
| D | 68.99% – 65.00% |
| F | < 65.00% |
Instructor Course Policies
Regular attendance is expected and strongly encouraged in this course. While attendance is not graded directly, it is often required to participate in and earn points for in-class activities, group discussions, and other collaborative assignments. These cannot typically be made up outside of class.
If you must miss class due to illness, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstances, please notify me as soon as possible. In some cases, alternative arrangements may be made at the instructor’s discretion. However, frequent or unexcused absences may impact your ability to succeed in the course.
See the current Student Handbook for the college's Attendance Policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences.
All students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. This means submitting your own work, properly citing sources, and collaborating only when explicitly permitted. Acts of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating on exams, falsifying data, or unauthorized collaboration, will not be tolerated.
Any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include a zero on the assignment, failure in the course, or referral to the college’s academic conduct board. If you are ever unsure about what constitutes appropriate collaboration or citation, please ask before submitting your work.
See the current Student Handbook for the college's Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP25 Final Exam Schedule Graduate:
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Class Attendance Policy |
Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services
Wilmington College provides accommodations and services for student with a variety of disabilities, including chronic illnesses, psychological, physical, medical, learning, and sensory disability amongst others. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to contact:
Spencer Izor, Associate Vice President of Compliance - Title IX/ADA Coordinator at spencer.izor@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2365 or Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Manager at 937-481-2208 to learn more about the process and procedures for requesting accommodations, or by visiting College Hall Room 306a or the Robinson Communication Center, Room 103.
Religious Accommodations
Wilmington College strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths, and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.