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
17 July 2026
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.
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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
Activate the Glow Sticks
Snap both glow sticks to activate them.
Gently shake each one.
Make a prediction before you begin.
Question:
Which glow stick do you think will glow brightest after 2 minutes?
☐ The glow stick in hot water
☐ The glow stick in cold water
☐ They will glow the same
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
2
Prepare the Water
Fill one container with cold water and ice.
Fill another container with hot water (not boiling).
Adult help required.
Question:
Which container do you think will produce the brightest glow?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
3
Place the Glow Sticks
Place one glow stick into the cold water.
Place the other glow stick into the hot water.
Start a timer.
Keep everything else the same.
Question:
Why is it important to keep everything else the same?
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
4
Gather Evidence
Wait 2 minutes.
Observe both glow sticks carefully.
Detectives look for clues. Scientists do too!
Can you observe:
☐ One glow stick is brighter
☐ One glow stick is dimmer
☐ A colour difference
☐ A change happening over time
☐ Something unexpected
PREDICT
OBSERVE
EVIDENCE
ASK
SAFETY
TIP
PREDICT
Gather your materials and get
ready for an amazing mission!
5
Test Your Prediction
Compare the two glow sticks.
Decide which glowed brightest.
Look for patterns in your results.
What happened?
☐ The hot-water glow stick was brighter
☐ The cold-water glow stick was brighter
☐ They looked the same
☐ Something unexpected happened
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.
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
Read the Science
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.
Scientist's Challenge
Designed for HPGE, gifted learners and children who enjoy an extra challenge.
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.
The Next Question...
You've solved today's mystery. Now discover where curiosity can take you next.
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! 👇
Keep Exploring This Mystery
One experiment leads to even more amazing discoveries inside the Learning Universe.
Curiosity Files
BIG Questions & Discovery
Illustrated Facts
Explore • Discover
Road Trip Science
Discover science everywhere
The Teacher's Cauldron
Think. Experiment. Inspire
Books
Read • Explore
Videos
Watch & Learn
LAB Resources
Premium learning resources
- Coming Mid 2027
Who Wins — A Glow Stick or the Longest Tunnel on Earth?
- Coming Late 2027
Can a Glow Stick Glow in Space?
Ready for Your Next Discovery?
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?
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