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Course Description: Grassy areas – plains, prairies and meadows – rarely get the attention that lakes do, for example, or forests. But are grassy areas really that boring? What is the difference between the grass in your lawn and the bunchgrass in the field? Why are grasslands of any size important? How does land use change community composition?
In this course, we will take a closer look at one or two grass communities near your home or school and address these questions and others. You will complete six activities in this course:
- Examine grass plants and learn some of their biology.
- Locate and describe an important grassland in your area, a park, for example, explaining why it is special.
- Locate and describe one or two study areas for your class project that ideally could be used for your own classroom activities.
- Identify 8-10 major plants in your study areas and construct a dichotomous key to the plants that could be used by your students.
- Quantitatively compare two features between or within your study areas, collecting data and analyzing them statistically (a sample statistics problem will be provided).
- Write a short paper on your project, following scientific paper format. A “Question of the Week” will spark discussion among class members.
This course will get you outside, investigating areas that you find interesting and relevant to you and your students. It may be combined with BIOL 519: Biology of Riparian Zones and Wetlands, for observing similarities and differences between drier and wetter communities.
Meeting Place and Times: Teachers login to the course at a time of day that best fits their schedule. It is necessary to connect at least 4 - 6 times per week to stay current and successfully complete this 1 credit graduate course.
Instructor(s): Joseph Bradshaw, MS.
Prerequisites: Two or more years of teaching experience.
Target Audience: Middle and high school science teachers.
Time Commitment: 6-10 hours per week. If you are unfamiliar with this field of study and/or method of delivery, you may require more time.
| Cost: | | | Tuition | $335 | | | MSU Fees | $3.15 | | | Total | $338.15 |
NSTA Members are eligible to receive a 10% discount. Enter your NSTA Membership Number in the "Comments" section at the end of the online registration form to receive your discount.
The cost of the course assumes that you are taking only online courses from Montana State University (MSU) and/or specially designated courses through MSU Extended University during the semester that the course is offered. If you are also taking regular face-to-face courses from Montana State University, other costs may apply. Montana State University charges a $3.25 per credit hour computer fee for this course. (The fee is $3.15 per credit hour during summer session 2009.) MSU also charges a $30 registration fee per student per semester. If you have not yet paid this fee, you may do so when you register for this course. To learn more, please see the University Business Services' Student Accounts Web page.
Required Books/Materials: - Materials will be provided electronically by your instructor.
Computer Requirements: - Computer running Windows 2000 or newer or Mac OS X
or higher
- CD-ROM drive
- Internet access
This course uses a learning management system. You will learn more closer to the course start date.
For More Information: contact Diana Paterson at dianap@montana.edu or 406-994-5679.
How to Register: Register Online
Register Online
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