Subject classification exercise: part 2

First, complete the task begun last week.

In a group of 4-5 people, define a subject by choosing a subset of 30-40 from the following list of sort-of related concepts. (Each group also has a set of index cards to manipulate as well.)

For example, you might select a set of concepts to represent “sustainable gardening in central Texas” or “garden design for beginners” or “home garden activities” or “gardening for food”—whatever you see emerging from the larger list of gardening concepts. If your subject idea requires additional concepts that are not represented in the list, feel free to make the necessary additions; I have extra index cards and pens.

You should be able to explain:

·  Your group’s definition of the subject area you’ve selected.

·  How the concepts you’ve chosen to constitute the subject express that definition.

There is no correct answer here; think about this task as making a case, or creating an argument, for a particular subject definition. For example, you might define “lifestyle gardening” as planning and enjoying one’s garden, but not performing actual tasks with plants, which would be delegated to one’s gardener. So you might include concepts for types of gardens (planning what to do) and activities that take place in gardens (barbecues) and skip concepts for dealing with pests, and so on.

Second, arrange your subject concepts into a classificatory structure.

  1. Label your subject. (Such as “Garden fun” or “Gardening with native Texas plants” and so on.)
  2. Determine the macro structure. One hierarchy? Multiple parallel hierarchies? Strict hierarchy (genus-species or part-whole relationships only)? Loose tree? Arrange your concepts in the selected form. Pay attention to the principles of division at each level of the structure and be able to explain them.

Use your index cards to display your structure.

Third, report your findings to the group.

In less than five minutes, tell the rest of the class:

·  Your subject label and definition.

·  The rationale you employed to select concepts for your subject.

·  Your structural and arrangement strategy.

·  Interesting debates or discoveries about the process or product of classification design.

Subject concepts

  1. annuals
  2. ants
  3. aphids
  4. arbors
  5. balance
  6. barbecues
  7. biennials
  8. borders
  9. bulbs
  10. clay soil
  11. color
  12. community garden
  13. compost
  14. container garden
  15. croquet
  16. cuttings
  17. deer
  18. edging
  19. English garden
  20. fertilizer
  21. fertilizing
  22. flowerbed
  23. flowering plants
  24. focal points
  25. fountains
  26. French garden
  27. full-shade exposure
  28. full-sun exposure
  29. garden decor
  30. garden design
  31. garden furniture
  32. garden ornaments
  33. garden parties
  34. garden shears
  35. garden tools
  36. gardening
  37. gazebos
  38. grasses
  39. greenhouse garden
  40. harvesting
  41. hedges
  42. herbs
  43. hoes
  44. hydroponic garden
  45. Japanese garden
  46. kitchen garden
  47. landscaping
  48. lawns
  49. loam soil
  50. manure
  51. mulch
  52. native plants
  53. nooks
  54. orchard
  55. organic gardening
  56. partial-sun exposure
  57. patios
  58. perennials
  59. pesticides
  60. pests
  61. plant diseases
  62. plant hardiness zones
  63. plant nutrition
  64. planting
  65. plants
  66. ponds
  67. potting
  68. pruning
  69. rabbits
  70. raised beds
  71. rakes
  72. rock garden
  73. rocky soil
  74. roof garden
  75. sandy soil
  76. seeds
  77. shovels
  78. shrubs
  79. simplicity
  80. soil
  81. soil acidity
  82. soil aeration
  83. soil amendments
  84. soil fertility
  85. soil texture
  86. sprinkler systems
  87. staking
  88. terrace
  89. texture
  90. tilling
  91. topiary
  92. trees
  93. trelllises
  94. trowels
  95. tubers
  96. unity
  97. vegetable plants
  98. vines
  99. watering
  100. weeding
  101. weeds
  102. weevils
  103. windowsill garden
  104. xeriscaping