Looking Closely

Be a mushroom detective

Your grow kit is growing real oyster mushrooms. How amazing! Today we will use our eyes to look closely at them.

First, wash your hands with soap and water. And ask a grown-up to explore with you. Looking is safe, but we always work as a team.

Grab a magnifying glass if you have one. A detective's best tool is a good, close look!

The cap on top

The wide, smooth part on top is the cap. On an oyster mushroom it looks like a little fan or a seashell. That is how oyster mushrooms got their name.

Look at the edge of the cap. Is it smooth and wavy? Young caps are neat. Older caps start to curl.

The gills underneath

Now tip your head and peek under the cap. Do you see the thin lines, like the pages of a tiny book? Those are the gills.

On oyster mushrooms, the gills run all the way down to the stem. Look closely with your magnifying glass. The gills are where the mushroom keeps its spores. Spores are like tiny seeds that can grow new mushrooms.

A rainbow of colours

Mushrooms come in many colours! Look at the colour of your caps.

• Pearl oysters are white, cream, or soft grey.

• Blue oysters have dark blue-grey caps and pale gills.

• Golden oysters are bright, sunny yellow.

• Pink oysters are a bright, ruffled pink.

The gills are usually white or cream, even when the cap is a different colour.

Remember: we only look closely at our own kit mushrooms. We never touch wild mushrooms outside — not even the pretty, colourful ones. A grown-up is always with us, and mushrooms are only for eating after they are cooked.

Your looking game

Try this. Look at your kit each day. Draw what you see. Is the cap bigger? Did the colour change? A good detective watches and notices. Well done — your eyes just learned a lot!