Lesson Note on Pests of Crops: Meaning and Important Insect Pests for SS 2

Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS2)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 8
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Agricultural Science
Curriculum Theme: Crop Production
Previous Lesson: Disease Control: Meaning, Preventive and Control Measures.
Topic: Pests of crops
Subject Matter: Meaning of pest (organism that causes damage to crops), important insect pests of major crops (cereals: stem borer, army-worm, ear-worm, legumes: pod borer, aphids, sucking bugs, leaf beetle, beverages: cocoa myrids capsids)

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

• Define a crop pest.
• Identify important insect pests of major crops.
• State the damage caused by specific insect pests.

Affective Domain:

• Appreciate the importance of identifying pests for effective control.
• Develop an interest in practical agricultural activities.

Psychomotor Domain:

• Collect and safely preserve some insect pests.
• Describe the visible damage caused by different pests on crops.

Social Domain:

• Work collaboratively in groups to identify and discuss different pests.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
• State Unified Scheme of Work
• Essential Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools
• No specific links provided in input.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Insect collection bottles
• Pins and labels
• Pictures of common pests
• Hand lens

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand what crop pests are and the significant damage they cause to crops. Knowing how to identify common pests is important for farmers to protect their crops and ensure food security.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of crop cultivation and the general challenges faced by farmers.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Pests of Crops

Meaning of Pest

A pest is any organism that causes economic damage to crops, livestock, or humans. In agriculture, crop pests are organisms that interfere with the growth, yield, or quality of cultivated plants.

Examples of crop pests include:

• Insects (e.g., grasshoppers, aphids)
• Rodents (e.g., rats, mice)
• Birds (e.g., weaver birds)
• Nematodes (microscopic worms)
• Weeds (unwanted plants)

Important Insect Pests of Major Crops

Insect pests are a major challenge in crop production, causing significant losses. They can be grouped based on the crops they attack and the type of damage they inflict.

Pests of Cereals (e.g., Maize, Rice, Sorghum)

• Stem Borer: Larvae bore into the stems of cereal plants, causing wilting and stunted growth, often leading to a “dead heart” symptom.
• Army-worm: Caterpillars feed on the leaves of young cereal plants, leading to severe defoliation and reduced photosynthesis.
• Ear-worm (African Bollworm): Larvae feed on the developing grains within maize cobs or sorghum heads, causing direct yield loss.

Pests of Legumes (e.g., Cowpea, Groundnut, Beans)

• Pod Borer: Larvae bore into legume pods, feeding on the developing seeds and causing significant damage to the harvest.
• Aphids: Small, soft-bodied insects that suck sap from leaves and young shoots. They cause stunted growth, leaf curling, and can transmit viral diseases.
• Sucking Bugs: Feed on sap from pods and seeds, leading to shrivelled and poorly developed seeds.
• Leaf Beetle: Chews holes in the leaves, reducing the plant’s photosynthetic capacity.

Pests of Beverages (e.g., Cocoa)

• Cocoa Mirids (Capsids): Sucking insects that feed on young cocoa shoots, cherelles (young pods), and mature pods. They cause lesions, stunted growth, die-back of branches, and reduced yield.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to recall some common challenges farmers face in crop production.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by mentioning challenges such as diseases, poor soil fertility, and pests.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge to the new topic of crop pests.

Step 2: Meaning of Pest

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to define ‘pest’ by discussing organisms that cause damage to crops and differentiating them from beneficial organisms.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils define a pest as an organism that causes economic damage to crops and give examples.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the definition and scope of crop pests.

Step 3: Important Insect Pests of Major Crops

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Enumeration/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains and lists important insect pests of cereals, legumes, and beverages, showing pictures of these pests where available.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the pictures, and take notes on the different pests and the crops they attack.
Learning Point: Pupils identify various insect pests and the specific crops they commonly infest.

Step 4: Identification of Pests

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Recognition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays pictures of various pests and guides pupils to identify them based on their physical characteristics and typical damage signs.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively participate in identifying the pests and describing their features and the crops they affect.
Learning Point: Pupils improve their ability to visually identify common crop pests.

Step 5: Collection and Preservation of Insect Pests

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Practical Application
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to safely collect insect pests using collection bottles and how to preserve them with pins and labels for future study.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the demonstration and discuss the importance of proper collection and preservation techniques.
Learning Point: Pupils learn practical skills for collecting and preserving insect specimens.

Step 6: Discussion on Damage Caused by Pests

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Analysis
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher facilitates a discussion on the specific types of damage caused by the insect pests mentioned, using real-life examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils contribute to the discussion, describing the damage they have observed or learned about, such as defoliation, stunted growth, or damaged fruits.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the economic impact and specific damage caused by different pests.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Define a crop pest.
2. List three important insect pests of cereals and the damage they cause.
3. Mention two insect pests that attack legumes.
4. How can you identify cocoa mirids on a cocoa plant?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key learning points of the lesson on pests of crops and assigns homework for pupils to research pest control methods.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the assigned homework.
Learning Point: Reinforces learning and provides an opportunity for independent research.

Lesson Keywords

• Pest – An organism that causes economic damage to crops.
• Stem Borer – An insect pest that bores into the stems of cereal plants.
• Army-worm – A caterpillar pest that feeds on the leaves of cereal crops.
• Pod Borer – An insect pest that damages the pods and seeds of legumes.
• Aphids – Sucking insects that cause stunted growth and transmit diseases in legumes.
• Cocoa Mirids – Sucking insects that damage cocoa plants, causing lesions and die-back.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, they can be tasked with drawing and labeling some of the identified pests. For those needing more support, the teacher can provide simplified diagrams and more direct guidance during the identification and discussion segments.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Encourage pupils to bring in samples of damaged leaves or stems from their home gardens (if safe and accessible) to enhance practical learning. Emphasize safety precautions when handling any collected insect specimens.