Patrick Leacock, Department of Botany, The Field Museum Wednesdays, Jan. 10 - Feb. 14; 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. (6 sessions) Classroom B, Ground Level, The Field Museum

Objectives: With a regional flora of over 2,500 species, the ability to recognize common plant families on sight is a big step toward plant identification. In this class you will study flower structure and other diagnostic characters of common plant families of the Midwest. We will focus on the common flowering plant families of the Chicago region.

Class Format: Each session will be divided among several parts. The first part will be thirty minutes to an hour of lecture with discussion followed by lab time of different activities for that evening's topics. Lab worksheets will supplement reference texts for covering lab material. Labs provide hands-on experience with plants and you are encouraged to draw parts of plants seen with the naked eye, hand lens, or dissecting microscope (colored pencils may help). You are welcome to bring beverages or snacks (vending machines are also available).

Tools to bring: notebook, pen, paper, folder, pencil, eraser. Colored pencils are also useful for drawings. Bring hand lens if you have one.

Credit Option: 1 semester hour, undergraduate, College of DuPage, for participants in Naturalist Certificate Program. This course is in the category of Naturalist Certificate Enrichment.

Attendance Policy: The Morton Arboretum certificate program courses are provided to students who are interested in developing a deeper understanding of plants and how they function in our world. In order to gain new knowledge of plants it is necessary to participate in all class and laboratory exercises. Attendance of all class sessions is expected. Students are responsible for all material covered in course sessions, whether or not they attend. A student missing more than one class during the course will receive an unsatisfactory evaluation.

Evaluation and Grading Procedure: Students will be graded on a satisfactory / unsatisfactory basis. Grading will be calculated based on the assignments. Satisfactory = 70% or above. All lecture and laboratory information will be fair game for the final laboratory and written exam.

Assignments: Homework includes reading assignments, web site visits, quizzes, and vocabulary sheets. Laboratory assignments will include completion of each session's lab handouts complete with drawings.