Lesson Description

This lesson exposes learners to the concept of mushroom morphology by having learners go on a scavenger hunt for mushrooms that feature different cap shapes. If you are in an environment where wild mushrooms are available, this scavenger hunt could be done with real mushrooms. However, examples of mushrooms can be printed out, laminated and used in an indoor or outdoor setting in place of real mushrooms.
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NOTE: “Advanced” elements of this lesson plan are suggested, but should only be added if learners have already learned about the different parts of a mushroom.

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Associated Standards

K-2
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.1
Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2
Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

3-5
4LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1 (also SL.4.1, SL.5.1)
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3
Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

6-8
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2
Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
 
MS-LS1-4 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

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Essential Questions
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• What is morphology?
• What are the most common shapes of mushroom caps?​

Enduring Understandings

• Morphology refers to the shape and size of something.
• Mushrooms can be many different sizes.
• A mushroom cap is called a pileus.
• Mushroom caps can be many different shapes including cylindrical, conical, bell-shaped, umbonate, convex, plane, uplifted, umbilicate, depressed, and funnel-shaped.​

Learning Objectives
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• Learners will work cooperatively with peers to accomplish a scavenger hunt.
• Learners will compare and contrast the morphologies of different mushrooms.
• Learners will examine an environment and identify geometric patterns.
• Learners will identify and describe at least seven unique mushroom cap shapes.
• Learners will formulate a hypothesis about how the shape of the cap may benefit the fungus.​

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Materials

• Paper
• Writing utensils
• Mushroom cap shape flash cards
• Scavenger hunt checklist​

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Lesson Instructions

1. Note: This lesson can be easily modified to accommodate different ages of learners. If working with young learners, it is recommended to simplify the lesson to focus on the easier mushroom cap shapes and come up with alternative fun names to help the learners remember. Keep in mind that the primary point of the lesson is for learners to understand that mushrooms come in different shapes and sizes. Other details mentioned in this lesson plan can be reserved for older learners as appropriate.
2. This lesson is best performed outside, but can be adapted for indoor classroom environments. 
3. ​If using the mushroom cards for the scavenger hunt activity, have a helper distribute the cards around the area to prepare for the scavenger hunt. This can be done during the anticipatory set, or before the lesson begins.
4. Bring learners into a circle.
   1. ​Background: Morphology is the study of forms. In biology, morphology usually refers to the shapes and sizes of an organism and its parts. In today's lesson we are going to explore the concept of morphology by studying the different shapes of mushroom caps. The technical term for a mushroom cap is pileus.
5. Anticipatory Set:
   1. Ask learners to take 30 seconds to think about the different shapes that they notice around them.
      1. ​Note: You can have learners observe nature or objects in the classroom OR you could present many different mushrooms for them to examine
   2. Ask learners to pair up with the person next to them and share what they noticed. How many total shapes do they notice?
   3. Ask pairs to describe the examples of different shapes that they noticed.
6. Explain to learners that the shapes and sizes of things is called their morphology. To more easily remember the word “morphology” point out that the word morph means to change shape or size. So morphology is the study of something’s shape and size, or something's form. Just like the buildings, trees, and other things here that have morphologies, mushrooms have morphologies as well! Today we are going to go on a scavenger hunt to find as many different looking mushroom caps as we can and take a look at their morphologies. But before we go hunting, we need to know what we are looking for.
7. Hold up each Mushroom Cap Shape Card for each learner to see. Pass around if necessary. Ask learners to recite the name of each shape after you read it aloud.
8. Prepare learners for the scavenger hunt by passing out the Scavenger Hunt Checklist to each learner and dividing the group into teams (teams of 4-5 recommended). If performing the lesson outdoors, be sure that all learners have appropriate attire for the current outdoor conditions. Learners should wear reflective vests for safety.
9. Learners have 5 minutes to find as many different mushrooms as possible. Emphasize that every mushroom must be different. It’s not about how many mushrooms they find, it is about how many different shapes of mushrooms they find.
10. After 5 minutes is up, bring the group back together in a circle.
11. Retrieve the Mushroom Cap Shape Cards again and go through them, one by one, reciting the name of the shape out loud, and having all learners recite the name back. Then ask each group to show a mushroom that is an example of one of the mushroom cap shapes until every shape has been covered.
    1. OPTION: The team with the most shapes represented could win a reward of some sort, if desired.
12. Tell the learners to think about the shapes of mushrooms in nature when they go home. Encourage learners to find examples of these mushroom cap shapes outside of class on their own to share with the class the next time you meet. Encourage learners to draw pictures of the mushroom caps that they see outside of class.

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References

Mushroom morphology information sourced from Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora
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​Our lesson plans utilize the backward design model presented by Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

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