The Mushrooms in Schools pilot program is underway, with excited students now beginning to see mushrooms appear in their kits.
The Australian Mushroom Growers Association is currently working with twenty, year 3 and year 4 classes in the Adelaide area to pilot the "Mushrooms in Schools Program" which the AMGA hope to roll out on a national scale over winter in 2021.
This program was created to teach students all about mushrooms, with three main objectives:
1. Classification: Mushrooms are not a vegetable, they are Fungi. Mushrooms have their own biological kingdom and grow in a totally unique way.
2. Nutrition: Establishing mushrooms as a ‘superfood’ in the minds of the young AND their parents.
3. Consumption: Children grow, harvest and cook their own mushrooms, which encourages consumption.
Students will be required to care for their mushroom kits daily to encourage the mushrooms to grow, record their growth on the 'daily mushroom monitor' and decide when they are ready to harvest. Lesson plans include 'lifecycle of a mushroom' where students learn about compost and mycelium, the history of mushroom cultivation and sustainable farming practices. Their final lesson is a review of a recipe they have prepared at home.
Mushroom kits are the perfect tool for classroom learning, as there is no need for special garden beds or a change to school infrastructure. Two mushroom kits can sit neatly on a student desk, making them easy to accommodate in the classroom. Mushrooms are easy to grow and the DOUBLE in size every day. This quick cultivation period encourages students to stay engaged and feel a sense of pride to take their fresh mushrooms home to help Mum and Dad cook dinner.
ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM:
This program is being trialed in Adelaide W/c 12th October 2020, with the aim to roll out a national program during winter 2021. Twenty Adelaide schools are currently taking part.
Participating classes have received FOUR FREE KITS (including shipping), which usually retail for around $30 each.
Teachers have been provided with 10 free lesson plans, which are linked to the Australian Curriculum. The lesson plans are executed over the term, with the mushroom kits taking pride of place in the classroom for the duration. Both teachers and students are required to provide the AMGA with feedback and a final report. Teachers will be asked to offer feedback on the lesson plans, suggestions for new learnings and perform an (anonymous) student survey to report on the change in students attitudes towards mushrooms.
For the pilot, professional and fun lessons plans have been created for years 3 and 4 only, however with a successful trial run, the program will be open to all primary school levels in 2021.
THE LESSON PLANS:
Linked to the Australian curriculum, teachers have access to 10 lesson plans, worksheets to support lesson plans, fun mushroom facts and information and optional extensions, suitable for grades 3 and 4.
These free resources span across a variety of subjects and provide the frame work for such lessons as; how mushrooms grow, what is compost, sustainable farming or even the science behind ‘tanning your mushrooms’ to their increase vitamin D levels! These resources encourage inquiry-based learning and have cross-curricular opportunities.
The Mushrooms in Schools pilot program is underway, with excited students now beginning to see mushrooms appear in their kits.
The Australian Mushroom Growers Association are currently working with twenty, year 3 and year 4 classes in the Adelaide area to pilot the "Mushrooms in Schools Program" which the AMGA hope to roll out on a national scale over winter in 2021.
This program was created to teach students all about mushrooms, with three main objectives:
1. Classification: Mushrooms are not a vegetable, they are Fungi. Mushrooms have their own biological kingdom and grow in a totally unique way.
2. Nutrition: Establishing mushrooms as a ‘superfood’ in the minds of the young AND their parents.
3. Consumption: Children grow, harvest and cook their own mushrooms, which encourages consumption.
EACH mushroom kit includes:
Recyclable box containing compost, peat moss and spawn, everything you need for the mushrooms to grow!
- Step-by-step instructions
- 5 x brown paper bags, ready for harvest time
- 5 x Mushroom Manuals with recipes and nutritional info.
- 5 x "Mushroom Grower" Certificates for the students
PRE-REGISTER FOR MUSHROOMS IN SCHOOLS
The national roll out in 2021 will have limited kits available. If you would like your class to be considered for inclusion, please click the button below to register your interest.
