Botany 135, T. Th. 1:30-2:45			George Wong, St. John, 612B
Fall Semester, 2011			Phone: X63940
Office Hours: Thursdays, 3:00-4:00			Email: gwong@hawaii.edu
Magical Mushrooms and Mystical Molds
Dates		Topics
Introduction to Fungi
08/23/11		Introduction to course		Lect01
08/25/11		Skeptical Thinking, Scientific Method & Koch's Postulate		Lect02
		Homework: View The Rotten World About Us
08/29/11		What is a FungusFungal Diversity?		Lect03
09/01/11		Taxonomy: Naming and Classification of Fungi		Lect04
09/06/11		How Do Fungi Get Around?		Lect05
Pathogenic Fungi
09/08/11		Introduction to Plant Pathology, Irish Potato		Lect06
		Famine, Downy Mildew of Grapes & Panama disease of Banana
09/13/11		Diseases of Trees		Lect07
09/15/11		Rust diseases of wheat and coffee and other plants, and  smut		Lect08
		diseases
09/19/11		Study Session for First Exam, 10:30
09/20/11		First Exam
09/22/11		Field Trip: Plant Pathology Department
09/27/11		Fungi as Human Pathogens		Lect09
09/29/11		Sapotrophic Activities of Fungi		Lect10
Mycotoxins
10/04/11		Discovery of Mycotoxins and Common Examples		Lect11
10/06/11		Mycotoxins in the Work Place & Homes		Lect12
		Homework: View Secrets of the Dead: Witches Curse (PBS Video)
10/11/11		Mycotoxins: Ergot of Rye		Lect13
10/13/11		Mycotoxins: The Story of LSD		Lect14
10/18/11		Mushrooms and Religion: Amanita muscaria		Lect15
		(The Fly Agaric)
10/20/11		Mushrooms and Religion:  Conocybe,		Lect16
		Panaeolus, Psilocybe and Stropharia
		Homework: View  Time Machine: Hippies (History Channel
		Documentary)
		Homework: Listen to History of Psychedelia (BBC) [Parts 1 & 2]
10/25/11		Influence of LSD on the origin of acid rock and  "young" fashion		Lect17
10/26/11		Study Session for Second Exam, 10:30
10/27/11		Second Exam
11/01/11		Poisonous Mushrooms		Lect18
Fungi in Food and Beverages
11/03/11		Wild Edible Mushrooms		Lect19
11/08/11		Cultivation of Mushrooms and Other Fungi		Lect20
		Homework: View Home Brew: A Video on How to Make Beer at
		Home
11/10/11		Yeast and Fermentation, Alcoholic Beverages: Beer, Wine, Liquor,		Lect21
		etc.
11/15/11		Fungi and their role in manufacturing of food product:		Lect22
		Bread, Cheeses, Tempe, Miso, Quorn and Red Yeast Rice.
Other Uses of Fungi
11/17/11		The Story of Penicillin, Wonder Drug		Lect23
11/22/11		The Aftermath of Penicillin		Lect24
11/24/11		Holiday - Thanksgiving Day
11/29/11		Fungi of Medicinal Interest?		Lect25
12/01/11		Symbiotic Relationships Fungi:		Lect26
		Plants (Mycorrhizae), and Algae (Lichens)
12/06/11		Symbiotic Relationships of Fungi: Animals		Lect27
12/08/11		Study Session for Final Exam
12/15/11 (Thursday)		Final Exam, 12:00 - 2:00

Course Grade

There will be two semester exams (100 points X 2 = 200 points), consisting of multiple-choice questions, fill-ins and short answers that are based mostly the lectures, readings and videos. The final exam will not be cumulative, and will cover the lecture material starting from material following the second exam. The value of the final exam will be 100 points, the same value as that of the semester’s exams. Note that the final exam will be on Thursday, December 15, 2011! Thus, be certain that your plans at the end of the semester will not conflict with the date of the final exam. The total points for the three exams will be 300 points (=20% X 3 = 60% of your grade).

Another 20% (=100 points) will be based on a term paper that will be done on some topic of your choosing having to do with some aspect of fungi. The topic can cover any aspect of fungi that you feel will be of interest. However, before starting your paper please check with me in order to ascertain the appropriateness of the topic. Please try to decide on a topic and discuss it with me as soon as possible. The paper should be between 8-12 pages and have a detailed bibliography, preferably from “hard copy” sources. Please try to minimize references from web pages, as they are often unreliable. Your term paper must be turned in no later than December 08, 2011, the last day of instruction.

The remaining 20% (=100 points) of your grade will be based on four reading assignments (25 points per paper X 4 = 100 points) that I will post on Laulima. You will write a one-page synopsis in which you will include vocabulary words and concepts that will be covered for each article. For each assignment I will give you the vocabulary words and concepts that should be included in your paper. The assignments will be submitted in Word, with one-inch margins, in 12 point, Arial, Times Roman or an equivalent font. Your assignments will be submitted on Laulima on a given date. Late assignments will be accepted, minus one point for the first day and two points for the second, etc.