MISSION VERIFIED
Classroom tested. Teacher designed. Safe at home.
Designed by Darin Carr (BScDip Ed)
Practising NESA accredited
Australian Science Teacher
★ 30+ years of classroom experience
MISSON PROGRESS
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Before you investigate... watch the mystery
MISSION HOOK
Professor Picklebottom and the team are travelling and collecting amazing science mysteries.
✔ Coming in Term 1 2027
Share the science! Tag @the_crazy_scientist on Instagram
— we love seeing your experiments!
Mission Equipment
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
2–3 glow sticks (same colour works best)
Hot water (adult help required)
Cold water (with ice)
Test tubes or cups
Dark room (for best effect)
Let’s Investigate
Follow the missions steps below to solve the mystery.
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Before you start: which glow stick do you think will glow brightest after 2 minutes in water — the one in hot water, the one in cold water, or will they be the same?
Write down your prediction and your reason before moving on.
1
Activate the Glow Sticks
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Before you start: which glow stick do you think will glow brightest after 2 minutes in water — the one in hot water, the one in cold water, or will they be the same?
Write down your prediction and your reason before moving on.
1
Activate the Glow Sticks
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Before you start: which glow stick do you think will glow brightest after 2 minutes in water — the one in hot water, the one in cold water, or will they be the same?
Write down your prediction and your reason before moving on.
1
Big Title
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Before you start: which glow stick do you think will glow brightest after 2 minutes in water — the one in hot water, the one in cold water, or will they be the same?
Write down your prediction and your reason before moving on.
Professor Picklebottom
The Glow Stick Mystery
Glow sticks may look the same, but sometimes one glows brighter than another.
Your mission is to discover what might be causing the difference.
Make a prediction.
Collect evidence.
Look for patterns.
Think like a scientist.
Can you solve the mystery?
Ages
7-12 yrs
Duration
min
5
Difficulty
Easy
Stage
Stage 2-3
Cite this resource
Created by Darin Carr (BSc, DipEd)
NESA Accredited Teacher · Chemistry & Physics Specialist · 30+ years in-class teaching
Resource Version: 1.0
First Published:
Last Updated:
6 June 2026
3 July 2026
The Crazy Scientist LAB Learning System™
Every experiment follows The Crazy Scientist Lab Learning System™ — a simple way to help kids think like real scientists.
We
-
LINK to what they already know,
-
ACTIVATE curiosity through hands-on discovery
-
BUILD understanding that actually sticks.
You’ve probably seen glow sticks at parties, concerts or night events.
Some glow brightly, while others seem much dimmer.
Could temperature be the reason?
Two identical glow sticks.
Same colour.
Same size.
Same age.
Yet one suddenly glows much brighter than the other.
Why?
Make your prediction before you investigate.
You discovered that temperature affects how bright a glow stick appears.
This happens because temperature changes the speed of the chemical reaction inside the glow stick.
Warmer temperatures speed up reactions.
Cooler temperatures slow them down.
The same idea helps explain:
Why does food spoil faster in summer?
Why medicines are stored in fridges.
Why does your body heat up when fighting an infection?
Where else can you find examples of temperature changing a chemical reaction?
"Want the full teacher guide? The Crazy Scientist Lab includes classroom delivery tips, how to manage the WOW moment, differentiation for Stage 2 & 3, — ready to teach tomorrow."
Think Like a Scientist
Scientists don't just do ONE experiment; they change one part of the experiment (independent variable) and then see how it affects another part of the experiment
(dependent variable)
Change ONE variable and test again.
What happens if you use different brands of glow stick?
What happens if you submerge one more than the other?
Dr Puddledrip’s Science Tip
🧪 Try it! Change ONE thing and test again. What did you discover?
Want to go deeper? Tap a section below to explore. ▼
The Science Behind It
What Makes a Glow Stick Glow?
When you snap a glow stick, something hidden inside breaks open.
Two chemicals that were kept apart suddenly mix together.
Almost immediately, the glow stick begins to shine.
But here’s the strange part…
There are no batteries.
No wires.
No electricity.
So where is the light coming from?
Why Was One Glow Stick Brighter?
Your investigation showed that temperature made a difference.
The glow stick in warm water glowed brighter.
The glow stick in cold water glowed dimmer.
This tells us that temperature affects what is happening inside the glow stick.
Scientists call this a chemical reaction.
What’s Happening Inside?
Everything around us is made of tiny particles.
When things get warmer, these particles move faster.
When things get colder, they move more slowly.
Inside a glow stick, faster-moving particles make the reaction happen more quickly.
That usually produces a brighter glow.
Slower-moving particles create a dimmer glow.
Did You Notice This?
The brightest glow stick doesn’t always last the longest.
Sometimes the opposite is true.
Why might that happen?
🤔 That’s a clue scientists investigate when studying glow sticks.
To see another chemical reaction releasing energy — but as heat and fire rather than light — try [The Invisible Fire Extinguisher]. And if you want to explore the light itself and how different colours behave, [What Colour is Your Shadow] shows you something equally surprising.
Want To Explore Further?
You solved one glow stick mystery.
But there are still more questions to investigate:
🔒 Why do glow sticks eventually stop glowing?
🔒 Can a glow stick be made brighter again?
🔒 Which colour glow stick lasts the longest?
🔒 Why do fireflies glow without snapping anything?
Continue your investigation inside The Crazy Scientist LAB™.
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Extension: HPGE / Gifted Learners
Which Glow Stick Colour Lasts the Longest?
You discovered that temperature can change how a glow stick behaves.
Now investigate a new variable.
Your Mission
Compare two or more glow stick colours.
Observe them over time.
Record which colour stays brightest for the longest.
Think Like a Scientist
Make a prediction.
Collect data.
Compare results.
Look for patterns.
Try
Green
Yellow
Blue
Red
Teachers & Homeschoolers: Print-ready HD versions of this Science Behind It poster and companion G&T Challenge Card are available inside The Crazy Scientist LAB.
Vocabulary
Reaction
A process where substances change and form new substances.
Temperature
A measure of how hot or cold something is.
Know a parent or teacher who'd love this? Send it on! 👇
READY TO TEACH THIS
TOMORROW?
Running the experiment is easy; however, teaching it well is another challenge.
Teachers often ask:
How do I adapt this for Stages 1,2 or 3?
What misconceptions will they have?
What syllabus outcomes does it cover?
What do I do with fast finishers?
How do I structure this for a full class?
What do I say when they ask WHY?
BUILD AROUND THE LAB LEARNING SYSTEM™
Every resource is designed using our teaching framework.
Inside The Crazy Scientist LAB
Everything you need to confidently teach science tomorrow.
Opening early 2027. Join the Founding Member Waitlist
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