World of Plants

Offered at:

Course Description:
This is a course about plants: their evolution, their ecology, and how they impact and are impacted by human societies. Plants form the foundation of every ecosystem that humans rely upon, and their emergence sparked the diversity of life we now observe on Earth. We rely on plants, and in many ways plants rely on us. Through a series of activities that get students out into the New York City environment to explore our own world of plants, the course helps students understand how plants evolved, how plants contribute to ecosystems, and how interactions between people and plants shape the history and sustainability of our societies.

Course Credits:
Upon successful completion, this course is worth 3 credits and fulfills the MSCI CORE general education requirement. This course can be counted towards Pratt’s Minor in Sustainability Studies.

Who Might Be Interested In This Course?
Where do plants come from? What role do plants play in ecosystems? How might plants be involved in a sustainable future? If these questions pique your interest, this course might be for you. This is a course that will empower you to explore plant anatomy in the lab, get you outside and observing plants throughout New York City, and allow you to conduct your own creative inquiry around plants. We’ll also take several field trips, including visits to local parks and to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Students who prefer an active, hands-on educational experience are most likely to thrive in this course.

What Background Should I Have Before I Take This Course?
This course requires no formal background in the biological sciences. It is nice if you have some memory of your high school biology class, but even that is not required.

This course maintains an Open Information Environment.