Course | Madison College Outline of Instruction

10806184Plant Biology

Course Information

Description

This lecture/laboratory course provides students with an indepth study of the plant kingdom. The content includes plant cell anatomy and physiology, plant genetics, plant classification, plant anatomy and physiology, plant responses, plant life cycles, and ecology. A survey of viruses, prokaryotes, protista, and fungi as they pertain to plants is presented.

Total Credits

Course Competencies

Investigate the characteristics of living things

Assessment Strategies

through class discussions, quizzes and examinations

Criteria

you list the characteristics of living things

you distinguish between growth, development and reproduction

you define homeostatis and give examples

you distinguish the levels of organization of living things
Apply the scientific method to the biological sciences

Assessment Strategies

through class discussions, quizzes and examinations, and a written and oral report

Criteria

you list the steps used in the scientific process

you develop an example utilizing the scientific method

you utilize inductive and deductive logic in the scientific method

you differentiate between the following terms: hypothesis, observation, theory, and law
Demonstrate a working knowledge of microscopes

Assessment Strategies

through class discussions, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you name the parts of the compound microscope and the stereoscopic microscope

you describe the function of each of the parts of the microscope

you determine the total magnification of any given combination of ocular and objective lenses

you measure the field of view at 40x, 100x, and 470x magnification

you demonstrate the correct use of the compound microscope and the stereoscopic microscope
Apply basic biochemistry concepts as they relate to macromolecules

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you define matter, energy and force

you identify bond types: covalent, ionic, and hydrogen (proton bonds) and name their basic structural subunits

you define the characteristics of water and name the basic structural subunits

you discuss acid-base balance and name the basic structural subunits

you discuss the nature of buffers and name the basic structural subunits

you describe the nature of synthetic and hydrolytic reactions and name the basic structural subunits

you name the four main types of organic molecules found in plants and their basic structural subunits

you describe the principal functions of each macromolecule

you distinguish between hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis and give an example of each

you distinguish between structural polysaccharides and energy storage polysaccharides and give an example of each

you define what an enzyme is and why enzymes are important to cells

you name the parts of an enzyme and describe the function of each part

you differentiate between ATP and ADP, and explain why ATP is important

you distinguish between primary and secondary metabolites

you name the main types of secondary metabolites and provide examples of each type
Investigate the plant cell and the cell cycle

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you compare selected features of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells -- size, cell wall, nuclear envelope, DNA, organelles, and cytoskeleton

you name the various types of plastids and what role(s) each plays

you describe the cytoskeleton and its functions

you describe how primary cell walls differ from secondary cell walls

you describe the cell cycle and its regulation

you describe the key events that occur in the G1, S, G2, and M phases of the cell cycle

you explain what mitosis is

you identify each of the four phases of mitosis, using a microscope

you describe what events occur in each of the four phases

you describe cytokinesis
Investigate the movement of substances into and out of cells

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you explain the concept of water potential

you distinguish between osmosis and diffusion

you describe the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane

you describe the role played by its two major components

you explain the role of transport proteins in the movement of materials across the cell membrane

you describe the similarities and differences between facilitated diffusion and active transport

you describe vesicle-mediated transport

you describe the roles of signal transduction and plasmodesmata in cell-to-cell communication
Investigate the flow of energy in living systems

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you describe how the first and second laws of thermodynamics apply to living systems

you explain why oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions are important to living systems

you describe some of the factors that influence enzyme activity

you describe how feedback inhibition regulates cellular activity

you describe coupled reactions

you explain how ATP functions as an intermediate between exergonic and endergonic reactions
Investigate cellular respiration

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, a laboratory exercise and report, and by developing a concept map

Criteria

you outline the main events of respiration -- glycolysis, the transition reaction, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport and chemiosmosis), and fermentation

you differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration

you explain how glycolysis and fermentation are related

you explain the central role of the citric acid cycle in the metabolism of the cell
Investigate photosynthesis

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, a laboratory exercise and report, and by developing a concept map

Criteria

you explain the role of light in photosynthesis

you name the principal pigments involved in photosynthesis

you explain why leaves are green

you separate the photosynthetic pigments using paper chromatography and thin layer chromatography

you name the reactants and products of the light dependent reactions

you name the reactants and products of the light independent reactions

you describe the main events associated with each of the two photosystems in the light reactions

you differentiate between antenna pigments and reaction center pigments

you describe the differences and similarities between C3, C4, and CAM pathways for carbon fixation

you describe the absorption spectrum

you describe the action spectrum

you prepare an action spectrum for the pigments in spinach leaves, using a spectrophotometer
Investigate sexual reproduction and heredity

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, a laboratory exercise and report, and by performing genetic crosses using living plants (e.g., Wisconsin Fast Plants)

