Fungi have evolved many different ways to spread their spores far and wide.
Usually, the spore-producing surface (or fertile surface) of a mushroom is on its underside.
Besides being cool to see, spore surfaces are one of the most important features to look at when starting to identify a mushroom!
I created these spore sheets for you to download, print, and use.
You can make a packet with them, or lay them out on a table and use them as a game: either with a deck of mushroom cards or a basket of collected specimens, kids can take turns trying to sort them by spore surface!
Spore Surfaces Worksheet
Free to download and reproduce for educational use.