Teacher Resources Recommended for Grades 1-5 MUSHROOMS OF THE. freshmushrooms. nature s hidden treasure

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1 Recommended for Grades 1-5 MUSHROOMS HARVEST OF MONTH THE

2 The same but different Fresh mushrooms are grown locally all year round. Crimini White Button Portabella Oyster Shiitake King Trumpet Enoki

3 From Farm to Table Grown indoors on a year round cycle, mushrooms always pack a nutritious punch into your favorite meals. Before making their way to your plate, mushrooms go through a growing process in a highly controlled environment unlike that of any other produce. Get a behind-the-scenes look into the journey of the incredible fungi. RAW MATERIALS The substrate provides a nutritional balance of organic material to serve as a growth medium for mushrooms. SPAWNING Mushroom spawn, purchased from commercial labs, is mixed with the substrate. BEDDING The mushroom spawn mixture is transferred to several hundred beds or trays. CASING AND PINNING Casing, made of peat moss, is spread over the mushroom bed serving as a reservoir to hold in moisture. During the pinning stage, pins of mushrooms push up through the casing. HARVESTING Mushrooms are harvested by hand throughout a day cycle.

4 Mushroom Growing Conditions Below are the conditions that are favorable for the proper growth of mushrooms. INDOOR OR OUTDOOR: Commercially cultivated mushrooms are grown in a climate controlled buidlings SUN: No sunlight, mushrooms grow best in the dark. SUBSTRATE: The soil or substrate that mushrooms grow in is a composted mixture of straw, corn cobs, cotton seed and cocoa seed hulls, gypsum and nitrogen supplements. WATER: Mushrooms do not need to be watered. The layer of peat moss, that is spread over the mushrooms, serves as a reservoir to hold in moisture SPAWN/SPORES: Mushroom spores, that look like little seeds, are reproduced in a commercial lab. PLANTING: After purchasing the spores they are mixed in with the substrate that is spread into several beds or trays. HARVEST: In approximately 16 days, white button mushrooms are ready to be harvested.

5 Activity 1 M is for Mushroom THE CAP CREW Color your favorite characters

6 Activity 2 Listening Game: True of False Material Needed: All About Mushrooms: Listening Exercise (below) True of False Questions Teaching and Learning Strategies: 1. Tell the students that this is a listening exercise with a quiz to follow. 2. Read the mushroom information aloud to the class. 3. Either distribute the True of False questions for student to complete on their own, or read aloud as a group exercise. Assessment and Evaluation: Teacher marks for completion. All About Mushrooms: Listening Exercise White mushrooms, like all mushrooms, grow from microscopic spores, not seeds. Plants growing from spores are called fungi. A mature mushroom will drop as many as 16 billion spores. Because mushrooms have no chlorophyll, they must get all their nutrients from organic matter in their growing medium. The medium, called compost, is made of various materials such as straw, corn cobs, cotton seed and cocoa seed hulls, gypsum and nitrogen supplements. It is then pasteurized and placed in large trays or beds. Next the spawn is mixed into the compost and the growing takes place in specially constructed houses. It takes 17 to 25 days to produce mature mushroom. Size is no indication of maturity in mushrooms. Perfectly ripe ones vary from small buttons to large caps. Each crop is harvested over a period of several weeks and then the house is emptied and steam-sterilized before the process begins again. The remaining compost is recycled for potting soil. The harvested mushrooms are set in carts, refrigerated and then packaged and shipped quickly to supermarkets, food processors and restaurants. The entire process from the time the farmer starts preparing the compost until the mushrooms are harvested and shipped to market takes about four months. Crimini and portbella mushrooms are grown and harvested in the same manner as the white mushroom. The reason they have a darker color and slightly denser texture is that they come from a different strain of spores. Portabella mushrooms are actually a mature crimini. It s usually three to seven days older than the Crimini when harvested. As a result of their longer growing period, portabellas develop much larger caps, ranging up to six inches in diameter. Answer Key: 1. True, 2. False 3. False, 4. True, 5. False, 6. True, 7. True, 8. True, 9. False, 10. True.

7 Activity 2 True or False 1. Unlike other vegetables, mushrooms are grown from spores not seeds. 2. Mushrooms grow in an unpateurized growing medium called compost. 3. A mature mushroom will drop as many as 16 thousand spores. 4. It takes 17 to 25 days to produce mature mushrooms. 5. You can tell a mushroom is mature by the size of the cap. 6. Once the mushrooms are harvested the compost is recycled and sold as potting soil. 7. Crimini and portbella mushrooms are grown and harvested in the same manner as the white mushroom. 8. Portabella mushrooms are actually a mature crimini. 9. Mushrooms have chlorophyll which means they get their nutrients the same way as other plants. 10. The entire process from the time the farmer starts preparing the compost until the mushrooms are harvested and shipped to market takes about four months.

8 Activity 3 All Kinds OF Mushrooms Matching Game Materials Needed: One set of the All Kinds of Mushrooms cards Preperation: Print and cut apart the cards. You may want to laminate so you can reuse them. Teaching and Learning Strategies: 1. Tell students that there are tons of different varieties of mushroooms. Each kind looks different from others and also tastes different. 2. Introduce the varieties of mushrooms in the game by using the pictures on the cards, or using actual examples. Then, hand each student a card from the matching game, and have them find their match (they need to match the description of the mushroom with the picture). * For kindergarteners and other students still in the early stages of learning to read, print two copies of the pictures and have students find their matching picture. Or, bring in examples and give some students real mushrooms and some students pictures and have them find their match.

9 WHITE BUTTON The most popular mushroom. Whites represent about 90% of mushrooms consumed in the United States. CRIMINI Also known as baby bellas or browns, criminis are similar in appearance to whites, but have a light-tan to rich-brown cap and a firmer texture. Criminis have a deeper, earthier flavor than whites.

10 OYSTER Oysters can be gray, pale yellow or even blue, with a velvety texture. Try over linquine with sliced steak and red peppers, sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. ENOKI Tiny, button-shaped caps and long spindly stems. Before using, trim roots at cluster base. Separate stems before serving.

11 PORTABELLA Their hearty taste and texture makes them a flavorful vegetarian alternative grill and serve them as burgers on toasted buns. SHIITAKE Taste best when cooked. They have a meaty texture and are rich and woodsy when cooked. Tan-dark brown with broad, umbrella shaped caps, wide open veils, tan gills, and curved stems.

12 Activity 4 Mushroom Adjectives From the sentences Below, write 6 adjectives that describe mushrooms Mushrooms are a fungi. There are 7 different types of mushrooms: white, crimini, portabella, shiitake, enoki, king trumpet and oyster. Portabella mushrooms make a great meat alternative or substitute. Mushrooms are 90% Water. Mushrooms contain important nutrients like vitamin D, potassium, riboflavin, niacin and the antioxidants selenium and ergothioneine. Answer Key (List of Adjectives) Fungi, white, crimini, portabella, shiitake, enoki, king trumpet, oyster, meat alternative, substitute, vitamin D, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, antioxidants, selenium, ergothioneine, 90% water.