Mycology

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mycology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What are fungi and how are they different from plants and animals?Fungi are living things that have chitin in their cell walls and they get food by absorbing it. They are not plants or animals; they belong to their own kingdom.
2. How do fungi help the Earth?Fungi break down tough stuff like wood and leaves, turning it into soil that plants can use. They also form helpful partnerships with trees and plants to share nutrients.

Chitin: A tough, protective substance forming the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of insects.
Mycorrhizae: Symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water uptake for the plant.
Bioremediation: The use of living organisms, such as fungi, to degrade or detoxify environmental pollutants.