This teaching manual outlines a biology lesson plan about fertilizers. The lesson will introduce students to the two main types of fertilizers - biofertilizers and chemical fertilizers. Students will learn about their composition and effects through class activities and discussion. The major concept is that biofertilizers are essential and safe for maintaining soil fertility. Students will gain factual, conceptual, and procedural knowledge about fertilizers through recalling terms, recognizing relationships between fertilizer types, differentiating them, and understanding their importance for plant growth and cultivation.

1. TEACHING MANUAL
Name of the teacher : Shreeja Viswanathan Nair Std : VIII
Name of the School : St. Thomas English Medium School ,Kurampala Age:13
Name of the Subject : Biology Date:
Name of the unit : Agriculture a way of Life Time :45 Minute
CURRICULAR STATEMENT
Develops a different dimension of Knowledge, process skills towards the role of fertilizers in
soil and importance of biofertilizer through lecture method, group discussion, activities and
evaluation .
CONTENT ANALYSIS
New Terms Biofertilizer, chemical fertilizers, organic wastes, micro-organism
Facts 1) There are two types of fertilizer we widely use, biofertilizer and
chemical fertilizer.
2) There are certain elements necessary for plant growth.
3) These elements are obtained mainly from the soil, absorbed by
plants using their root system
4) Manuring the soil is important for cultivation.
5) Plants can easily absorb chemical fertilizers since they reach the soil
directly in the form of elements or compounds needed for them.
6) The microorganisms help in decomposition of plant and animal
wastes in the soil to form fertilizer
7) Biofertilizer are formed from organic wastes.
8) Fertilizer contain chemical elements for plant growth are called
chemical fertilizer.
9) Biofertilizer help to increase organic content, aeration, water
holding capacity of soil, microbial activity of soil etc.
10) Biofertilizer do not cause environmental pollution.
11) Microbial fertilizer are also bio-fertilizer.
12) Three types of microorganisms like nitrate dissolving
microbes, phosphate dissolving microbes and mycorrhiza are
commonly used in preparing microbial fertilizers.

2. Minor Concept 1)Fertilizer are essential for cultivation.
2) Action of chemical fertilizer in soil.
3) Action of bio-fertilizer in soil
4) Importance of biofertilizer.
Major Concept Biofertilizer is essential and safe for maintaining the fertility of soil
Learning
Outcome
Enables the pupil to develop ,
1) Factual knowledge on the fertilizers through,
a)recalling the new terms like biofertilizer,chemical fertilizer,organic
wastes
b) recognising the different type of fertilizer through the chart.
c) explaining the importance of different type of fertilizers.
2) Conceptual knowledge about the fertilizers through
a)recalling the different types of fertilizer
b) recognising the interrelationship of different fertilizers.
c)explaining the chemical fertilizer & biofertilizer
d)comparing the biofertilizer & chemical fertilizer
3)Procedural knowledge on the fertilizer through
a) differentiating the different types of fertilizers
4)Metacognitive knowledge on the fertilizers through
a) recognising the importance of different types of fertilizers.
5)Scientific attitude towards the importance of fertilizers
6)Different process skills like
a)observation of different type of fertilizer.
b) communication through presenting the group work.
Prerequisite The plant get elements needed for the growth is mainly from soil.
Teaching
learning aid
1) Chart showing the action of fertilizer on the school.
2) Text book
Class room Interaction Procedure Expectedpupil
response
Introduction
We all know the profit in agriculture is mainly depend on the yield
obtained
Activity-1
Teacher ask the students, what are the different types of fertilizers?
The type of fertilizer in your group and write in your science diary.
Pupil present their
discussion about the
type of fertilizer

3. DISCUSSION POINTS
1) There are mainly 2 types of fertilizers, chemical fertilizers and bio-fertilizers
2) Chemical fertilizers contain element that are necessary for the
growth of plants in easily absorbable form.
3) Bio-fertilizers are obtained from organic wastes of plants and
animals. It decomposes by the action of microorganisms and become
manure.
4) Important factors required for obtaining proper yield in a
cultivation
5) We all know, growing of good quality plants alone does’nt
necessarily produce good yield, plants require certain elements for
their proper growth and from where these elements are obtained?
6) Teacher correct the answer, plants got these necessary elements
mainly from soil
Therefore soil should be fertile enough and these fertility of the soil
can be maintained through proper manuring.
Activity – 2
Teacher displays a chart showing the action of biofertilizer and
chemical fertilizer and ask to discuss about it in group
Pupil give answer
good
climate,water,fertilizer
Pupil replies ,plant got
elements from
surroundings
Organic wastes
microorganism
Mineral salts
in the soil
Decay
Animals
plants
Application of chemical
fertilizers

4. DISCUSSION POINTS
1) Plants can easily absorb chemical fertilizers since they reach the
soil directly in the form of elements or compounds needed for them.
2) Organic wastes take more time to decompose and become mineral
salts. They need microbes for decomposition.
3) Biofertilizer is obtained through natural way of action. The most
Widely used biofertilizers are cowdung, poultry droppings, green
manures, oil cakes.
Activity -3
Teacher ask the students to list out the importance of using
biofertilizers compared to chemical fertilizer in their science diary by
discuss in group
DISCUSSION POINTS
1)When we add biological fertilizer to soil,the organic
content,aeration,water holding capacity of the soil etc increases.
2)Biofertilizer enhances microbial activity in the soil.
3)Biofertilizer is ecofriendly.
4) Cost of production of biofertilizer is low.
5) Chemical fertilizer destruct the natural composition and capacity of
the soil,decreases the microbial activity,increases environmental
pollution.
Chalk Board Summary
2 types fertilizer- Biofertilizer & chemical
fertilizer.
Widely used biofertilizer- cowdung, oil cakes,
green manures, poultry droppings
Review Question
1)What are biofertilizer?
2)What are the importance of biofertilizer compared to chemical fertilizer?
Follow up Activity
Prepare a report on the environmental problems caused by the excess use of fertilizer?