Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Plant Anatomy and Diversity Lecture

BIOL 3510-01

Course: BIOL 3510-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: BIOL
CRN: 31019

Course Description

Comparative anatomy and developmental biology of major members of the plant kingdom. Topics include structure and development of cell types, tissues, tissue systems, and comparative development and reproduction of major groups within the plant kingdom. Three (3) hours of lecture per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Fall - Odd Years) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 3515 Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615 and BIOL 1620 and BIOL 1625 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

Plant Anatomy: A Concept-Based Approach to the Structure of Seed Plants, by Richard Crang et al. 

Learning Outcomes

The focus of this course is on the structure and development of vascular plants. We will look at: internal (anatomy) and external (morphology) aspects of plant structure, the development and growth of plants at all stages, contrasting plant and animal development, and functional aspects of plant structure and development.

Course learning objectives:
Understanding basic anatomical and developmental features of major groups.
Understanding plant morphological diversity through the perspective of homology.
Become proficient at directly observing plant anatomy through preparation of hand-sectioned specimens.
Practice in reading, researching, and communicating about primary scientific literature.

Course Requirements

Daily in-class quizzes and activities:
To encourage coming to class prepared and to consolidate your knowledge of course material, I will give daily quizzes and other daily in-class application activities or question sets (typically done in small groups). Quizzes and activities are worth 5 points total for each day of class. The quizzes will generally be pretty basic – their purpose is to ensure you prepare for that class – and shouldn’t be taken as indicative of exam question difficulty (the in-class activities will be better indicators of that). For full credit, you must be present (or attending virtually) and take the quiz concurrently. If you have an unexcused absence, you may take the quiz later (after class finishes) for 1/2 credit. The three lowest daily quiz scores are dropped at the end of the semester.

Individual creative project:
Your final project in the class will involve producing some type of creative product, to be decided by you. Possibilities include an artistic piece (perhaps a plastilina clay sculpture, an infographic, or a brief graphic novel), a written work, a photographic portfolio, an explanatory video, or a scientific experiment (after all, a well designed and thought-out scientific study is also a creative endeavor). The main criteria for the project will be that it connects to concepts we learn in class, that it shows a high degree of creativity and original thought, and that it is executed well. You will record a weekly journal to ensure that you are thinking about and making progress on the project throughout the semester.

Assessment:
Lab and lecture grades are separate.
Your lecture grade is based on:

Two midterm exams (100 pts each) and one “combo” final (new + cumulative)(150 pts)...40%
Daily quizzes...25%
Paper discussion reading questions (~6, 10 points each)...10%
Final creative project...25%
Total...100%

Course Outline

Topics to be covered in this course:
  • Overview of plant evolution, diversity, and structure
  • Meristems
  • The plant cell
  • Cell walls
  • Plant cell types: parenchyma, sclerenchyma, and collenchyma
  • Primary vascular tissues: 
    • Xylem
    • Phloem
  • Epidermis
  • Vegetative organs:
    • Roots
    • Stems
    • Leaves
  • The vascular cambium and secondary growth
    • Secondary xylem and phloem
  • The life cycle and reproductive structures

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late work is reduced by 10% of the total points possible for that assignment per day. Due dates for assignments can be found in Canvas.

Attendance Policy

In-person attendance is required for this course. Most days, I will post a video recording of the lecture material for that day. For a given day, you need to prepare for class by reading the textbook material for that day or watching the video lecture (or both). We will use class time to go over key points and apply the material we are learning. To ensure attendance and preparation, there will be a brief Socratic quiz (worth 5 points) for most days of class. 

If you will be missing class on a given day for a university-sponsored event (e.g., athletic event, field trip for another course, etc.), let me know ahead of time and we will make arrangements for you to make up missed content. Absences for non-university sponsored events may be excused at my discretion. In all cases, you need to contact me ahead of time for the absence to be excused.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.