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Peppermint is a hybrid mint--a cross between water mint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widespread in cultivation in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species. Peppermint was first described in 1753 by Charles Linnaeus from specimens that had been collected in England; he treated it as a species, but it is now universally agreed to be a hybrid. It is a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant. Peppermint generally grows best in moist, shaded locations like stream sides and drainage ditches. young shoots are taken from old stock and dibbled into the ground about 1.5 feet apart. Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively. They grow quickly and cover the ground with runners. For the home gardener, it is often grown in containers to restrict rapid spreading. It grows best with a good supply of water, without being water logged, and planted in areas with part sun to part shade. The leaves and flowering tops are used; they are collected as soon as the flowers begin to pen and can be dried. Outside of its native range, areas where peppermint was formerly grown for oil often have an abundance of feral plants. It is considered invasive in some places. The wild form of peppermint is not suitable for oil. Cultivated plants have been selected for more and better oil content. They may be allowed to lie and wilt a little before distillation, or they may be taken directly to the still.

I've written in previous posts that much of most of the writing that your students do does not get graded. So, how do you assess writing to learn? Here are some tips on evaluating the kinds of writing that your students will be producing.

Never mark the writing for mechanics, spelling, or grammar.

Never grade them summatively with a letter or number.

Always use them explicitly in class to advance the work of the course.

Collect and review them to assess the level of engagement, types of thinking, and guidance for future lesson planning.