11 Supervised Agricultural Experiences

Setting the Stage

As we look to examine the final ring of the three-circle model in school-based agricultural education (SBAE), take a few moments to read this teacher’s story about engaging students in Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs:

Every year it seems to get harder and harder. My students seem to be further removed from the ag industry and have little knowledge about how their food is produced. When I start my lessons on SAE at the beginning of each course, I continually worry about how I am going to find a meaningful program for each of my students. This past summer I had an opportunity to sit down and have an open and honest conversation with several other ag teachers and a teacher educator about my struggles with SAE in my classroom. Over the next hour, I learned that I was not alone but that each of us had different things that worked to engage some students. As I prepare to introduce SAE to a new group of students in a few weeks, I am excited for the first time to try something new.

Take some time to reflect on the story shared by this twenty-two-year veteran agriculture teacher and how she has continued to push herself to learn and try new ideas regardless of the struggles she has had in the past. While SAE can seem overwhelming, being an agriculture teacher is about providing experiences for students to grow and develop. If we never lose sight of this goal, there are no challenges that we cannot overcome in the classroom. Take a few moments before you continue to write down a few ways that you plan to overcome challenges and work to keep a positive outlook on your tenure in the agricultural education profession.

Introduction

As we begin to explore one of the experiential learning opportunities that students engage in while enrolled in a school-based agricultural education program, we must begin to investigate why students might benefit from these programs and how we as teachers can facilitate a learning environment where students feel safe to talk about the failures they experience. As teachers and members of society, we know that some of our most impactful learning experiences came from failures or struggles that we faced. One of the best ways we can authentically engage students in their own learning is through a project that is tailored to their personal interests and desires. Supervised Agricultural Experience programs provide students with authentic learning experiences that connect with personal interest areas with the vast agriculture, food, and natural resources system. Through this chapter, we will explore the history, benefits, struggles, and learning applications of Supervised Agricultural Experience programs within school-based agricultural education.

Overview of the Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs

What is SAE?

Agricultural educators across the United States utilize the principles of Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs to enhance the education quality and rigor of their programs. SAE is one of the core components of the three-circle agricultural education model that is used as the backbone of school-based agricultural education (SBAE). SAE is defined as “a planned and supervised program of experience-based learning activities that extend school-based instruction and enhance knowledge, skills, and awareness in agriculture and natural resources” (Barrick & Estepp, 2011). However, SAE participation has been continually decreasing over the past 50 years. To better understand the causes for this decrease, we must begin with how this teaching method came to be and the changes that have occurred over the past 110 years.

In 1908, Rufus Stimson was hired to serve as the director of Smith’s Agricultural School in Massachusetts, where he was responsible for the educational program and operation of the school’s farm (Stimson, 1915). During his time engaging with students, Stimson realized that there was a disconnect between the content being taught at the school and on the school farm and the student being able to transfer this knowledge to real-world issues taking place on their home farms. This phenomenon led Mr. Stimson to develop what he titled the project method, in which students engage in supervised programs of educational quality on their home farms to apply the content being taught in their classroom in real-world conditions. Over the years, the name of the program has been changed and renamed to meet the needs of the agricultural education profession, with the most recent name being Supervised Agricultural Experience. Due to the innovative nature of this teaching method, Stimson’s approach was incorporated in the passage of the Smith Hughes Act of 1917, requiring all students enrolled in agricultural education to conduct an SAE program as part of their instruction. Students were required to have a “directed or supervised practice of agriculture either on a farm provided for by the school or other farm, for at least six months per year” (US House of Representatives, 1917). The federal legislation required teachers to provide supervision of these projects and submit annual reports, while on a twelve-month employment contact (US House of Representatives, 1917).

Since then, several other pieces of federal legislation have been passed and adopted, starting with the Vocational Education Act of 1963. This federal legislation removed the mandate for students to engage in an SAE and changed the wording that SAE may be provided to all students as a part of their SBAE instruction. Finally, in 1968 an amendment was passed to the Vocational Education Act that stripped all language related to SAE from federal legislation. Since this time, the removal of the federal requirement has decreased the utilization of SAE within SBAE programs across the United States. Until recently, many states did not have legislation related to agricultural education. However, some states have begun passing legislation requiring students to be engaged in all three circles of the agricultural education three-circle model. For example, in April 2018, Georgia governor Nathan Deal signed into law the Green Agricultural Education Act, also known as Senate Bill 330. This act required that all students enrolled in an agricultural education course must be a member of the National FFA Organization and have an active SAE program as integral components of the course.

