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Instructor's Guide

Welcome, educators!

Bree waving welcome This guide will help you use Minnesota Native Plants in your classroom or workshop. Let's grow together!

Overview

Minnesota Native Plants is a free, open-access intelligent textbook suitable for use in college courses, community education programs, Master Gardener training, nature center workshops, and self-directed study. The content covers 289 concepts across 17 chapters, progressing from foundational ecology to capstone projects.

Course Structure Options

Full Semester (15–16 Weeks)

Cover all 17 chapters at roughly one chapter per week, with additional time for the capstone project in Chapter 17.

Weeks Chapters Theme
1–2 1–2 Ecological foundations and ecoregions
3–5 3–5 Plant communities: prairie, woodland, wetland
6–7 6–7 Pollinators and plant identification
8–9 8–9 Invasive species ID and removal
10–11 10–11 Garden design and planting practices
12–13 12–14 Restoration, cultural uses, resources
14 15–16 Systems thinking and critical thinking
15–16 17 Capstone projects

Short Course (6–8 Weeks)

Focus on core chapters for a condensed experience:

  • Chapters 1–2 (foundations)
  • Chapters 3 or 4 (one plant community)
  • Chapter 6 (pollinators)
  • Chapter 8 (invasive species)
  • Chapter 10 (garden design)
  • Chapter 15 (systems thinking)

Workshop Format (1–2 Days)

Select 3–4 chapters relevant to your audience. Pair each chapter with its MicroSim for hands-on engagement.

Using the Interactive Features

MicroSims

Each MicroSim is a self-contained p5.js simulation embedded via iframe. They work on any device with a modern browser. Recommended uses:

  • In-class demonstrations — project the simulation and explore it as a group
  • Lab activities — have students work through simulations individually and record observations
  • Homework — assign specific simulations with guided questions

Quizzes

Each chapter includes a 10-question multiple-choice quiz. Questions are distributed across Bloom's Taxonomy levels:

  • Remember/Understand — recall and comprehension questions
  • Apply/Analyze — scenario-based questions requiring application of concepts
  • Evaluate/Create — higher-order questions asking for judgment or synthesis

Quizzes are self-grading in the browser. Consider using them as:

  • Pre-reading assessments to gauge prior knowledge
  • Post-reading comprehension checks
  • Study aids before exams

Learning Graph

The interactive learning graph visualizes how all 289 concepts connect. Use it to:

  • Show students how current topics relate to what they have already learned
  • Help students identify prerequisite knowledge they may need to review
  • Plan custom learning paths for students with different backgrounds

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment

  • Chapter quizzes (built-in)
  • MicroSim observation journals
  • Discussion questions based on Bree's key concept prompts
  • Peer teaching of glossary terms

Summative Assessment

  • Capstone projects (Chapter 17 provides templates)
  • Portfolio of MicroSim explorations with written reflections
  • Native plant garden design proposal using the Garden Layout Planner
  • Invasive species management plan for a local site

Alignment With Learning Outcomes

The Course Description includes detailed learning outcomes aligned to Bloom's Taxonomy. Each chapter maps to specific outcomes, making it straightforward to document alignment for accreditation or program review.

Adapting for Your Audience

Audience Suggested Focus
College biology students All chapters, emphasis on Chapters 6, 12, 15
Master Gardeners Chapters 3–5, 8–11
K-12 educators Chapters 1, 3, 6, 10 with MicroSims
Restoration volunteers Chapters 8–9, 12, 14
Nature center visitors Chapters 1, 3, 7 as self-guided

Technical Requirements

  • Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
  • Internet connection for accessing the site and MicroSims
  • No software installation required
  • Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices

License for Educators

This textbook is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. You are free to:

  • Use it in your courses at no cost
  • Adapt and remix content for your teaching needs
  • Share adapted versions with proper attribution

Please provide attribution to the original work and share any adaptations under the same license.