First lets review what we know about mould...
Mould: A type of fungus whose job it is to decompose of dead organic material such as food, plants or animals. Mould spores can travel individually or send signals out to form a colony. These spores or colonies are too small to see without a microscope which is why it's considered to be a micro-organism.
Decompose: To rot, decay or break down material.
Mould releases a chemical known as enzymes which help to break down and digest food sources. Enzymes are also released in humans mouths and help to digest food.
Moulds are naturally occurring organisms that play a major role in the earth’s ecosystem. They are the most important part of nature’s ability to recycle. Mould also releases essential nutrients required for plant growth in the environment when decomposing food, plants or animals.
Mouldy Bread Investigation:
Where is the best place to store bread?
Learning Intention: Investigate how the growth and survival of the micro-organism mould is affected by the physical conditions of its environment.
James was making sandwiches for his
lunch. He discovered mould growing on his bread. James knows that he can’t eat
the bread now and he’ll have to prepare something different for lunch.
James is annoyed that he has to throw the bread away and that he can’t have sandwiches for lunch. He would like to know the best environment for storing bread so that he is less likely to have mouldy bread again. |