Directorate: Curriculum FET

SUBJECT Agricultural technology Grade 10

TERM 1 Week 9 & 10
TOPIC Structural materials
LESSON At the end of this lesson you should be able to understand the following concepts:
OBJECTIVES • Types of wire, fences and wire mesh: - Sheep, Cattle and Game
• Types of wire: - Barbed wire, Binding wire and Galvanized steel wire
• Types of wire mesh: - Bonnox wire, Jackal wire and Chicken wire
• Components of a fence:
• Posts: types and uses
• Anchors and supports: types, uses and basic sketch
• Gates: Placement, erection and basic sketches

SOURCES Textbook-based resources

Agricultural Technology Learner's Book Grade 10:
INTRODUCTION  The purpose of this lesson is to cover content associated with structural materials for fencing.

CONCEPTS AND  The following method determines how the boundary fence is placed.
SKILLS The placement of a boundary fence is determined using beacons or boundary markers, which are placed in
position by a surveyor, to determine which area the farm covers according to the property rights in the
deeds registration office.

 The responsibility for the cost of erecting a boundary fence between two farms.
The two neighbors involved are each liable for half the cost.

 Seven requirements for suitable fencing material.

 Must stretch in a straight line
 Sturdy corner and anchor posts
 Poles and rafters must be upright
 Anchor posts not far apart
 Wire must be firmly attached to line posts
 Spars should divide spaces between adjacent poles proportionally

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  Do not use inferior material

 Here are some examples of how high fences should be.

 Sheep: 900 mm, 6 strands of barbed wire

 Large stock: 1200 mm, 6 strands of barbed wire
 Game: 2400 mm, 12 strands of barbed wire

 Another name for a predator-proof fence:

Jackal wire

 Name three types of corner posts.

Metal tube posts Concrete slab posts Rock posts

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  Three types of iron posts.

L-post Y-post H-pole

Three different types of droppers can be used. Name three types of iron droppers

 Iron droppers  H-profile

 Wire droppers  T-profile
 Wood dropper  V-profile

 Reasons why an iron post is preferred over a wooden post.

 It does not wear out
 It cannot burn
 Iron poles can be driven into the ground
 Insects cannot destroy iron poles

 Where are wooden posts preferred over iron posts?

 At the coast where iron easily rusts
 Salty areas
 Very soft sand or soil

 Wooden poles are mainly used for anchors in fences, but are prone to termites

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 to be attacked.

 Discuss whether the problem will be solved if the poles are painted with PVA, and
if not, give an effective alternative and give an example.

 No. Paint alone only protects the surface, and if the surface is broken, there is no further protection.
 PVA does not provide protection against termites or borer beetles.
 Poles are protected with creosote.

 Identify the type of wood you would use for a corner post if you were erecting a boundary fence and give an example.
Hardwood (Bark tree / Blue gum)

 The following three things can be used as an anchor.

 Rock or concrete block
 Treated wooden post
 Steel plate

 Make neat sketches of:

 Single post anchor

 Strut anchor

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 Why should anchor wires not extend to the outside of one of the corners of a fence, and how can you overcome this
problem?
 Animals can hurt themselves when they stumble over the wires.
 Use struts that extend down the fence.

 Make neat sketches that illustrate the two methods by which a gate can be placed in a fence.

 Opening
 Gate

 Make a neat sketch that illustrates how gates should be placed at a common corner of
four paddocks.

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  Name five types of wire netting, and their uses:

Hog wire, pig pens Chicken mesh, Barbed wire, border Jackal proof wire, Bonnox, cattle Hail netting,
chicken coops fences keep predators out pens birdcages,
vegetable
gardens

 Give another name for a pole anchor:

Deadman

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  Name three types of anchors
 Rock or concrete block
 Treated wooden pole
 Steel plate
ACTIVITIES / Teacher must work out activities on the given content and provide them to the learners
ASSESSMENT  Give another word for predator-proof fencing.
 Name three types of iron posts
 Why is an iron post preferred over a wooden post?
 Make a neat sketch with captions of a single post anchor.
 Name five types of wire mesh with their uses.
CONSOLIDATION  The lesson covered all the content as prescribed by the CAPS.
 The learners understand the content, concepts and concepts surrounding the structural materials for fences.
VALUES By studying this lesson, you should be able to:
 know and understand the concept Structural materials
 Learners must understand what is covered in the content in order to successfully answer questions and the use of the necessary
skills.
 Learners will be able to use the knowledge and skills as base for progression to the next week’s lesson.