Naturalist Perspectives Assignment 5: Cells in the Landscape

For this assignment (due April 24th), it’s back to cell biology to consider elements of the landscape at a cellular level. Here are the instructions:

1. Identify then visit a place you feel will be enjoyable and connect you to nature. This could be a location you’ve visited before for these assignments (i.e. Sites Alpha or Beta, the body of water your chose for assignment 3) or a different location.
2. Take some time to experience this place with your senses. Record your observations in your notebook, especially those that may pertain to the instructions below.
3. Consider what kind of cells are present in the environment around you. Make note of them.
4. Consider what cells in your body are responding to the environment and how they might be doing so.
5. Conduct some informational research on one of the cells you noted in step 3. Find out what makes these cells unique. Are there specific proteins present in these cells that allow them to do specific jobs in the organism they are a part of? Suggestion: consider using these resources to get ideas and leads:
   • The TED Radio Hour segment “How Do Trees Collaborate?“
   • The NPR Cosmos & Culture blog post “Life Is The Network, Not The Self“
   • The books What a Plant Knows and The Hidden Life of Trees
6. Conduct some informational research on one of the cells you noted in step 4. Find out what makes these cells in you unique. Do they use specific proteins that allow them to do specific jobs in the organs or tissues they are a part of? Suggestion: take a look at this Japan Times article on forest therapy or this Greater Good Science Center article.
7. Share your observations of the place you visited and the information you found in steps 6 and 7 in a blog post. Be sure to once again include date, time, location and weather conditions.
8. Comment on one of a classmate’s blog post for any assignment or challenge.