Mushroom Structure: Teacher’s notes - David Moore · mushroom has tissues that carry out...

Mushroom Structure: Teacher’s notes After learning about fungi in lessons; this exercise is a fun way for pupils to get their hands on real mushrooms and have a proper look at them. Something many may never have done. The exercise can lead into discussions of biological development and morphogenesis (even the lowly mushroom has tissues that carry out different functions and a genetically-defined developmental process that ensures that each species produces mushrooms that look the same each time it fruits); biodiversity (there are thousands of different mushroom species – compare oyster mushrooms and Agaricus mushrooms and have a field guide or two on display to illustrate the wider diversity in wild species); and evolution (why is a mushroom shaped like a mushroom? Why are some mushrooms tall and thin, others short and stout? Why do mushrooms have gills? Why do some have pores instead of gills?). Additional sheets attached to these notes can help you with this wider discussion and might be used as class-sheets. To ensure that all mushrooms are safe to handle and are edible, buy the mushrooms from a supermarket. Most large supermarkets offer a variety of mushrooms that come in different shapes and sizes. The large mushrooms called ‘open flats’ are good for this exercise as the cap is fully open so that the gills are easy to look at. Because these are usually displayed ‘upside down’, the gills will probably look flattened. This is a natural gravitropism and is explained in the accompanying sheets. You can reverse the process by storing the mushrooms the right way up for 24-36 hours before they are to be used in the workshop. Indeed, the pupils can be involved in this preparation process and can learn a bit of fungal biology at the same time! 3-4 different species should be enough for the pupils to study, and most supermarkets will be able to supply fresh oyster mushrooms (maybe in two or three different colour varieties) and shiitake mushrooms as well as brown and white varieties of the normal Agaricus mushroom. For successful dissection of the mushrooms buy some ‘picnic style’ plastic knives and forks, paper plates and napkins from the supermarket when you get the mushrooms.

And don’t forget a supply of plastic bin bags for the after-session clear-up. NOTE that the chopped up mushrooms can be discarded into an ordinary (external) bin providing they are double-wrapped (one bin bag inside another).

Parts of a Fungus correctly labelled

stem or stipe

mycelium

volva

ring gills

cap

Here’s an example in the packet shown above; note the flattened gills – particularly evident at top and bottom of the picture. These are not damaged, they’re just trying to adjust themselves back to the vertical. The true vertical in the original transport tray was in the approximately “two o’clock” position, so the gills from about “9 o’clock to 2 o’clock” have flattened onto their right hand side, and gills from “2 o’clock to 7 o’clock” have flattened onto their left hand side, leaving those at about 2 o’clock (and at 8 o’clock under the label) still vertical.

You can get the gills to re-orient themselves by putting the fruit body the right way up (i.e. gills downwards!) in a moist chamber overnight. No grand apparatus is required. The moist chamber can be a dinner plate covered with a mixing basin and a layer of moist kitchen tissue. If the stem or fruit body margin get in the way and prevent the cap sitting horizontally, then spear the stem onto a cocktail stick (or toothpick) supported in a piece of potato. Leave for 24-36 hours. On the right is the same fruit body after 36 hours in a moist chamber; note that many of the gills have returned to the vertical and now produce a rather nice spore print (below).

Shop-bought mushrooms

You can do this preparation in your kitchen before the activity. Alternatively, set up the moist chamber in the classroom with the children and use the exercise to discuss growth and development in these organisms. The next page explains the biology in outline.

If you want to make spore prints but don’t want to collect wild mushrooms, there’s nothing wrong with shop-bought (cultivated) mushrooms, BUT you must understand their biology sufficiently to make sure you get suitable material. Button mushrooms are young mushroomsand have not usually developed enough to produce spores – they often still have a protective membrane completely covering the gills. You need to buy ‘open-cap’ or ‘large flat’ mushrooms.

HOWEVER, these mushrooms are often displayed (and stored and distributed) upside down so the customers can see the gills. But the gills are gravitropic - they can sense they are away from the vertical and try to grow back to the vertical (now there’s an interesting discussion point about growth and development!).

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Understanding Fungi Name:…………………………………

Class:…………………………………

School:……………………................

□ GillsGills or pores grow under the cap and produce ______.To produce, protect and scatter the spores is why the toadstool grows.

□ The volvaIf the fungus has a universal veil, the volvais what is left of the veil at the bottom of the stem when the veil is broken.

The veil is broken as the toadstool ______.This veil sometimes leaves _____ on the cap as well.

The cap □The cap supports and protects the _____ or _____ which are where the spores are produced.

Ring □A partial veil grows from the edge of the cap to the stem, the ring is what is left on the ______ as the cap grows and breaks the ______.The veil provided extra protection for the spores when the toadstool was young.

Stem or stipe □The stem or stipe has to hold up the ______ So that when the spores drop down they are high enough off the ______ to drift away.

Mycelium □The mycelium is the hidden ‘body’ of the fungus. It finds ______ for the fungus and when conditions are suitable it is able to produce a _________.

Join the descriptions to the fungus by drawing a line between them.The line for the cap has been done for you.Complete the sentences.

Original © Aberdeen Environmental Education Centre 2002. This version produced by David Moore 2006. Text by Liz Holden, illustrations by Kath Hamper

How many differences can you think of between a fungus and a flowering plant? Write some down here:

Understanding Fungi

□ GillsGills or pores grow under the cap and produce _________.To produce, protect and scatter the spores is why the toadstool grows.

□ The volvaIf the fungus has a universal veil, the volvais what is left of the veil at the bottom of the stem when the veil is broken.

The veil is broken as the toadstool ______.This veil sometimes leaves _______ on the cap as well.

The cap □The cap supports and protects the _____ or _____ which are where the spores are produced.

Ring □A partial veil grows from the edge of the cap to the stem, the ring is what is left on the ______ as the cap grows and breaks the ______.The veil provided extra protection for the spores when the toadstool was young.

Stem or stipe □The stem or stipe has to hold up the ______ So that when the spores drop down they are high enough off the _______ to drift away.

Mycelium □The mycelium is the hidden ‘body’ of the fungus. It finds ______ for the fungus and when conditions are suitable it is able to produce a ____________.

Join the descriptions to the fungus by drawing a line between them.The line for the cap has been done for you.Complete the sentences.

How many differences can you think of between a fungus and a flowering plant? Write some down here:

veilstem

poresgills

spores

capground

foodtoadstool

growsspots


Name:…………………………………

Class:…………………………………

School:……………………................

Understanding Fungi in the ForestFungi are in the woodland all the time.Why don’t we see them most of the time?

There are three ways that woodland fungi get their food. Can you name them?

How do exchanger fungi link up to their tree?

How does the exchanger fungus help the tree?

Can you think of two reasons why recycler fungi are important in the forest?

Autumn is a good time for recycler fungi; can you think why?

When is a parasitic fungus able to infect a tree?

What did we use to help us try and identify some toadstools?

A parasite can kill a tree. How can the death of a tree be a good thing in the forest?


Can you name some woodland creatures that either eat or live in fungi?

Fungi and Food Chains Name:…………………………………

Class:…………………………………

School:……………………................

Several different animals appear in these diagrams. Can you find them?Can you make at least TWO different food chains, starting with the sun and including a toadstool?

Use the pages that follow for colouring-in


Mushroom Structure: Teacher’s notes - David Moore · mushroom has tissues that carry out...

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Transcript of Mushroom Structure: Teacher’s notes - David Moore · mushroom has tissues that carry out...