In addition to federal and state legislation, The National Council for Agricultural Education began an initiative in 2010 to rejuvenate SAE. The rejuvenation project was originally led by Dr. Kirby Barrick and examined the current status of SAE and suggestions for improvement to help SAE move into the twenty-first century. At the end of the initial work, lead to the development of sixteen tenants to SAE instruction and implementation (Barrick & Estepp, 2011). In 2018, this work led to the development of a new instructional strategy for SAE, SAE for All. Since 2018, this instructional technique has been slowly implemented across the United States.

SAE Development and Implementation

To help facilitate the growth of SAE in agricultural education, research has been conducted to examine the factors needed to develop and implement high-quality SAE programs for students regardless of their community demographics. Therefore, the following model was developed to help illustrate the necessary factors needed to ensure that SAE program development and implementation is successful. Five major factors emerged as essential components of the development and implementation process: (1) student-centered SAE programs, (2) committed teachers, (3) supporting surrounding “community,” (4) shared experiences, and (5) joint supervision (figure 11.1).

Student-Centered SAE Programs

When developing student SAE programs, teachers must always work with students to develop their areas of interest and career paths rather than focusing on the resources the student has access to at home or school. Once you have identified the student’s interest or career path, develop an idea for an SAE program that meets their goals and interests. Research has shown that this will increase a student’s engagement in SAE (Rubenstein, 2014). Student interest can be related to something that they are already engaged in at home or school, or it can be related to a new idea that needs to be fully developed from the ground up. Regardless of the student’s previous experience in agriculture, teachers have an opportunity to increase a student’s interest and literacy in the agriculture industry by developing a student’s SAE program on their interest rather than on their resources. Once the program is developed, a teacher should work with the individual students to help them secure resources available at school or through connections with community members around the community. Community involvement in the agriculture program and FFA chapter will increase by developing the SAE program in conjunction with the student, their parents, community members, and the teacher. This team approach to SAE development will lead to greater successes and additional resources being secured for all students in the program.

Within the classroom, teachers must be focused on student learning and ensuring that instructional time is addressing state instructional standards. SAE should be no different, students should actively be engaged in an SAE program that promotes learning for that student. Therefore, we must realize that all SAE programs must be developed to meet the specific needs of an individual student, not multiple students. By developing an SAE program specifically for one student, we can also use a variety of external influences to help build student engagement. One external influence that can increase student engagement in SAE is the use of the FFA degree and awards structure. While all SAE programs will not and should not fit a proficiency award area, their potential learning and engagement in SAE can help them grow within the FFA degree structure. By keeping a student’s SAE program focused on the student, teachers can greatly influence a student’s engagement and success within their chosen SAE program.

Committed Teachers

For SAE to be successful in any program, the agriculture teacher must be committed to using SAE within their classrooms. This begins by requiring all students to be engaged and ensuring that their SAE program is graded as part of their final grade in the course. While there is not an exact percentage that an SAE program should account for in the overall course grade, it has been found to be important that there are graded components and that participation is tracked by the teacher. Furthermore, a teacher’s instruction in SAE must begin within the first two weeks of the course to ensure that students begin the development and implementation process as early in the course as possible. During this instruction, teachers should ensure that students have adequate time to complete the graded portions and needed hours of engagement before the end of the course. During the development phase, teachers should encourage students to talk to their parents, community members, local employers, and extended family members to help in the generation of an SAE program topic. When developing an SAE topic and program, teachers should utilize a team approach to ensure that the student has a large support network. Many teachers have shared that having periodic check-ins throughout the course helps students remain accountable for their engagement in SAE. During each of these check-ins, teachers need to remain actively involved in the students SAE programs by giving feedback to their SAE assignments, journal entries, and student involvement in their respective SAE programs. By remaining actively engaged in the students SAE program, teachers can provide the needed support to community members, parents, employers, and the students who are involved in the SAE development and implementation team.

