Sulphur Tuft, Giant Funnel Cap, Red-Cracking Bolete, Orange Coral Fungus, Tear Fungi, Red Ring Fungus…. these were some of the finds made by the Montessori class 5/6 (M56) on their mushroom excursion to the Einkorn.
\n\n On our school trip day, M56 met the NABU mushroom expert, Mr Karl-Heinz Johe, on the Haller Hausberg to dive into the world of fungi. \n\n
\n\n That was the first question: are fungi animals or plants? The answer: neither. The world of fungi, also called funga, is a third realm of living nature alongside flora (the plant world) and fauna (the animal world). And a totally exciting and interesting one. \n\n
\n\n First, Mr Johe used fungi he had brought along to explain the classification of gilled fungi, pored fungi, bracket fungi and slime moulds, explained the difference between mycelium and fruiting body, and warned everyone to be careful when eating unknown fungi. Then it was off into the forest, and the children soon found some. With great patience and expertise, the mushroom expert showed them how to identify the mushrooms they had found using a mushroom identification guide. He talked about the role of fungi in the forest, for example as a recycling crew for dead plants, as a water source for trees, which in turn give nutrients back to the fungi, as food for animals, and much more. \n\n
\n\n For two hours, Mr Johe answered all questions about fungi. Then the children who had seen enough were allowed to go to the playground. Some children made use of the mushroom expert’s presence and searched for more specimens, identified them, examined them under magnifying glasses and were fascinated by the many different colours and shapes. \n\n
\n\n The school trip day ended far too quickly. \n\n
\n\n M56 would like to thank the NABU and Mr Johe for this interesting excursion. \n\n
