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Chapter 1
An Introduction to the Science of Botany
CHAPTER OUTLINE
The human population and plants
What is botany?
Botany comprises many disciplines
Characteristics of plants
Plants are highly organized
Biological diversity
Many biologists assign organisms into six kingdoms
Many biologists also assign organisms into three domains
Plants and People: Taxol
Plants and People: Spices: A Brief History
Focus On: Using the Scientific Method
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
1. Briefly describe the field of botany and give short definitions of at least five
subdisciplines of plant biology.
LECTURE OUTLINE
I. What is botany?
A. The scope of botany is so wide that botanists have areas of specialty.
II. What are the characteristics of plants?
A. The characteristics are the same as for other living things
B. How are plants organized?
1. What are cells?
2. There is a hierarchical organization displayed by the living world.
C. How do plants process energy?
I. Organisms display adaptations to their environment, and populations are
capable of changing over time as their environment changes.
III. Modern systems of classification organize the living diversity of the world into groups.
A. The six kingdom system of classification is used by many biologists today.
B. The taxonomic levels are hierarchical.
C. What is the binomial system of nomenclature?
KEY TERMS
adaptation, p. 12
asexual reproduction, p. 12
atom, p. 8
domain, p. 15
ecosystem, p. 8
evolution, p. 12
photosynthesis, p. 10
population, p. 8
principle, p. 18
TEACHING TIPS
1. In the first lecture period, pass out 3×5 cards. Ask each student to put their name, local
address, phone number, major, previous biology or botany courses and where taken, and any
2. Give a first-day “quiz” during the first lecture period. Use 10 or so true-false questions which
generally cover the major principles or concepts in the course; include a few questions that will
be challenging to virtually everyone, several challenging to just some students, and a few that
everyone can be expected to master. Make it risk free by telling them ahead of time that it will
4. Debate or discuss the statement, “Although all living things die, death is not considered a
characteristic of life.”
5. Lab/discussion scientific reasoning activity. Give students a handout describing observations
about the rather sudden changes in world species composition that took place at the end of the
Cretaceous period and a list of some of the explanations for these extinctions as actually
1) Is it possible to be absolutely certain that your chosen explanation is indeed the
“real/true” one?
2) Is this process totally foreign to you, or do you routinely solve other problems using
6. Lab/discussion classification activity. Give groups of students a packet of 10–12 items and ask
7. Look for books that are good sources of trivia which can be used to enliven your lectures. Two
are listed here, but material can be taken from them for several of the topics in your course: