Principles of Agriculture Semester 2

Enrollment Message

Available for August 2026 registration. Students need access to a webcam or video recording device.

Course Description

Principles of Agriculture Semester 2 builds on what you already know and challenges you to think like a real agribusiness leader. In this course, you explore how soil and fertilizer decisions affect crop production, how financial tools like balance sheets and loans support farm growth, how laws and government agencies impact agricultural operations, and how technology is transforming the future of food systems. You analyze real-world problems, make business decisions, and connect agriculture to the global economy. By the end of the semester, you won’t just understand how agriculture works — you’ll understand how it drives economic stability, sustainability, and innovation both locally and worldwide.

• Indiana Core40 Diploma Applicable through class of 2028
• Counts as a directed elective or elective all diplomas
• Indiana NEW Diploma Applicable for students entering school in 2025-26 (Class of 2029) 
• Fulfills an Elective Credit

Course Goals

Upon completion of the course, students will…

• explain how soil testing results guide fertilizer selection and nutrient management decisions.
• interpret N-P-K fertilizer labels to determine nutrient content and application purpose.
• analyze the economic impact of changes in supply and demand within agricultural markets.
• compare organizational structures based on liability, taxation, and growth potential.
• identify required financial documents for an agribusiness loan application.
• evaluate balance sheets and income statements to determine business financial health.
• describe the role of USDA agencies in supporting and regulating agriculture.
• assess how labor laws such as HOOA and OSHA influence farm operations and worker safety.
• apply financial concepts such as diversification or liquidity to risk management scenarios.
• examine how emerging technologies improve efficiency and sustainability in agriculture.
• illustrate how environmental factors such as pH and nutrient imbalance affect plant growth.
• determine appropriate fertilizer application methods based on soil and crop conditions.
• explain how agribusiness contributes to local and global economic stability.

Indiana Academic Standards

• Next Level Programs of Study Competencies

Units of Instruction

• Unit 1 Plant Production Systems Part II
• Unit 2 Agribusiness
• Unit 3 Global Economy Part I
• Unit 4 Global Economy Part II
• Unit 5 FFA

Grading/Evaluation

Indiana Online does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue transcripts or diplomas. A final score reported as a percentage of total points earned will be sent to students upon completion of a course. Your school of record can also access this score within the Student Information System, Genius. The final score will be shown as a percentage in Canvas and Genius. The student’s school of record will determine the letter grade based on their specific grading scale.

Students must complete at least 70% of the course and take all parts of the final exam(s) to have a score reported to their school of record. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a score of 0 reported to the school of record.

Assessments

Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, teacher-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments. The course includes the minimum number of assessments

• 8 Discussion
• 15 Assignments
• 7 Quizzes

The assessments for this asynchronous course are weighted as follows

Teacher Contact Response Time

Students can use email or the private message system within Genius or Canvas to access highly qualified teachers when they need teacher assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside Canvas. The Teacher Information page of their course may describe additional communication options.

The teacher will respond to student inquiries (email, text, call) within one business day. Assignments will be graded and posted within two business days.

Expectations for Academic Conduct 

Student Handbook 

It is your responsibility to read the student handbook to understand all aspects of taking an online course including expectations for academic conduct. Contact your teacher if you have any questions. 

Assistance for Students with Accommodations

Indiana Online supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged.

Technology

Technology Requirements 

Students are required to have a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Please review Indiana Online’s Technology Requirements.

Technical Skills Needed 

Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to

• download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
• download and install software
• use a messaging service similar to email
• communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
• open attachments shared in messages
• create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
• save a file as a .pdf
• copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
• insert images or links into a file
• search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
• work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
• activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
• use presentation and graphics programs
• follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
• use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
• create and maintain usernames and passwords

Technical Questions?  Please contact the Indiana Online Helpdesk.