Oldy Moldy

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Have you ever gone to make a sandwich and found that your bread has a fuzzy black or green substance growing on it?

This is mold.

• Where did the mold come from?
• How did it get inside the bag of sealed bread?
• Can you still eat the moldy bread or will it make you sick?

In this lesson, you will complete conduct experiments to understand how mold grows and spreads. You will also learn how mold is used in medicine(s) and which scientist(s) led the way in this discovery.

First, gather these supplies.

• 3 pieces of bread
• 6 resealable bags (3 for the first experiment and 3 for the second experiment)
• 3 pieces of a new food item
• any materials needed for the new growing conditions in the Got It? section
• permanent marker
• pencil and paper

The Experiment (total time needed to complete experiment = approximately five days)

1. Take out the three resealable plastic bags. Using a marker, label each of the three bags as follows: (a) sunny bag, (b) dark bag, and (c) cold bag.

2. Put one piece of bread in each of the bags. Place the bag marked "sunny bag" in a sunny area. Place the bag marked "dark bag" in a dark area. Place the bag marked "cold bag" in the refrigerator.

3. While you wait for the results (this could take up to five days), work with someone to develop a hypothesis (an educated guess) as to what will happen to each bag of bread. Consider where mold grows naturally.

• What conditions do you think are important for mold growth in nature?
• Where have you seen mold before?
• Are you allergic to mold?

These Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness can help answer these and any other questions you may have about mold.

4. Check each bag daily and record (write and draw) any changes you see.

5. Compare the results with your hypothesis, using the Mold Data Recording Sheet found in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

When you are satisfied with your results, continue on to the Got It? section for another experiment!