All course information is listed within this syllabus.

HORT 150N: Plants in the Human Context (3 credits). This course provides an introduction to the fascinating and vital relationships between plants and human society. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on their own connection with plants and nature, share ideas with peers, and create a lesson.

Prerequisites: None

HORT 150N fulfills a general education requirement for natural sciences (GN) as well as for social and behavioral sciences (GS).

Instructor

Instructor for HORT 150N

Dr. Kirsty Lloyd
Assistant Teaching Professor

Department of Plant Science
102 Headhouse I
University Park, PA 16802

E-mail: Use Canvas Inbox

Course Overview

Plants play a dynamic role in shaping our lives. In reality, human existence on Earth was made possible by the "breath" of plants through photosynthesis. Likewise, our botanical connections and interactions are many: we need plants for food, beverages, medicines, materials, healthy lifestyles, and aesthetics. A handful of plants have also shaped human history. We'll consider the relationship between plants and humans from multiple perspectives, including differences among cultures and change over time.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

  • Describe basic principles of plant form and function, including the array of chemicals produced by plants, as well as different groupings of plants.
  • Explain how plants have migrated around the world (e.g., apples, potatoes, sugar cane) and give examples of effects on human civilization and ecology.
  • Discuss the pros and cons of technological developments for growing, processing, and storing plants and their products.
  • Consider the importance of labor and land in plant production, with relevance to social and environmental justice.
  • Examine how plants feed and heal us and how we use plants to alter our consciousness.
  • Develop the ability to analyze our relationship with plants from both social and biological perspectives.

Course Outline

Module 1: A Long Affair

Module 2: The Characters

Module 3: Making Light Matter

Module 4: Migration

Module 5: Land

Module 6: Labor

Module 7: Seeds

Module 8: Environment

Module 9: Hunger

Module 10: Healing

Module 11: Thirst

Module 12: Consciousness

Module 13: Beauty

Module 14: Strength

Module 15: Plant-pourri

Course Schedule

For due dates, refer to your Syllabus and Calendar within Canvas.

Course Materials

No textbook is required for the course. All materials will be available via Canvas or e-reserves.

Grading Policy

The following table is the grading criteria for the course.

Grading Criteria
Requirement Description Weight
Group Discussions (4) Each consists of two to three prompts  40%
Papyrus (15) Private journal, weekly reflections 30%
Final Project (1) Create a gift to share, four parts 15%
Quizzes (14) Multiple-choice, unlimited attempts 10%
Participation Short activities and student feedback 5%
TOTAL: --- 100%

The following table is the grading scheme for the course.

Grading Scheme
Letter Grade Percentage
A 100% – 94%
A- < 94% – 90%
B+ < 90% – 87%
B < 87% – 84%
B- < 84% – 80%
C+ < 80% – 77%
C < 77% – 70%
D < 70% – 60%
F < 60%

Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information.

NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" under World Campus Student Resources.

Statement on Language Regarding Race and Ethnicity

Recently, the American Psychological Association (APA), among other stylistic authorities, has recommended capitalizing the terms "black" and "white" as identifiers of human race to provide acknowledgment of cultural heritage. I recognize that people continually use skin color to make assumptions about a person's attributes and worthiness. Over time, these superficial judgments have collectively manifested as systemic discrimination, including federal and state-level laws that produced persistent, generational inequalities (e.g., racial income and wealth gaps).

I've chosen not to capitalize the physical descriptors "black" and "white" because I want to avoid formalizing superficial appearance as an inherent attribute. Furthermore, there are always shades of grey, so to speak, and these terms ultimately divide us as we move forward.

To guide us into a new future, I've documented history as factually as possible, including the implications of past injustices on the present, such as enslavement of African people and appropriation of Indigenous lands.

Online Students Use of the Library

As Penn State World Campus students, you have access to many of the materials that the library offers to students. The library website has a lot to offer, but can be overwhelming. A guide has been created to serve as your introduction to important library resources, services, and important pages within the library. The Online Student Library Guide is updated regularly by the online librarian and is intended to provide a level of comfort through an introduction to help you feel comfortable navigating the library website to find valuable information for your coursework.

Technical Requirements

This course is offered online and it is assumed you possess the minimum system requirements and computing skills to participate effectively. A list of technical requirements is listed on World Campus' Penn State Technical Requirements page.

Minimum Skills

  • You should have an understanding of basic computer usage (creating folders/directories, switching between programs, formatting and backing up media, accessing the internet).
  • You must be able to conduct word processing tasks such as creating, editing, saving, and retrieving documents.
  • You must be able to use a web browser to open web pages, download files, and search the internet.
  • You must be able to use an e-mail program to send and receive messages and to attach and download documents/files.
  • You must be able to download and install programs or plug-ins from the internet.

Getting Help With Canvas Courses

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Accessibility Information

Netiquette

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Penn State Policies

Login Policy

Students are expected to log in regularly to keep up to date with announcements, discussions, etc. The class will progress at a regular pace throughout the semester and there are specific due dates and times for assignments, etc.

Course Availability

Your course will be available to you beginning the first day of class and will remain open for one year. After one year the course will close.

Academic Integrity

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Please read the academic integrity guidelines for the College of Agricultural Sciences.

A lack of knowledge or understanding of the University's academic integrity policy and the types of actions it prohibits and/or requires does not excuse one from complying with the policy. Penn State and the College of Agricultural Sciences take violations of academic integrity very seriously. Faculty, alumni, staff, and fellow students expect each student to uphold the University's standards of academic integrity both inside and outside of the classroom.

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Copyright Notice

All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor's express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD40, Recording of Classroom Activities and Note-Taking Services, addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University's Code of Conduct, and/or liable under federal and state laws.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

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Accommodations for Persons With Disabilities

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In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus' disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Accommodations for Military Personnel

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Use of Trade Names

Where trade names are used, no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by World Campus, Outreach and Cooperative Extension, the College of Agricultural Sciences, or The Pennsylvania State University is implied.

Subject to Change Statement

Please note that this Course Syllabus is subject to change. Students are responsible for abiding by such changes.

Course Availability

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