Criteria

you relate the haploid and diploid chromosome number, meiosis, and fertilization

you explain the importance of crossing over

you list the main events of meiosis I

you explain how meiosis I differs from meiosis II

you compare the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction

you summarize the major findings of Gregor Mendel and explain the unique aspects of his experimental method

you explain why a trait is visible in the parent but not in the offspring

you explain how a test cross is performed and its importance

you explain the concept of linked genes

you explain how the concept of linked genes is at odds with independent assortment

you list and give examples of different types of mutations

you explain how mutations affect the evolution of a population of organisms
Investigate the chemistry of heredity and gene expression

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you explain how DNA replication occurs

you explain what the genetic code is

you describe the main steps in transcription of RNA from DNA

you explain where translation occurs

you list the major steps of translation

you explain how gene expression is regulated in eukaryotes

you extract DNA from living cells
Investigate recombinant DNA technology, plant biotechnology, and genomics

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion and quizzes and examinations

Criteria

you explain how recombinant DNA technology is used to create novel genotypes

you discuss the importance of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism

you describe some of the techniques used in plant biotechnology to manipulate the genetic potential of plants

you explain what genomics is

you explain how one determines the function of a newly discovered gene
Examine the concepts of evolution

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion and quizzes and examinations

Criteria

you explain the difference between static and dynamic views of species

you describe five lines of evidence supporting the evolutionary process

you describe the Darwinian view of change over time

you distinguish the Darwinian view from inheritance of acquired characteristics

you distinguish natural from artificial selection

you identify each of Darwin's postulates

you provide evidence in support of each postulate

you relate evolution to Mendelian genetics

you recognize that evolution acts on phenotypes, not genotypes

you recognizes that populations, not individuals, evolve

you state the Hardy-Weinberg law

you demonstrate mathematically that gene frequency doesn't change in a non-evolving population

you identify five agents that can change gene frequency in a gene pool

you explain how each agent can alter frequency

you describe allopatric and sympatric speciation

you explain genetic isolation

you define co-evolution

you give examples of co-evolution
Investigate systematics

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and by preparing a cladogram

Criteria

you explain what binomial system of nomenclature is

you explain why the term "hierarchical" is used to describe taxonomic groups

you name the principal categories between the levels of species and kingdom

you explain what a cladistic analysis is

you draw a cladogram for mosses, ferns, pines, and oaks

you provide evidence for the existence of the three major domains of living organisms

you compare the major characteristics of each of the four kingdoms of eukaryotes
Investigate viruses and prokaryotic organisms

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and by preparing a cladogram

Criteria

you describe the basic structure of a prokaryotic cell

you explain how prokaryotes reproduce

you describe ways for genetic recombination to occur in prokaryotes

you explain the importance of cyanobacteria

you compare the metabolism of cyanobacteria and the purple and green bacteria

you explain how mycoplasms differ from all other bacteria

you describe the physiology of the three groups of archaea

you describe the basic structure of a virus

you describe how viruses reproduce
Investigate the protists

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you explain how dinoflagellates, euglenoids, and crytomonads are similar

you explain how oomycetes differ from other heterokonts

you list important plant disease causes by oomycetes

you list the basic characteristics of brown algae

you list the basic characteristics of red algae

you describe the characteristics of green algae that have led botanists to conclude that green algae are the protist group from which bryophytes and vascular plants evolved
Investigate fungi

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you name the characteristics of fungi that differentiate them from all other organisms

you describe the type of organism it is thought that fungi evolved from

you list the distinguishing characteristics of the Chytridomycoata, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota

you explain the relationship of yeast to filamentous fungi

you explain how conidial fungi are related to other fungi

you describe some of the symbiotic relationships between fungi and other organisms

you describe the ecological importance of fungi
Investigate bryophytes

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and by preparing a correctly labeled drawing of the life cycle of Polypodium sp.

Criteria

you explain the concept of alternation of generations

you describe the general characteristics of a bryophyte

you compare the three phyla of bryophytes

you describe the life cycle of a bryophyte

you identify the parts of sporophyte

you identify the parts of the gametophyte

you compare the structure and form of the liverworts, hornworts, and mosses
Investigate seedless vascular plants

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, a laboratory exercise and report, and by preparing correctly labeled drawings of the life cycles of a zygomycete, an ascomycete, and a basidiomycete

Criteria

you list "pivotal step" in the evolution of vascular plants that accouant for their success on land

you explain the difference between microphylls and magaphylls

you explain the evolutionary origin of each -- microphylls and megaphylls

you compare homospory with heterospory

you describe the life cycle of a fern (Polypodium)

you compare the structure and form of the whisk ferns, club mosses, quillworts, horsetails, scouring rushed, and ferns
Investigate the evolution and life cycle of gymnosperms

