Summary
Slime mold is neither plant nor animal -- it's a strange, creeping blob that oozes across the forest floor, breaking down dead stuff. Deep Look shows how this weird organism helps recycle matter in an ecosystem.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
Slime mold spreads over rotting logs and leaves, feeding on the decay and helping break it down. Decomposers like this return nutrients to the soil so plants can use them again -- keeping matter cycling through the ecosystem.
- What does a slime mold eat as it creeps along?
- How do decomposers help an ecosystem?
- Why is breaking down dead material important for plants?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: slime mold, decomposer, recycle, ecosystem.
Try it: Draw a log with slime mold and arrows returning nutrients to the soil. Write how decomposers recycle matter for plants.