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I. TITLE: Botany: Plant Form and Function

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A study of the evolution, anatomy/morphology, physiology, ecology, and diversity of plants and plant-like organisms. This course is intended for students with a strong high school biology background or a 100-level college biology course. Three hours of lecture and up to three hours of laboratory per week. (Each semester)

III. PURPOSE: This course will provide the intellectual framework for integration of plant-oriented concepts into the domestic and professional lives of students. Lectures will emphasize critical thinking, discussions and an interdisciplinary approach to science (Criteria 1, 3, and 5). Laboratories will emphasize inquiry-based learning, the use of computers to complete assignments, as well as oral and written presentation of results (Criteria 1, 4, and 6). Student projects and experiments will promote student engagement in and responsibility for learning (Criterion 2, 5 and 6). Botany encompasses the principles of biology related to plants. Principles are those facts and concepts that are common to the understanding of plants. Students will understand the scientific method used to discover knowledge. The fundamental concepts and ways of learning in many disciplines are related to the understanding of science and the scientific method. Global issues like the greenhouse effect, global climate change, deforestation, and other environmental issues emphasize the importance of botany to all citizens of the earth (Criteria 5 and 8).

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will learn how knowledge is obtained in science. They will generate, acquire and critique empirical data; use data analysis and data presentation software, as well as prepare and present written and oral reports (Criteria 5 and 6). They will learn the major groups of plants and gain an understanding of how plants convert sunlight into food upon which all life depends. The importance of cells, their function, how they reproduce, and make food for all organisms will be emphasized. Students will be able to understand basic ecological principles that determine how organisms survive, compete and dominate ecosystems; the relationship between soil and plant growth; and how both ancient and modern international societies depend on plants for existence.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE: (Instructors reserve the right to modify content outline.)
Ethnobotany (Medicinal plants, Agriculture)
Ecology (Ecosystems, Communities, Populations, Soils)
Anatomy (Leaves, Stems, Roots, and Flowers)
Morphology
Plant tissues
Plant cell biology (Cell division, components of the plant cell)
Plant biochemistry
Physiology
Genetics
DNA replication
Mutations
Fungi
Algae
Seedless non-vascular plants
Seedless vascular plants
Gymnosperms
Angiosperms
How living things are classified
Plant evolution

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Students will be assigned reading material in both lecture and lab throughout the semester. Individual and team projects will be assigned during laboratory (Criterion 3). The results of these projects will be presented in written format. Experimentation during lab will be ongoing throughout the semester. Some laboratory exercises will be computer assisted. Students must be able to use computer technology for these exercises (Criterion 6). High academic standards are maintained by experienced faculty who are aware of evolving standards in the field of plant science and who set challenging yet realistic goals (Criterion 2, 6 and 7).

VII. FIELD AND CLINICAL ACTlVITIES: Emphasis will be placed on the student actively pursuing a hands-on approach to problem solving and experimentation during the lab period. Plant diversity will be illustrated through travel to Hancock Biological Station and other sites.

VIII. RESOURCES:
a. Written: texts, instructor’s personal documents, library
b. Teaching assistants
c. Audio-visual: slides, videos, software
d. Microscopes
e. Green house/growth chambers
f. On-line: botany oriented World Wide Web
g. Electronic: in-lab student computers and software

IX. GRADING PROCEDURE: Graded assignments include written, oral and practical skill demonstrations. Examinations will be given in lecture on content, interpretation and application of knowledge.  Written assignments will emphasize concise, technical writing that will prepare the student to communicate with scientific peers and produce professional documents. Written assignments will also include poster preparation based upon inquiry-based activities performed in the laboratory.  Oral assignments will include short presentations of project results obtained from laboratory inquiry-based activities.  Skill demonstrations will emphasize ability to identify various living and preserved plants or plant parts. Lecture examinations will comprise 50%, reports, posters, oral presentations and skill exams will comprise 50% of the final grade.
Course grades will be assigned on the following scale: 90-100% = A; 80 - 89% = B; 70- 79% = C; 60 - 69% = D; below 60% = E.

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Each student is expected to be prompt and regular in class attendance. The instructor may excuse a student who has failed to attend on a particular day provided the work is made up satisfactorily. An instructor may set up an attendance policy for a class by so specifying in the course syllabus.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: Cheating, plagiarism (submitting another person’s work as one’s own, or doing work for another person which will receive academic credit) are all impermissible. This includes the use of unauthorized books, notebooks or other sources in order to secure or give help during an assignment, the unauthorized copying of examinations, assignments, reports or term papers, or the presentation of unacknowledged material as if it were your own work. If substantial evidence exists for violation of this policy, the student(s) involved will receive a grade of ‘E’ for the course and a written explanation of the violation will be included in their academic file and a copy sent to the Chair of your major department. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the academic discipline that the instructor administers in the course itself.

XII. TEXTS AND REFERENCES:
Lecture text: Raven & Johnson. 1999. Biology, 5th Edition. McGraw Hill Publ.

XIII. PREREQUISITES: None