Biology Lab

• Introduction

This lab focuses on the ability to classify plants based on specific characteristics.

Learning Objectives

Lab 1109

SLO - 5: Describe phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes.

SLO - 6: Identify the major phla of life with an emphasis on plants and animals, including the basis for classification, structural and physiological adaptations, evolutionary histry, and ecological significance.

Materials

1. Fee for site visit
2. Lab worksheet

Instructions

1. Schedule a visit to a local arboretum, zoo or botanical garden to collect the information for the worksheet. The fees associated with visitation will be assumed by the student
   
2. While visitng a local arboretum, zoo or botanical garden, complete the worksheet based on the plant species available.

Listed below are some interesting places in and around Houston to study plants.

Houston Arboretum: http://houstonarboretum.org/

Armand bayou Nature center: http://www.abnc.org/

Maas Nursery Kemah: https://maasnursery.com/

Houston Zoo: http://www.houstonzoo.org/

If you are not able to visit a nature center, arboretum or nursery to photograph and look at plants, you may use the following websites as alternatives.

https://plants.usda.gov/java/  or

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/

Choose one plant from each of the categories on the worksheet and answer the questions about that plant.  The categories are the headings – moss, fern, gymnosperm, angiosperm dicot, and angiosperm monocot. 

Please use a contrasting color when you type your answers on the worksheet.