Plants & Human Affairs - Introduction

Cycle	Date	Topic (chapter in text)	Lab (day 2)
I	Aug 28 (Th)	Unit 1: Introduction. Course & requirements; The importance of plants. Asking questions.	Deciduous trees & shrubs of Central Minnesota (systematic science) Due: signed Safety Contract;
	Sep 1 (M)	Plant blindness? The Plant Way of Life - What is a plant? (Ch intro, 5 & 6; online notes, pp 16-22; Wandersee & Hershey articles)
	3 (W)	More plant way
II	5 (F)	Are plants intelligent? (Trewevas, etc. articles)	Are leaves good predictors of climate? (model building science) Due: Tree post-lab exercise; Leaf climate Pre-lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 1
	9 (T)	Unit 2: Science. Facts, philosophy and paradigms; Tom Jones; The Tomato Effect
	11 (Th)	The scientific method(s); Botanical Science Survey
III	15 (M)	"Roses" - Special guest lecture by B Woodard	Field trip: Munsinger & Clemens Gardens, St. Cloud Due: Leaf climate post-lab exercise
	17 (W)	Dodo's & black snakeroot
	19 (F)	Pseudoscience; Case Study: Crop Circles vs. Fairy Circles vs. UFO/Fairy Rings
IV	23 (T)	Exam #1 (Intro - pseudoscience)	Do Osage Oranges Repel Spiders? (hypothetico-deductive science) Due: Osage orange Pre-Lab; Deciduous Tree Quiz/PostLab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 2
	24 (W)	Heritage Day - "Sustainable foods for the family table"
	26 (F)	Unit 3: Evolution. The evolution of evolution (NAS book)
	30 (T)	Natural selection
V	2-5	Free Days	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;
	Oct 6 (M)	More evolution; Evolution as fact & theory
	8 (W)	Evolution vs. creationism; Intelligent design?
	10 (F)	Holiday Botany: Columbus Day - global impact, plant exploration, crop origins
VI	14 (T)	Unit 4. Botany for Gardeners Roots, shoots & growth (Ch 2)	Forensic botany - sticky seeds to the defense Due: Brine Shrimp Post-Lab #1; RCBr Pod Size Pre-Lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 3
	16 (Th)	No Class (Heritage Day)
	20 (M)	Exam #2
VII	22 (W)	Inside stems, roots & leaves (Ch 3, 4)	Pod Size & Life cycle of Rapid cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr) (H-D & descriptive science) Due: RCBR Pod Size Post-Lab; Forensic botany post-lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 4
	24 (F)	Control of plant growth & development (Ch 7)
	28 (T)	Uptake and use of water, minerals and light (Ch 8)
VIII	30 (Th)	Halloween Botany - ergot, pumpkins, chocolate. Prizes awarded for coming to class with a botanical costume	Plant Growth - greenhouse work (observational, H-D science) Due: RCBr pod post-lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 5
	Nov 3 (M)	Flowers (Ch 9)
	5 (W)	Fruits (Ch 9)
IX	7 (F)	Seeds - structures, types, dormancy, raising plants from seed (Ch 1 & 9)	Surface-to-volume ratios (model building & hypothetico-deductive science) Due: Pollen PostLab; S/V Pre-Lab Private Lives of Plants: Vol. 6
	11 (T)	Strategies of inheritance (Ch 10); GMO's
	13 (Th)	Unit 5. Economic Botany Maple syrup
X	17 (M)	Biodynamic plants	Using Brine Shrimp to Screen for Biological Activity (extract prep) Due: S/V Post-lab assignment Video: Shaman's Apprentice
	19 (W)	Exam #3
	21 (F)	Medicinal plants
XI	25 (T)	Psychoactive plants	More Brine Shrimp (assay) Due: RCBr Life Cycle journal & pods Video:
	26-30	Thanksgiving Break
	Dec 2 (T)	Poisonous plants
	4 (Th)	Non-alcoholic beverages (coffee, tea)
XII	8 (M)	Fermented products	Trees for the Christmas Season & Conifers of Central Minnesota (systematic & observational science) Due: Conifer Pre Lab; Brine shrimp Post-Lab #2
	10 (W)	Essential Oils - spices & perfumes
	12 (F)	Holiday Botany: Christmas - mistletoe, mushrooms, trees
	15 (M)	Study Day
	17 (W)	Exam #4 (Final): 3:30 pm -5:30 p.m.