Supportive Surrounding “Community”

As discussed in the last section, a supportive team or “community” is essential to the development of an exemplary SAE program. This team consists of the agriculture teacher(s), student, parents, community members, employer, and any other individuals who have had a significant role in assisting the student with the SAE program. One of the most important individuals in this process is the parent. Many parents want to be actively involved in the student’s education experience; however, this sometimes is very difficult due to a lack of information provided to parents from teachers. Therefore, agriculture teachers must find a way to provide valuable SAE information to parents, so they are aware of the requirements of a student’s SAE program. To facilitate active parental involvement, teachers should host an SAE night or send home a packet of information that describes the SAE program and gives ways for parents to support the program from home. This information packet or presentation should include the basics but not be overwhelming to the parent. Furthermore, community members should be actively engaged in the SAE program. Through personal connections with various community members, teachers can have informal conversations with many of these individuals to ensure that they are aware of the requirements and fully understand their role in the program. Be sure to set clear expectations with community members so they do not overtake the SAE program. As a team, the student and their support system should develop a set of program goals that they will utilize to move the program forward each year. These goals should be achievable by the student and appropriate for the given SAE program.

Shared Expectations

In some situations, students may have had a sibling or parent that was actively involved in agricultural education and may have a preestablished SAE program that will meet the class and program expectations. Students who have this type of opportunity can typically build on what was completed prior to their enrollment in the SBAE program and continually improve the SAE program over time. In the best-case scenario, siblings can work together in their SAE program to share ideas and make joint decisions that will benefit their SAE program and learning. Beyond the students, teachers must work to ensure that the school administration has a firm understanding of what SAE is, which helps to ensure their support of this fundamental portion of SBAE. To do this, teachers should demonstrate how students learn, make essential decisions, apply classroom knowledge, and continually build an exemplary SAE program that enhances their engagement in the agriculture curriculum. For example: students can give a presentation to school administration about the SAE programs, administrators can come to the agriculture classroom during SAE workdays to learn more about student programs, or even have administrators accompany the agriculture teacher on supervisory visits to students SAE programs. These activities have been found to increase administrators support of SAE programs within their schools.

Finally, a teacher must develop a “culture” for SAE within the SBAE program. A culture for SAE is not developed overnight and will be difficult to build from the ground up. Teachers must establish a firm expectation that all students will engage in an SAE and that there are no exceptions. Agriculture teachers who have established a “culture” for SAE have found that student engagement in SAE has increased significantly and that students know before they enroll in an SBAE course that they will be required to complete an SAE program as a portion of the agriculture course. Teachers have reported that this can take up to five years to establish (Rubenstein, 2014); however, once this has been successfully implemented, student engagement in SAE was established much quicker in the agriculture course. SAE culture is possibly the most important factor that influences the development and implementation of exemplary SAE programs and the completion of these programs by all students enrolled in the agriculture course.

Joint Supervision

There are two forms of supervision in SAE programs: on-site supervision and in-class supervision. Both forms of supervision are accepted and needed to ensure that all students engage in an SAE program. Over the past fifty years, an agriculture teachers’ time has become stretched thinner and thinner so that they can accomplish more tasks than ever before, but in the same amount of time. Therefore, it is not expected that the same supervisory expectations for a teacher who taught fifty total students can be expected for a teacher who can now teach up to two hundred. Supervisory roles have changed, and need to continue to change and evolve, to meet the needs of both the student and the teacher. Therefore, it is recommended that all students receive in-class supervision through SAE workdays. These workdays should be completed at least every other week for approximately fifteen minutes to ensure that students are updating their records and that they have time to share concerns or issues about their SAE programs with their peers or teacher. During this time, the teacher should try to talk with students about their SAE program and to help answer any questions or concerns they may have to ensure their continued success. For situations where a simple answer will not suffice or the teacher does not have enough information to answer the question, an on-site supervisory visit is needed. An on-site supervisory visit should be scheduled with the student and their parents and/or employer prior to the teacher’s arrival. During the visit, the teacher should observe the student engaging in their SAE and then have adequate time to ask questions and provide the needed advice. This should also include time for the teacher to explain more about an SAE program with parents or employers to ensure they are adequately prepared to support the student in this vital learning environment.

