Plants & Human Affairs - Introduction

Cycle	Date	Topic (chapter in text)	Lab (day 4)
I	Aug 31 (W)	Unit 1: Introduction - Course & Plants: Course & requirements; What is a plant?	Deciduous trees of Central Minnesota (systematic science) Due: signed Safety Contract; Deciduous tree Pre-Lab
	Sep 2 (F)	The Plant Way of Life; Botanical Science Survey due
	6 (T)	Unit 2: Science. Facts, philosophy and paradigms; Tom Jones; The Tomato Effect
II	8 (Th)	The scientific method(s)	Are leaves good predictors of climate? (model building science) Due: Leaf climate Pre-lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 1
	12 (M)	Dodo's & black snakeroot;
	14 (W)	Pseudoscience; Case Study: Crop Circles vs. Fairy Circles vs. UFO/Fairy Rings; Select Bogus Botany topic
III	16 (F)	Unit 3: Evolution. The evolution of evolution	Do Osage Oranges Repel Spiders? (hypothetico-deductive science) Due: Osage orange Pre-Lab; Climate Postlab *Deciduous Tree Quiz/PostLab*
	20 (T)	Natural selection
	22(Th)	More evolution; Evolution as fact & theory
IV	26 (M)	Evolution vs. creationism; Intelligent design?	Brine Shrimp Lab - includes field trip to collect samples, herbarium & collecting techniques, and tour of the Bailey Herbarium (H-D science) Due: Brine Shrimp Pre-Lab #1; Osage Orange Post-Lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 2
	28 (W)	Exam #1 (Intro - theory)
	30 (F)	Debate: Should creationism be taught in public schools?
V	Oct 4 (T)	Unit 4. Plant Reproductive Structures Flowers & sexual life cycle	Bogus Botany Poster Presentations Due: Poster (including summary paragraph & question); Poster Presentation Checklist; Topics
	6 (Th)	Fruits - structure & types
	10 (M)	Seeds - structures, types, dormancy, raising plants from seed
VI	12 (W)	Holiday Botany: Columbus Day (global impact, plant exploration, crop origins)	*Pod Size in Rapid cycling Brassica rapa* (RCBr)** (H-D & descriptive science) Due: Brine Shrimp Post-Lab #1; RCBr Pod Size Pre-Lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 3
	13-16	LONG WEEKEND
	18 (T)	Unit 5. Plant Vegetative Structures & Growth Vegetative structures - roots, stems, leaves
	20 (Th)	Wood
VII	24 (M)	Exam #2	Life Cycle of RCBr Due: RCBR Pod Size Post-Lab; RCBr Life cycle Pre-Lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 3
	26 (W)	Plant growth
	28 (F)	Halloween Botany - ergot, pumpkins, chocolate. Prizes awarded for coming to class with a botanical costume
VIII	Nov 1 (T)	Vegetative propagation	Pollen Analysis Lab: What's causing that allergy? (observational, H-D science) Due: Pollen Pre-Lab; RCBr Post-Lab #1 Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 4
	3 (Th)	Origins of agriculture
	7 (M)	Feeding a hungry world; Debate & Discussion: GMO's
IX	9 (W)	Unit 6. Economic Botany Biodynamic plants	Surface-to-volume ratios (model building & hypothetico-deductive science) Due: Pollen PostLab; S/V Pre-Lab
	11 (F)	Medicinal plants
	15 (T)	Psychoactive plants
X	17 (Th)	Poisonous plants	Using Brine Shrimp to Screen for Biological Activity (extract prep) Due: S/V Post-lab assignment; Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 5
	21 (M)	Exam #3
	23-27	Thanksgiving Holiday
	28 (M)	Cereals
XI	30 (W)	Legumes	More Brine Shrimp (assay) Due: RCBr Life Cycle journal & pods Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 6
	Dec 2 (F)	Non-alcoholic beverages (coffee, tea)
	6 (T)	Fermented products
XII	8 (Th)	Essential Oils - spices	Trees for the Christmas Season & Conifers of Central Minnesota (systematic & observational science) Due: Conifer Pre Lab; Brine shrimp Post-Lab #2
	12 (M)	Essential Oils - perfumes
	14 (W)	Holiday Botany: Christmas (mistletoe, mushrooms, trees)
	15 (Th)	Study Day
	19 (M)	Exam #4 (Final): 11:00 am -1:00 p.m.