Book Summary
Fungus Among Us is a book about the thousands of different types of fungi that scientists have identified. Many scientific terms are explained and defined, such as kingdoms and photosynthesis. The book highlights fungi that are harmful as well as those that are useful. It also points out some of the obscure forms of fungi in addition to the more obvious types. Photographs and diagrams support the text.

About the Lesson

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Ask and answer questions

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of asking and answering questions to understand text
• Identify details to compare and contrast different types of fungi
• Understand the use of a dash as punctuation
• Recognize and use synonyms

Materials

• Book -- Fungus Among Us (copy for each student)
• Chalkboard or dry erase board
• Dictionaries and thesauruses
• KWLS, compare and contrast, dash, synonyms worksheets

   Indicates an opportunity for student to mark in the book. (All activities may be completed with paper and pencil if books are reusable.)

Vocabulary

• Content words: antibiotic, bacteria, budding, buttons, cap, decompose, enzymes, fruiting body, fungi, fungicides, germinate, gills, hyphae, infectious, kingdoms, lichen, mildew, mold, mycelium, mycologist, nutrients, organisms, photosynthesis, reproduce, species, sporangia, spores, stalk, yeast