for segue forms (.pdf) click below

Objectives

• Demonstrate some of the basic aspects of botany particularly as they relate to studies of traditional societies.

• Illustrate broad applications of botany

• Develop avenues for students to continue to learn about botany that lead directly out of the segue experience.

Learning Structure

• Class-room/Laboratory discussion groups (students will have already watched assigned video presentations)

  • In class students will create names for plants displayed in lab and organize their lists of plant names into groups based on degrees of similarities or differences. The purpose of this activity is to simulate how scientists classify relationships between organisms.
    　

• Web-based delivery of information to students:

  • Provide a brief overview of some of the most interesting areas of botany.

  • Direct students to practitioners of botany within the University and in the community at-large.

  • Show students specific courses or other educational opportunities that can be used to further explore interests in botany.

Learning Outcomes

(1 = Most Desired Outcome, 3 = A Desirable Outcome, 5 = Least Desired Outcome)

1. Students seek more information about studies in botany, register to take a course in botany, and become a degree seeking major in botany.

2. Students seek more information about studies in botany and register to take a course in botany as part of an effort to broaden their education.

3. Students develop a sufficient (but minimal) understanding of botany to be able to make decisions about their own career (and inclusion or not of this science). These students are probably better citizens/voters.

4. Students do not learn anything about botany.

5. Students develop a negative perspective about botany because of the information received through this project.

Ethnobotany Segue Experience

• During class students will create names for plants displayed in lab, organize their lists of plant names into groups based on degrees of similarities or differences, create a diagram showing the relationships that they have identified for these groups, and then compare their diagram with a diagram prepared by the instructor.
  　

• As a follow-up to this lab, students are instructed to think about common names for plants they know, but haven’t discussed in class. They will be asked to identify 5 plants with useful knowledge encoded in their name and share what they found in class next week.

Other Science

• Botany is the scientific study of plant life. As a branch of biology, it is also called plant science(s), phytology, or plant biology. Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines that study plants, algae, and fungi including: structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, diseases, and chemical properties and evolutionary relationships between the different groups. The study of plants and botany began with tribal lore, used to identify edible, medicinal and poisonous plants, making botany one of the oldest sciences. From this ancient interest in plants, the scope of botany has increased to include the study of over 550,000 kinds or species of living organisms.

Other Science Practitioners

• Students interested in studying botany may want to contact Dr. Alan Teramura, teramura@hawaii.edu, Department of Botany, St. John rm. 101 (808) 956-4115.
  　
• Dr. Naomi Hoffman, Botanist for City and County of Honolulu, is also very happy to speak with students about Botany.  She can be contacted at nhoffman@honolulu.gov.
  　
• Practitioners of botany include (all of which can be found on campus):
  　
  • Taxonomists
  • Biologists
  • Evolutionary biologists
  • Mycologists
  • Phycologists
  • Microbiologists
  • Marine Biologists
  • Plant or environmental physiologists
  • Conservation Biologists
  • Ethnobotanists
  • Economic Botanists
  • Horticulturists

Other Science Courses

• Students interested in learning more about botany may want to take courses like Botany 101 General Botany and Biology 171 Introductory Biology.
  　
• Other introductory botany classes related to botanical study include Botany 135 Magical Mushrooms and Mystical Molds and Botany 180 Plant Life in the Sea.

Resources

• Students considering to major in any of the biological sciences should contact the University of Hawaii biology department advisor at bioadvis@hawaii.edu.
  　
• If you would like information on botanical gardens in honolulu, visit this website here: http://www.honolulu.gov/parks/hbg/index.htm
  　
• At this website you will find real botanists discussing their work: http://www.botany.org/bsa/careers/index.php
  　

• For additional career information, students may want to view the occupational outlook for potential careers in botany at the U.S. Department of Labor:
  　

  • Agriculture and Food Scientists

  • Biological Scientists

  • Chemists and Materials Scientists

  • Engineering and Natural Science Managers

  • Environmental Scientists and Hydrologists

  • Medical Scientists

  • Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing

  • Scientific Research and Development Services

  • Science Technicians