Event Rules:

1. Participants will create an appropriate lesson plan that would be taught in one of the approved Agricultural Education courses in Indiana.

2. Your lesson topic should be selected from the Domain, Core Standard, and Standard of the approved Indiana Department of Education Career Pathway courses for Agriculture.

3. The content of the lesson plan is to be developed using the class standards currently posted on the Indiana FFA website. 

4. Registration and Lesson Submission:

• a. Each chapter may have a maximum of 2 members apply.
• b. The lesson plan will be created prior to the contest and MUST be submitted by the predetermined deadline posted on the Indiana FFA calendar (traditionally early May).
• c. Lesson plans and all supplemental materials will be turned in via Google Forms or equivalent secure. Form link will be sent via Ag Teacher listserve and posted online at www.inffa.org.
• d. Lesson plans will be evaluated, scored, and ranked. Individuals who submitted lesson plans that rank in the top twelve, thus, receiving the top twelve highest scores, will be asked to compete, in person, at the state contest at The Indiana State FFA Convention.
•           i. The top twelve individuals will be informed of their standing by the end of May.

5. The lesson plan itself will be the result of the members’ own work. Any lesson plan submitted that is found to be copied from the internet or plagiarized will be DISQUALIFIED!

• a. Lesson plan must use the template format found on www.inffa.org.
• b. Participants may use materials from curriculum sources (such as CASE or MyCAERT) including but not limited to PowerPoints, handouts, evaluations, etc. within their lesson/presentation, but the overall lesson must be their own work.
• c. Any resources used by the member or information gathered should be cited at the end of the lesson plan on a page in APA format.

6. Members should pay attention to the scorecard as a rubric of what the judges will be checking for and evaluating in the lesson plan itself.

Event Format:

1. Only the top 12 participants will advance to presentation round at state convention based on lesson plan scores.

• a. Lesson plan scores will carry over to final ranking.

2. Competing members will present to an ‘active class’ of 8-12 students.

• a. These ‘students’ are expected to participate in the presentation.
• b. A description of the ‘student’ expectations can be found in Appendix B.

3. Presentations Time Limits:

• a. Participant may choose any 15 minutes of their planned lesson to present.

• i. All presentations must include:
• 1. Introduction: 1-2 minutes that introduces the portion of the lesson to be presented; even if not presenting the very beginning of the planned lesson.
• 2. Conclusion: 1-2 minutes that concludes the presentation. May not be the final evaluation, but some conclusion must end the presentation.
• ii. Presentation introduction and conclusion may or may not specifically be outlined in written lesson plan.
• b. Presentation time will be a maximum of 15 minutes in length.
• i. Signals will be held up at 10 minutes and again at 13 minutes to alert presenter of time.
• ii. At 15 minutes, the timekeeper will announce time is up and the lesson will end.

4. Question Phase:

• a. At the conclusion of 15 minutes, there will be a maximum of 10 minutes allotted for six (6) questions from the judges.
• b. Timekeeper shall keep track of 10 minute question phase. At the conclusion of 10 minutes questions shall cease.
• i. If participant does not answer all six (6) questions because time expired, they shall not be evaluated for the questions and lose any connected points.
• c. Three (3) questions will be related to content presented by the member.
• i. Will be generated from entire lesson plan and presentation.
• d. Three (3) questions will be related to teaching pedagogy/methods.
• i. Will be generated prior to presentations.
• ii. Topics include, but are not limited to, overall teaching methods, classroom management, educational philosophy, accommodations, situational scenarios, etc.

5. Attire:

• a. Participants should be dressed in appropriate attire suitable for the lesson in which they are teaching.
• b. Official FFA Dress is always considered appropriate attire for this event.

6. Setup/Tear Down:

• a. Setup and tear down time should be completed as quickly and easily as possible (keep this in mind in planning activities and materials).
• b. Another member/agriculture instructor may assist in bringing materials in/out of the event room, but must leave during the presentation.
• c. Unless otherwise noted, participants can anticipate access to computer & projector and whiteboard available for presentations.
• i. All other materials, including expo markers, should be brought by participant.