Biology, Module 4, Kingdom Fungi

Videos, etc. for M4, Part A (introduction)
Videos, etc. for M4, Part B - 3 of the 6 phyla in kingdom Fungi
Videos, etc. for M4, Part C - the last 3 of the 6 phyla in kingdom Fungi
Quizlet Vocabulary Game, M4

We finally had a module that we could at least do part of the experiment.  Yay!
A magnifying glass is a far cry from a microscope, but we did our best and had fun anyway.

Experiment 4.1, Phylum Basidiomycota
We studied phylum Basidiomycota, which mostly has the kinds of mushrooms that form basidia on their gills.  The basidia then release the spores called..... basidiospores!  (wow, who would have thunk?)
I don't know if the puffball mushroom has gills.  If it does, they are inside where they can't be seen.  

The kids were to collect mushrooms to bring to class.  One young man found a huge variety, including shelf fungi.  He did say his mom and sisters and brother all trekked thru the woods with him.  But what finds! =)

He even brought in this beauty!  wow.  I bet they were excited.  =D

Some of Isaac's Mushrooms:


Isaac outdid us all!  Extra points for Isaac!  =)

While Rebekah and I were at the library yesterday morning, Travis called and told me there was a good-sized mushroom at his Mom and Dad's house.  He was over there helping his dad cut wood.
I'd already planned to pick up Cousin A on my way home, so the girls could practice for a church service they were singing at last night.
So Rebekah and Cousin A got to get this mushroom together.  Although the kids did find a few in the woods this morning (didn't have much time), this was the first and main one we found, so it was a big deal.
Just see:



They really seemed to like looking at the mushrooms.  They cut them apart to look inside, and we talked about the different parts of a mushroom, and that mushrooms that have gills are from the phylum Basidiomycota.


This is the mycelium from the mushroom that Rebekah and Cousin A found went with Travis to get.  The mycelium is not roots.  Mushrooms do not have roots.  The mycelium does not gather moisture and nutrients for the rest of the fungi like roots do for a plant.  It is the main part of the fungi.  The mushroom is just the fruiting body that is only produced periodically.  Like fruit!

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We also talked about the mushrooms from phylum Ascomycota.


These form their spores in protective membranes (sacs) that are shaped like globes, flasks, or dishes.
Rain then splashes into the mushroom which releases the spores.

The organisms in this phylum that are single-celled are usually called yeasts.  We are most familiar with the yeast used in baking.  Here is some dough from when my girls have made yeast rolls. →

Experiment 4.2, Yeast and the Fermentation Process had the kids to mix one packet of yeast with warm water and sugar.  We got this one started first so it could do its thing while we did the other two experiments. 
Yeasts feed on sugar, breaking it down into alcohol and carbon dioxide.  Carbon dioxide is a gas and pushes its way out of the dough, making it to rise.  When the dough is baked in the oven, the yeasts are killed and the alcohol evaporates. (yay)

After the kids left, I got a better picture.  I guess the bubbles show up better since it is more watery than regular dough which has flour in it.

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And now.... for the MOLD!
(Oh yeah.  Mold-that-grows-on-bread-is-a-member-of-phylum-Zygomycota.)
Ok, now that I've gotten that out of the way....  =D
The kids grew mold, and yes, I did too!
This is my before picture:

And.... AFTER!
Yes, after 8 days, this is what I had.  My bread didn't do too much yet, but just LOOK at that tomato!  
I showed it to my sister-in-law when she came to pick up her kids.
She did not seem to appreciate the awesomeness, hee hee!  =D

And the grape did pretty good, too.  Just look at that fuzz.

♦Rebekah started her bread, jelly, and apple slice 6 days ago, and it had nothing to show.
♦Isaac forgot his mold, so his mom will make pictures to send to me later after it gets to growing pretty good.
ETA: Click for pics of his bread and of mine and Rebekah's after a few more days.
♦The cousins' started their experiment 7 days ago, and their bread had more mold than mine.  Maybe because it was white bread?  (but mine was already 2 weeks old.  I'd saved it for this experiment.  Guess white bread does better.)
Their fruit was.... soup!
Cousin C put slices of apple and banana in with the jelly.  So we have apple-banana jelly.

♦Bethany accidentally got in on our experiments.
She found a pink mushroom this morning while in the woods.  =)
And last week, she'd made biscuits one night when we had cooked apples (cooked w/ butter and sugar).  I guess these three leftover biscuits just didn't appeal to anyone after all the apples were gone, so we have some mold!  No preservatives, you know.

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There are three other phyla in kingdom Fungi, but there were no experiments for these, so I'll just list them and give a brief description.  To learn more, see the links at the beginning of this post.

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Phylum Chytridiomycota is mostly saprophytic (feeds on dead things -- in this case, decaying plants), but there are some species that are parasitic (feeds on a living host).
This is commonly known as potato wart. →
These are different than other fungi in that they don't have spores to be carried by the wind or other means.
Instead they have flagella, and can move on their own.


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Phylum Deuteromycota consists of fungi whose means of reproduction have not been firmly established.  This phylum is called the "imperfect fungi."
It is from this phylum we get the antibiotic penicillin.
Other members of the genus Penicillium are useful because they flavor certain kinds of cheese.  These are not the same species as the one that produces penicillin; they are just in the same genus.

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Phylum Myxomycota is saprophytic and is harmless, but it looks gross!  They are typically called slime molds. No pictures.  =)

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This has been a fun module!  We aren't quite finished with the chapter, but we are done w/ the experiments, so I'm going ahead with this post.   
Next Monday will be our last quiz for this first 4-Module contest.  I think the kids are seeing the urgency to get all their assignments in!  Stay tuned for the winners!  =)