This module provides descriptive notes and images that can support teaching and learning about ethnobotany and landscape ethnoecology, or the integrative study of human-resource relationships. The photos and graphics are mostly derived from field study and research at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya (1999-2015) as a case example. I openly make them available through the OER site for educational purposes. The resources attached to the module include:I. Ethnobotany- descriptive notes and images (ethnobotany_notes_oer) and a powerpoint presentation (ethno_div_oer);II. Landscape Ethnoecology- descriptive notes and images (landscape_ethnoecology_oer) and a powerpoint presentation (landscape_ethno_oer);III. Participatory Inquiry in Ethnobotany and Landscape Ethnoecology- descriptive notes and images (ethno_participatory_oer) and a powerpoint presentation (ethno_process_outcome_oer);IV. Collaborative Field Guide to Woody Plants and their Uses at Mt. Kasigau, Kenya (kasigauplantbook_may2013.pdf)

We’ve learned a lot about plants throughout this series, but there’s much more to discover. In this episode of Crash Course Botany, we’ll peek into the future of botany. We’ll consider current plant mysteries, bridges between Western science and traditional knowledge, and what it might take to garden on the moon.

Chapters:
Our Plant Elders
Plant Sensory Perception
Plant Communication
Plants in Space
Ethnobotany
Solving Global Problems with Plants
Review & Credits
Credits

Director of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), Dr. Patricia Samford, presents and demonstrates an activity for students to learn about archaeobotany, or the study of botanical finds in archaeological contexts. Using tweezers and magnifying glasses, students search for seeds mixed in sand or gravel, and use a type collection to identify their finds. What do the finds say about the archaeological environment and uses of plants at a site? Search OER Commons for "Search for Seeds - Resources" for related seed id cards and a type collection for the activity. Use to support Maryland/NGSS for Grades K and 2, or Maryland Social Studies Framework for Grade 1. For K-ESS2-2, have students perform the activity then discuss what the seeds tell them about people who would have used the plants and seeds or write a short vignette about the people at this site using the seeds and their uses as evidence. For Grade 1 Content Topic "Life in the Past," have students perform the activity and similar discussion, then compare those plants and their uses to their uses today or plants that have replaced them. For 2-LS2-1, have students perform the activity along with the planting extension. Students can plant multiples of each type of seed and try growing them in conditions with different light; students can also note how much water they give the seeds. Once sprouted, have students record and discuss their findings as to which did better with more/less sunlight/water. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3Ep57BP

This BioBulletin Web site takes a close look at the medicinal power of plants. The site includes text, videos, photographs, and interviews with key scientists. Age-Old Remedies discusses how nearly 80 percent of the world's population relies on medicines made from natural ingredients. The Power of Traditional Medicine takes an historical look at medicinal herbs and traditional healers. Bio-Prospectors Needed reports on the symposium "The Value of Plants, Animals, and Microbes to Human Health" that was held at the American Museum of Natural History. Tracking Down a Power Plant tells the story of a tree in the Sarawak rain forest that contains a possible cure for AIDS.