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Mushroom Spore PrintsPortabello mushroom

See what kid of spore prints you can make!

Materials:

  • Portabella mushroom with dark visible gills
  • White sheet of paper (one per person)
  • Glass or plastic bowl (one per mushroom)
  • Can of hairspray

Instructions:

Make this activity fun by asking your parents to take you to the grocery store to pick out your portabella mushroom

  • When you are ready to start, have your parent or guardian cut the mushroom stem off just below the cap, so it sits flat
  • Place the mushroom cap side up (gill side down) on a white sheet of paper and cover the cap with a glass bowl
  • Leave it covered and undisturbed for 24 hours • No peeking!
  • When the time is up carefully remove the bowl and remove the mushroom cap from the paper • Ta Da! your first mushroom spore print
  • Then spray the paper with a thin layer of hairspray, this will keep all the mushroom spores intact • For more fun, color them, frame them or just post them on the fridge
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