NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
Horticulture Program
Woody Plants - HALT 1331
CLASS SYLLABUS
Course Name & Number
Woody Plants
HALT 1331
Time Offered
Tuesday, 6 - 9:50PM
COR 217
Corinth Campus
Semester Credit Hours
3
Joe Feather
(940) 668-4217
(Dept. Assistant)
By Appointment
N/A
jfeather@nctc.edu
Course Description
(NCTC Catalog
HALT 1331      Woody Plants                                       3 credit hours
           32 Lecture hours + 32 Laboratory hours
Study of the identification, characteristics, cultural requirements, and landscape uses of native and adapted plants (annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, vines, groundcovers, turf).
Course Prerequisite(s):
None
Required or Recommended Course Materials
Required:Â Huddleston, Steve & Pamela Crawford. 2009. Easy Gardens for North Central Texas. Color Garden Publishing, Canton, GA. ISBN: 0-9712220-8-8.
Required:Â Texas Nursery and Landscape Association. Best of Texas Landscape Guide, 2nd Ed. Order online: www.tnlaonline.org.
Required: Winter, Norman. 2003. Tough-As-Nails Flowers, University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. ISBN: 9781578065448.
Required: Cool Springs Pr. Dale Groom’s Texas Gardening Guide, NACSCORP. ISBN: 9781930604391.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Identify selected trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous species on the basis of leaf, stem, fruit, flower, dormant twig, bark and whole plant characteristics.
2. Use correct scientific names and terminology to describe plants.
3. Identify ecological roles of selected plants in cultivated landscape environments.
4. Demonstrate ornamental characteristics and environmental adaptability of important native and introduced plant species relating to their use in specific landscape situations.
Last Day to Withdraw
November 9, 2017
General NCTC Attendance Policy:
Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives.   Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Class Specific Attendance Policy:
For every three absences, the student’s final grade will drop by one letter.Â
Three instances of tardiness (entering class late) will constitute one absence. Students who come late and leave early on the same class day will be counted absent.Â
Students arriving more than 15 minutes late for class will be counted as absent.
Students who come to class late need to make sure that they are counted as present on the roster; see instructor after class to have the roster updated. If the student fails to have the roster updated, and there is no record of attendance, the student will be counted as absent.
If a student does not participate in online activities for a consecutive three weeks, the student might be dropped from the CANVAS roster (blocked in CANVAS) and might be dropped from the class.
The professor will not provide class notes to those who are absent. Students are responsible for obtaining the missed materials and notes from a classmate, not from the professor.
Student Handbook
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
If you feel you have needs for services that the institution provides, please reach out to either Wayne Smith (940) 498-6207 or Yvonne Sandman (940) 668-4321. Alternative students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
COURSE TYPE
ï¯ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)
ï¯Â             Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
XÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WECM Course
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
Name of Chair:
Steve Keith
Campus/Office Location:
Gainesville – AGC 1602
Telephone Number:
E-mail Address:
skeith@nctc.edu
Name of Dean:
Debbie Huffman
Gainesville – Career & Technical Education Building
(940) 668-3357
dhuffman@nctc.edu
Other Policies and Pertinent Information
Tardiness and Attendance
Three instances of tardiness (entering class late) will constitute one absence. Three absences will drop your final grade by one letter.
Email Address:
Having an email address is mandatory for this class. The college provides one free of charge and provides students with computer labs. I will periodically email you important notices, so be sure to check your email before coming to class.
Handouts:
Lecture handouts will be provided for you on CANVAS and can be printed to supplement your learning experience.
Cell Phones:
Please silence all cell phones before class. In cases of emergencies, you may answer your phone, but please leave the classroom to do so.
Texting and Outside Communication :
Texting and outside communication during class is prohibited.
Late Work:
Late work will not be accepted for any reason. If you cannot make it to the class in which the assignment is due, you must bring the assignment to me early or send it by someone else prior to or during the class.
Missing Exams:
If you are going to miss a test, I must be notified prior to the exam. If a lecture test is missed with a valid excuse, a point penalty may still be assessed depending on the individual situation. A make-up test should be scheduled within 24 hours. If a lecture test is missed without prior notification or a valid excuse, an automatic zero will be assigned.
Disruptive Behavior:
A student who engages in any behavior or language in the classroom that intentionally or unintentionally disrupts the learning process will be asked to leave the class and may be reported to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action.
I am open to receiving your comments, either positive or negative. These help me to enrich this course and improve as a teacher. Please feel free to see me, email me at jfeather@nctc.edu, or send me a note in the mail to the following address: NCTC, ATTN: Joe Feather, 1525 West California Street, Gainesville, TX 76240
Web:Â www.nctc.edu.
Academic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]â€. Consequences for academic dishonesty are detailed in the Student Handbook.
Tobacco Usage
NCTC restricts the use of all tobacco products including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco on campus property. NCTC is aware that tobacco use influences underage students which cumulates unsightly tobacco litter and interferes with assuring clean air for all who come to NCTC. NCTC recognizes the health hazards of tobacco use and of exposure to second hand smoke. Information on a tobacco cessation program is available for students, faculty, staff who wish to stop using tobacco products. We would like to "thank you" for your help in making our campuses Tobacco-Free. For questions or concerns please contact the Office of Vice President of Student Services at 940.668.4240.
