1. Sarah Williams, Christine Stontz
sarahwilliams@berkeley.edu, cstontz@berkeley.edu
Chelsea Specht (Faculty Sponsor)
cds@berkeley.edu
Course Syllabus
PMB 98/198 (1 unit)
Exploring the UC Botanical Garden
Fall Semester 2012
What it’s all about:
This course is probably different than any other course you’ve ever taken. It will be in a
unique kind of “classroom,” it embodies divergent learning goals, and is far more
focused on the individual. It is a completely unique campus experience, to say the least.
The goal of this course is not to grill you on your understanding of course materials
or the regurgitation of facts; rather, this course aims to combine all aspects of
participation to lead you to a more fulfilling relationship with the UC Botanical
Garden (UCBG) and all that it has to offer. At the end of this course, you will be able
to confidently lead someone on a tour around the garden, learn of all the ways you
can utilize the garden, be more familiar with California native plants, and be able to
recognize the costs and benefits of having such a resource at Cal. All activities and
projects are equally important to the overall experience, and I guarantee that you
will enjoy doing them!
This course places a strong emphasis on developing observational and critical
thinking skills. To really be in the world, you must first see and begin to understand
how it is put together at the smallest organizational levels. This allows you to build a
concept of the “bigger picture,” how things ultimately fit together and collide in the
amalgam of life experiences. You need not have prior experience with plants or the
garden, because we’ll be building from the ground up.
Some of the exploratory activities we will be engaging in include:
• Practicing plant identification (especially in the California section)
• Observation and meditation exercises
• Scientific illustration
• Interviews/lectures with professors and UC Botanical Gardens staff
• Taking guided tours around the garden
• Completing and reporting on two additional hikes outside of the gardens
• And, ultimately, a small independent presentation on a garden-related topic
Each participant brings a unique academic and personal background to the course,
so group discussion is paramount. Every student will find his-or-herself drawn to
different aspects of the garden and will come away with a different overall
experience, and we encourage individual exploration of the garden (as well as other
natural spaces) outside of class time. It is truly a unique place, where you will see
something new every day.
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2. Sarah Williams, Christine Stontz
sarahwilliams@berkeley.edu, cstontz@berkeley.edu
Chelsea Specht (Faculty Sponsor)
cds@berkeley.edu
Texts:
There will be a small electronic reader provided, which will include both
informational sheets as well as the worksheets we will be completing throughout
the semester. Additional resources may also be added as the need arises.
It is recommended that you follow the events at the garden at
http:/botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?
formkey=dGlBZ1EzMV9nRVFjV0lOTDJVVUpTU3c6MQ
For your research presentations, it may be a good idea to utilize campus resources
such as ISI Web of Knowledge and the BioScience library in VLSB.
Required Work:
1. Daily preparedness and regular attendance
2. Participation and discussion
3. Assignments including Mid-Semester Evaluation, Plant Identification
Quizzes, and Illustration
4. Completed notebook
5. Individual Research Presentation
Official Attendance and Points:
You must always notify us before class if and why you will be absent.
You have 2 free absences, but you will lose 10 points for every additional day
you are absent.
You must earn at least a 70% out of all the points offered for the activities in
this course in order to receive a Passing score.
2

3. Sarah Williams, Christine Stontz
sarahwilliams@berkeley.edu, cstontz@berkeley.edu
Chelsea Specht (Faculty Sponsor)
cds@berkeley.edu
**SUBJECT TO CHANGE as the semester goes on
Each day will be a combination of “lecture,” discussion, and observation activities.
There will be days during which we do student-led presentations, scavenger hunts,
docent-led tours, learn Plant Identification techniques, explore research being done
in and around the garden, and do Botanical Illustration. Outside assignments
include, but are not limited to, watching plant-related documentaries, doing field
observations in your favorite natural areas, reflecting on relevant papers, and
designing a short research presentation. Notebooks and cameras should always be
brought to class!
Week Date Topic Assignments Due** Points
28-Aug Info Session
1 4-Sep Intro to the Garden
2 11-Sep Scavenger Hunt Reading/Activity 5
3 18-Sep CA Ecosystems Reading/Activity 5
4 25-Sep
Plant Basics/CA Plant
Identification Notebooks Due 5
5 2-Oct Art in the Garden Reading/Activity 5
6 9-Oct Greenhouse Tour Reading/Activity 5
7 16-Oct Midterm Notebooks Due 25, 5
8 23-Oct CA Plant Identification Reading/Activity 5
9 30-Oct Docent Led Tour Reading/Activity 5
10 6-Nov
Scetchy Scavenger
Hunt Notebooks Due 5
11 13-Nov Meditation/Reflection Reading/Activity 5
12 20-Nov Plant ID Quiz Study for Quiz 15
13 27-Nov Presentations Notebooks Due 30, 5
14 4-Dec Presentations 30
Hike 1 10
Hike 2 10
Total 140
Extra Credit Hike 10
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