April 29, 2010

Fun Fungi


There's a colorful crop of mushrooms in our yard! I recently found out about the SPORE project and thought it was too fun not to participate. Artist Doug Rhodehamel has posted instructions on how to make these easy paper bag mushrooms. He's asking people around the world to plant the mushrooms and then email him the picture. Starting May 1st, he'll map the 'shrooms around the world and feature the pictures he receives.


He's posted very detailed instructions on how to make the mushrooms, so I won't duplicate them here. The craft is simple and you probably already have the materials necessary: lunch bags, rubber bands, hot glue, and wooden bamboo skewers. All you need to do is shape the bag into a mushroom, glue in a bamboo skewer, secure with rubber bands, and decorate!


I love the flexibility of this craft. E decided to glue puffs to the top of hers, and even A could get in on the action with some markers.


We set the ones we painted in cups to dry. I waited to add the bamboo skewers until after we had decorated the tops, for obvious safety reasons.


Now the neighbors have yet another reason to think we're a little odd!


To go along with the craft, I picked up a book about fungi from the library. (Speaking of libraries, don't forget to mark your calendars for the Love My Library link-up on May 12! Grab a button to the right -> )  

A Kid's Guide to the Classification of Living Things: Fungi 
by Elaine Pascoe

This book was perfect for introducing fungi and mushrooms to E (5). It contained full-color, large pictures of the various fungi it was explaining, and used appropriate vocabulary for children just discovering the science of the natural world. I also appreciated that the back contained a glossary. I did skip a couple pages, but overall felt that the length was just right to cover the topic and hold my daughter's attention.

This was my first introduction to this series, but so far I'm pleased. It's too bad I couldn't find it on Amazon.

Do you have any good suggestions for other kids' non-fiction series on nature?

I'm linking up with:
- stART @ A Mommy's Adventures
- SOYS @ Fireflies & Jellybeans

17 comments:

  1. Super cute. I had seen one similar using aluminum foil and plastic Easter eggs. I like both versions of these.

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  2. Pretty soon, around this area, it will be morel mushroom hunting time. We love that yummy edible mushroom!

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  3. I have seen these before, but I had NO IDEA there was a SPORE project!!! Oh, oh, oh, oh- I can't wait to decorate our yard in May...after my husband mows it, of course...

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  4. so super cute!!! They came out great!

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  5. What a great book - I'm definitely looking for it - the kids are always wanting to know about toadstools, and mushrooms.

    We like the Let's Read and Find Out Science series, and of course, the Magic School Bus series - which is fictionalized non-fiction.

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  6. They came out so well. I love the colors.

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  7. I love how your mushrooms turned out! We read a lot of Let's Read and Find Out books and also books from Cat in the Hat Learning Library. They are rhymed and teach difficult concepts in an easy format, but they tend to be fairly long.

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  8. I saw this project over at Ann Wood's site about a year ago and had completely forgotten about it! So glad to see that it's still catching on! Your ones look lovely :)

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  9. Loved the craft and your blog.
    The mushrooms turned out awesome :)

    (I discovered you through stART)

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  10. This is so cute, I love it! I would love to get in on this fun project too :0) Thank you for linking up to stART!!

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  11. Those are adorable! They will look cute with your fairy houses! Too much fun! :)

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  12. Very cute and fun! I love the looks of the book you found, too.

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  13. Cute idea!!! I love how colorful they are!

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  14. I just wanted to let you know that I featured your here:

    http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/2010/05/sunday-spotlight-soys-favorites.html

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  15. I never knew fungi could be so fun...or adorable! found you from fireflies and loving you!

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  16. Very cute project! Especially for my little 6 year old who is all about fairies and toadstools! I'll try this with her!

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