Developing Student SAE Programs

When developing an SAE program, students must develop a program that fits their interests. While resources to conduct the SAE program are important, a student’s interest in the program content is vital for the longevity of the program. As a part of the development process, parents and teachers must play an active role to help students create a program that is applicable and manageable. Students can have high or low aspirations when it comes to an SAE program; therefore, it is vital that the decision is not made solely by the student without any counsel from other adults. To assist students in the development process, Rubenstein and Thoron (2013) developed the SAE Dichotomous Key to help students think more about their personal interests in agricultural content areas, rather than their available resources. Rubenstein et al. (2022) redeveloped the instrument to meet the growing needs of the SAE for All program categories (see figures 11.2a-g).

Teachers should have students complete the dichotomous key independently. Unlike a traditional dichotomous key, there are multiple correct answers for a student on the SAE Dichotomous Key. Students should move through each possible question to determine whether they have a possible interest in each of the potential SAE programmatic categories. Once a student has selected all the programmatic categories of interest, students should begin to look at examples of different SAE programs that fit with in that SAE area. This activity can help many students develop a personalized SAE program that meets both their interests and available resources.

Fundamental SAE Components

SAE programs have withstood the test of time since it is the one area where agricultural education differentiates itself from other content areas with Career and Technical Education and core subject areas. When developing student SAE programs, teachers must ensure that the following fundamental components have been incorporated into every student’s SAE program:

1. Ag Related: This might be one of the most controversial topics when it comes to SAE program development. The definition of ag related SAE programs varies from person to person. However, SAE programs must have students engaged in developing or enhancing a skill through direct interaction with a facet of the agricultural industry. For example, babysitting a farmer’s children is NOT an SAE program whereas working in the local grocery store would be an SAE program.
2. Interest Related: As discussed earlier in the chapter, all SAE programs must be based on the student’s interest in the topic to ensure the student’s continual engagement in the SAE program. Even if the student isn’t planning to pursue an agricultural career, students will have interests in different sectors of the agricultural industry. Teachers should work to assist students in finding their personal interests in agriculture.
3. Necessary Resources: To properly conduct an SAE program, various resources will need to be secured by the student. Teachers should work diligently to develop a network of supports to help facilitate students’ ability to acquire the necessary resources to successfully engage in their SAE program. While it is not the sole responsibility of the parent or teacher to identify and locate each of the necessary resources, each program partner should work together to help as needed in the process.
4. Financial Management: Most SAE programs will involve a monetary component to purchase needed resources or financial gains. As a part of the SAE program, the student must be able to keep records of all financial management decisions. Teachers should help students identify the best financial management system for a student’s program.
5. SAE Decisions: Most important of all, students must keep records on the decisions they make during their SAE programs. These decisions include purchasing new equipment for an enterprise, selling an animal, hiring a new employee, firing an employee, adding more homes to a lawn care business, and so forth. This must be recorded in a place that can be easily accessible to the student.

SAE Program Categories

Based on what a student is doing in their SAE program, they will need to select an SAE program category for their SAE program. Each program area will have different record keeping needs. For example: financial records will need to be kept for an entrepreneurship, placement, research, and school-based enterprise program, but financial records would not be necessary in a service-learning SAE program. Based on the student’s program, teachers must help the student identify the correct category to ensure that they have all the necessary records for their SAE program, particularly if the student decides to apply for a degree or proficiency award within the National FFA Organization. Depending on the state in which you reside, different SAE program categories may be accepted by your State FFA staff. Below each of the SAE program categories in SAE for All will be described.

• Entrepreneurship: Students who conduct an entrepreneurship SAE own and operate their own business enterprise (this also includes show animals). Students will be responsible for acquiring the appropriate resources to operate their business and should provide the teacher with a business plan. The business plan should include the goods or services the student will provide to customers, a projected budget, and a marketing plan to solicit business. Teachers and parents will provide most of the supervision in this program.
• Placement: Students who conduct a placement SAE are engaged in some form of employment (paid or unpaid). During a placement SAE program, students will be given a list of job responsibilities, from the employer, that they must complete. These tasks should be agreed upon by the student and the employer, normally the teacher will only receive a list of the responsibilities from the student. Teachers and the employer should provide supervision, while the employer would provide all performance evaluations.
• Research: Students who conduct a research SAE program will utilize the scientific process to investigate phenomena within the agricultural industry. Students will typically work closely with their agriculture teacher, a college professor, or a specialist within their research area. Most times, students will need to secure lab space at the school to conduct their experiments and record their scientific data. During this SAE, the teacher and/or supervisor will provide much of the supervision.
• School-Based Enterprise: Students who conduct a school-based enterprise SAE program will engage in operating a business from the school. In many cases, school-based enterprises will require multiple students to work together on this SAE. Teachers should select one student to have a supervisory role, the supervisor should have experience working in this SAE and work closely with the agriculture teacher to make decisions regarding the enterprise. During this SAE the teacher will provide the supervision.
• Service Learning: Students who conduct a service-learning SAE program will work as an individual or with other students to conduct service projects the benefit local organizations or community. Teachers should be able to share names of possible organizations that may have service project needs within the local community. Teachers will provide much of the supervision for this SAE category.

