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Seasonal Fungus

A Guided-Inquiry Practical Investigation

In this activity, students will hear from the scientist: hear the question that he had, understand his scientific method and hear his results.

This will leave them with the big question: why are there more chytrid fungi-infected Baw Baw frogs in Spring and Autumn, than there are in Summer and Winter?

The rest of the guided inquiry seeks to explain the results from Thomas Burns' research. Eventually, students will create a model of what happens in the field and test the effect that temperature has on fungi in general.

From this model, students will formulate a response to the big question. They will not hear Thomas' reasoning for his results until the end. 

Rationale

Rationale

Rationale

This guided-inquiry investigation task is easy to implement, cost efficient, it engages with various platforms (video, practical work, group discussion and work and individual work) and the resources link to the curriculum (see 'Links to the Curriculum' page).

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Assessment

You can use this as a formative assessment; it will give you feedback on the inquiry and practical skills of your students, alongside teamwork and communication.

You could also use this as a summative assessment task; you will need to construct your own rubric to mark the students work, to test the aforementioned areas as well as their science understanding. 

Instructions

All the instructions and resources that you need are found on this page.

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You will need:

- something to show the video on

- the materials listed in the Teacher Resource

- Print outs of the Student Resource for each student

 

It is recommended that you trial the experiment before initiating it in your classroom.

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How you can use it

This activity can be used for a 80 - 100 minute lesson in your year 9 classroom.

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This activity can be used in conjunction with the other Baw Baw frog activities  (after the role play and before the debate). This will ensure that students understand the problem of chytrid fungus and this activity will help inform the students about the method that was employed in the field.

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It can also be used as a standalone activity. You will need to then provide the students with information about the research (provide context), so that this experiment doesn't seem random.

 

Video for the activity

Teacher Resource

student resource

Tom's

Results Slide

Practical

Set-up

Completed

student resource

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