Once upon a time in the forests of old-growth lived all types of creatures, big and small. There was one type of creature that was especially interesting, the fungi. These odd looking creatures lived on the forest floor and were often overlooked. One day, a group of animals was exploring the forest when they stumbled upon a pile of scat. They were curious and decided to investigate. To their surprise, it was the scat of a family of fungi! The animals were fascinated by these mysterious creatures and decided to learn more about them. They discovered that the fungi were essential to the health of the old-growth forest. They helped decompose dead matter and turn it into soil for new plants to grow. The animals learned to appreciate the role of the fungi in the forest and promised to protect them for generations to come. The end.

Reflections

1. What kind of creatures lived in the old-growth forest?
2. What did the animals find when they stumbled upon the pile of scat?
3. Why were the fungi important to the health of the forest?
4. How did the animals feel about the fungi after they learned more about them?
5. What did the animals promise to do to protect the fungi?