Campus Tree-Mapping?

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2015, Volume 36

Susanne Altermann

Abstract

Students apply vegetative plant morphology terms to the problem of mapping the distribution of a single tree species on a college campus. Students first learn plant vegetative morphology terms through drawing a variety of leaves and then participating in a leaf treasure hunt in groups outdoors. A dichotomous key to common trees is introduced. After some practice with the key, student groups are assigned a tree species. Students annotate a campus map marking all of the sites where the assigned tree species grows.

Keywords:  botany, dichotomous key, plant identification

University of Oregon (2014)