SAE Supervision

The supervision of SAE programs historically fell solely on the agriculture teacher, which was mandated through the Smith Hughes Act of 1917. However, since the passage of the Vocational Education Act of 1963 and the subsequent amendment in 1968, supervision responsibilities have fallen on individuals other than the agricultural education teacher. These individuals include, but are not limited to, parents, community members, extension agents, employers, and even extended family members. Due to this shift in supervision responsibilities, it is important for the agriculture teacher to provide detailed instructions on the role of a supervisor in a student’s SAE program. This information can be shared with supervisors through a written document or an in-person or online training session. Each agriculture teacher should determine the best approach for their individual communities.

Supervision of SAE can be conducted through two means: in person or in class. In-person supervision can be conducted by any program partner working with the student on their SAE program. During an in-person SAE visit, the supervisor should do the following things to help ensure the SAE is operating smoothly: watch the student engage in their SAE program, take pictures of the student engaged in their SAE, meet with the student and parent to answer questions, provide details to the parent about the SAE program requirements, and provide advice to the student regarding the progress of their SAE. When planning for an in-person supervisory visit, the teacher or program partner should always schedule a time with the student and their parents, a supervisory visit should never be a surprise. Most supervisory visits last forty-five minutes to an hour to ensure that the supervisor has adequate time to work with the student and their parents on their SAE program. Finally, any advice that is given to the student should always be based on science and previous experience. Teachers and program partners that do not have experience in the specific content area of the SAE should refrain from providing advice that will adversely affect the outcome of the SAE program, as this may lead to issues between the student or parent and the agricultural education program.

The second form of SAE supervision is in-class supervision. As noted earlier in the chapter, in-class supervision should be conducted during SAE work times that are provided to students on a biweekly basis. During these supervisory visits, students should be permitted to engage in conversation with other students who have similar SAE programs. During these conversations, the agriculture teacher should be readily available to answer questions and provide advice regarding specific issues that are occurring in a student’s SAE program. From these supervisory visits, agriculture teachers can make informed decisions regarding which students require on-site supervisory visits. Use this time with students wisely to have them update records, prepare FFA applications, and engage in meaningful conversation regarding the progress or issues occurring within their chosen SAE programs.

Grading SAE Programs

All SAE programs should have a graded component to them, as they are an essential part of the three-circle model of school-based agricultural education. While there is not prescribed way as to how often an SAE program should be evaluated or what requirements should be examined, the agriculture teachers should create a plan and rubric that sets clear expectations for students within the SBAE program. This plan and rubric should be shared with students at the beginning of school and SAE programs should be evaluated more than one time through the course. The weight of this grade varies by teacher and should be agreed upon all teachers in an SBAE program. If teaching in a multiteacher program, all agriculture teachers in the SBAE program should meet each year to determine how SAE programs are going to be evaluated to ensure that all students have a similar experience and requirement regardless of who their teacher is that school year. These similar expectations and experiences will lead to a development of an SAE culture within the school and directly affect a student’s willingness to participate in an SAE program in future years.

Connection to FFA

While an award in FFA should never be the primary way that an SAE is introduced to students, it can support the rationale as to why engagement in an SAE program is vital for all students in an SBAE program. Within the National FFA Organization, there are several ways that an SAE program can benefit a member. First, students must have a high-quality SAE program in order to earn the various degrees that are awarded through the organization. Each degree increases the SAE engagement requirements, encouraging students to engage in their SAE at a higher level each year that they are enrolled in the SBAE program. Furthermore, for students with exemplary SAE programs, the National FFA Proficiency Award Program allows for students to be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments within their SAE program. These awards are given in nearly fifty areas each year to recognize the specialized skills students have developed through involvement in their SAE program (National FFA Organization, 2023). As stated earlier, the National FFA awards programs or degrees should not be the sole reason for a student to engage in or design a specific SAE program; however, these opportunities can and should provide additional incentive for students to become actively engaged in their SAE programs.

