The Sherlock Hoes Files: Botanical Mysteries

Georgette Briggs, Staci Forgey, Alenka Hlousek-Radojcic, Glenna Malcolm, Sarah Orlofske, DB Poli

The Biggest Mystery of All(aka our goal)

Students often ignore plants - how do we make plants exciting & memorable?

Our Mystery Case File Connections

Writing emphasis

Plant evolution

Form & Function

Human connections

Case File 1Evolution and Plant Diversity

Plant evolutionary relationships Phylogenetics

Morphological and physiological adaptations of plants to the terrestrial environmentAlternation of generationsDiverse types of science Writing

Plant Evolution: Hands on Quantitative Lab

Students will build and interpret phylogenetic trees based on plant traits

Morphology

Reproduction

Molecular Data

http://www.phylo.org/sub_sections/outreach/outreach_c

Plant Diversity: Writing

Choose a plant (or a few plants) from visiting the greenhouse

Outside Research

Place the plant in evolutionary and ecological context

Assessment: develop signage/exhibits for the university greenhouse and website

Case File 2: Heavy Metals and Phytoremediation

Case Learning Goals

• Identify macronutrients and micronutrients in plants and their uptake and movement

• Describe the terms tolerance and toxicity as it relates to plants nutrients

• List and describe several metals and their reported levels in typical polluted and non-polluted soils.

• Assess the suitability of an identified site for phytoremediation

• Describe and present a poster with a detailed phytoremediation strategy for your identified site

Extension to Higher

Levels

Writing and Assessment

Activities

Background Knowledge

1. Identify macronutrients and micronutrients and their movement in plants2. Discuss tolerance and toxicity as they relate to plant nutrients 3. Heavy metals and their reported levels in typical polluted and non-polluted soils.4. Scenarios are presented (case study)5. Develop phytoremediation plan

Data analysis

Data manipulation

Graphing

Concept Maps to model project context

and approach

Outline procedures and experimental set-up of

preliminary experiments to test efficacy of proposed

strategy

Poster detailing phytoremediatio

n strategy for your identified

site

Changing audience

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Hig

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Phytoremediation

Case File 3: How conventional plant breeding has unintended consequences for plant-insect

interactions

Why are these wild

sunflowers so small?

Why do I see more pest damage on

sunflowers on my farm?

Case File 3: How conventional plant breeding has unintended consequences for plant-insect

interactions

Why aren’t there bugs on

these wild sunflowers?

Case File 3: How conventional plant breeding has unintended consequences for plant-insect

interactions

Case Goals:

Why aren’t there bugs on

these wild sunflowers?

To make hypotheses for Podrick’s question

To consider multiple trophic levels among plants and insects

To interpret bar graphs with multiple treatments

To summarize results from data relevant to Podrick’s question

To research and share findings from other research studies regarding how conventional plant breeding…

Case Goals:

Why aren’t there bugs on

these wild sunflowers?

To make hypotheses for Podrick’s question

To consider multiple trophic levels among plants and insects

To interpret bar graphs with multiple treatments

To summarize results from data relevant to Podrick’s question

To research and share findings from other research studies regarding how conventional plant breeding…

Sample Data From Literature “Teacher” Examines:

b

a

Case Goals:

Why aren’t there bugs on

these wild sunflowers?

To make hypotheses for Podrick’s question

To consider multiple trophic levels among plants and insects

To interpret bar graphs with multiple treatments

To summarize results from data relevant to Podrick’s question

To research and share findings from other research studies regarding how coventional plant breeding…

Thank you for your attention!