Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 46888
Deadly Decomposition-Fungi
In this lesson student will keep a scientific notebook to relate the major structure of fungi to their functions. Students will review several resources on
fungi as well as conduct an investigation using yeast to compare its decomposition properties.
Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s)
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Fungi, decompose, yeast, lichen, mychorrhizae, hyphae, mycelium, septae, asexual reproduction
Resource Collection: CPALMS Lesson Plan Development Initiative
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
The students will be able to relate the major structure of fungi to their functions.
The students will be able to write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a
range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should be aware that there are different scientific kingdoms.
Students should be familiar with the food chain.
Students should be aware of decomposition.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. How do Fungi differ from plants and bacteria? (Fungi belong to a different kingdom. Fungi are distinguished by their sexual reproductive structures.)
2. What are the major structures of organisms belonging to the kingdom Fungi? (Hyphae, septae, and mycellium)
3. What are functions of these structures? (Hyphae contain the nuclei, in which mitosis occurs. Septae seperate the hyphae and are composed of chitin which is
resistant to bacterial degredation.)
4. Why are Fungi ecologically important?(Fungi are decomposers and form a mutualistic symbiotic association with bacteria called Lichens that are a key indicator
species.)
5. How are Fungi economically important? (Fungi are used for medicine and in food production. They can also cause diseases in both plants and animals.)
6. How are yeast different from other phyla of fungi? (they are unicellular)
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
To introduce the lesson:
Write the guiding questions on the board
Have the students discuss in groups what they already know about mycology and all things mushroom.
Listen for key ideas and concepts that are connected to the guiding questions and write them on the board.
There are several resources to assist in presenting the required concepts in your lesson:
page 1 of 3 http://namyco.org/education/online_teaching_resources.html
http://microbemagic.ucc.ie/about_microbes/fungi.html
State the ecological and economic importance of Fungi. They:
are essential to our ecosystems as principal decomposers;
are used in many products we are familiar with, especially yeasts, which are used in fermentation;
form mutualistic associations (with cyanobacteria to produce lichens and with plant roots forming mychorrhizae);
act as disease causing agents in both plants and animals( meaning they can be pathogenic);
are used in medicine (antibiotics, genetic research);
are used in food production (bread, cheese, and mushrooms).
Go over the general characteristics of organisms in the kingdom Fungi. They:
are multicellular, haploid eukaroyotes;
are absorptive heterotrophs ( saprophytic, parasitic, and mutualistic);
are non-motile;
have cell walls composed of chitin which resists microbrial degredation;
lack chlophyll;
are both sexual and asexual;
have fiamentous bodies.
Explain that the four Phyla of Fungi are distinguished mainly by their method of reproduction:
Phylum Zygomycota (bread molds), asexually through spores and sexually through fusion of their gametangia
Phylum Ascomycetes (includes yeasts), asexually through budding/fragmentation(yeast) and sexually through 8 haploid ascospores
Phylum Basidomycota (club Fungi), asexually through fragmentation and sexually through 4 haploid basidiospores
Phylum Deuteromycota (club Fungi), asexually
Note the two main Fungal associations, Lichens and Mychorrhizae.
Lichens, which have a mutalistic symbiotic association between a fungi and a photosynthetic organism.
Lichens are environmental indicators because they are sensitive to pollutants.
Mychorrhizae are fungal associations with plant roots. The fungi help the plants to absorb nitrogen.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
The students will complete a fungal decomposition activity with teacher guidance. Note: This activity will take seven days. Have the students:
1. gather materials (Banana, Yeast, two plastic sandwich bags);
2. Label plastic bags(1. yeast, 2. No Yeast);
3. cut the banana in halve equally;
4. Place a banana slice in each plastic bag;
5. Sprinkle one-half teaspoon of yeast into the bag labeled Yeast;
6. Place both bags in a warm, dark place
7. Observe their bags daily; and
8. Keep an observational journal
Safety Note: Do not open the bags during the activity. Cut bananas with a plastic knife. Growing fungi/and or yeast in the lab could be dangerous if people breathe in
the spores. Make sure to properly dispose of it as soon as the lesson concludes. Students should not touch or open the bag once experimentation begins.
Students will relate their results in the lab by what they have learned about fungi.
Students should notice that the banana with the yeast will decompose more than the control group. The yeast acted as a decomposer speeding up the process of
decomposition in the bag. Students might also notice the bag will slightly inflate due to the release of carbon dioxide as the yeast releases it as it respires.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Students should go to the following websites to review their understanding of fungi. Students will record information in their student notebooks.
http://www.kew.org/plants-fungi/fungi/about-fungi/index.htm
In order to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the lesson, the students will complete the Fungal Decomposition assessment.
The Fungal Decomposition answer key
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
The teacher will assist the students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson by:
Pointing back to the guiding questions on the board.
Pointing out what the students already knew concerning Fungi.
Doing a quick review of new vocabulary, concepts, and terms.
Summative Assessment
The teacher will determine if the students have reached the resource learning targets using the:
1. Fungal Decomposition assessment (At the end of the lesson).
2. Observational journals based on the Fungal Decomposition activity.
Formative Assessment
To gather information concerning the students' understanding throughout the lesson , the teacher will:
At the start of the lesson...
1. Write the guiding questions on the board.
2. Have the students discuss in groups what they already know about mycology and all things mushroom.
3. Listen for key ideas and concepts that are connected to the guiding questions and write them on the board.
During the lesson...
1. Monitor student progress in notebooks.
2. Use the Writing Standards rubric to assess these notebooks.
page 2 of 3 Feedback to Students
The students will get feedback about their performance:
During the group discussion (the teacher will write pertinent ideas and concepts on the board immediately).
When handing in their daily notebooks (the teacher can provide immediate feedback).
On their notes taken from reviewing web resources on fungi.
During the Fungal Decomposition Assessment at the end of the lesson (feedback given when assessment is graded).
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations: For ESE students:
prepare the Fungal Decomposition Activity for them
decrease the amount of questions on the post assessment
provide a questions and answer sheet for them instead of having them keep a journal
For Gifted students:
you could add an essay component to the post assessment
allow them to design their own Fungal decomposition lab
allow them to brainstorm ways to record data and show evidence.
Extensions: Teachers can provide specimens for observation if they can get them.
If dissection tools are available the students could perform a mushroom dissection lab to accompany this lesson. (buy some at the grocery)
Special Materials Needed:
Bananas, active dry yeast, and two plastic sandwich bags (per student)
Further Recommendations: There are a multitude of resources available online.
If students show a particular interest, bring in several edible fungi (from a grocery store) into class to examine but not to consume.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Andrea Tweeddale
Name of Author/Source: Andrea Tweeddale
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Brevard
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
LAFS.1112.WHST.4.10:
LAFS.910.WHST.4.10:
SC.912.L.14.9:
Description
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or
a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or
a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Relate the major structure of fungi to their functions.
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