Classification Stage 6 Comp - Fanatical About Fungi - Comprehension Pack.pdf

STAGE 6 Unit focus: Classification Text focus: Information Text Fanatical About Fungi It is easy to get animated about animals: the majestic eagle, soaring on currents of air; the elusive...

STAGE 6 Unit focus: Classification Text focus: Information Text Fanatical About Fungi It is easy to get animated about animals: the majestic eagle, soaring on currents of air; the elusive jaguar, stalking the Brazilian rainforests; and even us humans – all very captivating. It isn’t hard to get passionate about plants either, whether it is the mighty oak tree or the delicate orchid. The fungus kingdom on the other hand does not share the immediate appeal and it is o en misunderstood or underappreciated. So, why should we be fascinated by fungi? They are more diverse than you think The fungus kingdom includes mushrooms, yeasts and moulds. So far, around 144,000 species of fungus have been identified but scientists believe there are likely approximately 3.8 million species of fungi. They used to be grouped together in the same kingdom as plants until scientists looked closer and saw that their cells actually appeared to have more in common with animals than plants. They are now recognised as a kingdom all of their own. Some fungi, like yeasts, are minuscule single-celled organisms whilst, at the other end of the spectrum, the Guinness Book of World Records recognises a honey mushroom found in the USA as the largest living organism; it covers the equivalent of 1350 football pitches and is thousands of years old. Impressive! They are nature’s helpers Unlike plants, fungi cannot make their own food: they are heterotrophs like animals which means they get nutrition from taking in food from outside themselves. Whilst animals digest food inside, fungi excrete enzymes on to their food to dissolve it before then absorbing it. Some fungi consume dead organic matter and this makes them vital as one of nature’s decomposers. Some fungi can even eat plastic – just think how useful that could be in helping to solve the planet’s plastic crisis. Other fungi exist in partnerships called ‘symbiotic’ relationships with other living things. Each of the partners brings something to the relationship and contributes to the other’s survival. One example is that certain fungi live alongside trees connecting with their roots. The trees provide them with food in the form of sugar and in return, the fungi help the trees access the nutrients in the soil. The role of fungi in healthy trees and forests is only just being understood but scientists have discovered that fungi also form networks between trees and help them share the nutrients from tree to tree! all resources ©2022 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com And they help us too Fungi are used in making bread, wine and beer and thus have been part of human culture for a very long time. Bread is an integral part of many people’s diet and is eaten all around the world, helping people to survive even where food is scarce. Another significant contribution fungi have made to mankind is in the production of the antibiotic penicillin. Discovered by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming in 1928 when he accidentally grew the green mould Penicillium in his lab, this drug has gone on to save an estimated 200 million lives. But it’s not all good news Of course, like pretty much every other living thing on the planet, fungi are not really concerned with right or wrong – they are just busy doing what they need to do to survive. So, whilst some fungi have evolved to be helpers, some can be very harmful, or even lethal, to humans, other animals or plants. One example is the potato blight, a fungal disease which in the 19th century caused the failure of Ireland’s potato crop and resulted in widespread famine. Another fungus spread by beetles causes Dutch elm disease and has killed millions of elm trees in the UK. One thing’s for sure, whether they are helping or harming, we should sit up and take notice of the fungus kingdom. VOCABULARY FOCUS 1. What does the word ‘animated’ mean? 2. What does the word elusive tell us about jaguars? 3. Find a word which means very small. 4. What word in the section ‘and they help us too’ means that there is not enough of something? 5. What does integral mean? VIPERS QUESTIONS R Why is the honey mushroom record-breaking? S Summarise the similarities and differences between the fungus kingdom and the animal kingdom I Find two different pieces of evidence to support the idea that we still have a lot to learn about fungi. R How is Dutch elm disease spread? E What is the writer’s overall message on fungi? Circle one and explain how you know. They are dangerous They are useful They are intriguing all resources ©2022 Literacy Shed http://www.literacyshedplus.com