Lesson 4 - Beneficial Roles of Fungi: Decomposers Curriculum Links Sustainability OI.2 – Systems All life forms, including human life, are connected through Priority ecosystems on which they depend for their wellbeing and survival OI.7 – Futures Actions for a more sustainable future reflect values of care, respect and responsibility, and require us to explore and understand environments Science ACSSU073: Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive Lesson Focus - Engage Phase This lesson will extend student understanding of the beneficial roles fungi play in ecosystems. This lesson will focus on introducing decomposer fungi and endophytes as superheroes! Students will engage with video content created by mycologist, Dr Sandra Tuszynska, about decomposer fungi. Students will learn how decomposer fungi are being used by scientists to help with sustainability and environmental pollution. Lesson Outcomes Students will • extend their understanding beneficial roles fungi play in ecosystems • focus on learning about decomposer fungi • learn how decomposer fungi are being used in environmental innovations Lesson Resources Preparation Unit Videos: Exploring Fungi • Unit video 8 Superheroes: Decomposers and Endophytes with Dr. Sandra Tuszynska (12:03 min) Documents • R1 Word Wall • R4 Fungi Types Worksheet (printed copy for all students) Lesson Vocabulary Cellulose, lignin, pollution, solutions, biomagnification, innovation, decontamination Background Teacher Information Lesson 4 In this lesson, Dr. Sandra Tuszynska delivers a new video focusing on the beneficial roles of decomposer (and endophytic fungi) in ecosystems. Sandra highlights some of the current uses of decomposer fungi, in innovations aimed at improving sustainability and solving environmental problems. Through this exposure to innovations using decomposer and endophytic fungi, students will understand the value of their function in ecosystems and for the future. Decomposer fungi are commonly seen when looking for fungi fruiting bodies in the environment. They can be seen attached to fallen logs and trees. Students will love finding out more about their superpowers! The video presentation is 12min in length and is best viewed in sections with discussion about each main topic introduced. Topics covered are: • 0:00 – 3 min: Introducing decomposers and endophytes. Learning what plants are made from. • 3 min – 12 min: Innovations for environmental solutions using decomposers (endophytes in one example). Topics include: new fuel source with endophytes, plastic solutions using decomposer fungi, cleaning up contamination in the environment with decomposer fungi. What Superheroes! Exploring Fungi Lesson 4 Teaching Sequence Introduction: Review the R4 Fungi Types Worksheet. Explain that we will learn more about endophytes and decomposer fungi in this lesson. Consider these questions: • Why are decomposer fungi and endophytes important? • How are they Superheroes? View unit video 8 Superheroes: Decomposers Endophytes’ in sections. Pause, discuss and take notes of the key information. (Teacher to also list key points on a class display about Decomposers and Endophytes). Below are the timed sections of the video to pause and discuss: • 0:00 – 3 min: Introducing decomposers and endophytes. What is wood composed of? • 3 – 4 min: New fuel innovation (endophytes) • 4 – 7:30 min: Plastic pollution solutions with decomposer fungi and the Mutarium invention • 7:30 – 9 min: Pollutants and biomagnification • 9 – 11:30 min: Decomposer fungi helping clean up the environments In conclusion, review the word wall. Reflect on the function of decomposers that enable them to be used in sustainability solutions for current environmental issues and into the future.
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