In this world of increasing complexity and technological advancements, it is ever more important to raise scientifically literate children. The National Science Foundation Teaching Fellowship Program (NSF GK-12) at the University of Maine provides an opportunity for advanced graduate students in science, mathematics and engineering to bring their knowledge, as well as the latest equipment, to students in local area schools. Our goal was to provide an environment where students could begin to think critically about fungi and their role in the degradation process, as well as the overarching importance of the scientific method as a tool of discovery. Students participated in a major soil block jar survey of local fungi, from initial culturing of the organisms from the wild through the final harvest and data analysis. The process of testing the wood-decaying capacity of these fungi provided an interesting and informative way of furthering student’s knowledge of the scientific method while introducing them to the concepts associated with fungal wood decay.

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