Lesson plan of Fungi Kingdom: Fungi

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understanding the Kingdom Fungi: The students should be able to understand the significance of the Kingdom Fungi and the role of fungi in the environment and human life. They should be able to differentiate fungi from other forms of life and understand the characteristics that make them unique.

2. Classification of Fungi: The students should learn to classify fungi into different groups, such as unicellular and multicellular, eukaryotes and prokaryotes. They should also be able to identify the major phyla of fungi.

3. Identification and Understanding of Fungal Structures: The students should be able to identify and describe the main fungal structures, such as hyphae, mycelia, and spores. They should also understand the function of each of these structures.

Secondary Objectives:

• Application of Knowledge: Students should be able to apply the knowledge acquired about fungi to understand and discuss related topics, such as fungal diseases, edible fungi, and the importance of fungi in the decomposition of organic matter.
• Encouraging Critical Thinking: Through discussion and analysis of different types of fungi and their functions, students should be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and form their own opinions and conclusions on the topic.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review Related Content: The teacher should start the lesson by reminding students about fundamental biology concepts that are relevant to the study of fungi. This may include a brief review about eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, biological kingdoms, and the concepts of taxonomic classification. (3 - 5 minutes)

2. Problem Statements: The teacher should present two situations that facilitate understanding the importance of fungi. The first one could be the discussion about the role of fungi in the decomposition of organic matter, which is essential for nutrient recycling in the ecosystem. The second one could be questions about how some fungi are beneficial to humans, such as in food production (e.g., yeast) and medicines (e.g., penicillin), while others can cause diseases. (2 - 3 minutes)

3. Contextualization: The teacher should explain how fungi are present in our daily lives, even though we might not always be aware of it. One could mention the presence of fungi in the production of bread, beer, and cheese, the decomposition of leaves and logs in nature, and the occurrence of fungal diseases in plants, animals, and humans. (2 - 3 minutes)

4. Capture Students' Attention: To spark students' interest in the topic, the teacher may share some fun facts about fungi. For instance, one could mention that the largest living organism in the world is a fungus, with a mycelium that extends over 5 miles (8.2 km) in the Malheur National Forest, Oregon, USA. Another fun fact could be that fungi cannot photosynthesize, unlike plants, which makes them dependent on other organisms for food. (2 - 3 minutes)

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. “Exploring Fungal Structure” Activity (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher divides the class into small groups and provides each group with a fungus sample (this could be a mushroom, moldy bread, or a yeast culture). The students, with the aid of handheld magnifying glasses, should observe the sample and identify the main fungal structures present, such as hyphae, mycelia, and spores. They should draw their observations and write down their descriptions.

   • Step by Step:

     1. Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students.
     2. Distribute the fungi samples.
     3. Briefly explain the fungal structures that students should look for.
     4. Allow students to observe the samples and discuss in their groups.
     5. Each group should draw the structures they observed and write down their descriptions.
     6. After the activity, each group should present their observations to the class.

2. “Classifying Fungi” Activity (10 - 12 minutes)

   • Description: After the observation activity, the students should research the fungus they observed and classify it into one of the major fungal phyla (e.g., Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota, etc.). They should base their classification on the structural characteristics they observed and on additional information they find in their research.
   • Step by Step:
     1. Each group should research the fungus they observed, using textbooks, online materials, or other available resources.
     2. Students should identify the structural characteristics of the fungus and compare them with the characteristics of the major fungal phyla.
     3. Based on their observations and research, students should classify the fungus into one of the major fungal phyla.
     4. Each group should present their classification and justify their choice, having a discussion with the class.
     5. The teacher should provide feedback and correct any misconceptions.

3. “The Fungi Game” Activity (5 - 8 minutes)

   • Description: To consolidate the acquired knowledge, the teacher proposes a fungi trivia game. The game can be conducted in a quiz format, with multiple-choice questions, true or false, or open-ended questions. The teacher can prepare the questions in advance or use an online quiz creator.

   • Step by Step:

     1. The teacher divides the class into two teams.
     2. The teacher asks questions about the Kingdom Fungi, fungal structure, classification of fungi, and other related topics. Each team should discuss and reach a consensus before giving the answer.
     3. The team that answers correctly gets a point. If both teams get it wrong, the teacher should explain the correct answer.
     4. The game goes on until all the questions are answered or until the time runs out. The team with the most points wins.

Return (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3 - 4 minutes)

   • The teacher should promote a group discussion where each team shares the main findings or conclusions reached during the activities. Each group should have up to 3 minutes to present.
   • The teacher should encourage students to explain their answers and justify their choices, thus promoting further reflection on the fungi classification process.
   • During the presentations, the teacher should clarify any misconceptions and provide constructive feedback.

2. Connection with Theory (2 - 3 minutes)

   • The teacher should then connect the hands-on activities conducted with the theory presented in the Introduction of the lesson.
   • This can be done by highlighting, for instance, how the fungal structure observed relates to the classification of fungi, or how the classification of fungi is important to understand the diversity and role of fungi in the environment and human life.

3. Individual Reflection (2 - 3 minutes)

   • To finalize the lesson, the teacher should propose that the students reflect individually about what they have learned.
   • The teacher can ask questions like:
     1. What was the most important concept learned today? Why?
     2. What questions have not yet been answered?
   • The students should have a minute to think about these questions. Afterward, the teacher could ask a few students to share their answers with the class, thus promoting collective reflection about the lesson.

4. Feedback and Conclusion (1 minute)

   • The teacher should thank the students for their participation and attention during the lesson.
   • They may also ask for a quick feedback about the lesson, so that they can make adjustments if necessary for the next classes.
   • The teacher should then inform students about the topic of the next lesson and any homework or readings that might be required to prepare them for the next class.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary and Recap (2 - 3 minutes)

   • The teacher should start the Conclusion by recalling the main points of the lesson, highlighting the importance of the Kingdom Fungi and the role of fungi.
   • They should reiterate the classification of fungi, fungal structure, and the main characteristics of fungi that were discussed during the lesson.
   • The teacher should also summarize the main findings or conclusions that the students reached during the hands-on activities.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice, and Applications (1 - 2 minutes)

   • Next, the teacher should explain how the lesson connected the theory of fungi with the practice of the observation and classification activities.
   • They should emphasize how understanding fungal structure and the ability to classify fungi are fundamental to understanding the diversity and role of fungi in the environment and human life.
   • The teacher should also highlight the practical applications of the knowledge acquired, such as understanding the role of fungi in the decomposition of organic matter, in food and medicine production, and in the occurrence of fungal diseases.

3. Extra Materials (1 - 2 minutes)

   • The teacher should suggest extra materials for students who wish to deepen their knowledge about fungi.
   • This could include biology books, documentaries, reference websites, educational games, and simple experiments that students can conduct at home to observe the activity of fungi.
   • The teacher should also recommend that students review the notes they took during the lesson and prepare for the next lesson, reviewing the content and thinking about possible questions or discussion topics.

4. Relevance of the Subject (1 minute)

   • To end the lesson, the teacher should reinforce the importance of studying fungi for the students' daily lives.
   • They can remind them how fungi are present in many aspects of our lives, from the production of food we consume to the occurrence of diseases that affect our health.
   • The teacher should also emphasize how the study of fungi contributes to a better understanding of the functioning of ecosystems and biodiversity, topics that are highly relevant to contemporary society.