Mushroom Hunt and Spore Prints

A mushroom spore print.

Taking students on a mushroom hunt to make spore prints is a fun way to explore the interconnectedness of nature. We started our class by watching the Ted Talk of the incredible Suzanne Simard, who taught the world about how mushrooms are the internet of the forest, passing messages and nutrients among the trees.

Simard’s research helps students center on the incredible intelligence of nature, before they embark on a forest walk seeking mushrooms. A bonus activity: try to find the tiniest mushrooms growing in the biological crust of soils.

Students are usually surprised by the incredible variety of mushrooms existing in small areas - including urban nature spaces. We are near a forest, but this can happen in a field, a park or the edge of a parking lot - anywere there is soil.

We arranged the mushrooms on watercolor paper in cardboard boxes. Adding a spray of water will keep the mushrooms moist. We kept the mushrooms in the dark for a few days, and then checked our prints!

My favorite classroom.