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and by preparing a correctly labeled drawing of the conifer life cycle

Criteria

you discuss the importance of the seed in the evolution of plants

you discuss what group of plants is it hypothesized that seed plants evolved from

you draw and label the life cycle of conifers

you name the four phyla of gymnosperms with living representatives
Investigate reproduction in angiosperms

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, a laboratory exercise and report, and by preparing a correctly labeled drawing of the angiosperm life cycle

Criteria

you identify the principal parts of a flower

you describe some of the variations that exist in flower structure

you compare the processes by which angiosperms form microgametophytes and megagametophytes

you describe the structure of the mature microgametophyte in angiosperms

you describe the structure of the mature megagametophyte in angiosperms

you describe double fertilization

you name the products of double fertilization
Investigate the evolution of angiosperms

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations

Criteria

you state the current hypothesis on the origin of angiosperms

you list the four principal evolutionary trends among flowers

you compare different methods of pollination

you describe some of the adaptations of fruits to their dispersal agents

you describe how secondary metabolites have influenced angiosperm evolution
Investigate early development of the plant body

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you explain why polarity is important to plant embryogenesis

you name the primary mersistems of plants

you list the tissues each of these meristems forms

you compare the embryogenesis of monocots and dicots

you explain how mutations have helped scientists to understand embryo development

you identify the main parts of the monocot embryo and the dicot embryo

you plant seeds of monocots and dicots to compare their development
Investigate cells and tissues of the plant body

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you describe the composition of a meristem

you describe the overlapping processes of plant development

you identify the three tissue systems of the plant body

you identify the tissues that comprise each of these tissue systems

you identify parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma cells

you compare parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma cells

you identify the principal conducting cell in xylem

you identify the principal conduction cell in phloem

you list the characteristics of each cell type

you list the roles played by the epidermis
Investigate root structure and development

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you compare the two principal types of root systems

you describe the functions of the root cap

you identify the tissues present in the root at the end of primary growth

you describe the effect secondary growth has on the primary body of the root

you identify the origin of lateral roots

you name modifications to the "typical" root in various plants
Investigate the primary structure and development of the shoot

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you identify the structures of the shoot apical meristem

you describe the relationship between apical meristem and the shoot

you describe the three primary types of organization found in the primary structure of the stems of seed plants

you define leaf traces

you name the four basic types of leaf arrangement

you describe the structural differences between the leaves of monocots and dicots

you describe the structure of a "typical" leaf

you describe modifications to the "typical" stem found in various plants

you describe modifications to the "typical" leaf found in various plants
Investigate secondary growth in stems

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you contrast annuals, biennials, and perennials

you describe the functions of the cells that compose the vascular cambium

you describe how secondary growth affects the primary body of the stem

you name the tissues that ar eproduced by the cork cambium

you describe the function of the periderm

you explain what bark is

you explain how the composition of bark changes during the life of a woody plant

you define wood

you contrast conifer wood and angiosperm wood

you discuss the various uses of plants
Investigate plant hormones

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you compare the five major groups of plant hormones as to their chemical nature, site of biosynthesis, transport, and effects

you observe how plant hormones are used in tissue culture

you investigate how plant hormones exert their effects at the molecular level
Investigate external factors that influence plant growth

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you define tropism and provide examples of tropisms

you define and give examples of nastic movements

you explain how plants respond to light and gravity

you explain why it is important for plants to be able to "tell time"

you investigate the characteristics of biological clocks in plants

you explain how day length affects flowering

you characterize phytochrome

you explain how phytochrome is involved in flowering, seed germination, and stem growth

you characterize dormancy

you list environmental cues that may be necessary to break dormancy in seeds and buds
Investigate plant nutrition and soils

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and a laboratory exercise and report

Criteria

you name the elements that are essential to plant growth

you list the function and deficiency symptoms of some of the essential elements

you name the sources of inorganic nutrients utilized by plants

you identify the components of nutrient cycles

you explain how humans have disrupted nutrient cycles
Investigate the movement of water and solutes in plants

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations

Criteria

you explain the process of transpiration

you explain the structure and function of guard cells

you explain how the cohesion-tension theory accounts for the movement of water to the top of tall trees

you explain how the osmotically generated pressure-flow mechanism accounts for the movement of sugars from source to sink
Investigate ecology

Assessment Strategies

through class discussion, quizzes and examinations, and an oral and written report

Criteria

you differentiate between a population, a community, and an ecosystem

you describe how energy flows through a food chain

you identify various symbiotic relationships

you list factors that influence the distribution of biomes

you describe the characteristic plants of the major biomes

you describe succession

you describe biogeochemical cycles