Mushrooms: Penny Bun

• Organizational start, write the topic “Mushrooms” and present the lesson goals.
• Play a short clip of the nursery rhyme Na houby (by Josef Lada) and explain the Czech saying “být na houby” (“to be good for nothing”).
• Discussion: What comes to mind when students hear the word “mushrooms”? What kinds do they know, and where do they collect them?

Summarize the basic information about fungi together:

• The body of a fungus consists of mycelium and the fruiting body – the fruiting body is the “cap and stalk” visible above ground, while the mycelium is hidden in soil or wood.
• Fungi do not produce flowers or seeds and do not belong to plants or animals.
• They reproduce using spores, which are formed in the hymenium under the cap – in gills or tubes.
• They play an important role in nature: decomposing dead matter and helping trees absorb nutrients.

Open the 3D model of the penny bun in the Corinth app and name its parts together (cap, tubes, stalk, ring, mycelium).

If the model does not load, open it in a new window:
app.corinth3d.com/content/p-rost-hrib-smrkovy

Student task:

• Label the parts of the mushroom in your notebook or worksheet.
• Answer: What is the function of the mycelium? Why is it important not to pull out the mushroom along with the mycelium?

• The mycelium of many fungal species surrounds the roots of trees and helps them absorb water and nutrients – in return, it receives organic substances from the tree. This is a mutually beneficial relationship (mycorrhiza). Examples: penny bun, oak bolete.
• Show on the 3D model or pictures how the fungus “connects” to tree roots.

• Some fungi obtain organic substances by growing their mycelium into the bodies of plants or animals – these are called parasitic fungi. Examples: bracket fungi, honey fungus.
• Show an image of an ant infected by the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis and briefly describe how the fungus controls its behavior, grows from its body, and releases new spores.

Discussion question: Why aren’t all fungi “useful” for the forest? What is the difference between mycorrhizal and parasitic fungi?

• Fungi reproduce using spores formed in the hymenium (on gills or in tubes under the cap).
• When conditions are favorable, spores released from fruiting bodies germinate into new mycelium.
• You can mention both sexual and asexual reproduction (fusion of two mycelia vs. formation of spores without gamete fusion).

Use specific examples (pictures, real mushrooms, 3D models) to explain the differences:

Type of Mushroom	Characteristics / Example
Edible Mushroom	Safe to eat, e.g., parasol mushroom, penny bun.
Inedible Mushroom	Not poisonous but unsuitable for eating (bitter, tough), e.g., bitter bolete.
Poisonous Mushroom	Contains toxins that can cause severe poisoning or death, e.g., death cap.

Class question: What would happen if we mistook a parasol mushroom for a death cap?

Students work in groups or individually, rotating between classroom stations.

• Station 1: Mushroom Identification – cards/pictures or real specimens; students identify names and classify them.
• Station 2: Edible × Inedible × Poisonous – sorting images or names into three categories.
• Station 3: VR Mushroom – compare penny bun and death cap using VR goggles.
• Station 4: True / False about Fungi – cards with statements, students decide which are true.
• Station 5: Safe Picking Rules – students sort, complete missing rules, and explain why they are important.

Safe Picking Principles (to reinforce):

• Pick only mushrooms you know well; don’t destroy others in the forest.
• Cover the hole left by a picked mushroom with forest litter.
• Place mushrooms in breathable containers (basket), never plastic bags.
• Always process mushrooms fresh – don’t leave them in warmth for long.

• Collective summary in the form of a simple mind map “Fungi” (structure, nutrition, relationships, reproduction, safe picking).
• Short reflection: What was new for you today? How did the 3D model of the penny bun help you? What interested you the most (mycorrhiza, parasitic fungi, poisonous species)?
• Acknowledge group work, closing remarks.