Figure Descriptions

Figure 11.1: School personnel, agriculture teachers, students, parents, and community members all contribute to the development of exemplary supervised agricultural experience programs. The following 5 things also contribute. (1) Student-centered SAE programs. This includes student/career interest focus, utilization of school resources, specialized program for each student, student learning centered, and external FFA influence. (2) Committed teachers. This includes early instruction of SAE, required SAE programs, team approach to SAE development, utilize concrete examples, actively involved teachers, and SAE grade in courses. (3) Supportive surrounding community. This includes parental involvement in SAE, community member support, supportive parents, and guiding program goals. (4) Shared expectations. This includes supportive school administration, sibling prior involvement in SAE, and culture for SAE. (5) Joint supervision. This includes in-class supervision and on-site supervision. Jump to figure 11.1.

Figure 11.2a: Flow chart. Do you have an idea for an SAE? If yes, either (1) It is agriculturally related. Describe your project on a separate sheet of paper; or (2) It is not agriculturally related. Return to the original question and select no. If you select “no” for the question “Do you have an idea for an SAE?”, there are 6 subsequent boxes with answers to choose from. They are (1) I enjoy working with tools, equipment, and technology, (2) I enjoy spending time outside in natural environments and with wildlife, (3) I enjoy working with animals (small, large, and pocket pets), (4) I enjoy working with plants, (5) I enjoy making foods, and (6) I enjoy working with people. Each of these options are expanded on in the following 6 figures. Jump to figure 11.2a.

Figure 11.2b: Flow chart. You enjoy working with tools, equipment, and technology. If you have the ability to purchase and use your own equipment, tools, and technology, then the outcome is Power System Entrepreneurship. If you have the ability to start your own business using your tools, equipment, and technology, then the outcome is Power System Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to purchase your own tools, equipment, and technology AND you have the ability to work for someone that owns their own tools, equipment, and technology for their business, then the outcome is Power System Placement. If you do not have the ability to purchase your own tools, equipment, and technology AND you are interested in knowing more about how they are utilized, there are three options: (1) If you are interested in learning more about the tools, technology, and equipment used in agriculture to assist in the community, then the outcome is Power System Service Learning; (2) If you are interested in learning more about the tools, technology, and equipment that we use in agriculture today, then the outcome is Power System School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you are interested in conducting research using the scientific method to create better tools, technology, and equipment in agriculture, then the outcome is Power System Research. Jump to figure 11.2b.

Figure 11.2c: Flow chart. You enjoy spending time outside in natural environments and with wildlife. If you have the ability to provide the resources necessary to work in the natural environment and with wildlife, then the outcome is Environmental Science Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to provide the resources necessary to work in the natural environment and with wildlife AND you have the ability to work for someone that owns a business working in the natural environment and wildlife, then the outcome is Environmental Science Placement. If you do not have the ability to provide the resources necessary to work in the natural environment and with wildlife AND you are interested in knowing more about it, there are three options: (1) If you are interested in providing assistance to the local community for the natural environment and wildlife, then the outcome is Environmental Science Service Learning; (2) If you are interested in learning more about the natural environment and wildlife, then the outcome is Environmental Science School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you are interesting in conducting research using the scientific method to improve our interactions with the natural environment and wildlife, then the outcome is Environmental Science Research. Jump to figure 11.2c.

Figure 11.2d: Flow chart. You enjoy working with animals (small, large, and pocket pets). If you have the ability to start your own business working with animals, the outcome is Animal Science Entrepreneurship. If you have the ability to keep your own animals, the outcome is Animal Science Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to keep your own animals AND you have the ability to have a job working with animals, the outcome is Animal Science Placement. If you do not have the ability to keep your own animals AND you are interested in knowing more about animals, there are three options: (1) If you want to provide opportunities with animals for those in the local community, then the outcome is Animal Science Service Learning; (2) If you want to learn new information about animals while operating a business, then the outcome is Animal Science School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you enjoy working through the scientific method and finding mew information about animals, then the outcome is Animal Science Research. Jump to figure 11.2d.