Grading Policy & Procedures
Assignment Point Values
· 100 points- Class Participation / 5 Research Articles 20 pts ea.
· 100 points- Fieldtrips
· 200 points- Exams (2 at 100 points each) [50% of grade]
· 200 points- Plant ID Quizzes (10 at 20 points each)
· 100 points- Planting Schemes (2 at 50 points each)
· 700 points TOTAL
Grading Scale:
630-700 points=A
560-629 points=B
490-559 points=C
420-489 points=D
< 420Â Â Â Â points=F
Course Evaluation Descriptions
Class Participation: Participation is a very important component of your learning experience. This is a class in which students learn from each other as well as by participating in hands-on projects. Each student will research 5 Articles during the semester and present them on a biweekly basis for class discussion. The topic is open to anything that pertains to the course or horticulture industry. Students are expected to take an active part in all discussions and come prepared for these discussions. The instructor will set the schedule of dates for the student’s presentations.Â
Fieldtrips: We will be going on fieldtrips this semester. Students are required to attend these fieldtrips and show up on time for departure.
Exams: We will have 2 exams this semester at 100 points each for a total of 200 points. Exams will be in the form of essay, multiple choices, true/false, and/or short answer and are non-cumulative. The combined grade of the Exams will comprise 50% of the final grade. Exams will not include plant ID.
Plant ID Quizzes: An important component of this class is identification of plants, learning plant names (both common and scientific), and learning their cultural requirements. Throughout the course of this semester, students will be given 10 quizzes, each worth 20-points for a total of 200 points. Quizzes will cover any material covered during the “Plants of the Week†class segment. The information covered in these quizzes is cumulative.
Planting Schemes: After completing this class, students should not only be able to identify landscape plants, but they should also know how to select appropriate plants for particular landscapes. Students will receive 2 Planting Scheme assignments this semester, each worth 50 points. Blank landscape designs will be distributed, and students will devise a planting scheme based on certain criteria for that landscape.
Tentative Calendar
Week # Date
Topic
Week 1
§ Class Set-up: Introductions, Syllabus, Semester paperwork
Week 2
§ Lecture: Texas Climatic Conditions; Plant Taxonomy & Morphology
§ Plant ID: Shrubs – Part I
§ Video: Plant Taxonomy, QK 95 .P5483 1984
§ Lab: Walk campus to ID shrubs
Week 3
§ Quiz 1
§ Student Articles
§ Plant ID: Shrubs – Part II
§ Lecture: Proper Pruning Techniques Handout; Fertilizing Woody Ornamentals Handout
§ Video: Fundamentals of Pruning, SB 125 .P78 2005
§ Lab: Walk around campus to ID shrubs
Week 4
§ Quiz 2
§ Plant ID: Shrubs – Part III
§ Lecture Hardwood & Softwood Cutting Propagation... Media, Mist, Auxins, Containers, Greenhouse Tour
§ Lab: Propagate cuttings – Mist System.
§ Fieldtrip
Week 5
§ Quiz 3
§ Plant ID: Shrubs – Part IV
§ Lecture: Preparation and Planting of Landscape Plants
§ Lab: Prune crape myrtles and evergreens on campus.
Week 6
§ Quiz 4
§ Plant ID: Trees – Part I
§ Lecture: Tree Removal
§ Lab: Tree seed stratification.
Week 7
§ Quiz 5
§ Plant ID: Trees – Part II
§ Lecture:  How to Combine Plants in the Landscape; Companion Gardening Handout
Week 8
§ Quiz 6
§ Plant ID: Trees – Part III
§ Lecture: Landscape Layout Principles
§ Planting Scheme 1 Assignment: Landscape Plant Layout/Design
§ Lab: pot up cuttings
§ Other: Exam I review
Tentative Calendar, Continued
Week 9
§ Quiz 7
§ Plant ID: Trees – Part IV
§ Lecture: Tree Seed Stratification
§ Exam I Review
Week 10
§ Exam I
§ Plant ID: Woody Vines
§ Lecture: Xeriscaping (p. 222 Groom); Landscape Water Conservation…Xeriscape Handout
§ Video: Xeriscapes
Week 11
§ Quiz 8
§ Plant ID: Groundcovers
§ Lecture: Wildscapes – Planting for Wildlife
§ Other: Go over Exam I
Nov. 9
§ Last day to drop a class with a “Wâ€Â
Week 12
§ Quiz 9
§ Planting Scheme 1 Due: Presentations & Plan Submittal
§ Fieldtrip: Critique Landscapes
§ Planting Scheme 2 Assignment: Discuss in class
Week 13
§ Quiz 10
§ Lecture: Roses Handout, Heirloom Plants for the Texas Garden Handout
§ Plant ID: Roses
§ Lab: Pruning Roses
§ Video: How to Grow Roses, SB 411.6.H68 200_
Week 14
§ Thanksgiving
§ Lecture: Urban Forestry
§ Lab: Prune shrubs & roses
§ Plant Scheme 2 questions
Week 15
§ Assignment 2 Presentations & Plan Submittal
§ - Review for Exam II
§ Video: Texas, The State of Water
§ Other: Complete Online Semester Evaluations
Week 16
Dec. 6
§ Exam II (non-cumulative) Finals Week
Calendar is subject to change.