At 9:49 PM -0500 3/31/98, Lee Hadden wrote:
---snip---
>Mine is a sophomore 200-level plant biology course which includes basic
>structure and function, survey, control of growth and development, and
>photosynthesis. I want to incorporate more physiology and biotech in the f=
all
>and "beef" the course up. What books and lab manuals have any of you folks
>found effective for students who have virtually no plant bio background in =
HS,
>and generally see plants as uninteresting [until they get exposed to the "g=
ood
>stuff"]. I want more hands-on exercises and experiments, rather than so mu=
ch
>of the "look at this slide, see this, label that" approach. Given that the=
re
>needs to be some of this to expose them to basic observation and learning o=
f
>fundamentals, I need a textbook and lab manual [but I might write my own
>again]
>that target them at their level and take them to a suitable level of
>familiarity in one semester! Any suggestions re books?
>Has anyone used smaller monograph-type books that target certain plant biol=
ogy
>topics, rather than an exhaustive [and exhausting!] overly-expensive text t=
hat
>is fine for faculty or anyone already versed in botany, but not for beginni=
ng
>students with limited or no background?
>>Opinions re any of these?:
>Mauseth Botany an introduction to plant biology 2/e
>>Mauseth Botany [large version]
>>Stern: Introductory Plant Biology, 7/e
>>Rost, Barbour, Stocking, Murphy;Plant Biology
>>Raven
>>others?:
Lee,
Our bookstore seems to have all botany books within
about $5 of each other. It makes no difference
whether it is small or large, comprehensive or specialized,
paperback or hard cover. So I looked for a book that
I could use for two semesters (Botany, Plant Physiology)
to cut the apparent cost in half for the students.
My choice among all of these $75 books was Moore et al
(WCB/McGraw Hill). It seems to have more physiology
than the other books and I like its better focus on
inquiry. One of the other books might be better for
a different combination of botanical courses, of course.
Normally I don't like to plug products, but since Moore's
book wasn't on your list to look at, I thought I'd mention
it. Mauseth was my second-choice for my local application
=46WIW. I'm really hoping to see a new edition of "Life of
the Green Plant"...that was a great book for students of
the type I have here...it's just too old to be viable IMHO.
ross
________________________________________________________________
Ross Koning | koning at ecsu.ctstateu.edu
Biology Department | http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/
Eastern CT State University | phone: 860-465-5327
Willimantic, CT 06226 USA | fax: 860-465-4479
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