Pre-planting activities in crop production

Agricultural Science – Primary 5

Term: First Term
Week: 3
Class Duration: 40 minutes
Subject Topic: Procedures for Crop Production
Sub-topic: Pre-planting Activities
Curriculum Focus: Nigerian National Curriculum
Learning Domain: Psychomotor, Cognitive, Affective

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✅ Learning Objectives (By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to):

1. Outline the step-by-step procedures for cultivating crops.

2. List and explain the major pre-planting activities.

3. Participate in pre-planting operations like clearing and tilling on the school farm.

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Keywords:

Crop cultivation, land clearing, tilling, planting, seed selection, school farm, hoe, rake, farm tools.

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Entry Behaviour:

Pupils have seen or helped their parents or neighbours on small farms or gardens.

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Set Induction (Class Story to Hook Attention):

“Children, have you ever watched Mama Nkechi prepare her garden behind the compound before planting okra and ugu? Before those green leaves wave at us, something serious must happen beneath the ground.”

Let pupils share personal stories or village scenes of farmers working before planting.

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Instructional Materials:

• Real or improvised farm tools (cutlass, hoe, rake)

• Pictures or videos of farmers working the soil

• Access to school farm space

• Sample seeds (e.g., maize, okra)

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CONTENT EXPLANATION – Pre-Planting Procedures for Crop Production

Farming doesn’t begin with planting — it begins with preparation. The soil must be ready. The farmer must plan. Let’s go step-by-step:

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1. Land Clearing

• Remove unwanted trees, grasses, and stones.

• Tools used: Cutlass, hoe.

• Purpose: To make space and prevent weeds from disturbing crops.

2. Tilling or Ploughing

• The soil is dug or turned over using hoes or tractors.

• Purpose: To loosen the soil and allow air, water, and roots to move freely.

3. Seed Selection

• Farmers choose the best, healthy, and disease-free seeds.

• Good seeds = better crops = more food!

4. Measuring and Marking

• Farmers mark rows or beds to plant seeds evenly.

• This prevents overcrowding and helps plants grow well.

5. Soil Enrichment (Optional)

• Adding manure or compost to improve soil fertility.

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Teacher-Pupil Interaction (Classroom Dialogue):

Teacher: “Chinedu, what will happen if we plant maize seeds in a land full of rocks and weeds?”
Chinedu: “They might not grow well, Aunty!”
Teacher: “Correct! That’s why we clear the land first. Who can name the tool used for clearing?”
Pupils: “Cutlass!”

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PRACTICAL ACTIVITY (Psychomotor Focus):

Take pupils to the school farm (or a designated sandy area).

• Pupils will:

  • Clear a small patch of land with cutlasses or hoes

  • Till the soil with simple tools

  • Practice placing seeds in marked rows

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✍ Evaluation Questions:

1. What is the first thing a farmer does before planting crops?

2. Mention two tools used in land preparation.

3. Why is seed selection important?

4. Name two pre-planting operations.

5. What is tilling, and why is it done?

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Assignment:

Draw and label 3 tools used for preparing the land before planting.
Then write a short paragraph about how your family or a neighbour prepares land for farming.

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Real-Life Application:

“Before you build a house, you must clear the land and lay a good foundation. Farming is the same. Preparation determines productivity.”

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✍ 15 Fill-in-the-Gaps Questions with Options (MCQs)

Instruction: Choose the correct option (a, b, c, or d) that best completes each sentence.

1. The process of preparing land before planting is called __________.
   a) harvesting
   b) pre-planting
   c) weeding
   d) watering
   ✅ Answer: b) pre-planting

2. One of the first steps in crop production is __________ the land.
   a) harvesting
   b) watering
   c) clearing
   d) cooking
   ✅ Answer: c) clearing

3. __________ is used to cut down weeds and small trees.
   a) Spoon
   b) Cutlass
   c) Pencil
   d) Cup
   ✅ Answer: b) Cutlass

4. Tilling helps to __________ the soil.
   a) destroy
   b) loosen
   c) harden
   d) cement
   ✅ Answer: b) loosen

5. Good seed selection leads to __________ crops.
   a) poor
   b) weak
   c) strong
   d) dead
   ✅ Answer: c) strong

6. __________ helps in killing weeds before planting.
   a) Seed selection
   b) Watering
   c) Land clearing
   d) Harvesting
   ✅ Answer: c) Land clearing

7. A tool used for digging and turning the soil is a __________.
   a) fork
   b) hoe
   c) broom
   d) plate
   ✅ Answer: b) hoe

8. The best seeds are usually __________ and disease-free.
   a) old
   b) dry
   c) healthy
   d) cracked
   ✅ Answer: c) healthy

9. Farmers prepare the land __________ they plant.
   a) after
   b) before
   c) during
   d) when eating
   ✅ Answer: b) before

10. __________ is not a pre-planting operation.
    a) Tilling
    b) Seed selection
    c) Cooking
    d) Land clearing
    ✅ Answer: c) Cooking

11. Rows are marked before planting to avoid __________.
    a) spacing
    b) beauty
    c) overcrowding
    d) noise
    ✅ Answer: c) overcrowding

12. The area where crops are planted is called the __________.
    a) market
    b) road
    c) farm
    d) kitchen
    ✅ Answer: c) farm

13. Before planting, the soil must be __________.
    a) cooked
    b) removed
    c) prepared
    d) burnt
    ✅ Answer: c) prepared

14. Another word for turning the soil is __________.
    a) singing
    b) tilling
    c) eating
    d) counting
    ✅ Answer: b) tilling

15. Manure is added to the soil to make it more __________.
    a) dry
    b) dirty
    c) fertile
    d) hot
    ✅ Answer: c) fertile

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❓ 10 FAQs – Pre-Planting Activities in Crop Production

For SEO and Parent/Teacher Engagement on the site:

1. What are pre-planting activities in farming?
   Pre-planting activities are the steps farmers take to prepare land before putting seeds in the soil.

2. Why is land clearing important before planting?
   It removes weeds, stones, and trees that may block crop growth.

3. What tools are used for tilling the soil?
   Common tools include the hoe, rake, and in large farms, tractors.

4. When should pre-planting activities be done?
   Before the rainy season or before sowing, depending on the crop.

5. How do I select good seeds for planting?
   Choose clean, healthy seeds without holes or signs of disease.

6. Is seed selection part of pre-planting operations?
   Yes, it’s a major step to ensure good crop yield.

7. Can pupils participate in pre-planting activities?
   Yes, under supervision, pupils can help clear land, till, and measure plots on a school farm.

8. What happens if we skip pre-planting steps?
   Crops may not grow well due to poor soil, weeds, or bad seed spacing.

9. Is soil testing part of pre-planting procedures?
   Yes, in more advanced settings, farmers test the soil before planting.

10. How can teachers demonstrate these steps in class?
    Use storytelling, real tools, videos, and practical activities in the school garden.

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10 Evaluation Questions – For Teacher Review or Class Discussion

1. Mention two tools used during land preparation.

2. What is the first thing a farmer must do before planting?

3. Why do farmers till the soil before planting?

4. What happens when we plant seeds without clearing the land?

5. What kind of seeds should farmers choose?

6. How does marking the land help farmers?

7. Explain the meaning of “pre-planting activities.”

8. Describe one real-life example of land clearing in your community.

9. Which tool would you use to break hard soil?

10. Why is preparing land important in crop production?