On moonless nights in late summer and autumn, three of the more than 2,000 species of mushrooms and fungi found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park give off an eerie green light called fox-fire.  In one species, the root like filaments in the rotting log or stump actually make it appear as if the wood itself is glowing.  Native Americans used the fox-fire to mark trails at night.  Here are a couple of activities to help teach the fungi honor.

• North American Mycological Association - lots of classroom teaching materials
  
• Fungi - Teaching Treasures

Teams of Pathfinders will be given margarine tubs with the name of a color written on it and asked to find a fungus of that color, collect a small sample, and share it with the others.  The colors most frequently found for fungi are: black, tan, blue, pink, orange, yellow, brown, purple, green, and red.

Teams of Pathfinders will be give a sheet of search items and some margarine tubs to collect small samples and bring them back to share with the whole group.  Look for:
    Mushrooms with red gills
    Mushroom growing on a pine cone
    Fungus growing on the ground
    Mushroom with a ring
    Mushroom without a ring
    Mushroom with decorations on top
    Fungus like Jell-O
    Hard surface fungus
    Fungus that is "o" shaped or a ball
    Fungus that is coral shaped with fingers going up on down
    Two-way fungus growing in tow directions
    Slimy fungus
    Two different mushrooms, on growing on another
    Something eating a mushroom