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MISSION VERIFIED

Classroom tested. Teacher designed. Safe at home.

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Designed by Darin Carr (BScDip Ed)

Practising NESA accredited

Australian Science Teacher

★ 30+ years of classroom experience

MISSON PROGRESS

1

young scientists have completed this mission.

I'VE COMPLETED THIS MISSION

Click to let us know you have completed this mission

LATEST TEACHER FEEDBACK

"The kids loved it. I also liked how it helped structure their thinking and predicting".

Year 6 Science Specialist

Mr Tam

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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

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KEEP EXPLORING 

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
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Mission Equipment

Gather your materials and get

ready for an amazing mission!

  • 1 leafy plant (indoor houseplant or outdoor bush/tree branch)

  • 1 clear plastic bag (sandwich bag or ziplock)

  • 1 rubber band or twist tie

  • A kitchen measuring cup or jug (with mL markings)

  • String or masking tape (optional — for extra seal)

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Let’s Investigate

Follow the missions steps below to solve the mystery.

1

Big Title

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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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

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

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

Gather your materials and get

ready for an amazing mission!

PREDICT

OBSERVE

EVIDENCE

ASK

SAFETY

TIP

PREDICT

1

Choose your plant

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

Gather your materials and get

ready for an amazing mission!

PREDICT

OBSERVE

EVIDENCE

ASK

SAFETY

TIP

PREDICT

1

Choose your plant

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

Gather your materials and get

ready for an amazing mission!

PREDICT

OBSERVE

EVIDENCE

ASK

SAFETY

TIP

PREDICT

1

Big Title

Snail Slime step 2.jpg

Gather your materials and get

ready for an amazing mission!

PREDICT

OBSERVE

EVIDENCE

ASK

SAFETY

TIP

PREDICT

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Alex

Plant's Secret Weapon

Slip a plastic bag over a leafy branch, seal it tight, and leave it in the sun. A few hours later — water appears inside a bag that started completely dry. Where did it come from?

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Ages

7-12 yrs

Duration

min
10

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: 

22 June 2026
18 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.

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You already know plants need water to survive — you water them, they grow, easy. But here's something almost nobody knows: 

  • plants don't just drink water. They release it. Every single day, through millions of tiny holes you can't even see.

Here's the challenge: can you catch the water that your plant is secretly releasing — using nothing but a plastic bag?


Make your prediction.


 How much water do you think your plant will release in two hours?

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  • The bag was sealed the whole time — so where did the water come from? Nothing could get in from outside.

  •  Do you think a plant with more leaves would give you more water, or the same amount? What's your reasoning?

  • If you hadn't put the bag there, where would that water have ended up?x

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Plants release water through tiny holes in their leaves — that's called transpiration.


  • You're stranded on a deserted island. A person needs about 2 litres of water per day to survive. How many bags, on how many plants, would you need to stay alive?

  • Why would a leafy tree in full sunlight give you more water than the same tree in deep shade?

  • On a hot, humid day the air feels heavy with moisture — how does transpiration from millions of plants connect to that feeling?

"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 put your bag in full sunlight instead of shade — does the plant release more water?

What happens if you use a plant with bigger, broader leaves — does leaf size change how much water you collect?

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Dr Puddledrip’s Science Tip
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🧪 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 (Text)

Every leaf on every plant is covered in thousands of tiny pores called stomata — far too small to see without a microscope, but they're there on almost every leaf. 


When you sealed the bag around the leaves, any water vapour from the plant leaf had nowhere to go. It hit the cooler surface of the plastic and turned back into liquid water — the same process that makes a cold glass go wet on the outside on a hot day. 


That change from vapour back to liquid is called condensation.


Here's the survival science — and this part is real:

  • In wilderness survival situations, people wrap clear bags around leafy branches in full sun to collect clean, drinkable water. It's called a transpiration bag, and survival guides teach it as a genuine emergency water-collection technique. You just built one.

Think of it like this: every time you walk past a garden on a hot day and feel that cool, slightly humid air — that's transpiration at work. The plants are sharing their water with the atmosphere.



Curiosity spark: Scientists estimate the Amazon rainforest releases about 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere every single day through transpiration. That water forms clouds, falls as rain, and keeps the entire region alive. 


What do you think happens to the rainforest's climate if the trees are cut down?

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 Science Behind It (Graphic)

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

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

Know a parent or teacher who'd love this? Send it on! 👇

READY TO TEACH THIS
TOMORROW?

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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.

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Continue Your Discovery

One simple experiment can lead to amazing discoveries in science, history, engineering and the real world. Where would you like to explore next?

Every resource is designed using our teaching framework.

NSW Teacher

  • NESA Accredited Teacher

  • 30 + Years Classroom Experience

WWCC

  • Working With Children Check (WWCC) Verified

  • Fully compliant for all NSW schools

Risk & Insurance

  • Full Risk Assessments

  • Provided
    $20M Public Liability Insurance

Teacher-Led 

Professional

Learning

  • Teacher-Focused Learning Included

​​

  • Optional Professional Learning Certificates

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Try Another Crazy Experiment

Keep the science going with these fun experiments

Let's Go!

Compare mystery footprints, build your own classification key and identify the unknown visitor.

7-12 yrs

Stage 2-3

A birthday candle. Colourful flames. Could you uncover the same secret that lights up fireworks?

7-12 yrs

Stage 2-3

Four mysterious powders. One ancient tomb. Can you solve the mystery like a real archaeologist?

7-12 yrs

Stage 2-3

Inside The Crazy Scientist LAB

Everything you need to confidently teach science tomorrow.

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Opening early 2027. Join the Founding Member Waitlist

Kids Science

Parties Sydney

High-energy, unforgettable birthday experiences

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Amazing

Science Incursions in the Inner West

Bring the same

high-energy science into your school.

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Teacher-Led Science Clubs Across Sydney

Available to schools in the Inner West and surrounding areas.

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Interactive STEM experiences aligned to the NSW syllabus.

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The Crazy Scientist® delivers curriculum-aligned science incursions, experiments, workshops and learning resources for Australian schools and families.

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All rights reserved.

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registered trademark

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