The BMS Agriscience Program
This program includes instruction and experiences in several areas of
the Agricultural Industry. The course is exploratory in nature but
integrates several academic areas such as science, math, biology and
social studies into its various topics. Most instruction occurs in the
following modules which were teacher designed for Blacksburg Middle
School: Animal Science, Plant Science, Soil Science, Ag Design, Food
Science, Aquaculture, Biotechnology and Maze Construction. In these
modules, students have the opportunity to raise calves, fish and mice,
design and conduct experiments, perform soil tests and fish tank water
tests, catch, weigh and measure fish, design and construct mouse mazes,
dehydrate foods and study food nutrition.
An 18'X40' greenhouse produces thousands of plants for student and
community use and also contains a 600 gallon fish tank. The tank not
only houses fish, but also, an aquaponics plant system which grows a
variety of vegetables and flowers using the fish water as the only
source of nutrients. Lawn mower safety, woodworking and the FFA
organization are also taught in this course.
Agriscience is a semester elective available to seventh and eighth
graders. A modified version of the semester course is offered to sixth
grade students.