Ethnobotany day one

This term I began with a check of attendance in A101 and a brief introduction to the dual nature of the course - scientific botany of plant diversity and ethnographic approaches to the ways in which people use plants in their culture and customs. This term I brought no plants with me into the classroom. Although there had bene passing showers all day, and the ground was wet, the class period was without rain. 

I then explained that I wanted to get a feel for what the students might already know. I packed up the class and went outside to the Eugenia uniflora. The bushes had cherries and I proceeded to eat them as I explained that the plant was poisonous. 

Twenty-one of the twenty-six students in the class were present for this day one class. Preliminarily perhaps 18 are Pohnpeian speakers, one Mortlockese speaker, one Chamorro speaker, and one Woleaian speaker. No one knew a local name for Eugenia uniflora, which is Pohnpeian is teri.

Then I moved on to the Terminalia catappa. Only one student seemed to know the name. Over by the Premna seratifolia the Morinda citifolia tree is coming back. From what I could tell perhaps five or six knew their local name for the plant, perhaps more. 

Microsorum scolopendria is also present there with fertile fronds, so I was able to show the class sori - the science side of the course. No one seemed to know, or was willing to say, the local name of M. scolopendria. 

I wrapped up at the Premna, which only one student was willing to admit to knowing the name of.

This approach felt like it worked better than me marching around the room with wilted plants, and sets the tone up front that this is an outdoor class.