Course Title: Collect and classify plants
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2015
Course Code: AGRI5021C
Course Title: Collect and classify plants
School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5305 - Diploma of Conservation and Land Management
Course Contact: Namrita Kaul
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4309
Course Contact Email: namrita.kaul@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Jess Drake
Nominal Hours: 120
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
There are none
Course Description
This unit covers the process of collecting and identifying plants using taxonomic keys and the preserving of plant specimens and defines the standard required to: collect plant specimens; note the location, characteristics and occurrence of specimens at the point of collection; clean, preserve, mount and label plant specimens; use a plant key to identify plants against the botanical description of the species; label preserved specimens.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
AHCPCM502A Collect and classify plants |
Element: |
1.Prepare for plant collecting |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1. Purpose and objectives for collecting range of plants is confirmed. |
Element: |
2. Collect plant specimens |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1. Collecting ethics are observed when selecting specimens for picking. |
Element: |
3. Preserve specimens |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1. Preservation of specimen is undertaken while still fresh. |
Element: |
4. Identify plant specimen |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1. Resources are identified and accessed to assist in identification. |
Learning Outcomes
This is a competency based course with learning outcomes embedded in the competencies
Details of Learning Activities
Learning activities will include the following:
Use of taxonomic guides
Field trips
Group work
presentations
Teaching Schedule
2015 Dates
Collect & Classify Plants
Class Date Topic Activities & AssessmentDate Due10/2Intro to Course, Field Guides, other requisites for field work.
17/2 Australia’s Flora – What characteristics do we use to identify them? In class activities 24/2Transect Surveys and Field identification. Meet at East Malvern Station
Field trip activities 3/3
ANGLESEA FIELD TRIP
Plant identification, plant communities and ecology
10/3Organising plant data – location, characteristics, occurrence for Field Trip Reports In class activities using data from Anglesea trip 17/3How do we collect and preserve a plant specimen?
Assessment 1: Field Trip Report
24/3
What are the key things we look at to identify a plantIn class activities 31/3 Using online tools and introduction to online tools At home quiz 7/4
Easter break
14/4
Use a botanical key to identify plants
Choose Group Veg Survey Area
21/4 Design your own Survey and Herbarium Work towards Assessment 2 28/4SELF DIRECTED: Undertake your own plant survey, collect plants. Work towards Assessment 2 5/5 Preserve plants in class Work towards Assessment 2
12/5Undertake your own plant classification using identification tools Work towards Assessment 2 19/5 Undertake your own Herbarium Collection Work towards Assessment 2 26/5 Classify and Identify Native Bush Foods (Sorry Day Celebration) Assessment 2: Herbarium 26/52/6 Revision of the Term
7/7 Semester 2 schedule to follow 14/7
21/7 28/7 4/8 11/8 18/8
25/8
31/8Mid- semester break 8/9 15/9 22/9 29/9 6/10 13/10 20/10 27/10
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Field Guide Pocket book: Costermans, L. Trees of Victoria and Adjoining Areas |
References
Costermans, L. Native Trees and Shrubs of South Eastern Australia |
|
Clarke, I. & Lee, H. Name That Flower |
|
Flora of Melbourne, Australian Plants Soceity Maroondah, Inc. |
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Assessment fo this course may include reports, project work, individual assignments, practical assessment and tests
Assessment Tasks
The overall grade for the year will be one of: CA, CC, CD, CHD, NYC
All assessments must be deemed competent to achieve competency or better for the overall course.
Semester 1
Assessment 1: Field Trip Report- 20%
Assessment 2: Herbarium- 50% (40% + 10% peer assessment)
Assessment 3: In class activities- 30%
Semester 2- Assessment to follow
Assessment Matrix
Other Information
Nominal Hours for the Course: 120 comprising:
58 Hours - Classroom Contact
32 Hours - Evaluation, Research & Completion of Assignments
20 Hours - Field Work
8 Hours - Workplace Visits
2 Hours - out of class student-teacher consultation
Assessment Information
Extension of time for submission of assessable work- A student may apply for an extension of up to 7 days from the original due date. They must lodge the application form (available on the web http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf ) at least the day before the due date. The application is lodged with the School Admin Office on Level 6, Bdg 51. Students requiring longer extensions must apply for Special Consideration (form available on the Web). For missed assessments such as quizzes- you (& your doctor if you are sick) must fill out a special consideration form. This form must be lodged at the HUB or online with supporting evidence (eg medical certificate), prior to, or within, 48 hours of the scheduled time of any in-class assessment such as a quiz.
Late work that is submitted without an application for an extension will not be corrected
If you miss an assessment task due to unavoidable circumstances, you need to follow the procedure of special consideration and apply within the allowed time frame
Course Overview: Access Course Overview