TMMS Mushroom Project

The Video! Going Green in Brownfields: A New Diet for Mushrooms

Mrs. Andrews — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 20:03:24 +0000

Synopsis: The 7th grade students at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Bridgeport, CT studied bioremediation of ground oil spills, using blue and gray oyster mushrooms. The city of Bridgeport has more than 400 petrochemical spill sites. This video documents the work of the TMMS students, their teachers and other educators in proposing a solution to this serious environmental problem in their community.

Results From the 2012 Connecticut Science Fair

Mrs. Andrews — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 03:03:59 +0000

Our Toyota/Tapestry Grant investigation “Going Green in Brownfields: A New Diet for Mushrooms” inspired two of our students to enter their own research projects in the Connecticut Science Fair, held at Quinnipiac University in March 2012. One of our 8th graders, Ann Hewitt made an in-depth study of the gray oyster mushrooms’ ability to metabolize increasing amounts of motor oil. Ann’s project was a middle school finalist in the Audubon Connecticut & Arch Chemicals Environmental Awards, as well as the eesmarts/ CT Energy Efficiency Fund Sustainable Resources & Practices Awards. Seventh grader Jonathan Siveyer’s investigation ”Peel Power” investigated dried banana peels’ ability to remove heavy metal pollutants such as copper from water. The project received 1st place for middle school in the Urban Schools Challenge Awards and 2nd place in the Alexion Biotechnology Awards for 7th grade. Jon was also a finalist in the Pfizer Life Sciences Awards.

Science Competition Update, August 30, 2012: As a result of his awards in the CT State Science fair, Jon was invited to compete in the national Broadcom MASTERS program. Jon was named one of 300 semifinalists out of thousands of entrants.

The Mystery of Soil and Oil, Part 2

Miss Freeman's Class — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:48:01 +0000

1. As you explore water absorption and percolation rates in different kinds of soil, what are your thoughts about how water could move oil pollution through sand, clay, humus or a mixture of these soil types?

2. Which type of soil (sand, clay or humus) absorbs or holds the most water? How might this affect the amount of oil that could reach ground water?

3. Look at your soil sample observation table and explain how the properties might determine how much water is held by each soil type.

Please share your thinking with us. Put your first name & initial at the top of your comment!

What does it mean?

Mrs. Andrews — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:14:43 +0000

These are the total masses of oyster mushrooms that were harvested from all three 6th and 7th grade classrooms:

Control 10 ml. oil 20 ml. oil 30 ml. oil

19.6 grams 69.0 grams 54.8 grams 42.9 grams

1. Describe the difference between the mass of control mushrooms and those that were treated with motor oil.

2. Do you think the data shows random variation or do you think the motor oil promoted mushroom growth? What makes you think this?

3. Describe another experiment that could be done with oyster mushrooms or another bioremediator to test their pollution cleaning ability in an environment of your choosing (soil, a saltmarsh, river or marine environment).

Please share your thinking with us! Put your first name & initial at the top of your comment!

7th Grade Field Trip to the Connecticut Science Center

Mrs. Andrews — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:34:43 +0000

An educator from the Connecticut Science Center describes bioremediation to 7th grade students and explains how organisms like oyster mushrooms can metabolize oil pollution.

6th Grade Field Trip to the Connecticut Science Center

Mrs. Andrews — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:11:38 +0000

Mike Ross, an educator from the Connecticut Science Center, shows 6th grade students how pollution moves into ground water and then describes various remediation methods that are used to clean it up.

DEEP Oil Pollution Presentation

Mrs. Andrews — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:07:22 +0000

Jim Fitting, a scientist from the the Connecticut State Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, demonstrates oil pollution in ground water to 7th grade students.

The Mystery of Soil and Oil

Miss Fronte's Class — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:25:21 +0000

2. Which type of soil (sand, clay or humus) absorbs or holds the most water? How might this affect the amount of oil that could reach ground water?

3. Look at your soil sample observation table and explain how the properties might determine how much water is held by each soil type.

Please share your thinking with us. Put your first name & initial at the top of your comment!

Avon Data

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:53:36 +0000

Avon Control

Harvest Date	Mushroom Count	Total Weight (grams)
11/20/2011 (Start Date)
12/3/2011	2	20.3g
12/4/2011	10	39.8g
12/10/2011	5	31.6g
12/11/2011	11	41.1g
1/8/2012	8	64.1g
2/10/2012	1	16.2

Avon Control Photos

Avon 100ml Oil

Harvest Date	Mushroom Count	Total Weight (grams)
1/8/2012 (Start Date)
1/25/2012	1	81.2g

Avon 100ml Oil Photos

How the Investigation Was Conducted

Mrs. Andrews — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:43:37 +0000

Fourteen gray oyster mushroom cultures were used in this study, which examined their ability to metabolize motor oil. Eight cultures were injected with various volumes of pure 30-weight motor oil. One control culture in each test group was not injected with oil. All cultures were watered with well water or filtered water with chlorine removed . Using a 10 cc syringe, test cultures were injected with either 10 ml., 20 ml., 30 ml. or 100 ml. of motor oil. Data showing each fruiting body (mushroom) count and their respective masses in grams, are shown in Data Collection #1 and Avon Data.