Fantastic Fungi

Online Incursions: Fantastic Fungi

Program Summary

Location: Online
Excursion Duration: 45 mins
Year Level: Grade 3-6
Group Size: 20-50
Cost: $110 +GST for up to 50 students
Availability: See booking form
Program Themes: fungi, mushroom, classify, ecosystem, habitat

  

Program Overview

This program introduces students to the fascinating kingdom of fungi. Students will discover some of the different types of fungi growing around Melbourne, learning how to identify and classify them. They will investigate and understand the ecological importance of fungi in our ecosystems.

Key Concepts & Questions

•    How do fungi differ from plants?
•    What are the major structures of fungi?
•    How can we identify fungi?
•    Why are fungi some of the most important organisms on the planet?

Learning Outcomes

•    3/4 Different living things have different life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive (VCSSU058)
•    3/4 Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions including consideration of the elements of fair tests (VCSIS066)
•    5/6 The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment (VCSSU075)
•    5/6 With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be based on previous experiences or general rules (VCSIS083)

Program Outline

In this session, students will watch a short film of a fungi exploration in Westgate Park, Port Melbourne. In the video students explore: 
•    How fungi, and mushrooms more specifically, are classified and identified
•    How mushrooms reproduce 
•    The ways mushrooms have adapted to their local environment
•    Fungi as ‘decomposers’ 
•    The symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants

This will be followed by a Q&A session with an EcoCentre educator, where students will have the opportunity to follow up any wonderings they may have had after watching the fungi film. Students will then learn how to conduct their own fungi investigations at school and in the home.

Logistics
This incursion is delivered online using Zoom. A teacher and class can join the session from the classroom or remotely from home. A meeting link and instructions will be sent out with the booking confirmation. Minimum group size is 20, maximum group size is 50.

An invoice will be forwarded after the incursion is completed. The fee covers our programs administration costs. Please book your incursion at least 7 days in advance - we are unable to accept last-minute bookings.



Please email schools@ecocentre.com with subject "Online incursion enquiry", with:
1) Incursion Topic(s),
2) Three preferred dates and times
3) Number of classes for each topic (a class is up to 25 students)?
4) Year level of the students
5) Contact name, school/organisation and phone number

Boon Wurrung Foundation Logo The EcoCentre acknowledges the Kulin Nations, including the Yalukut Weelam clan of the Boon Wurrung language group, traditional owners of the land on which we are located. We pay respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Elder members of our multicultural community.