PLANTS, Spring 2016

GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS PAGE

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENTS ARE YOUR INDEPENDENT PROJECTS: THE 'PLACE' PROJECT AND THE 'PLANT' PROJECT
GO HERE for information about these assignments.

A LIST of other particular assignments:

1. Winter woody plants observation and identification: (DUE 7 MARCH)
    a. Observe and attempt to identify AT LEAST 6 woody plants on campus. 
    b. Before keying, OBSERVE plant generally; focus on the particulars -- both detailed and general -- that seem distinctive.  It's good, where possible, to look at more than one individuals.
    c. THEN use whatever identification tools you can to try to figure out what it is; once you have a tentative ID make sure you see how the plant works through one of the formal keys (if you didn't use the key to get there in first place); this is how you become adept at using keys!
    b. Finally, WRITE:
       - location of the plant(s)
       - brief general description, focusing on whatever interests you but especially things that seem important in distinguishing plant (sketches and diagrams are often useful here) -- not just what's used by the key,.
       - what you think it is (do not get hung up on getting the RIGHT ID each time -- I'd rather you tried some challenging stuff and get  wrong name with good observations than just do easy stuff).
       - Briefly note attributes that were particularly important in the using the identification keys (could be becausae they were particularly useful or particularly tricky or...) AND traits that you think will be valuable in recognizing the species in the future. 

2. (GIVEN IN LAB): Diagnosis of 4 flowers and family relationship

3.  Journal reports for off-campus field-trips.
    We will have several off-campus field-trips during the second half of term. These are targeted at: a) generally exercising plant identification and keying skills, b) becoming more familiar with local flora, plant family traits, etc., and c) gaining some understanding of ecological patterns, habitat relations, and generally what shapes plant abundance and distribution on the landscape. You should maintain field notebooks while in the field for each trip. There'll be some specific 'targets' that I'll emphasize for each outing – particular sites, groups of plants, or phenomena – and you should take particular note of these, but notebooks should also be a place for your own independent observations – a place to make note of patterns you see (or think you see), questions or hypotheses that arise from your observations, speculations based on what you see, or just stuff that strikes you as interesting (you may think that you'll remember all of these things when you get back from the field-trip. You won't).
    The assignment: The Monday following each field-trip, you should hand in a short 'field-journal' digest of your field notebooks (think in terms of equivalent of  a couple of pages double-spaced-equivalent as an appropriate frame, but you can go longer if you're enjoying yourself). Generally, this will be along the lines of a more organized, 'fleshed-out' version of your field notes – the field-notebook made into something that hangs together and captures the experience. You might imagine it as something that might be in a field-naturalist's newsletter going to people who might make a similar excursion. It SHOULD include:
    - A paragraph or two giving context (date, general nature of the place, etc.)
    - Each trip will involve close observation and ID of several plants; your digest should include a 'diagnosis' of each of these -- characteristics that would help your reader recognize/distinguish the plant, similarities/differences with others, habitat, whatever else you think interesting as well as taxonomy (including family)
    - A simple list of other species observed/identified (perhaps with a word or two of 'special features/notes', with family affiliation where you can)
    - Ecological notes; what kinds of patterns of distribution, habitat relations, etc. seemed important in shaping the vegetation, where things grew -- the things to which plant adaptations were respondding
    - Anything else you think important/interesting

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF FIELD-JOURNALS (also see 'place assignment' in link above) NOTE that several of these involve significant artistic skill. Don't feel that's essential for a good field journal (I don't have it)::
by a naturalist/anthropologist
"field book" project at National Museum of Natural History
some work by Catherine Hamilton  (a Bennington alum -- hard-core birder.  Also professional artist, so don't feel too jealous); also look for her stuff on Pinterest
Go to bottom of page here for journal excerpts by Lyn Baldwin (another Bennington alum)

    Use sketches or photos.  Make comparisons with other places you've observed.  Pose questions based on your observations that might drive further research/observation (this is important).  Use any other tools you think would be helpful to the 'consumer' of your report.
    This sort of journal-keeping is one of the most important skills and tools for field-naturalists, and, to make best use of the tool, it's important to do it as soon as possible following the experience; most serious naturalists develop the discipline of reviewing and (often) transcribing the evening after each field-day.

    Hand in either on paper or email in any word-processor or document format (but AppleWorks 'pages' format  may not translate well), or scan and send as pdf (preferable) or image..