Plant Biology: Plants, Food, and Culture

Evaluation of the impact of plants on the aesthetic, cultural, social, medical, and religious lives of peoples of the world. Plant Biology and Biological Science majors will not receive credit for PBIO 1060 as part of program distribution requirements.

Open to Degree and PACE students

The course introduces students to the fascinating world of plants and our human relationship with them. Module One begins with understanding basic plant biology and evolution, which provides a foundation for the course. Module Two investigates the evolution of human agriculture and the global changes that modern agriculture has incurred on our planet. Module Three discusses a variety of food from several parts of the plant, including stems, leaves, roots, tubers, fruits, and seeds. Module Four explores human uses of plants for various cultural uses, including medicines, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. Ultimately, PBIO 1060 provides students with a fundamental understanding human civilization and our complex relationship with plants.

Students must attend lecture and participate in the in-class polls and concept tests to gain credit. Students will be assigned four homework assignments exploring plants and society and four closed-book, in-class exams testing module content. Students will also be expected to participate in weekly online discussions.

Students will be evaluated on their performance on the following assessments: 1. Module exams 2. Module homework 3. Weekly discussions 4. In-class iclicker questions