Figure 11.2e: Flow chart. You enjoy working with plants. If you have the ability to start your own business growing and selling plants or row crops, then the outcome is Plant Science Entrepreneurship. If you have the ability to have your own garden, nursery, crop field, orchard, or greenhouse, then the outcome is Plant Science Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to have your own garden, nursery, crop field, orchard, or greenhouse AND you have the ability to have a job working with plants in landscaping, sales, nursery, etc., then the outcome is plant Science Placement. If you do not have the ability to own your own garden, nursery, crop field, orchard, or greenhouse AND you are interested in knowing more about plants, then there are three options: (1) If you want to provide information to the community about plants, then the outcome is Plant Science Service Learning; (2) If you want to learn new information about plants while operating a business within the school, then the outcome is Plant Science School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you enjoy working through the scientific method and finding new information about plants, then the outcome is Plant Science Research. Jump to figure 11.2e.

Figure 11.2f: Flow chart. You enjoy making foods. If you have the ability to own your own equipment to produce and sell products, then the outcome is Food Products and Processes Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to use your own equipment to produce and sell food products AND you have the ability to work for someone producing, selling, or serving food products, then the outcome is Food Products and Processes Placement. If you do not have the ability to use your own equipment to produce and sell food products AND you are interested in knowing more about food products and processes, then there are three options: (1) If you want to provide food products for the local community, then the outcome is Food Products and Processes Service Learning; (2) If you are interested in learning more about food products and processes, then the outcome is Food Products and Processes School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you are interested in conducting research using the scientific method to improve food products and processes, then the outcome is Food Products and Processes Research. Jump to figure 11.2f.

Figure 11.2g: Flow chart. You enjoy working with people. If you have the ability to purchase your own equipment that would be used to interact and communicate with people (computer, software, etc.), then the outcome is Social System Entrepreneurship. If you do not have the ability to purchase your own equipment that would be used to interact and communicate with people AND you have the ability to work for someone that interacts and communicates with people (teacher, graphic designer, journalist, etc.), then the outcome is Social System Placement. If you do not have the ability to purchase your own equipment that would be used to interact and communicate with people AND you would like to know more about how to effectively communicate and interact with people, then there are three options: (1) If you are interested in working with the local community, then the outcome is Social System Service Learning; (2) If you are interested in learning more about how people communicate and interact, then the outcome is Social System School-Based Enterprise; (3) If you are interested in conducting research using the scientific method to better understand how people communicate and interact, then the outcome is Social System Research. Jump to figure 11.2g.

Figure References

Figure 11.1: Model for the Development and Implementation of Exemplary Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs. Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Exemplary supervised agricultural experience programs in rural secondary schools,” 2014.

Figure 11.2a: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 1). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2b: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 2). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2c: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 3). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2d: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 4). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2e: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 5). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2f: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 6). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

Figure 11.2g: The SAE Dichotomous Key (part 7). Kindred Grey. 2023. CC BY 4.0. Adapted from Eric D. Rubenstein, “Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key,” 2022.

References 

Barrick, R. K., & Estepp, C. M. (2011). Experience programs in agriscience education: From projects to SAEPs and beyond. Agricultural Education Magazine, 83(4), 26–27.

National FFA Organization. (2023). Agricultural Proficiency Awards. National FFA Organization. https://www.ffa.org/participate/awards/proficiencies/

US House of Representatives. (1917). Annual report of the federal board for vocational education. Government Printing Office.

Rubenstein, E. D. (2014). Exemplary supervised agricultural experience programs in rural secondary schools [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Florida.

Rubenstein, E. D., Scott, J. D., & Thoron, A. C. (2022, May 16-19). Updating the essentials: SAE for all through a dichotomous key. Poster presented at the 2022 National AAAE Conference in Oklahoma City, OK.

Rubenstein, E. D., & Thoron, A. C. (2013, May). A dichotomous key: Helping students find their path in SAE. Proceedings of the 2013 National Agricultural Education AAAE Research Conference, Columbus, OH, 7-10. http://aaaeonline.org/uploads/allconferences/5-16-2013_464_2013AAAE_PosterProceedings.pdf

Stimson, R. W. (1915). The Massachusetts home project plan for vocational agricultural education. The School Review, 23(7), 474–478. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1076877