Introduction to Science and Plants

I. Course Overview
    A. How plants function
    B. The importance of plants to people
    C. The role of plants in the environment
    D. Policies that affect how we grow and eat plants

II. Syllabus: Course Guidelines

Topic 1: Introduction to Science
I. Science:
    A. A discipline of study.
    B. A technique.
    C. An experiment based process
        1. Science follows the scientific method
    D. The scientific method:
        1. Observations
        2. Ask questions
        3. Hypothesis
        4. Test with experiments (data collection and analysis)
        5. Conclusions ----> New hypothesis, Theory, Principle or Law

II. What is life?
    A. Ability to self replicate
    B. Origin: approximately 4 billion years ago
    C. Are viruses alive?
    D. Plants are living organisms

Topic 2: Introduction to Plants
I. What is Botany?
II. What is a plant?
    A. Typical plant structure (the main oragns of a typical plant)
        1. Roots: support, absorb, anchor
        2. Stems: above ground
        3. Leaves: photosynthesis
        4. Flowers: reproduction----> fruits and seeds
    B.  Are all plants green?
    C. What's so cool about plants?  Characteristics plants share with all living things:
        1. vary in size and shape
        2.  live in variable habitats
        3. are highly organized (Cell = basic unit of life).
        4. maintain a stable chemical composition
        5. take in, transform, and use energy
        6. respond to stimuli in their environment
        7. grow and develop
        8. reproduce
        9. hereditary variations
        10. adaptations = variations which allow an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
        11. share a common ancestry
III. Why Study Plants?
    A. Cool characteristics unique to plants
        1. Primary producers.  Autotrophic = they make their own food using photosynthesis.

                                    Photosynthesis = carbon dioxide + water + sunlight ----> sugar + oxygen

        2. Plants are solar powered and generate oxygen
        3. Products from plants: energy fuels, building materials, clothing, beverages, medicines, decorations, spices, perfumes, and jobs!
        4. Interesting things plants do:  recycle, leaf movements, sleep