Michaela Carmichael – Mycelium
This National FFA lesson plan, “Mycelium,” uses the story of student Michaela Carmichael’s supervised agricultural experience (SAE)—in which she used mycelium to filter pollutants from pig wastewater—to teach students about fungi. Through a video, two articles, worksheets, and a creative project, students define mycelium and its relationship to mushrooms and fungi, explore innovative uses of fungi to meet global needs, and analyze one potential mycelium innovation.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Define what mycelium is and understand how it is related to mushrooms and fungi.
- Discover how fungi are being used to help meet global needs.
- Analyze one potential innovation using mycelium.
- Time required
- 120 minutes
- Materials
-
- A copy of the "My-Celi-What?" worksheet for each student
- A copy of the "Fungus to the Rescue!" worksheet for each student
- A copy of the "Fungi Innovation Creative Project Rubric" for each student
- Internet access to play the video in real time or embed it in a PowerPoint ahead of time
- Technology access for students to read the articles or they could be printed for students
- Cross-Curricular Connections
- Science: Research the innovative uses of mycelium. English/Language Arts: Summarize articles and highlight key points.
- Resources/References
- Video: "Mycelium SAE | Michaela Carmichael," https://vimeo.com/342621734; Article: "Nine Ways Mushrooms Could Drastically Improve the World," https://blog.ted.com/9-ways-mushrooms-could-drastically-improve-the-world/; Article and Video: "Surprising New Uses for Mushrooms, From Houses to Packaging," https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/07/mushroom-surprising-uses-building-material-medicines-fungi/
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
AFNR Career Ready Practices
- CRP.02Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive.
- CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
- CRP.06Demonstrate creativity and innovation.
- CRP.07Employ valid and reliable research strategies. Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to make decisions, change practices or inform strategies.
- CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
AFNR Cluster Skills
- CS.06Analyze the interaction among AFNR systems in the production, processing and management of food, fiber and fuel and the sustainable use of natural resources.
AFNR Performance Element
- NRS.02Analyze the interrelationships between natural resources and humans.
Common Career Technical Core
- AG-NR2Analyze the interrelationships between natural resources and humans.
Common Core – Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects: Writing
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.7Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.8Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.9Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9.10.2Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9.10.4Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Common Core – Reading: Informational Text
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.3Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
Common Core – Science & Technical Subjects
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.1Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.2Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.7Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.8Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.9Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts.
Common Core – Speaking and Listening
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
FFA Precept
Green/Sustainability Knowledge and Skill Statements
- AFNR Career Cluster, Statement 1Apply understanding of ecosystems and systems thinking to the management of natural resources to maximize the health and productivity of the environment, agriculture, communities, and society.
NASDCTEc
- AGPE01.03Apply scientific principle and processes when planning and conducting natural resource management activities to determine the need, feasibility and application of logical, reasoned solutions to natural resource system problems and issues.
Next Generation Science
- HS-ESS3-1Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
- HS-ESS3-2Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
- HS-ESS3-4Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.