January 26, 2024, by Lisa Teas Conaway

             Last week the SSSC education team along with local fungi grower Levi Adams visited all the fourth-grade classes at Keet Gooshi Heen. Educators came with fun fungi facts to spur excitement and wonder in students for the complex and sprawling world of fungi.

              Students built off their knowledge from SSSC and Outer Coast hosted mushroom scavenger hunts that took place outside in early fall. In these classroom lessons, 4^th graders dove into the mushroom life cycle and the amazing mycelium networks created below the forest floor. Scientists are still working to understand all the implications of the mycelium networks and how they connect to other living beings within the ecosystem. 

              Mushroom forager and grower, Levi Adams helped students learn more about what mushrooms need to grow on a commercial scale, leading into a fun interactive project where students built their own terrariums using different organic mediums to create hypothetical mushroom growth zones. Levi owns Alaska Fungi Company where he cultivates and harvests edible mushrooms like wine caps and oyster mushrooms.

               SSSC runs Scientists in the School (SIS) programs in K-12 classrooms throughout the school year. Our staff host and support science experts and knowledge holders who visit classrooms to engage with students on subjects that are connected to school science curriculum and to the scientists’ research and passions. SIS helps connect students to science and scientists by developing skills in collaboration, creative problem-solving, and scientific thinking. The SIS program is made possible by a generous donation from Royal Caribbean Group – we are grateful for their support.

 

Pictured are students from Mrs. Hart’s 4th grade class.