how are slime molds similar to both protists and fungi?

Answer 1

Most of the time, slime molds are unicellular amoeba-like critters that just do their unicellular thing like any protist. What makes slime molds different is that under stress, all those individual cells will glom together and move as a single unit. This unit (usually called a 'slug') move to a new area and forms a reproductive organ not unlike that of a fungus, which gives rise to a whole bunch of unicellular amoeba guys again. It's creatures like this that keep biologists scratching their heads.