What plants and animals store, where they store it, why starch and glycogen are ideal stores, and why storage matters.
5 narrated scenes. Press play, listen and read along — the points appear as they are explained. Use ‹ Prev / Next › or the scene bar to jump to any scene.
Plants make food all day. So why does a cassava plant bother filling its roots with starch?
Narration uses your device’s built-in voice. No sound? Switch to “Captions only” — the captions advance on their own.
Copy these into your notebook in your own words — that is how they stick.
Starch (tubers, seeds), sucrose (sugar cane, fruit), oils (coconut, avocado seeds), protein (legume seeds).
Glycogen (liver, muscle), fat (adipose tissue under skin, around organs).
Insoluble (no osmotic effect), compact, unreactive, easily converted to glucose.
Animals are mobile and need rapid energy → glycogen; plants are stationary → starch in storage organs.
Survive unfavourable periods; energy for germination and growth; asexual reproduction/perennation.
Starch → maltose (amylase); protein → amino acids (protease); dry mass falls until leaves photosynthesise.
The kind of support a teacher gives after the lesson: worked examples to attempt first, a board illustration, key terms, common misconceptions and memory aids.
Try it in your notebook first, then reveal the solution one step at a time.
Try it in your notebook first, then reveal the solution one step at a time.
| Organism | Stored as | Where | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plants | Starch | Roots, tubers, corms, seeds | Cassava, yam, dasheen, rice, corn |
| Plants | Sucrose | Stems, fruits | Sugar cane, ripe banana |
| Plants | Oils | Seeds and fruits | Coconut, peanut, avocado |
| Plants | Protein | Seeds | Red peas, pigeon peas, soya beans |
| Animals | Glycogen | Liver and muscles | Short-term energy |
| Animals | Fat | Adipose tissue under the skin and around organs | Long-term energy, insulation, protection |
Most Caribbean staple foods are plant food stores — that is why they are so nourishing.
Plants Store Starch; Animals Get Glycogen (and fat).
Cassava, yam, dasheen and breadfruit — the “ground provisions” of Caribbean cooking — are all plant organs packed with stored starch. The plant stores it to survive dry seasons or to grow new shoots.
Put a drop of iodine solution on slices of potato, cassava, green banana and ripe banana. Which contain the most starch? Why does ripe banana give a weaker result?
3 quick games on this lesson. Earn XP and badges as you play — your best score for each game is saved. Games are for practice and do not change your exam readiness.
8 items modelled on real CSEC Paper 1 questions. Choose one answer for each, then check. Aim for 80% or better.
Write full answers, then reveal the mark scheme and tick the points you earned (19 marks in total). Your answers are saved on this device.
Question 1 [11 marks]
Food storage in plants and animals.
(a) Other than starch and sugar, list TWO substances stored in plants and state where each is stored. [4]
(b) State THREE reasons why storing food is important to living organisms. [3]
(c) A student claims plants and animals store carbohydrate the same way. Explain why this is incorrect. [4]
Question 2 [8 marks]
A graph shows that as a seed germinates, starch and protein fall while sugar rises sharply.
(a) Explain the decrease in protein and in starch as the seed germinates. [5]
(b) Name the sugar most likely represented, and outline ONE reason starch is the preferred storage material. [3]
Find these in your own past-paper booklets for extra timed practice. The practice above is adapted from them.