Content and Learning Objectives:
The Purpose and Goals of Aquaponics
Differentiate between aquaculture, hydroponics, and aquaponics.
List the main goals and purposes of aquaponics.
Describe how aquaponics works.
List the major components of an aquaponics system.
The Scientific Approach to Aquaponics
List the main scientific disciplines relating to each component of aquaponics systems.
Distinguish between examples of the application of mathematics in aquaponics.
Identify examples that demonstrate why a scientific approach to aquaponics is a worthy endeavor.
Scientific Reasoning and the Nature of Science
Define science.
Recognize the diversity among scientists.
List some characteristics common among scientists.
Identify the processes of scientific reasoning.
Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative data, observation and inference, and deductive and inductive reasoning.
Define and give examples of science, non-science, and pseudoscience.
Differentiate between basic and applied research.
The Scientific Method
Recognize the Scientific Method and its applications.
Differentiate between the common use of the term “theory” and a scientific theory.
List the main steps of the scientific method.
Define “hypothesis.”
Distinguish between the dependent and the independent variable.
Exponents and Logarithms
Calculate logarithms and exponents accurately.
Find the base in an equation for exponents by looking at patterns in numbers or graphs.
Differentiate between patterns of numbers that produce a J-shaped graph and a log graph.
Explain the algebraic relationships between pH and the hydrogen ion concentration.
Scientific Notation and Significant Numbers
Explain the importance of scientific notation and significant figures.
Define “significant figures.”
Write scientific notation.
Formulate ordinary notation from scientific notation.
Apply appropriate rules to determine the number of significant figures.
Apply appropriate rules to round numbers used for measurements.
Define “accuracy” and “precision.”
Compare exact and defined numbers.
The Metric System
Apply metric units according to their prefixes and bases.
Differentiate between units of length, mass, and volume.
Convert between metric units of the same unit type.
pH
Define acids, bases, and buffers.
Recall how pH is measured and expressed mathematically.
Recognize acidity and alkalinity.
Identify optimal pH levels for components of living systems, such as aquaponics.
Identify the result of a neutralization reaction involving an acid and a base.
The Role of Oxygen in Living Systems
Recognize the cellular role of oxygen in biological systems.
Determine why plants and animals need oxygen
Differentiate between dissolved oxygen (O2) in water and atmospheric oxygen.
Identify the factors that affect the behavior of dissolved O2 in water.
Determine how to influence or control the amount of dissolved O2 in an aquatic system to promote a healthy aquatic system.
Nutrients
Identify macronutrients and micronutrients.
Recognize the problems associated with excess nutrients.
Determine the sources of nutrient pollution.
Nitrogen Cycle
Identify nitrogen-fixing bacteria species.
Identify ammonia, ammonium, nitrites, nitrates, and their chemical reactions.
List factors that affect the pH of an aquaponics system and their impacts.
Food Borne Pathogens and Health Safety
Recognize the major concepts of food borne pathogens.
Determine why food safety concerns become critical.
Evaluate the importance of the identification of pathogens in an aquaponics.
Identify microbial threats to food safety.
Identify best practices in aquaponics farms to eliminate the sources of the pathogens.
Managing the FSCJ Aquaponic MiniFarm
Identify the main components of the aquaponics system used at FSCJ.
List the variables that are measured regularly in an aquaponics system.
Measure the important variables in an aquaponics system.
Recognize the weak points in an aquaponics system and areas that need to be checked to ensure proper function.
