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SPA - Specified Practical Activity

Over the two years of the course, each learner is required to complete and prepare reports on the specified practical activities which are included as learning outcomes in the specification. The reports will not be externally assessed, but must be available for inspection and retained until the end of the assessment process.

There is no particular method prescribed for these activities, which may be planned and carried out in small groups but must be reported on individually. These reports can be completed using any suitable media. The skills and understanding developed in these activities will prepare students for the individual investigative study.

The following videos have been highly recommended to Scoilnet by teachers and focus on the specified practical activities. These videos were created by Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science teachers in Ireland.

Soil
Crop
Animals

Demonstrate Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

Video by Mary O'Rourke

Video by Mary O'Rourke demonstrates the cation exchange capacity (CEC).

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below.

To Show Flocculation in Soil

Video by Alicia Shortt
Discover the meaning of flocculation and  cation exchange. Afterwards, discover how to show flocculation using a number of reagents on a soil sample and list the cations in order of effectiveness.

To Determine the pH of a Soil Sample

Video by Mary O'Rourke and PDST
Describe a test to determine the pH of a soil.

To Determine the Texture of a Soil Sample

Videos by Alicia Shortt
Learn how to determine the texture of a soil sample using three different methods;
- Using the hand method
- Using a soil sieve
- Using the sedimentation method

To Compare the Capillarity and infiltration Rate of a Compacted Soil and an Uncompacted Soil

Video by PDST

Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, external forces like gravity.  Learn how to investigate the capillarity in soils by watching one.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below.

 

 

To Determine the Organic Matter in Soil Sample

Video by Mary O'Rourke
Determine the % organic matter in a soil sample and convert that to organic carbon.

Hypothesis: Soil contains organic matter.

Prediction: If the soil is burned then the organic matter is removed.

Independent variable: Type of soil
Dependent variable: Loss in mass after burning.

To Isolate and Grow Bacteria from Clover Root Nodules

Video by Mary O'Rourke
Examine how to isolate and grow bacteria from clover root nodules.

Hypothesis: Clover contains nitrogen fixing bacteria in its root nodules.

Prediction: If an agar plate is streaked with contents of a clover nodule then bacteria will grow on the agar plate.

To Calculate the Percentage of Water Content of a Soil Sample

Video by Alicia Shortt
Discover how to calculate the percentage of water content of a soil sample.

Hypothesis: Different soil samples will have different percentages of water.

Prediction: If the soil sample has clay present then it will retain water and have a percentage water content higher than that of a sandy soil.

To Show the Activity of Earthworms in a Soil and Estimate the Number of Earthworms in a Pasture

Video by PDST

The activities of earthworms have an important role in the soil. The following video demonstrates the role of earthworms in the soil.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below.

To Compare the Uniformity of Certified and Uncertified Seed

Video by AgriAware and UCD
Discover how to compare plant uniformity of certified and uncertified seeds.

Hypothesis: Certified seeds will have a greater uniformity than uncertified seeds.

Prediction: If the certified seeds have a greater germination rate and smaller range in height than the uncertified seed then they will be more uniform.

To Compare Establishment for Grass with that of one other Crop

Designed for Ag Science students

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below to include the video in this section.

To Investigate the Botanical Composition of an Old Permanent Pasture or a New Ley

Video by PDST

Discover how to find the botanical composition of an old permanent pasture.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below.

To Investigate the Effect of Nutrients on the Growth of a Sample of Different Plants and Measure the Biomass of these Plants above and below Ground

Video by PDST

Learn how to investigate the effects of nutrients on the growth of a sample of different plants and to measure the biomass of these plants above and below ground.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below.

To Measure the Dry Matter (DM) Content of a Named Crop

Video by Mary O'Rourke

Learn how to measure the Dry Matter (DM) Content of a grass.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below to include the video in this section.

To Investigate the Complexity associated with the Genetic Inheritance of Traits by Hybridising Two Varieties to Determine the Rate of Transfer of the Required Trait (e.g. Petal Colour) to the Next Progeny

Designed by the PDST Ag Science team

Resource on the right relates to LO 3.3.2 (k) and shows an overview of the entire process from seed to seed using fast plants. Students may also choose to source a locally grown plant and carry out the hybridisation process themselves and would need to factor in a longer time line due the lifecycle of their chosen plant. The resource contains 4 embedded videos.

To Investigate the Quality of a Sample of Milk over Time

Designed for Ag Science students

Learn how to determine the hygiene quality of milk using resazurin.

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below to include the video in this section.

To Describe a Farm that they have Studied

Designed for Ag Science students

Describe a farm that they have studied in terms of:

  • farmyard layout (sketch) in which they identify and discuss potential hazards on the farm and how they may be managed
  • best layout practice, encompassing economic, health and safety, social, and environmental sustainability aspects

* If you have a new experimental video to share, please upload to Scoilnet or use the Scoilnet Contact Us below to include the video in this section.

Virtual Farmyard Tours

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