{"id":2997,"date":"2017-06-28T00:34:49","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T14:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/?p=2997"},"modified":"2020-03-17T23:25:25","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T12:25:25","slug":"mushroom-spore-prints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/mushroom-spore-prints\/","title":{"rendered":"Mushroom Spore Prints: nature science for kids"},"content":{"rendered":"
Create cool mushroom spore prints! Fun nature science activity<\/a> that kids can do at home. Did you know you can make a natural spore print from a mushroom? Like, really easily? So awesome!<\/p>\n Try this as a nature science activity<\/a> for preschoolers<\/a> or kindergarteners<\/a>. My 4.5 year old daughter Bumble Bee thought this was the coolest thing ever!<\/p>\n Older kids<\/a> might also like to try scraping off some spores and studying them under a microscope afterwards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n You can actually make a spore print with any mushroom, and apparently different mushrooms have different coloured spores and create different patterns, which is so awesome.<\/p>\n We decided to use a large field mushroom (also called portobella or open cap mushroom<\/a>) since we’d bought one from the store earlier that day.<\/p>\n We used:<\/p>\n Step 1:<\/strong> Buy a mushroom that has its gills mostly protected (or if its gills are exposed, try to choose one that’s as fresh as possible).<\/p>\n Note: if you’re going to pick a wild mushroom, don’t eat it unless you know its not poisonous! And please wash your hands carefully afterwards.<\/em><\/p>\n Step 2:<\/strong> Cut off the lower portion of the mushroom, exposing the gills. This should also ensure that the stem is flush with the underside.<\/p>\n If it’s a store-bought mushroom, see if your kids will snack on the off-cuts. Bumble Bee thought it was delicious! (Somehow food always tastes better when you’re playing with it, don’t you think?)<\/em><\/p>\n Step 3:<\/strong> Place the top section of the mushroom gill-side down on a piece of paper. (We used regular printer paper, but I think slightly thicker paper would have been better. We’ll try that next time.)<\/em><\/p>\n Step 4:<\/strong> Add a few drops of water to the top of the mushroom cap to encourage the spores to drop. Cover with an upside-down box, and set it aside somewhere where it won’t be disturbed. Leave overnight.<\/p>\n Step 5:<\/strong> The next day, gently lift the box and the mushroom, and you should see a beautiful spore print on the paper underneath!<\/p>\n Each individual spore is incredibly teeny tiny, but on mass they look really impressive. I love the way you can clearly see the shape of the gills. Isn’t it fascinating!<\/p>\n If you want to preserve your spore print, you can spray it with hairspray and let dry.<\/p>\n Or if you’d rather study the spores under a microscope, you can scrape off some of the spores with a needle, and place the spores on a microscope slide. Place a drop of water on the spores and cover with a cover slip. (We haven’t tried this yet – but I’m super keen to do this next time!)<\/em><\/p>\n Depending on how hot and humid your house was overnight, you might even be able to eat the rest of the mushroom! Mmmm, grilled mushroom on toast anyone?<\/p>\n Mushrooms are part of a larger group of organisms known as fungi. Fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants.<\/p>\n Most fungi reproduce<\/b> by releasing tiny spores that then germinate (sprout) and grow into a new fungus<\/b>. Mushroom spores are tiny, and can only be seen individually with a microscope. On a mature mushroom, thousands of spores can grow on just one gill!<\/p>\n Different mushrooms have different coloured spores, Mushroom spores can be white, brown, black, or many shades in between!<\/p>\n Find more information about making spore prints from different types of mushrooms here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This only the second time we’ve tried making a spore print. So far we’ve found it a fun and easy process. It’s making me keen to try making spore prints from different types of mushrooms, and maybe even make a mushroom spore print craft! Stay tuned!<\/p>\n We’ve got lots more ideas on our Nature Science Activities<\/a> page, including:<\/p>\n
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Suitable for<\/h3>\n
How to make a mushroom spore print<\/h2>\n
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Mushroom Facts<\/h3>\n
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