| Why do we all love the science fair food projects | | | | will be your hypothesis as this is the first part of |
| so much? I think it is because they are so | | | | what we are going to try and prove with our |
| spectacular and we can see the results very | | | | experiment. |
| clearly. What I think is important, is looking at it | | | | 5. Now explain how decay can be slowed down |
| another way. The one about the bread mold can | | | | and how you are going to prove it with this |
| be looked at from two sides. One way of looking | | | | experiment. |
| at it is the growth of the mold itself, meaning | | | | 6. Remember to wear your rubber gloves |
| growth. The other side is looking at it from the | | | | through the whole experiment as you may be |
| decay side, mold as part of decay. | | | | allergic to the mould growing on the bread. |
| I think the bread mold one as the mold growing is | | | | 7. Place one slice of ordinary bread in one of the |
| the most well known one, but now I want to look | | | | plastic bags, close it with the tie and mark it "A" |
| at it from the decay side and see mold as part of | | | | with one of the tags. This will be your control. |
| the decay process. What is the role of mold in | | | | (What is a control in a science experiment?) |
| the process of decay and how can decay be | | | | 8. Slowly toast another slice of toast until it is |
| stopped or slowed down. | | | | completely dry and crisp and when it is cold place |
| So, first what is decay? What is the role of decay | | | | it and a plastic bag, seal it with the tie and mark |
| in nature? What are the conditions necessary for | | | | the bag "B" with another tag. |
| decay? How can decay be slowed down? | | | | 9. Take your last slice of bread and cover the |
| For good science fair food projects we always | | | | one side with antiseptic cream. Place this slice of |
| have to start with a hypothesis, which is saying | | | | bread in your last plastic bag, close it with a tie |
| what we want to prove and what we think the | | | | and mark it "C" |
| outcome will be. It is not important if your | | | | 10. Place all three bags in a warm place and check |
| hypothesis is proven right or wrong, as long as | | | | them every day. |
| you follow the proper scientific method and keep | | | | 11. Remember the bacteria and fungi, called |
| record of everything you do. This is the reason | | | | moulds, are everywhere and you want to find |
| why you have to make meticulous notes of all | | | | out what they will do inside your bags. |
| your steps and preferably also take photos of | | | | 12. Keeps this up for a few days recording what |
| every step as well as the end result. | | | | you see every day. |
| So, on to our experiment now: | | | | 13. What is your result? The toast is dry so there |
| What you need for your experiment: | | | | is no moisture for the mould and bacteria to grow |
| * Three slices of bread | | | | on so it should have very little, if any, mould on it. |
| * Three plastic bags with ties | | | | 14. In the case of the slice of bread covered with |
| * Any kind of antiseptic cream | | | | the antiseptic cream, the germs have been killed |
| * Three tags | | | | and once again there should not be any mould on |
| * A pen | | | | it, or at least very little. |
| * A knife | | | | 15. Have a look at the ordinary bread. The |
| * Rubber gloves | | | | ordinary slice of bread had lots of moisture for |
| * A note book | | | | the mould to grow on and it should be covered in |
| * A camera | | | | mould. |
| How to do this project: | | | | 16. Now you reach your conclusion, this is where |
| 1. Remember to make notes of every step of | | | | you say what happened and what it proves or |
| your experiment as you go. | | | | does not prove, whatever the case may be. |
| 2. Take photos of all your steps and remember | | | | 17. Throw away the bread in the plastic bags, do |
| to do it with every step as you go until you get | | | | not open them to prevent you from touching the |
| your end result. | | | | mould and get ill from it. |
| 3. Start out by explaining what decay is. Decay is | | | | This is one of our science fair food projects |
| the process where bacteria and fungi, called mold, | | | | where we explain how decay can be prevented |
| breaks down organic matter such as dead plants | | | | instead of proving what mould needs to grow on |
| or animals. | | | | as in the usual "Bread Mould" projects. |
| 4. Now explain what they need to grow and this | | | | |