Introduction to Agriculture & Types of Agricultural Products

Grade 7 · General Science

Semester 2 | Period 6 | Week 31

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Subject: General Science

Semester: 2

Period: 6

Week: 31

School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: General Science
Grade Level: Grade 7
Date:
Week & Period: Week 31, Period 6
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: Introduction to Agriculture & Types of Agricultural Products
Sub-topic: Definition of Agriculture, Types of Agricultural Products, Kinds of Plants

Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

  1. Define agriculture.
  2. Differentiate between food crops and cash crops with examples from Liberia.
  3. Classify plants into annual, biennial, and perennial with local examples.

Previous Knowledge
Students already know:
• That farmers plant crops and rear animals for food.
• That Liberia exports crops like cocoa, rubber, and oil palm.

Instructional Materials
• Textbook: General Science textbooks for Grade 7
• Teaching aids: Flash cards, pictures of crops, real samples (yam, cassava, cocoa, maize), chart showing classification of plants
• Students’ notebooks and writing materials

Lesson Development – ABC Model

A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Activity: The teacher will ask the class:
• What crops do your parents or relatives grow in your community?
• Which of these crops are eaten at home and which ones are sold for money?
The teacher will record their responses on the board.
Teacher’s Role: Guide a short brainstorming session and correct misconceptions.
Learner’s Role:
• Share their existing ideas about farming in Liberia.
• Respond verbally and participate in warm-up discussion.

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes

Teacher’s Role (Expanded & Detailed)

  • Begin by explaining that agriculture is the science, art, and practice of cultivating crops and rearing animals for human use. Highlight that it is not only about farming but also about improving lives through food, jobs, and trade.
  • Use simple examples: “When a farmer plants rice or cassava to eat at home, that is agriculture. When another farmer plants cocoa or rubber to sell and earn money, that is also agriculture.”
  • Differentiate clearly between Food crops and Cash crops:
    • Food crops → Grown mainly for eating and feeding the local population. Examples: rice, cassava, yam, maize, vegetables (pepper, okra, potato greens).
    • Cash crops → Grown mainly for sale to make money or export. Examples: cocoa, coffee, rubber, oil palm, cotton.
  • Give Liberian context/examples:
    • Rice → “staple food of Liberia” (food crop).
    • Cassava → used to make gari, dumboy, fufu (food crop).
    • Rubber → Liberia’s biggest agricultural export (cash crop).
    • Cocoa and coffee → grown in Lofa, Bong, and Nimba counties (cash crops).
    • Oil palm → used to make palm oil, soap, and margarine (cash crop, also local use).
  • Move to three types of plants based on life cycle:
    • Annual plants → complete their life cycle (seed → plant → flower → fruit → die) within one year/season. Examples: rice, beans, maize, groundnut.
    • Biennial plants → take two years to complete their cycle. In the first year, they grow leaves and roots; in the second year, they flower, fruit, and die. Examples: carrot, cabbage, beetroot, onion.
    • Perennial plants → live and continue producing for many years (5, 10, even 50 years). Examples: cocoa, mango, rubber, orange, oil palm.
  • Stress importance: Knowing whether a crop is annual, biennial, or perennial helps farmers plan land use, crop rotation, and harvesting schedules.

 

Learners’ Activities (Expanded)

  • Listening & Note-Taking: Students copy definitions and examples in their notebooks.
  • Observation: Teacher shows real samples of crops (cassava tuber, rice grains, maize cob) or pictures/posters for recognition.
  • Group Activity 1: Students in small groups classify local Liberian crops into two categories: food crops and cash crops. They present on the board (e.g., “Group 1: Food crops → rice, yam, cassava; Cash crops → rubber, cocoa”).
  • Group Activity 2: Students are given a list of crops (maize, carrot, cocoa, cabbage, beans, rubber, onion, mango) and classify them into annual, biennial, and perennial.
  • Practical Link: Teacher can bring samples of seeds (rice, beans, maize) and fruits (mango, cocoa pod if available) for students to see and handle.

 

Assessment Checks (Expanded)

Teacher uses oral and written questions during the lesson:

  1. What is agriculture?
  2. State two food crops grown in Liberia.
  3. State two cash crops grown in Liberia.
  4. Into which category will you place maize? Why?
  5. Into which category will you place cocoa? Why?
  6. Differentiate between annual and perennial plants with examples.

 

Notes (Expanded & Detailed)

  • Agriculture is the science and practice of crop cultivation and animal rearing. It provides food for families and income for the nation.
  • Types of Agricultural Products:
    • Food crops (for eating): rice, cassava, yam, maize, vegetables.
    • Cash crops (for sale/export): rubber, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, cotton.
  • Types of Plants:
    • Annual → Complete life cycle in one year (rice, beans, maize).
    • Biennial → Complete life cycle in two years (carrot, cabbage, onion, beetroot).
    • Perennial → Live for many years and continue producing (cocoa, mango, rubber, oil palm).
  • Importance: Agriculture feeds the population, creates jobs, and earns Liberia foreign exchange through exports like rubber and cocoa.

 

Extra Assignments for Learners

  1. Write five food crops and five cash crops grown in Liberia.
  2. Classify the following crops into annual, biennial, or perennial: cassava, maize, onion, rubber, carrot, mango, beans, cocoa.
  3. Interview a local farmer in your community and find out which crops they grow and whether they are food crops or cash crops. Write a short report (½ page).
  4. Draw a simple chart comparing food crops and cash crops with examples.

 

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary:
• The teacher will ask the students to recall:
– The meaning of agriculture.
– Two differences between food crops and cash crops with examples.
– The three categories of plants with one example each.
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
• Exit slip/quiz: Students will write short answers to:

  1. Define agriculture.
  2. List two food crops and two cash crops in Liberia.
  3. Name one annual, one biennial, and one perennial plant.
    Teacher will collect and quickly review for understanding.
    • Provide oral feedback before class ends.

Assignment (Expanded):
Students will:
• Draw a table in their notebooks showing Food Crops vs Cash Crops with five examples each from Liberia.
• Write one paragraph on why agriculture is important to the Liberian economy.

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
• Struggling Learners: Use real-life farm products (cassava, maize, cocoa pod) for better understanding.
• Advanced Learners: Research and present how agriculture contributes to Liberia’s exports.
• Students with Disabilities: Provide large print images or allow oral participation instead of written tasks.

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
• What worked well? ______________________________________________________
• What needs improvement? _________________________________________________
• Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low