Literacy, or at least awareness, in plant biology should be attained by all students graduating from our colleges and universities. Towards defining what should be taught about plants in a general curriculum, the American Society of Plant Physiologists has articulated Principles of Plant Biology: Concepts for Science Education. Representatives of the Coalition for Education in the Life Sciences (CELS) will report on a workshop, Toward Literacy in Plant Biology, held in July 1998, that introduced these Principles of Plant Biology to a broader audience of plant-related professional societies (including the Botanical Society of America) for the purpose of initiating an ongoing discussion among members of these societies. What should be taught about plant biology? How can plants illustrate fundamental biological concepts? CELS welcomes this opportunity to work with the Botanical Society of America to identify the critical concepts to which all students should be introduced during their undergraduate years. Moreover, CELS promotes collaborations among professional societies to bring greater coherence to the diverse array of topics and approahces in undergraduate biology education. During this session, ideas for fostering imaginative and exemplary instructional materials that develop literacy in plant biology are especially encouraged.

Key words: introductory biology courses, plant literacy, teaching