Mould Lesson Plan adapted from

http://www.factmonster.com/cig/science-fair-projects/foods-do-molds-lovebest.html

Title: Where does the Mould Monster grow

best!
Year Level:
Grade 3 & 4

Resources

Curriculum
Links
Aim

VELS Level:
Level 3 & 4

Time Allocation:
1 hour (first lesson) then spend
10 minutes each science class
for two weeks on observations.
Plastic zip-lockbags
Knife
Labeling tape and marker
Two or three types of food (such as
greens, bread, meat, cheese, fruit, etc.)
Notebook and pen or pencil
Spray bottle
Water
Camera
Microscope.
(VCSSU057)
(VCSSU058)
(VCSIS065)
(VCSIS069)
Students will discover how mould grows best
using a range of different items and areas.
Having a focus on the question: Does Mould
grow faster in the light or darkness?
Continue to gain understanding of the POE
Model- Predict-Observe-Explain.

Introduction
PREDICT

Focus in this lesson is to develop a students

scientific literacy.
Students will create a hypothesis about what
is going to happen and which foods are going
to grow mould and also if they will grow
better in a light or dark area.
Students will then use the Think, Pair, Share
approach to discuss what they believe will
happen with a partner.

Activity
OBSERVE

This will be followed by circle time to share

the hypothesis students have developed.
In groups of 3- students will observe 3
different types of food that have been both
left in the dark and in sunlight.

Make informed
decisions about the
environment and their
own health and
wellbeing- especially in
relation to this activity
focusing on food and
mould.

Students will place each piece of their

food in separate zip lock bags.
Each will mark each bag, with what food
it is and also if it is the bag to be left in
the light or darkness. For example:
(Bread, Light).
Students then place items against the
window for the light and also in a
cupboard for darkness
At the beginning of each lesson for two
weeks, students will examine their
various foods in each location.
Each group will note down any changes.
For example: Mould is not present yet,
or mould is beginning to form. They can
also make notes of what colour the
mould is and how it appears on each
item.
Students can also use the microscopes
to get a close up view of the mould
forming.
Students can also use iPads to take
photos and make a video at the end of
the two weeks to show progress.

Each lesson students will examine their

pieces of food both that have been left in the
light and darkness, and draw pictures to show
its change. There will also be a class model of
three different types of food in which a time
lapse will be made with the use of
cameras/digital technology.

Conclusion/Disc
ussion
EXPLAIN
Identify questions,
investigate and draw
evidence-based
conclusions

Students will also present their findings as a

report in their science journals, using a table
with their findings and also their diagrams.
Answering the main questions where does
mould grow best? In light or dark?? They must
supply evidence towards this.
As a class, we will watch a time lapse of the
class model. Students will be able to view
what happens while they were not at school.
Engage students in the discourse of science
by using key terms
Student Self Assessment:
3-2-1 Reflection activity
Three things I learned

Two (best) connections I made

One thing I would like to investigate further

Teacher Notes: Have a strong focus on inquiry based learning, give

students time to research afterwards as to why their results varied and
find scientific explanation for them to report back to the class. Allowing
students the opportunity to do their own learning, also opens the
opportunities to discover facts that may have been missed in the
classroom activity.