Mushrooms in the Classroom — Three Simple Activities for Middle School Mycologists

Last week, I swapped my mushroom lab coat for a hall pass and spent the morning with two buzzing Grade 7–8 classes. Together we did hands-on mycology experiments that turn used engine oil and new toilet-paper rolls into living science projects.

Why mycology belongs in middle-school science

Oyster mushrooms fruit within 7–10 days, which is perfect for keeping students engaged. Mycology is a natural STEAM subject — students explore biology through life cycles, chemistry through pH and enzymes, math through data tracking, and creative expression through spore-print art.

The biggest educational benefit is that it teaches circularity. Watching mushrooms turn waste into food and soil right before their eyes can spark big ideas.

Part 1 — The Grow-Bag Challenge

Use a ready-to-fruit oyster mushroom grow kit and let groups design their own experiments by varying:

• Cut patterns (which affect airflow and humidity)
• Location (light, temperature)
• Misting schedules

Supplies:

• Ready-to-fruit mushroom grow kit (oyster recommended)
• Spray bottle
• Masking tape or zip ties
• Permanent marker
• Optional data sheets

Daily care: count sprays, note visual changes (pin formation, cap color, aroma), and optionally log temperature and humidity.

Part 2 — DIY toilet-paper mushroom farm

A low-cost substrate experiment that demonstrates mycelium growth on alternative materials within three weeks.

Materials per student:

• New toilet-paper roll
• Large freezer ziplock bag or mushroom growing bag
• 10–50 g sawdust spawn
• Kettle or pot
• Masking tape or zip tie

Pasteurization and hydration: boil water, cool to about 80 °C (175 °F), saturate the roll until damp but not dripping, and let it cool to room temperature.

Inoculation: crumble spawn over the roll and seal the bag with the filter patch exposed.

Incubation and fruiting: keep at 20–24 °C in darkness for 10–14 days until the mycelium has colonized. To fruit, cut 2 cm slits, mist 1–2 times daily, and harvest 5–7 days after pinning.

Part 3 — Mycoremediation: watching mushrooms digest motor oil

This experiment shows how mycelium breaks down pollutants like used motor oil.

Supplies:

• Wide-mouth mason jar (500 mL or larger)
• 100–150 g oyster mushroom spawn
• Used motor oil (1–10 mL per jar)
• Syringe or dropper
• Gloves
• Masking tape and permanent marker
• Optional data sheets

Setup: pack jars 3/4 full with substrate, compress to remove air pockets, inject oil along the inner jar sides, and seal with a breathable filter.

Observation: keep jars at 20–24 °C in shaded areas for 3–4 weeks. Students observe mycelium spread, oil colour fading, and textural changes.

The big reveal: by weeks 3–4, the mycelium should have worked its way through the oil and visibly reduced its presence — a real-world demonstration of pollution remediation.

Comparing results: data-driven storytelling

Track variables across the class — yield weight vs. spray frequency, time to first pins vs. window distance, cap size vs. cut pattern, oil breakdown time, spawn amount vs. incubation time. Have students hypothesize the outcomes before revealing the data, and look for cross-disciplinary tie-ins (cooking class is a natural one).

Join the Heartwood classroom network

If you’re an educator running mycology in your classroom, tag @HeartwoodMushrooms — I’d love to see what you’re doing. If you want help getting set up, reach me through the contact form or at shane@heartwoodmushrooms.ca.